This was indeed a level 145 ferocious beast.
The Camping Toad crouched in the mist, uncomprehending and unwilling to comprehend what was happening within its body.
Such was its laid-back, go-with-the-flow approach to life, the very survival strategy of a Camping Beast.
Suddenly, however, the Camping Toad felt an unparalleled sense of nourishment, as if swimming in a pond and drinking to its heart's content. A feeling of sustenance it had never experienced before flooded its entire being!
But it was immediately followed by a sense of unease; a certain organ within its body was expanding infinitely!
It seemed to involve some extremely hidden places…
Swelling!
Swelling to death!
The Camping Toad could no longer hold back. With a roar, a torrent of water, like a waterfall, shot up into the sky!
It broke through the confines of the forest!
It pierced the thick ground!
Upon reaching the surface world, it still didn't stop, scattering like buckshot, a brilliant rainbow stretching for dozens of miles!
"The water volume of West Lake is about fourteen million cubic meters, and the water I've expelled is more than ten times that of West Lake!"
A sensation like shattering glass!
Countless people and objects were piled together. Water half a meter deep and scattered, broken furniture surrounded them.
Zhang Wei stood up and turned back to see a toad as colossal as a mountain.
This toad lay weakly on the ground, barely breathing, on the verge of collapse.
Beside Zhang Wei was Granny Tang, drenched from head to toe. Everyone else had vanished.
At this moment, Granny Tang no longer possessed that illusory quality; she was incredibly real and clear.
Level 70!
No more than that!
"Is this all the strength you possess…"
Before Zhang Wei could make a move, Granny Tang knelt on the ground: "Good sir, spare me! Please don't kill me. I am not human; I am a spirit from the Rivendell Forest. If you kill me, the forest will harbor enmity towards you!"
Inner Fire!
Zhang Wei roared in anger: "You dare still play tricks!"
Inner Fire was a move Zhang Wei had never revealed. This technique made one extremely sensitive to emotions and able to clearly sense malice!
Just now, Granny Tang was still not giving up, secretly contacting the Camping Toad!
"Die!"
One punch!
Granny Tang was unharmed!
Seeing her scheme exposed, Granny Tang cackled, "I told you, I am protected by the Rivendell Forest. All the elves and spirits in this forest will not die by human hands."
Just like the Nine-Colored Divine Deer the old bat killed earlier!
Granny Tang stood up, "Unfortunately, my Camping Toad is almost dead from the water you expelled. I didn't expect you to possess such top-tier spatial equipment, or can you open a portal and draw water from the outside?"
Zhang Wei retorted, "And what about you? What is the deal with these strange things?"
Granny Tang, unwilling to be outdone, directly said, "Want to exchange secrets? We can. It doesn't matter if the Camping Toad is dead; I'll tell you anyway!"
It was much like Zhang Wei had guessed.
All of Granny Tang's power came from the Camping Toad!
Relying on rules, and because of the Camping Toad's peaceful nature and ability to stay away from conflict, coupled with Granny Tang's techniques, this small shop came into being.
Granny Tang asked, "The Camping Toad is of extremely high level. How did you contend with it? How could you harm my spectral servants?"
Zhang Wei revealed a piece of metal.
Granny Tang exclaimed, "Holy Silver!"
Indeed!
The divine power of holy silver was the bane of certain unorthodox magics.
Furthermore, holy silver originated from Mount Olympus, its tier and level far exceeding that of the Camping Toad!
Granny Tang said greedily, "I know more secrets about the Rivendell Forest. Do you want to know?"
"What's the price?"
"Holy Silver."
Zhang Wei said, "Agreed, but you must exchange ownership of the Camping Toad."
"Camping Toad?"
Granny Tang glanced at the dying Camping Toad and sneered, "Fine!"
"Under the witness of the Rivendell Forest, both parties reach an agreement. If either party violates it, may I lose the protection of the Rivendell Forest!"
"Toad, from this day forward, this person is your master!"
The toad weakly opened its eyes, cast a look of despair at Zhang Wei, and slowly closed them again.
As promised, Zhang Wei threw the holy silver knife in his hand to Granny Tang.
Granny Tang cackled, "Kid, since you have holy silver, you must also possess Silver Apples, right?"
"You want to save it with Silver Apples?"
"I advise you to save your breath. It's a gourmet world creature of level 145. Do you really think a mere one or two Silver Apples can save it? Stop dreaming, hahaha~~~"
Zhang Wei said, "That's not for you to worry about."
With that, Zhang Wei walked to the Camping Toad and took out basket after basket of apples!
328 Bronze Apples!
145 Silver Apples!
And the baskets were filled with only the flesh of the apples, the shells already peeled!
Both Bronze and Silver Apples had troublesome shells, but peeling them beforehand caused the apples' nutrients to constantly dissipate!
But Zhang Wei didn't care. The time dilation in the right side hall could completely prevent nutrient loss.
Zhang Wei had finished peeling the apples last night! "These are all my ordinary grade apples. You must get well!"
First, a hundred Bronze Apples!
The massive nutrients nourished the mountain-like body!
Then, another hundred Silver Apples!
The blessing of Olympus descended from the heavens!
Before Zhang Wei could feed the third wave, the Camping Toad suddenly flipped over. The apples' effects were incredibly potent!
"Yo, seems like I've fed it too much!"
"Less than half was consumed, and its injuries were completely healed. It even leveled up twice… As expected of an artifact from Olympus!"
Granny Tang's face was filled with shock!
She never imagined this person could produce so many apples!
Was he Zeus's illegitimate son?
Why was Olympus so partial to him? These materials were enough to craft a Silver Saint Cloth armor, a powerful armament of nearly level 300!
Why!
Granny Tang felt as though she had provoked someone incredibly formidable and turned to leave!
"Stop!"
Granny Tang snorted, "What? You want to kill me?"
"Indeed!"
Granny Tang burst into laughter, mocking, "Who do you think you are? Just a mortal from the human world, and you want to kill me, who is protected by the forest?"
"Only within my shop did you have the slightest chance. Now that I stand on the Rivendell Forest, even with your holy silver knife, you can't do anything to me!"
Zhang Wei said, "Unfortunately, I have means stronger than holy silver!"
"Stronger than holy silver…?"
Granny Tang scoffed, "Nonsense. Even if such means existed, how could they fall into the hands of a mortal like you?"
"Or do you think I processed holy silver with ordinary tools?"
Granny Tang's expression turned to one of extreme shock!
Indeed!
But how could a level 35 Granny Tang contend with Zhang Wei?
"Go to hell, Inner Fire!!"
"No!!!!! Ahhh…"
Sweet Lover.
As the second dish on Zhang Wei's menu, its effects were bound to be extraordinary!
The Inner Fire skill was far more potent than Zhang Wei had imagined!
Zhang Wei could clearly feel the Rivendell Forest coming alive, desperately protecting Granny Tang, yet it was helpless against the Inner Flame.
Observing the increasingly distorted forest, Zhang Wei murmured, "This time, I've thoroughly offended these living trees."
"Do you hate me?"
"I can leave, can't I?"
"You all better calm down. If you cause any more trouble, I don't mind spending half a year here to show you what a forest fire is!"
With these words, the hostility instantly lessened.
The surrounding trees no longer twisted.
Zhang Wei approached the Camping Toad, "Can you speak?"
The toad shook its head.
It didn't matter.
Inner Fire!
Perception Mode!
The Camping Toad was not unintelligent; it simply lacked vocal organs but could understand Zhang Wei's words.
Zhang Wei, using Inner Fire, could hear the Camping Toad's thoughts, thus completing the communication between man and beast.
Zhang Wei: Where are my friends?
Toad: When I vomited, they were sprayed out.
Zhang Wei: Can you find them?
Toad: Easily.
Zhang Wei: Do you want to eat anything? Have your injuries healed?
The toad seemed a bit embarrassed.
It then said: I really liked that apple. It was so sweet and filling. Apart from this time, I've never been truly full.
Zhang Wei: Then let's set off now!
Toad: My injuries have healed, but the structures within my body need to be rebuilt. I need some time.
Zhang Wei: Do you need building materials?
Toad: As long as there is sufficient nutrition, I can grow them myself.
Zhang Wei couldn't help but praise it.
Zhang Wei's water sphere had not only destroyed the structures within the toad but also the ancillary space. Yet, to his surprise, all of this could be repaired through food.
Perhaps it was also due to the strong healing effect of the apples!
The Camping Toad perked up, its body emitting a glow of promotion. It opened its massive mouth, and Zhang Wei could clearly see the structures being rebuilt inside!
The renovation was more luxurious and opulent than the previous small restaurant!
"Promoted strongly with the help of two hundred apples, brimming with inexhaustible energy!"
"With the support of this energy, its level has also skyrocketed!"
Zhang Wei stepped into the Camping Toad's abdomen, and following the toad's guidance, arrived at its brain.
After reconstruction, this place was no longer ethereal. It resembled the bridge of a starship in a sci-fi work, with 'windows' offering a view of the outside world.
Zhang Wei knew that these so-called windows were the Camping Toad's eyes.
According to the Camping Toad's account, creatures like itself must find a master to survive, and this master was not necessarily human.
After Granny Tang acquired it, she had cast forest sorcery on its storage space and brain, resulting in many fantastical effects.
Having lost Granny Tang, and with its body thoroughly damaged by Zhang Wei, the reconstructed body had lost those abilities.
"It's fine. Such dark and despicable tricks are insignificant in the face of a greater power."
"If I possessed level 200 strength, the entire Rivendell Forest would submit. Why would I need any strange magic?"
Leaving the bridge.
Zhang Wei began to inspect the Camping Toad's interior.
First, there was the void space, originally used for storing miscellaneous items or digesting special ingredients.
Then came the rooms.
The architectural style remained Japanese, retaining the format of restaurants and inns.
There were about 30 living quarters, with complete bedding.
The boiler room for heating water was filled with brass pipes, capable of generating heat through the toad's bio-energy or by adding fuel. Fortunately, Zhang Wei had stored a considerable amount of activated charcoal, all of which he took out and piled there.
A large hot spring, a well-equipped kitchen, a tea house for relaxation and entertainment, and a wine house.
What surprised Zhang Wei the most was a modern bathroom. In this world, flush toilets were not yet common, yet the decoration here surpassed the 21st century!
"How is this possible!"
"I should be ahead of my time… How can such a thing exist!"
"Camping Toad, what exactly are you? I find it hard to believe you could naturally grow these!"
Camping Toad: 'I'm not sure myself, but my genes contain memories, allowing me to grow these freely.'
There was a hint in the original work that humans were merely playthings of the Gourmet Aristocrat, Nitrone.
Over tens of billions of years, Earth had seen many generations of intelligent life, many of which resembled humans.
These creatures that bore structures were from previous civilizations, or even more ancient ones.
"Go find my companions!"
Camping Toad: 'Alright!'
A wisp of steam erupted from the Camping Toad's nostrils, and then its figure vanished into the thick fog.
The Camping Toad's Mist Concealment technique was extremely skilled, like point-to-point teleportation!
On the surface world, under the newly formed rainbow, Zhang Wei found the severely injured Bloodhound and Vampire.
Outside the forest, Zhang Wei found the unconscious Mr. Luo.
Not far from the Misty Inn, Zhang Wei found the lost Atlas.
Zhang Wei took out a Bronze Apple, divided it into four pieces, and distributed them.
Under the terrifying medicinal effect of the Bronze Apples, the few individuals instantly recovered. The abundant energy even allowed the Vampire to advance again.
"Next, I need to find Tian Zui!"
...
Deep within the Rivendell Forest.
Tian Zui looked around in confusion, "Where was I washed up to…"
"No, Zhang Wei must have entered a very dangerous situation. I have to rush over!"
He ran swiftly through the forest!
But how could the Rivendell Forest be easily breached?
After wandering about, Tian Zui arrived in front of a mushroom house.
"This is…"
A hoarse voice emanated from within, "Child, you've returned."
Tian Zui exclaimed with surprise, "Granny Qian!"
Granny Qian.
One of the top witches in the Rivendell Forest.
Unlike Granny Tang of the Misty Inn, Granny Qian represented the forest's goodwill. The witch who helped Mr. Luo recover his sense of taste was this Granny Qian.
For Mr. Luo, her kindness was akin to a rebirth.
Granny Qian emerged from the house, leaning on a cane, and smiled at Tian Zui, "My dear, you've brought someone extraordinary this time."
"Granny Qian, please help me quickly. My friends are in grave danger."
"The Misty Inn, is it?"
"You… how do you know?"
Granny Qian sighed, "Of course. She and I are twin sisters. But you don't need to worry. Your friend has likely resolved the crisis…"
"However, I must say, I haven't seen the forest so enraged in a long time. My sister, alas…"
As she spoke, Granny Qian took out a tea set.
"Don't rush. Tell me your story properly."