Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Chapter 609 - 599.10%

"As long as you follow my guidance... all of this will be yours."

"Awoo—!"

"Yes, yes, time for today’s routine checkup, be good."

Successfully coaxing Xiao Hai out of the Mushroom House, letting her lie on a particularly sturdy giant mushroom.

A few Pukis immediately set to work, using their mycelium tentacles with measurement scales to measure the increasingly broad arc of her dragon wings from root to tip, while also recording the growth progress of the delicate patterns on her black scales.

To attract Xiao Hai’s cooperation with the checkup, Lin Jun deliberately placed some bright little trinkets on the ground in front of her.

A few smooth pearls, several colorful glass marbles, and...

Just then, Norris, passing by, hesitated for a long time before he couldn’t help but quietly ask, "Boss, in that ’everything’ you just mentioned... that shouldn’t include me, right?"

...

Regular checkups for Xiao Hai have now become a weekly occurrence at the Mushroom Garden.

With daily use of the [Bloodline Enhancement] skill, the mysterious [Ancient Dragon Path] progress in Xiao Hai’s status bar is progressing slowly but steadily.

[Ancient Dragon Path 9%]

Being linked to the "Ancient Dragon," this status is certainly no trivial matter, and genuine changes are indeed occurring.

Xiao Hai’s already substantial dragon wings have expanded further, the wing membrane has become more tenacious, and the bone structure grows thicker and sturdier.

More notably, the scales on Xiao Hai’s body, which were originally pure black, have now begun to show incredibly intricate yet complex patterns.

These patterns seem somewhat similar to the magic patterns on the ancient dragon scale Lin Jun once obtained.

Unfortunately, it seems that once the dragon scale falls off, the demon pattern loses its efficacy, and the specific effects are unknown.

But from these signs, it is enough to speculate that the so-called [Ancient Dragon Path] is likely a deep atavistic or sublimation of the bloodline, guiding Xiao Hai’s life form to gradually evolve towards a true ancient dragon.

But can a Dragon Man... ultimately transform completely into an ancient dragon?

Or will it become an Ancient Dragon Man?

However, Lin Jun was just a little curious. Faced with the prospect of higher-level power, there was no reason not to pursue it.

As for whether she can maintain a humanoid form after gaining power?

Is a humanoid form such an important thing?

Lin Jun herself doesn’t have a humanoid form, yet she is doing just fine.

Only Norris, the conservative, would be concerned with such trivial details, while Xiao Hai, who is more natural, probably wouldn’t care.

The real issue is... Xiao Hai has been raised too lazily by Lin Jun.

Just like now, as soon as the routine checkup ends, Xiao Hai impatiently wraps her increasingly broad wings forward, like a giant black tent, completely enclosing herself, a juicy and delicious Puki, and those bright trinkets.

Norris backed away, making sure he wasn’t also caught inside.

Soon after, there came a satisfied sound of chewing from within, which quickly transformed into a steady and heavy breathing.

She slipped directly into an unbroken cycle of "eating-sleeping."

Lin Jun wasn’t sure if it was the evolution that required sleep, or if Xiao Hai had accidentally become spoiled... perhaps both?

Fortunately, it seemed that the extra nutrition and energy were mostly devoted to the growth of her wings and the fortification of her scales. Otherwise, with her current attitude of lying down rather than standing and only using her mouth rather than moving her claws, she should have already become a round, plump house dragon by now.

Gone was the agility, ferocity, and the chivalrous spirit of chasing a knight across miles that was seen at their first encounter.

Indeed, if it weren’t for Lin Jun’s daily supervision, Xiao Hai herself would never voluntarily use those energy-consuming and somewhat uncomfortable skills like [Bloodline Enhancement] unless she felt a crisis.

While Lin Jun used mycelium tentacles to drag the newly sleeping Xiao Hai back up to complete today’s [Bloodline Enhancement], she lamented the failure of her education.

[Ancient Dragon Path 10%]

Oh? The progress increased again, not bad!

Just as Lin Jun felt a bit gratified by this slight advancement, the previously drowsy Xiao Hai suddenly had her dragon scales bristled, muscles taut, and the massive wings stretched to their extremes, the wing tips inadvertently tearing the nearby Mushroom House.

Lowering her limbs, she clung tightly to the ground, emitting a continuous low growl in a particular direction.

That sound was deep and fierce, entirely different from the usual lazy whimpering.

Lin Jun immediately became alert, sending her intent quickly in the direction of Xiao Hai’s growl. Her perception swept across the Mushroom Garden, over the Northern Territory wilderness, and extended to the Northern Border of the Empire...

However, apart from picking up a few potential D Level personnel, she found no possible threats.

Checking Xiao Hai’s status panel, everything was normal except for the [Ancient Dragon Path] jumping to 10%, with no new negative statuses or prompts.

A Puki approached, scratching Xiao Hai’s chin with its tentacle, finally stopping her low growl after a while, though Xiao Hai still appeared anxious.

"Xiao Hai, what happened?" Lin Jun inquired directly through the Fungal Network.

"Fight... someone... wants to fight!" The intent returned from Xiao Hai was filled with agitation and vague hostility.

After changing several ways of asking, Lin Jun finally understood.

Xiao Hai seemed to have a premonition of an impending conflict with some entity, but as to why the fight was necessary, who the opponent was, or even the reliability of this premonition, she couldn’t clarify anything.

Xiao Hai had just growled towards the south.

But since the Mushroom Garden was in the Northern Territory, any threat would definitely come from the south, making the exact location indiscernible.

A brief thought crossed Lin Jun’s mind, and she had an idea. The Pukis surrounded the still restless Xiao Hai and, via a Rift, brought Xiao Hai to the Pujie Dungeon.

Upon landing, Xiao Hai’s head immediately turned in another direction, her low growl resumed, and her alertness remained unabated.

Pulled out the map.

Measured the angle of the new direction, compared it to the direction recorded earlier at the Mushroom Garden, then combined the relative positions of the two places, drew two extending lines on the map... converging...

If Xiao Hai’s intuitive direction was not too far off, her perceived threat was... internal to the Empire?

Reasonably speaking, Lin Jun found it hard to believe.

No perception skill could sense threats from half a continent away, let alone when this sensing wasn’t even showing on Xiao Hai’s status menu.

But to be safe, it was still better to make some preparations...

...

Empire, Muling Castle.

Emperor Mortis lounged against the luxurious throne, his well-defined fingers slowly rotating a crystal-clear goblet.

He didn’t rush to drink the blood jade wine within the cup, instead bringing the rim close to his nose, taking a deep whiff of the complex and domineering aroma, then sipping a small amount, letting the deliciousness spread across his tongue before slowly swallowing.

A few steps in front of him, the Empire’s chief intelligence officer, the Enchanting Demon Mofulei, was kneeling on one knee, reporting on various recent intel within the Empire.

The progress in quelling Slimes across the Empire...

The investigation plan of Northern Eugene and Dean...

Sigmund privately trading slightly inferior blood jade wine...

Eleanor possibly having acquired a member of the Mushroom Race, starting to cultivate Fungal Mats in parts of her territory...

And,

"Disturbance in the Dragon Cliff Dungeon?"

Mofulei immediately responded, "Yes, for now it seems like a suspected Demon Tide, however, the time elapsed since the last Demon Tide at the Dragon Cliff Dungeon is less than two years, which doesn’t match the pattern of Demon Tides, so it remains unconfirmed."

She paused briefly, proposing the question needing special permission: "Your Majesty, should a reconnaissance team be sent into the Dragon Cliff for investigation?"

The Dragon Cliff Dungeon holds a very special status among all known dungeons in the Empire.

It is not a no-man’s land; the Empire has an understanding with it, and official forces usually do not intervene.

That is precisely why Mofulei was individually requesting instructions on this.

"No need." After pondering for a moment, Mortis slowly rose from the throne, "Prepare everything. I will personally take a trip to the Dragon Cliff; it is time... to meet that old dragon again."