Chapter 34: Flora Familiar
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Mr. Gao, Mr. Gao, I’m back.” Ma Jian came in with a flowerpot.
Today Ma Jian dressed casually. The flowerpot in his hand was as big as a basketball, with an attractively bright-colored flower in it.
The flowerpot was put on the table. The plant looked pretty: the straight, meaty, hairless stem, looked bright and clean. Its serrated leaves were asymmetric with burgundy patterns, releasing a light fragrance.
Pinkish red petals danced without breeze, tinging the air with its faint scent. Gao Peng felt himself awakened.
He frowned, stepped back and immediately turned on the ventilator.
He recognized the plant’s origin, which was a Begonia Semperflorens before the cataclysm. What he saw in front of him was its mutant.
In his eyes, a property box suddenly appeared.
[Monster Name]: Begonia Semperflorens Sprite
[Monster Level]: Level 3
[Monster Grade]: Normal
[Monster Attribute]: Wood
[Monster Condition]: Healthy (Happy)
[Monster Weakness]: Fire/Electric
[Requirements for Promotion to Excellent Grade]: one Hundred-Year Wood Essence, 100 drops of Flower Dew.
“Is this a Flora Familiar?” Gao Peng asked, surprised.
Flora Familiars were rarely seen. Although the cataclysm caused a worldwide mutation on flora and animals, only a few plants transformed into sapiential flora Familiars.
This type was as rare as Ghoul monsters.
But Flora were more popular than Ghoul monsters, for most of Flora monsters were Facilitators; many of them were Therapists as well.
A thing was valued if it was rare. The rarer it was, the more popular it became.
“You wanna evolve this Sprite?” asked Gao Peng.
“Yeah, half a month later there will be a Flower King contest. I’m going to fight for the crown,” Ma Jian said seriously.
“Flower King…” Gao Peng was speechless. Is it OK for you, a man, to compete for Flower King?
“I trust myself.” Ma Jian looked at the Begonia Semperflorens Sprite earnestly. At this moment, Gao Peng saw rare earnest on his face.
“This is my second Familiar, I hope to give it a nice start.” Ma Jian stretched his finger on a branch of the flower. It gently unfolded its leaves, hooking Ma Jian’s pinky like a girl’s finger.
The flower quietly lowered its head, leaning close to his palm.
Golden sunshine came from the window, gilding the palm and petals. Everything looked harmonious.
“I know your rules. Triple charge; here are 30 Credit points.” Ma Jian immediately paid by card.
“Two Hundred-Year Tree Essence, 150 drops of Flower Dew, one leaf from Psionic Flower, 5g Fructus Toosendan, 500g Boat-Fruited Sterculia seed, and one Black Wind Grass.” These materials were not expensive, except the necessities Hundred-Year Tree Essence and Flower Dew. The others were for confusing people with schemes.
Unlike the previous Purple Electric Mouse, this Begonia Semperflorens Sprite was just Normal grade, which meant that this species was not rare. The normal Familiar evolving method was more valuable than the others, for it could be wide-spread.
As for the leaf from Psionic Flower, Fructus Toosendan, Boat-Fruited Sterculia seed, and Black Wind Grass, those were just ingredients. Gao Peng heard that there was a nutritious recipe, and planned to buy an old female duck to make a healthy duck soup.
After all the materials arrived, Gao Peng asked Ma Jian to wait outside. Ma Jian nodded agreement. This was the unwritten rule among monster breeders. He forgot to obey it last time, for he worried too much about his mouse.
Waiting until the door closed, Gao Peng turned his back to the Begonia Semperflorens Sprite and concocted his portion.
He followed special procedures to extract the Hundred-Year Tree Essence, then blended it into Flower Dew, stirred them well, then poured them into an injector.
Then he put the rest materials into a black plastic bag, and locked them in a drawer.
He held the injector approaching the flower. As he moved closer, the flower slightly trembled, the stem “shortened” two inches, and its leaves covered the flower like a thin armor.
“Relax; just one sting, I’m not going to hurt you,” Gao Peng persuaded gently.
The sprite was not convinced. Its leaves opened a slight seam, measuring Gao Peng vigilantly.
“Be a good girl, open your leaves, it’s not going to hurt you, I promise.” Gao Peng convinced the sprite to uncover itself.
Without cooperation it was hard to inject the sprite. This flower sprite looked gentle and fragile, but actually its defensiveness was quite strong. Its thin petals and leaves could be as tough as a pile of cardboard, a normal needle could not sting through them.
Besides, the edges of leaves had sharp sawteeth, just like a saw. If he didn’t concentrate, his skin would be torn to shreds and bleed.
Finally, after ten minutes of persuasion, the flower sprite reluctantly loosened its cover, and presented its tender stem.
Gao Peng didn’t lose attention. He put on gloves to protect his hands from being cut.
The injector stung the stem, the flower sprite trembled for a few seconds. But as the light green liquid gradually went into the stem, the sprite calmed down.
After all liquids went into the stem, the Begonia Semperflorens Sprite shrank together, and strips of green silk came out and covered it as a green silk ball.
Gao Peng opened the door, and Ma Jian asked nervously, “Mr. Gao, did it work?”
“Yes, it works. Your Familiar is evolving right now, be careful, don’t bother it.” as he said this, Gao Peng took off his plastic gloves.
Ma Jian stayed by the Begonia Semperflorens Sprite’s side, waiting nervously for half an hour. Finally something happened.
The green silk ball finally opened, and a bright green stem raised. On the top of it, a bud appeared, getting bigger, and bloomed. It was no longer pinkish red, but bright rose red instead.
Looked like the sprite transferred from an active girl to a mature modest woman.
Monster Name]: Begonia Semperflorens Sprite
[Monster Level]: Level 4
[Monster Grade]: Excellent
[Monster Attribute]: Wood
[Monster Condition]: Healthy (Happy)
[Monster Weakness]: Fire/Electric
[Requirements for Promotion to Excellent Grade]: …
The name remained unchanged, which indicated that the Familiar didn’t change its type, only increased its grade.
Feeling the his Familiar now had a totally different but more noble quality, Ma Jian was extremely excited. He held Gao Peng’s hands tightly and said, “Thank you Master Gao, thank you so much. I have made a decision. From now on, all my Familiars will be under your care. Not only mine, but my friends and relatives’ Familiars too; I will recommend you to them.”
Flora Familiars were too rare to have models or samples. Therefore, intermediate monster breeding specialists on Flora Familiars were quite uncommon.
Ma Jian was trying his luck on Mr. Gao, but to his surprise, Mr. Gao even knew about Flora Familiars. He was indeed a young talent!
Now Ma Jian was completely convinced. To have such a high success rate, Gao Peng’s competence was unmeasurable.