Interstellar Greening Master

Advertisement

Thank you to TinaVu for the ko-fi~

After a brief moment of weightlessness, Shu Shuishui’s vision became clear again. He was standing on a path of smooth and cool rounded pebbles, varying in size. Shu Shuishui lowered his gaze and curled his toes, finding the sensation quite uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to this; back when he still had paws, he wouldn’t have experienced such a strong sensation underfoot, even if he stood on a blade’s edge.

Looking around, Shu Shuishui’s attention was drawn to a half-person-high bluestone nearby. Although the stone was sizable, it was as polished and smooth as the pebbles beneath his feet.

Quickly, Shu Shuishui tiptoed a few steps and then leaped onto the bluestone. He landed with both feet on the stone’s surface and then squatted, reminiscent of his former dormouse form, motionless.

After a moment, Shu Shuishui seemed to realize and transitioned from a squat to a sitting position. His feet rested on the smooth stone, his legs stretched out, and his toes barely touched the ground. Shu Shuishui blinked his eyes and examined his legs, momentarily ignoring the surroundings.

“Legs are good legs,” Shu Shuishui could only conclude. From shape to proportion to thickness, he was quite satisfied. However, there was just one thing – it seemed like these weren’t 1.8-meter legs! They were missing a tiny bit!

This realization hit him like a bolt from the blue. For Shu Shuishui, among the few friends he had in his dormouse life, Shu Bao was 1.83 meters tall, Gu Langu was 1.87 meters, and even Yu Jin and Nan Ge were over 1.8 meters. As for Xie Feng and Nan Fang, these two humans were already close to 1.8 meters, and humans were a magical race that could grow taller at any time, unlike himself, who was fixed in form!

So, after all the calculations, there was a significant possibility that he might become the shortest among them! No 1.8 meters! No long legs! Shu Shuishui froze on the stone.

How could this be!

These four words resounded heavily in his mind. Shu Shuishui felt ashamed of the mouse clan, even more so of the dormice. It’s said that good sleep quality could lead to growth, but why didn’t it work for him?

Deeply struck, Shu Shuishui remained in a daze for a long time, until the distant sound of rocks shattering and rumbling, accompanied by the ground’s trembling, snapped him back to his senses.

He lifted his head and looked ahead. In front of him was a pool of water, its surface covered in watery veils that danced with the wind, gathering and dispersing. On the other side of the pool, lay a forest of lush greenery. Mountain ranges soared into the sky, seeming to erect a barrier around the cold pool. The vegetation on the mountains was rich and abundant, with pine and cypress trees growing densely, as if cradling the clouds and mist between them.

Advertisement

The mountains were devoid of water, yet the mist was clear, obscurely shrouding the specific situation of the incident. Even though Shu Shuishui’s five senses were sharp, he couldn’t make out exactly what had happened.

Shu Shuishui stood up from the round stone, instinctively tiptoeing to observe. The surrounding scenery was beautiful, tinged with a hint of untamed wilderness. The growth of plants was imbued with a touch of wildness.

In the forest and mountains around, the occasional calls of birds and beasts could be heard. All of this gave Shu Shuishui the sensation of being in a primitive jungle, and even on Earth, the Amazon rainforest didn’t possess this level of majesty and purity.

Especially for Shu Shuishui, who had traveled in the black-and-white world for over a month, the intense colors before him were overwhelming, causing a sense of being overwhelmed.

Shu Shuishui rubbed his feet together, and the sensation of his feet told him once again that he was human now. The cold feeling on his legs also reminded him that he needed to wear pants as a human!

Shu Shuishui: “…”

After a while, Shu Shuishui jumped down from the round stone and adjusted his clothes, which could only cover the area about two palms wide above his knees. “I left in a hurry, so I didn’t wear a pair of pants.”

He wiggled his toes. “And shoes and socks.” This was the first time the mouse-turned-human felt troubled by his attire. His spiritual storage didn’t have suitable clothes, the tiny clothes could only be worn on his hands, and the little shoes could only fit on his fingers. Did he have to improvise and make clothes on the spot? But he still needed to find Gu Langu, otherwise, Gu Langu would be worried.

Advertisement

Speaking of which, he didn’t know if the teleportation for this dungeon was like the one in Li Meng’s dungeon, or maybe a group teleportation. Unfortunately, he was separated from everyone, and he couldn’t discern which scenario was true.

As Shu Shuishui was contemplating whether to use his spiritual power to create an illusion with some external object, a frantic sound of footsteps came from behind. It seemed that someone was rushing out of the nearby forest in haste.

The foliage rustled, and a figure quickly burst out. The person seemed to be chased by something, appearing anxious. Despite running in haste, they even found the time to curse aloud, “What the heck! What the hell is this! I don’t want to eat frogs for the rest of my life!”

The fleeing person’s eyes brightened upon seeing someone by the edge of the pond, and they hastily waved their hand and shouted, “Brother, either help or run fast, there’s something behind us…” Their words abruptly trailed off, and a look of evident puzzlement crossed their eyes, clearly shocked by Shu Shuishui’s attire.

Normally, what someone looked like before entering a teleportation array was the same as after the teleportation. So, what had this person experienced?

Perhaps because of the shock, the person rushed to Shu Shuishui’s side before they realized it, and added to their earlier warning, “There’s a mutated frog behind us, it’s already eaten two people, run!”

No need for the reminder, Shu Shuishui had already sensed the ground getting closer and closer with rhythmic vibrations. It truly seemed like some gigantic creature was leaping across the ground. The nearby forest shook, and startled birds scattered in all directions. “Red?”

“How did you know?” The person saw that Shu Shuishui hadn’t moved and their own footsteps slowed down.

Shu Shuishui pointed with his hand. The person turned to look and saw the mutated frog leaping out of the forest, onto the white shallows. Its vibrant red color stood out, resembling a little red house. The person’s expression changed drastically; they hadn’t expected the frog to be this fast. At this moment, the position of the two of them was already quite unsafe. The person had witnessed the freakishly long tongue of this frog.

Shu Shuishui’s gaze subtly changed. This frog seemed to be more than just a simple mutation; it had already reached the level of a spiritual beast! But how was this possible? The mutations in the creatures on Cang Zhan Star had only just begun, and they hadn’t even passed the adaptation stage yet. At most, they could be considered chaotic beasts. Evolving into spiritual beasts requires the right opportunity and time.

Advertisement

“Brother.” The person beside him didn’t dare to make any sudden movements, as the frog by the edge of the forest had stopped, still croaking and staring in their direction as if ready to attack at any moment. Keeping their gaze fixed on the giant red frog, the person softly greeted the Shu Shuishui by their side.

Shu Shuishui murmured in response and also focused his gaze on the frog.

The person let out a breath of relief. At least Shu Shuishui’s response indicated they weren’t paralyzed by fear; their senses were still intact. “Brother, don’t make any rash movements. The frog’s dynamic vision is very acute, but its static vision is average. We still have a chance.”

Shu Shuishui nodded and then raised his hand, waving at the frog by the edge of the forest. “Hey, frog buddy, can you see me?”

The person beside him nearly slipped and fell; they felt their initial judgment was off. This person wasn’t scared silly; he was actually a madman. No wonder they weren’t wearing pants or socks. Their upper clothing was relatively presentable, but obviously ill-fitting. Who knew where they had stolen it from? How did someone like this enter the simulation space? Could it be that they offended someone? Their mind had already conjured up a convoluted drama of intrigue. Meanwhile, their mind remained tense, poised to flee when the frog attacked the madman.

The outcome was far from what they expected. The frog’s croaking paused for a few seconds before it resumed with a few more croaks, as if it was truly responding.

Shu Shuishui breathed a sigh of relief; communication was possible. After all, they were all considered supernatural beings, and Shu Shuishui had already taken on human form, which was clearly a higher level. Any creature with spiritual awareness possessed the most basic ability to differentiate and typically wouldn’t clash with higher-order spiritual beasts.

“Frog friend, as I’m new to this place, I apologize for any disturbance. Could you please tell me where this is?” Shu Shuishui recalled the etiquette Shu Bao had taught them and performed a respectful bow.

The enormous crimson frog seemed puzzled, unable to answer such a complex question. Suddenly, it started croaking rapidly, its voice accelerating as if urging something.

Shu Shuishui didn’t actually understand the frog’s language; their communication was through spiritual awareness. However, the frog’s spiritual awareness was restless and anxious, appearing highly alarmed.

In the bewildered eyes of Shu Shuishui and the astounded person, the giant red frog suddenly turned its head, leaped, and swiftly disappeared into the forest.

The person was dumbfounded, speechless for a moment. “Brother, what… just happened? Why did it turn around and run? Why did it seem like it understood your words? And brother, why aren’t you wearing pants?”

A string of consecutive questions left the questioner still dazed.

In truth, Shu Shuishui was also puzzled. Why did the frog turn around and run? And it seemed both anxious and fearful. Come to think of it, when the frog was chasing after them, it spontaneously stopped at the edge of the forest, refusing to step into the shallows. Shu Bao had mentioned that powerful spiritual beasts generally possessed strong territorial instincts. Yet, this frog didn’t reside by the water; it lived in the forest?

Shu Shuishui suddenly turned around, looking toward the water’s edge, and his breath caught.

Advertisement

Because of Shu Shuishui’s movement, the person also turned around and faced the water’s edge. They took a step back in sudden fright, then tripped over a pebble, falling onto the ground.

Silently and without warning, a gigantic exotic beast emerged from the water behind them. Its body was covered in dark cyan scales, and its massive head had already extended behind them.

Two enormous eyes resembling lamps sized them up.

The person’s voice trembled uncontrollably. “Wha-wha-what is this… another creature! Snake… a snake, right?! Why does it have horns? And legs? Are those fins or claws?” The person clearly had no idea how to describe it anymore. This kind of creature had never existed in their understanding. Its body was indeed snake-like, yet for some reason, an intense intuition told them that it wasn’t a snake.

“It’s a jiaolong, a blue-eyed jiaolong,” Shu Shuishui murmured, half to himself and half in response.

The person obviously had no idea what a jiaolong was, but Shu Shuishui knew. Even if he hadn’t seen it before, thanks to Shu Bao’s explanations, he was well-informed about divine beasts and some formidable spiritual creatures. At this moment, Shu Shuishui felt immensely grateful that he hadn’t zoned out during those educational moments.

Legend had it that jiaolong dwelled in shallow waters and after a thousand years, they could transform into dragons. Shu Bao had once said that this was a general statement, as in the true cultivation realm, every race had numerous branches, which was the mark of prosperity on the continent. And now, this silently appearing jiaolong already had dragon horns, indicating it wasn’t far from dragonhood.

The exposed portion of the jiaolong’s body that surfaced in the water extended to ten meters, with parts remaining submerged still a mystery. The jiaolong extended its massive head to the edge of the shore.

Shu Shuishui couldn’t discern any emotions from its orange-yellow vertical pupils. In an instant, he felt the impulse to pull out dried flowers, lie down, and wait for death – a joke that stemmed from their recent humorous exchange with his friend. After all, with his current level of cultivation, the idea of defeating a jiaolong on the verge of dragon transformation was simply absurd.

However, the jiaolong didn’t attack Shu Shuishui. It merely curiously circled around them, observing from front to back, left to right. Its long body undulated constantly, nearly brushing against the person seated on the ground. The person stiffened, a look of impending doom on their face, too frightened to move.

Feeling a bit embarrassed under the scrutiny, after all, Shu Shuishui’s nature was that of a shy little dormouse. “Hey!” Shu Shuishui grinned, revealing a faint smile, and waved in greeting.

The jiaolong paused in its movements, its neck suddenly contracting as it returned to the water’s depths, leaving behind massive ripples expanding across the surface.

Shu Shuishui: “…” Did I do something?

The stranger: “…” What just happened? Feels like my brain can’t keep up.

A silence enveloped the shore. After a while, when the water’s surface had gradually calmed and the ripples subsided, the person who had been sitting on the ground shakily stood up. “Dude, that was impressive! You scared off two mutated creatures just by saying hi!”

Shu Shuishui: “…” Really? Could his human form possess such an ability? Should he still greet Gu Langu after finding them? What if he scared Gu Gu away? No, wait! He would only scare off spiritual creatures if he looked threatening! And there was a jiaolong too?

“Brother, let’s get out of here first. It’s too eerie. Just now, I felt like I couldn’t even breathe,” the person urged, ready to take a step. Suddenly, the central part of the water revealed a colossal head. The person’s footsteps froze in place.

Shu Shuishui also saw it – it was the jiaolong! The jiaolong seemed to have heard their intention to leave, as it cautiously extended its head again, only revealing its head and peering at Shu Shuishui.

In those two beastly eyes, Shu Shuishui seemed to catch a trace of what? Regret?

Regret? Shu Shuishui raised a hand to wipe his eyes. Upon opening them, the jiaolong’s head had once again come closer. This frightened the person beside him into becoming a wooden stake once more.

The jiaolong curiously circled around from top to bottom, as if probing, as if familiarizing itself, as if confirming something. After a while, it rested its massive head on the shallow bank, with Shu Shuishui standing before it.

This posture seemed so much like a request for head-patting? Shu Shuishui tentatively raised his arm, and the jiaolong’s eyes brightened. It even emitted a hint of encouraging exhalation from its nostrils.

Shu Shuishui’s hand touched the jiaolong’s immense forehead. After all, he couldn’t reach any higher. After a few strokes, the jiaolong closed its eyes contentedly. Even its long tail swayed gently from side to side in the clear waters, creating ripples across the surface.

Shu Shuishui: “…” Did Shu Bao lie? This thing doesn’t look like a jiaolong at all. It’s more like a long, elongated cat!

The head-patting continued for quite a while, and the jiaolong had already begun to emit a purring sound. Shu Shuishui puffed his cheeks, feeling a bit displeased with patting something that wasn’t fluffy. But considering it was a jiaolong he was patting, it had a certain mystical aspect to it.

Whenever Shu Shuishui attempted to stop, the seemingly comfortably dozing jiaolong would open its eyes and gaze at them, as if saying, “Keep going, don’t stop.”

Shu Shuishui lifted his hand and looked at his reddened palm. “Can’t keep patting all the time. Your forehead will go bald.”

In response to this, the jiaolong’s eyes inadvertently shifted upwards, as if truly examining its own head.

Shu Shuishui: “…” Is this how all jiaolongs are? They don’t seem very bright.