Floating algae not only grew on the Extreme North Continent but was distributed throughout the entire Human World, occupying the vast skies of the Gourmet World.
This sky of vegetables was not first discovered by Yun Shang Zhen Jun. In his later research of ancient texts, he found fragmented records left by the ancients.
Upon comparison, this cloud layer was at a higher altitude than his hometown, but its range was smaller.
The Kingdom of Clouds covered an immense area, often millions of square kilometers. Even when flying to great heights, its edges were not visible, making it indistinguishable from a true continent. The Vegetable Sky, however, was only the size of a larger island.
However, according to the ancient records, if one were fortunate enough to ascend to the sky, they would be surrounded by endless sky ingredients. After walking just ten steps, one would encounter more than seven kinds of vegetables.
It was truly a treasure trove.
Qianshou Jian said, "I've heard of you... I once spoke with Xifeng about the stories of the northern lands, which included tales of the Water Cloud Sky. Allow me to share some news with you: we are now working for Zhang Wei."
Yun Shang Zhen Jun was stunned.
Then he said, "This world is indeed small... Are you here to apprehend me?"
"Of course... no!"
"We are merely hired Gourmet Hunters, not personal guards. Our job is only to capture ingredients."
"Perhaps in the future, but at least after this collaboration concludes. We Gourmet Hunters have our own pride; don't underestimate our spirit of contract!"
Xie Min remained silent beside them.
She gently soothed Stitch, who was in her arms.
The tense atmosphere had made the terrifying beast in her embrace quite agitated.
Facing Qianshou Jian and You, Stitch showed no sign of fear.
As a chef meticulously cultivated by the Kingdom of Clouds, Xie Min possessed extremely high authorization and was aware of the terrifying nature of the creature she held.
Its creation had combined the Kingdom of Clouds' centuries of research into the fundamental secrets of life, even utilizing the maddening factor of the Furious Beast Warwick.
As one of the commanders of the Kingdom of Clouds, the Furious Beast Warwick was infamous.
However, the unknown element within its blood was ultimately identified as originating from the Gourmet World, capable of imbuing creatures with endless destructive desires and pushing their physical abilities to their limits.
This was the fundamental reason for Stitch's bloodthirsty and brutal nature.
The research in the Kingdom of Clouds aimed to preserve combat effectiveness while maintaining sanity. Stitch was initially discarded as a failed product, but now, it seemed the experiment had been a perfect success.
"Alright, let's stop talking about strange things!"
"Let us enjoy this journey!"
With that said, Yun Shang Zhen Jun leaped from the roots of the Magical Pea Vine and landed on the green grass in the distance.
He waved to Qianshou Jian, signaling him to jump over.
At an altitude of over 30,000 meters, there was land...
Though a little afraid, Qianshou Jian leaped several hundred meters and landed directly beside Zhang Wei.
The ground beneath his feet felt solid and heavy, completely different from the swaying vines!
This grounded sensation was truly moving!
Qianshou Jian never imagined he would miss the feeling of being on land so much.
"It's much warmer here, is it because of the close proximity to the sun?"
Qianshou Jian crouched down and examined the soil closely, discovering a large number of small sand grains and root-like structures.
Dust.
Something akin to mineral volcanic ash.
But he couldn't comprehend why the earth and sky were floating.
Yun Shang Zhen Jun explained, "Have you heard of floating algae? It's a type of plant that generates buoyancy."
"They gather densely together, and even after dying and withering, they persist for a considerable time. Furthermore, dead floating algae possess even stronger buoyancy."
"Subsequently, the floating algae became covered with dust, serving as a base for passing birds. Bird droppings, sunlight, and moisture provided nutrients for the plants, and the dust itself was rich in minerals."
Qianshou Jian took a deep breath.
"Strange, shouldn't the oxygen here be very thin? Why is there no suffocating feeling?"
He glanced at the sun overhead. Was it due to excessive photosynthesis?
Although the air here was thin, its oxygen content was significantly higher.
With a casual dig, he unearthed crystal-clear, elongated worms from the soil.
Mineral Earthworms!
Insects with ninety percent water content.
They excelled at purifying impurities in water, possessing the ability to detoxify and digest waste, and they also enriched the soil!
There were so many here!
This was merely the periphery; the vegetation layer was still sparse, consisting only of simple grasses and shrubs. Yet, a gentle breeze carried the fragrant aroma of vegetables!
Just not far away!
The group quickly hurried forward!
"Could the density truly be that exaggerated?"
Yun Shang Zhen Jun looked out. The sea of clouds was densely packed, resembling an artificial vegetable garden, with a myriad of vegetables growing freely, each one fresh and succulent!
The ancients' words held no exaggeration whatsoever!
The density of the Vegetable Sky was indeed this high!
As far as the eye could see, the ground was a carpet of vegetables. Every step taken had to be cautious to avoid damaging the food!
It was a literal sky-high vegetable field!
"There's no cabbage smell, only the fresh, moist, and fragrant scent of vegetables!"
Yun Shang Zhen Jun eagerly pulled out a radish, blew on it gently, and the dirt fell off.
He took a bite!
It was an enjoyment completely different from meat!
It was as if cool spring water was cleansing his body, the radish's soothing properties were infinitely magnified. Yun Shang Zhen Jun coughed a few times, opening his palm to reveal dust accumulated in his lungs!
"Compared to this, vegetables on land are like long-rotted, expired food!"
"And they're so juicy, with very high absorption efficiency!"
"I feel like the dryness from high altitude has completely left me, and my parched body is once again replenished!"
Besides Yun Shang Zhen Jun, the others were not to be outdone.
Each of them dug up corresponding fruits and vegetables from the ground, wiped them slightly, and popped them into their mouths!
*Crunch~*
*Crunch~*
These vegetables were even crisper than imagined!
Giant Scallions!
Scallions thirty meters tall, with the most tender hearts, not at all pungent when eaten raw. Besides eating them raw, they could also be used to prepare scallion oil noodles and other dishes!
Lightning Pattern Watermelon.
Covered in deep blue lightning patterns, it was sweet and thirst-quenching, and lacked the seeds of ordinary watermelons.
Soft Green Beans.
They tasted similar to gummy candies, with the beans inside resembling hard fruit candies.
Banana Cucumber.
A cucumber that could be peeled, with a pulp inside even more viscous and tender than a banana. It was also packed with nutrients. If a cotton wick were inserted, it could be used directly as a candle, burning for a month!
Marshmallow Pumpkin.
Only a quarter the size of a fist, it was extremely high in sugar content and light as marshmallow.
Cauliflower Tree.
Extremely thick, and Thousand Island Dressing flowed from the tips of its florets. The faint sweetness was incredibly enticing. Eating the cauliflower and Thousand Island Dressing together required no further preparation!
Bomb Burst Tomato.
The internal pressure was immense. With a single bite, the tomato juice would erupt like an explosion, easily splattering everywhere if one wasn't careful.
Bell Pepper...
Cabbage...
Spinach...
Cilantro...
Passion Fruit...
Passion Fruit...
It was like a botanical exhibition!
Minerals, fiber, water, vitamins...
This low-fat diet could greatly condition both body and mind, making one more cheerful and positive, enhancing physical performance, and most importantly, improving the endocrine system and clearing fats from blood vessels.
After just one meal, the witch You felt the pimples on her face vanish completely, and her slightly rough skin, weathered by wind and rain, became moist.
The effect on Qianshou Jian was even more pronounced. The abundant dietary fiber improved his intestinal function, with the miraculous effect of clearing residual stool and detoxifying the intestines. Even his long-standing and embarrassing hemorrhoid problem was resolved!
"If we ate like this once a week, even ordinary people would have their lifespans extended, wouldn't they?"
A truly meaningful adventure!
The group feasted heartily for five days in the Vegetable Sky and finally packed away a large amount of precious spoils.
These ingredients would fetch exorbitant prices on land!
They were higher quality ingredients than even those from the Kingdom of Clouds!
It was time to return.
Yun Shang Zhen Jun said, "Next time, I hope I can come with you again."
"Hahaha, then it's settled. This sky of vegetables will be our secret! Next time, it will be the four of us again!"
The journey had been fraught with danger.
If Qianshou Jian hadn't intervened multiple times, Yun Shang Zhen Jun would have had extreme difficulty reaching this place.
Returning to the Magical Pea Vine.
Descending along it, breaking through the thunderclouds and hurricane layers, they could use Yun Shang Zhen Jun's flying ability to return to the ground.
But when they arrived, everyone was stunned!
The Magical Pea Vine...
It was...
Gone!
The group was certain they hadn't taken a wrong turn, as the massive cavity and the thick roots around it indicated this was indeed where the Magical Pea Vine had grown!
"The pea vine... this..."
"What do we do now?"
Yun Shang Zhen Jun forced himself to remain calm. "Don't panic. Magical Pea Vines are perennial plants. When they become too heavy, they undergo rare thousand-year breakages. I've heard of such occurrences in my hometown, though this is the first time the main root has snapped!"
"Then how do we get back!"
"Don't worry. Magical Pea Vines are not uncommon in the sea of clouds. There's one for every 100,000 square kilometers. We'll just find another one to descend."
"Alright, after all, you have more experience with these things!"
Take off!
To save time, they unloaded their supplies, and Yun Shang Zhen Jun carried them away from the ground. Compared to the Kingdom of Clouds, the ground here was more unstable, with a higher probability of falling into the clouds.
After finding a second pea vine, they could either return to retrieve their spoils or harvest some more.
The root system of the Magical Pea Vine was enormous and visible from afar. Yun Shang Zhen Jun was lucky; within half an hour, he found a second one.
But an even more terrifying thing happened!
This Magical Pea Vine was also gone, leaving only a huge cavity and thriving roots in the clouds, appearing solitary and strange.
"Heavens!"
"This one snapped too? Didn't you say it was a rare occurrence?"
"It is indeed a rare occurrence! I've been in the Kingdom of Clouds for so long and never heard of such a thing."
Let's keep looking!
The third one... snapped!
The group exchanged glances, finally realizing that things were not as simple as they seemed.
It appeared something incredibly significant had happened in the Kingdom of Clouds!
"Could it be... I mean, is it possible that it was destroyed by someone, or some kind of monster?"
Yun Shang Zhen Jun said seriously, "Magical Pea Vines are incredibly resilient. Chopping and hacking leave no trace. The commanders of the Kingdom of Clouds back then were all immensely powerful, yet even they couldn't do anything to the Magical Pea Vines."
"The city guarded by Bloodhound has a Magical Pea Vine. For centuries, no one has been known to inflict large wounds on it, let alone sever its roots!"
"But if it were some powerful beast... why would it target the Magical Pea Vine? And how high would its capture level have to be?"
"If it truly is... I hope we never encounter that thing!"
A chill ran down everyone's spines.
They understood the gravity of the situation.
If they encountered it, the entire team could be annihilated in these deserted clouds, becoming another of the mysterious missing persons.
However, to return to land, a Magical Pea Vine was essential!
In that case, they could only accelerate their search, hoping there were still some intact!
"Damn it, Magical Pea Vines are big and hard, and not tasty at all. Why would any beast like them!"
"Perhaps... it's a beast from the Gourmet World, who knows!"
Continue!
Yun Shang Zhen Jun's heart grew anxious, and he continuously increased his speed!
Searching aimlessly above the clouds, the rest of the group widened their eyes, not daring to miss any corner of the ground!
"Over there!"
Before the group could get close!
Suddenly, a terrifying vibration emanated from the pea vine. All beasts were terrified, and birds were startled. Yun Shang Zhen Jun lost his balance and fell directly from the sky to the ground.
That terrifying vibration...
It was definitely not something a human could produce!
That pea vine was being destroyed!
What to do?
Run!
Stay away from here!
The only thought in everyone's mind was to completely distance themselves from this dangerous place!
After a day and a night of constant anxiety, the group finally found a Magical Pea Vine that had not yet been destroyed.
Yun Shang Zhen Jun was moved to tears!
Qianshou Jian and the others felt similarly. They immediately cheered, "Great! We're finally not going to die stranded in the clouds! I even considered living my whole life on the clouds... My goodness, luck is still on my side!"
"Stop blabbering! Our lives are more important!"
"No, this is my persistence as a Gourmet Hunter! You guys go ahead, I'll be right behind you!"
Yun Shang Zhen Jun gritted his teeth. "Fine, we'll go together, but it's agreed, only five minutes. We'll take whatever we can carry!"
"Alright!"
Without hesitation, the group quickly rushed into the vegetable field to choose their favorites.
Qianshou Jian didn't forget to stuff a few mouthfuls into his mouth during this time.
Five minutes passed in a flash, and the group ran out of the field, clutching vegetables.
But at this moment, another person had appeared on the Magical Pea Vine!