Walking on the fertile land of the South Forest, Li Pu and his team found themselves unhindered.

The magical creatures they encountered along the way almost always met their fate of being hunted.

However, Li Pu himself had some principles when it came to hunting.

First of all, he didn't hunt cheap creatures.

Because the profit efficiency is too low, it's a waste of time.

Even if they gather in large numbers, he wouldn't consider it.

After all, facing large groups of magical creatures comes with certain dangers.

And it's not necessarily impossible to defeat them, it's mainly because his storage space is limited.

Loading too much cheap material would decrease the value of the round trip.

Secondly, he didn't hunt creatures in their juvenile stage.

This rule was taught by the Gatekeeper uncle, aiming for sustainable development.

Indeed, the main role of many magical creatures in the South Forest is perhaps to serve as training targets for students.

But if they are recklessly wiped out, then the future students would effectively lose their training targets and places.

Although sparring and simulated battles within the school are another way to grow stronger.

A summoner who hasn't experienced real combat is ultimately not a qualified summoner.

Moreover, federal law also does not allow large-scale introduction or release of magical creatures in the wild, so one cannot simply eradicate a batch and then artificially replenish another batch.

Furthermore, the magical creatures here have been surviving in the South Forest for many years and have already become part of the ecological balance.

If these magical creatures were to go extinct, it could eventually lead to the gradual decline and destruction of the South Forest.

The same logic applies to the remaining directions of east, west, and north, similar to the fishing ban in water areas.

After more than a month of hunting, Li Pu has become more familiar with this area and his own strength has improved.

But his income has yet to increase, even showing signs of declining, due to these two principles being the precondition.

[Eat! Eat!]

At this moment, Caocao suddenly stopped walking.

It pointed at the soil beneath its feet, squealing with excitement.

"Are you saying there's something underneath?"

Due to telepathy communication barriers, Li Pu couldn't fully understand the other party's exact message, only the general emotion.

[Eat!]

The little kangaroo nodded its big head heavily.

"Uh..."

Li Pu paused slightly, then turned his gaze to the grassman and sapling.

[Grass?]

[Rustle?]

Just when the grass and sapling were dazed, two iron shovels were tossed in their direction.

"Don't just stand there, get to it."

Li Pu himself had already started digging the ground with an iron shovel.

It is said that some summoned beasts have relatively keen senses for specific materials.

Although the South Forest isn't an alternative world, it's not impossible for usable material to form after magical creatures have lived there for a long time.

Thus, one person, one grass, and one wood began digging.

[Keep going, eat!]

Due to short arms and legs plus its young age, Caocao wasn't assigned any work, cheering them on from the side.

After Li Pu confirmed several times with Caocao that they hadn't dug in the wrong spot, they kept digging until they had created a pit over two meters deep.

[Be careful, eat!]

At this moment, Caocao finally spoke up to warn them.

Seems like they were close to whatever it had detected.

"Be careful."

Li Pu quickly gestured to the other two to lighten their force.

If there was indeed some treasure buried underground, it would be bad if it got damaged.

[Caocao!]

After half a minute, the grassman suddenly raised its shovel, signaling it detected something unusual.

Everyone crowded around and saw indeed a piece of pure white contrasting sharply with the soil color.

This time, under Li Pu's indication, they switched to digging the earth carefully by hand.

When the object was fully uncovered, Li Pu felt quite disappointed.

This was not some treasure of heaven and earth, but... an otherworldly potato.

Just as suspected earlier, prolonged existence of magical creatures can lead to slight otherworldly symptoms in the surrounding environment.

One of the most direct manifestations is the appearance of otherworldly plants.

After dusting off the earth from the potato's surface, its differences from ordinary potatoes became clear.

Its surface was smooth, with several swirling groove lines.

Little hard horns grew at the top of the potato.

This isn't something meant for humans to eat.

"Here's what you found."

Having figured it out, Li Pu handed it to Caocao.

The little fellow seemed quite fond of food; perhaps discovering food was its talent.

Such deeply buried items would be beyond a grassman's or 10 wood's perceptive capabilities.

[Eat? Eat?]

Caocao was too young to fully grasp the concept of food.

Upon hearing Li Pu's words, it took the potato and tried a bite.

[Ptooey! Ptooey!]

In the next instant, it spat it out.

"Uh..."

Li Pu was left speechless.

Having found the item, only for it not to like it.

So what should be done with this thing?

Given its unusual nature, would trading it be lucrative?

"Wait, I've seen this thing before."

On second thought, Li Pu remembered seeing this in the marketplace's goods section.

Though he couldn't recall its exact value.

[Caocao!]

Just then, the grassman raised its wristwatch towards the potato.

[Beep! Beep!]

Surprisingly, it received a feedback response.

[Demonic Potato, E-level starch cultivation material]

[Marketplace price: approximately 500 Crystal Coins per kilogram]

Turns out student wristwatches not only connect to the school's magical creature identification system, but also to the marketplace database.

Facilitating non-professional students to identify and assess materials encountered in the wild.

"So pricey? Nice."

Li Pu's expression changed upon seeing this information.

Unexpectedly, this unremarkable thing turned out to be E-level cultivation material.

Cultivation material is far more valuable than ordinary summoner food.

Food merely fills the stomach.

Cultivation material can provide upgrade energy.

Holding the demonic potato, it felt rather heavy.

With around 7 to 8 pieces, they'd earn 500 Crystal Coins.

Meaning the one in hand is already worth over 50 Crystal Coins.

Considering only the time spent on digging, this earning efficiency surpassed hunting.

Moreover, the demonic potato differs from magical creature material; it's buried underground, making it difficult for typical students to find.

This means using it to earn money comes with less competition.

"Caocao, are there more similar scents nearby?"

Then Li Pu thought of asking Caocao.

[Eat! Eat!]

Caocao sniffed briefly and pointed to another area.

Less than 10 meters from the pit they had dug.

"See, this is how we make money."

Such a situation made Li Pu smile.

...

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