I Transmigrated as a Doomed Villain and Awakened a Rebate System, Then Pampered the Protagonist’s Fiancée to Heaven - Chapter 16:

Chapter 16: A Grin

This time, however, Chu Qiuran didn’t immediately toss the mixture out. Instead, he pulled out an inconspicuous small black vial from his storage ring.

“What’s that?” Bai Luoluo looked over curiously.

“Hehe, good stuff,” Chu Qiuran grinned and uncorked the bottle.

A pungent stench instantly filled the air.

Bai Luoluo was forced to retreat several steps, covering her nose. “What the hell is that? It stinks!”

“This is something I stumbled upon a while back—‘Rotspirit Liquid.’ It’s specifically effective against all kinds of spirit plants, causing their roots and stems to rot rapidly. It just happens to smell… strong,” Chu Qiuran said, shaking the vial. “Ordinary spirit plants die from just one drop. Let’s see if it works on this mutated Devouring Spirit Bud.”

He carefully dripped a few drops of the reeking Rotspirit Liquid onto the enhanced divine soil—a mixture of Dao Heart Fruit and spirit stone powder—then gritted his teeth and hurled the potent concoction directly at the crack of the black flower bud.

“Eat up! Let’s see if this kills you, you bastard!”

The bud’s split mouth widened sharply, as if sensing danger, attempting to swallow the entire mixture.

Just as the concoction was about to enter the crack, Chu Qiuran shouted, “Explode!”

Boom—!

A blast of spiritual Qi far more violent than before erupted on the spot!

The immense vitality of the Dao Heart Fruit and the pure spiritual Qi from the spirit stones, under the bizarre influence of the Rotspirit Liquid, reacted drastically, forming an extremely unstable and destructive energy.

The black flower bud took the full impact. Its tough outer shell was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

“Wuuu—!” A shrill cry rang out from the bud as black liquid sprayed from the fractures, releasing a suffocating stench.

The suction stopped abruptly, and the entire bud began to tremble violently, on the verge of collapse.

“It’s working!” Bai Luoluo’s eyes lit up.

“Strike while it’s down!” Chu Qiuran wouldn’t let the chance slip by. He immediately pulled out a talisman from his storage ring—the Heavenly Thunder Talisman he had traded from Qi Shan earlier.

“Heavenly thunder, descend!”

Injecting spiritual Qi into the talisman, it ignited without flame. A blinding bolt of thunder shot skyward, forming a fist-sized ball of lightning in the air. Carrying a force capable of obliterating all things, it slammed straight down on the trembling bud.

Crack—!

The lightning struck the top of the flower bud directly!

The black bud exploded on impact, shattered into pieces by the lightning, with its fragments and foul liquid flying in all directions.

A burnt stench instantly spread through the air.

“Huff… finally… is it over?” Chu Qiuran wiped the sweat from his forehead. That entire sequence had drained him immensely.

Bai Luoluo walked up and lightly kicked the charred remains of the bud with her toe, confirming it had completely lost all vitality.

“You… really do have an endless bag of tricks,” she muttered, studying Chu Qiuran. “Rotspirit Liquid, Heavenly Thunder Talisman… where did a Registered Disciple like you get all this weird stuff?”

“Hehe, opportunities… just opportunities,” Chu Qiuran laughed it off, about to say more—

Suddenly, rumble rumble—

The ground beneath their feet shook violently, louder than when the Earth-Slumbering Beast stirred earlier!

Crack… crack…

The ground where the Devouring Spirit Bud had taken root cracked apart, splitting inch by inch and spreading outward rapidly.

Then, with a loud boom, that entire section of land—along with the surrounding scorched soil and weeds—collapsed!

A massive pit, several meters in diameter and so deep the bottom couldn’t be seen, appeared before them!

An overwhelming earthy stench and a far more ancient, desolate aura surged from the depths.

The beast’s roar, which had only been faint before, now rang clearly from just beneath the pit. This time, its cry held an inexplicable tone… almost like a summons.

“This… what is this…” Chu Qiuran was stunned at the sudden development.

Bai Luoluo’s expression turned sharp. She stared fixedly at the gaping abyss and said word by word, “A leyline spirit cavern! No doubt about it! The sect’s ancient records mentioned that the original mother plant of the Devouring Spirit Flower was cultivated from a parasitic ore deep within a leyline spirit cavern! This must be the root of all the strange occurrences in this abandoned garden!”

She turned to Chu Qiuran, her voice carrying a subtle, unreadable tone. “That Earth-Slumbering Beast probably wasn’t awakened by us… it’s been guarding this entrance all along. Now that we’ve destroyed the Devouring Spirit Bud, we’ve cleared the path for it. What it’s doing now… is inviting us inside.”

“Inviting us?” Chu Qiuran’s throat tightened. “Senior Sister Bai, are you sure it’s not inviting us down to be its next meal?”

The pit was bottomless, pitch-black, and exuded an aura so ancient it made one’s heart tremble. The roar from below was no longer frenzied, but it was far from friendly.

Bai Luoluo’s expression shifted slightly. “Earth-Slumbering Beasts are known to be docile. Unless severely provoked or threatened, they don’t attack without cause. That roar just now… it felt more like guidance. According to records, leyline spirit caverns are often accompanied by rare treasures, but they are also incredibly dangerous. Maybe it’s seeking help to resolve some trouble deep within… or perhaps, something it’s guarding is about to mature and needs specific conditions to be unlocked.”

“Specific conditions? Like two sacrificial lambs that walked in on their own?” Chu Qiuran didn’t believe in free treasures falling from the sky.

Just then, a familiar prompt echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Detected special scene: ‘Leyline Spirit Cavern (Incomplete)’. Hidden opportunity mission triggered!]

[Mission Title: The Call from the Depths]

[Mission Description: Enter the Leyline Spirit Cavern, explore its core, uncover the true cause of the Earth-Slumbering Beast’s disturbance, and retrieve at least one ‘Leyline Essence Crystal’.]

[Mission Rewards: Based on the number and quality of Leyline Essence Crystals collected—significant sect contribution points, one upper-grade cultivation method fragment, and a chance to gain a special System permission.]

[Mission Penalty: Refusal or failure will result in immediate mission failure for the abandoned medicine garden arc, and the System’s favorability toward the host will permanently drop.]

[Special Note: The Leyline Spirit Cavern is extremely dangerous. Please proceed with caution. Dao Heart Fruit may be consumed to exchange for temporary buffs or special items.]

Chu Qiuran’s expression grew complicated.

A mission from the System? The rewards were so tempting they felt scorching, especially that “special System permission”—it made his heart race. But the penalty was just as terrifying, directly tied to the test Liu Ruobing had given him.

Damn this System… it clearly knew he couldn’t refuse!

“Junior Brother Chu, what are you thinking about?” Bai Luoluo noticed the subtle change in his expression.

“Nothing,” Chu Qiuran quickly composed himself. “Just wondering… what on earth is down there that makes it worth risking our lives?”