Weary but determined, Seratus finally made a decision: Since the morning's trek had exhausted him, why not replenish his energy while he walked?
He slowly opened his system interface and retrieved the bag of basic elemental fertilizer – this fertilizer had a gritty, mineral-like texture, a rough mixture of soil and rock.
Taking a deep breath, he carefully took out a pinch and chewed slowly, each mouthful allowing the cool essence within the bitterness to gradually flow through his body, like a mountain brook's gentle flow, silently moistening his parched and tired dragon body, bringing a continuous stream of vitality.
Knowing that swallowing large mouthfuls would only clog his throat with the coarse powder, he could only slow down, meticulously savoring the transmission of each bit of energy.
He wasn't in a hurry to return to the cave, because Seratus knew well: If he rushed back, he might run into the Dragon Matriarch returning with her prey.
If he were to join in the meal at that moment, it would be rather awkward. Deep in the cave, the Dragon Matriarch's aura pressed down like an invisible mountain. In comparison, this forest path felt rather peaceful and free.
So, he slowed his pace, walking along the path dappled with fragmented light filtering through the leaves. The surrounding trees cast deep shadows, and only tiny specks of light, like sprites, danced on the mossy stones. He pondered how to return unnoticed.
Meanwhile, not far behind Seratus, Catilia and Agnas were secretly following. Seeing Seratus walking slowly towards the cave, they quietly lowered their voices and began to whisper:
Catilia lowered her voice, asking with a hint of unease, "Agnas, Seratus is walking so slowly... Shouldn't we go back first? If the Dragon Matriarch returns and finds out we secretly left the cave, wouldn't that be bad?" She carefully observed her surroundings, her eyes somewhat panicked.
Agnas grimaced, his tone carrying a trace of impatience: "Seriously, you said it was your so-called 'secret,' but there was nothing.
What a waste of time, it's so boring. Let's go, hurry back, don't dawdle." He urged, his tone somewhat impatient.
Catilia's voice became even quieter, carrying a trace of worry: "But...if the Dragon Matriarch gets angry, will she punish us? It's all my fault..." she said somewhat self-reproachfully.
Agnas's tone became even heavier: "Alright, stop thinking so much! Just hurry up, it's such a hassle." With that, he quickened his pace.
In the two young dragons' quarrel, there was a childish pride and stubbornness. They were unwilling to show weakness, nor were they willing to easily admit defeat. Having made up their minds, they decided to implement a plan: each would take a detour, rushing back to the cave at top speed, at least before Seratus returned!
Not long after the young dragons rushed back to the cave, a deafening sound of flapping wings suddenly rang out, as if the heavens and earth were trembling. The entire volcanic lava cave shook, and the fragile lava layer on the ceiling, unable to bear the weight,簌簌 fell, raising fine dust.
A strong and familiar aura surged in from the entrance of the volcanic lava cave, carrying the scorching heat of the lava depths and the unique sulfurous smell of the volcano, domineeringly occupying every inch of space within the cave.
Catilia and Agnas immediately prostrated themselves, their bodies tensing, like two instantly frozen rocks, not daring to make a sound. The air seemed to solidify, leaving only a suffocating sense of pressure spreading throughout the cave.
The Dragon Matriarch—that cold and imposing presence—slowly approached. Her icy gaze swept over the prostrate young dragons, like the icy blades of the coldest winter month, sharp and ruthless. A trace of disgust flashed through her heart: "Fools, if not for Tiamat's decree..."
Disdainfully, she casually tossed aside the prey still dripping blood from her claws, and walked straight towards the mountain of glittering treasure. Her heavy steps, like those of an ancient beast treading the earth, shook the ground with a dull thud. She lazily lay down.
Looking at the mountain of treasure, the flickering firelight deep in the cave greedily licked at the gold coins and gemstones, coating the cold metal with a mesmerizing and warm hue. The Dragon Matriarch's hard face also revealed a rare, almost human-like expression of satisfaction.
After a while! Catilia and Agnas saw that the Dragon Matriarch had returned to the treasure pile, and they breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing not only the relief of having survived!
But also a deep yearning and envy for the Dragon Matriarch's powerful aura, like looking up at the unattainable stars. Immediately afterward, they eagerly began to devour the fresh magical beast carcass.
The two young dragons competed with each other, each striving to eat more! The cave was instantly dominated by the young dragons' instinctual desire to eat, the noisy sounds of tearing flesh, the cracking of bones, and the young dragons' satisfied growls. The thick smell of blood, like a viscous fog, permeated every corner of the cave.
While the interior of the cave was lively and chaotic, Seratus's figure was still strolling in a peaceful and serene forest.
He saw the fresh prey brought back by the Dragon Matriarch from afar. A faint scent of blood, mixed with the faint noises coming from the depths of the cave, floated into his ears like a distant background sound, and he knew that there was flesh and blood of magical beasts in the cave.
However, he was already full, and if he rashly joined in the messy scramble for food, it would be rather awkward. He had long grown tired of that scene of competition and clamor!
He thought to himself, “Since I’m already full, why rush back to participate in that scramble for food? It’s better to enjoy this tranquility and go to the field to cultivate, that’s what I want to do!”
A glint of satisfaction appeared in Seratus's eyes, like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, sending out ripples. He turned and followed the path to the dry and desolate farmland.
The afternoon sun was still warm, lacking the scorching heat of midday, but with a touch of softness and laziness!
When he opened the system interface again and took out the remaining basic elemental fertilizer, his fingertips rubbed the rough fertilizer bag, feeling the uneven texture of the bag's surface, as if touching the pulse of the barren land. He carefully sprinkled the entire bag of fertilizer evenly on each piece of land.
Then, he took out the elemental watering can. Its metallic surface emitted a dazzling luster, but under the setting sun's afterglow, it reflected a steady light that had been weathered by time. He irrigated each planting grid one by one. The clear lake water slowly seeped into the thirsty soil, making a faint sizzling sound, as if nourishing the crops that were about to flourish with life.
Looking at the sunlight mushrooms that had just sprouted and the carrots that were about to mature, the tender green seedlings were like embroidering a layer of hopeful green patterns on the barren land. The fragrance of the soil, mixed with the unique fresh scent of plants, flowed freely in the air!
A vibrant aura rushed towards him, and a warm joy arose in Seratus's heart—this was the fruit of his labor, the best reward for his efforts.
However, thinking of the blue-quality seed in the system space, he couldn't help but think: This is a blue-quality plant drawn from the system. !
So, Seratus took out the hoe from the space. The cold metallic touch of the hoe passed through the dragon scales to his palm, bringing a clear chill, like morning dew. He went to the other side of the field and began to cultivate a new piece of land.
He decided to transform this place into his own garden—a place where he could plant dreams and hopes. The blueprint for the garden had already quietly taken shape in his mind. It would not just be a piece of land.
After cultivating for more than ten minutes, Seratus stopped his work. He lay down contentedly on the freshly turned soft soil. The newly turned soil, warmed by the long afternoon sun, emitted a faint earthy fragrance, mixed with the scent of sunlight!
As usual, he rolled his body back and forth on the ground, using the high temperature of his red dragon body to simply deal with those potential weed seeds. After confirming that the soil temperature was suitable, he got up and prepared for the next step of irrigation!
Just as he was about to refill the already empty watering can, Seratus suddenly frowned. This field was too far from the water source, and having to trek every time he needed water was really annoying.
Seratus was used to having everything arranged in an orderly manner, and this inefficient way of getting water was incompatible with his lazy nature.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to go to the nearby lake to get water, fill the watering can, and then rush back to the field. He muttered to himself, "Getting water isn't difficult, it's just that it's too far to run back and forth. This way, my precious rest time will be ruthlessly squeezed..."
Seratus set off towards the distant lake. The dry and slightly scorching wind playfully brushed against his hard scales, taking away a trace of sweat, but leaving behind more heat. In his heart, there was both anticipation for the future harvest and some helplessness about the current predicament.
The clear water by the lake shimmered with sparkling ripples. A gentle breeze swept across the surface of the lake, creating layers of ripples. The cool and moist water vapor, like gentle silk, caressed his slightly rapid breathing caused by running, dispelling some of the heat!
He gently scooped up a pot of sweet lake water and quickly filled the already empty watering can. After finishing fetching water, he put it back into the system space, and then rushed back to the field without delay!
The newly cultivated field looked particularly vibrant in the afternoon sun.
Seratus stood on the edge of the field and took out the heavy watering can from the system space. The weight of the watering can was transmitted to his whole body through his dragon claws. He was breathing slightly, and his breath was filled with the fragrance of soil and grass, which also dissipated most of his fatigue.
He then lifted the elemental energy. His dragon claws skillfully and gently tilted the body of the pot, and the gurgling lake water gushed out happily, like pearls from a broken string, shining with a crystal-clear luster in the sunlight, refracting colorful light, evenly irrigating the square planting grids.
He walked lightly between the ridges, nourishing every inch of land, as if injecting vitality into the crops. He slowly walked to the center of the field, ready to plant the seed—the blue-quality Yaoling Flower seed that he had recently purchased from the system.
He gently took out the seed that emitted a faint blue light. The surface of the seed flowed with a dreamlike halo, emitting a mesmerizing light. Gazing at its crystal clear surface!
Seratus thought to himself, How can such a precious seed be fertilized with that cheap, basic elemental fertilizer? Knowing the importance of nutrients for its future growth, Seratus immediately took out the only remaining bag of high-grade elemental fertilizer from his system backpack.
Just opening a corner of the bag, with a "whoosh" sound, a faint blue halo jumped out from the small opening. It was not dazzling at first, but it contained pure energy.
Seratus held his breath and carefully approached. A pure and vigorous energy aura instantly rushed towards him. It did not rudely hit his senses, but like an invisible tide, gently and powerfully wrapped him.
In an instant, he felt as if every sense of his was immersed in this completely different power—unlike the gentle aura of the basic fertilizer, every trace of energy in the advanced fertilizer was condensed and pure!
Just smelling a trace made Seratus feel refreshed, and his mind was also excited. A hard-to-suppress desire surged from the depths of his dragon body, emitting a low and expectant murmur.
However, calm thoughts quickly returned to his mind. He knew that this bag of high-grade elemental fertilizer was worth 100 points, which was equivalent to planting two sunlight mushrooms to purchase;
More importantly, compared with the basic fertilizer, it was a lot lighter, which made every use particularly cautious. Thinking of spending so many points, his heart couldn't help but ache!
Seratus thought of this and carefully poured out a small amount of fertilizer from the opening, gathering it on his dragon claws—taking only enough for the Yaoling Flower, not wanting to waste a single bit!
He meticulously sprinkled this precious high-grade elemental fertilizer evenly on the soil under the flower seed, and then gently covered it with a thin layer of soil. This prevented the fertilizer from being blown away by the wind and ensured that the nutrients were firmly infiltrated into the roots.
Looking at the little remaining high-grade elemental fertilizer, he did not forget to carefully put the remaining high-grade elemental fertilizer back into the system space!
Just as he shifted his gaze from the carefully fertilized flower garden, he found that the water in the watering can had already been used up. Seratus sighed helplessly. A trace of imperceptible fatigue quietly crept up his brows. He turned and went back to the lake, quickly refilling the watering can with lake water.
In the cool air of the lake, he began to consider the next two options: one was to return to the warm cave and rest for a while; the other was to continue working and build a wooden fence around the Yaoling Flower.
While thinking, Seratus resolutely decided on the latter. He walked to a sturdy tree on the edge of the field. He saw him skillfully wielding the sharp hoe. The blade of the hoe cut through the air, making a clear sound of breaking through the air, and accurately landed on the trunk of the tree. It collided with the hard wood, making a dull and powerful sound. One after another, he skillfully knocked down the big tree and split it into wooden strips.
After some careful design and meticulous operation, he enclosed a perfect square on the newly cultivated land, defining an independent and peaceful wooden fence for the Yaoling Flower.
The sun gradually set, and the sky was dyed a magnificent golden color by the setting sun. The afterglow shone on the rough wooden fence, shimmering with golden light!
The hard work of the whole afternoon seemed particularly splendid at this moment! Standing on the ridge of the field, Seratus looked at the golden field in the setting sun, the newly applied fertilizer, the newlywatered lake water, the newly cultivated land, and the newly built fence. He could see all the hard work of the afternoon, and he couldn't help but sigh: "Time flies!" After reconfirming that everything was in order, Seratus set off on his way home with peace of mind.”
