Inside the hollow mountain.

The Slime sat on the Rift, ignoring the Puki pack wolves surrounding it, filtering the magic power and curses from the water source day in and day out.

Even though there was a Puki next to it using skills to build a rock frame, it could easily absorb the Puki by slightly inflating itself, yet it showed no interest.

How should I put it... good-natured?

Lin Jun had never seen such a tranquil Slime before.

Of course, as long as you don't move it away from the water source, it resists fiercely if removed.

This Rift has already been studied by Lin Jun.

It's uncertain what's on the other side, but it shouldn't be the Dragon Cliff Dungeon from that Demon Tide incident.

The last time, two large Rifts opened on the fifth layer without any trace of curses, clearly not the same style.

Mentioning curses reminded Lin Jun of the Abyss Magic those robed figures used.

However, compared to the limited-range, limited-duration Abyss Magic of the robed figures, the curses on the other side of the Rift were evidently of a higher level.

Lin Jun attempted to have Puki extend its fungal mycelium tentacles to the other side of the Rift, only for the curse's effect to surge as soon as they passed through, turning half of the tentacle into dust, even Puki itself was affected, corroded not long after falling on the ground.

This was a specialized Puki with enhanced blood volume and equipped with[Corrosion Resistance Level 5], yet it was killed immediately by the curse.

The only information obtained was that the Rift seemed to open halfway in a water channel on the other side, with shadows flickering on either side of the channel, indistinct in the magic-imbued water.

In short, the idea of stuffing fungal threads through it was temporarily unfeasible, at least until corrosion resistance was honed.

Next, Lin Jun tried to see if it could be blocked.

No matter how it was looked at, this thing was too dangerous, it was conservatively estimated that it would affect half of the sixth floor if left unchecked, with unknown subsequent changes.

Although it could also bring magic power gains, compared to the risks, it wasn't worthwhile, sealing it would be ideal.

Blocking it with fungal threads was clearly impossible, as they corrode upon encountering the curse.

Lin Jun first used a wall-smearing method, using rock generated by Puki, tightly sealing the Rift so that not a drop of water could leak through.

The result was that the curse continued to envelop the entire hollow mountain and, over time, deepened and spread outward.

Contrary to Lin Jun's initial judgment, the curse wasn't hidden in the water.

The mode of influence was re-guessing to be radiation.

Had to chisel open the sealed stone wall and put the Slime back in place.

Unable to block it, Lin Jun settled for the next best thing, considering whether a normal Slime could be used to block it.

After all, Lin Jun wanted to try the rare skills on this bicolor Slime.

Once the bicolor Slime split to produce a red Slime, Lin Jun placed this red Slime at the opening.

The red Slime was not grateful, struggling constantly, and only beginning to filter water obediently after being suppressed by Puki with a stone slab.

However, as magic power built up inside it, the red Slime grew larger, its struggling force increased, seeing that it was about to lose control, Lin Jun was already planning to order its extermination.

But before Lin Jun could act.

Bam!

It exploded on its own!

The resulting fluid blew the surrounding Puki off balance, and even the two Puki controlling the bicolor Slime were covered in the fluid, unable to escape for a moment.

Once freed from restraints, the bicolor Slime immediately bounced back into position.

Lin Jun learned for the first time that a Slime could burst due to overexpansion...

The bicolor Slime, splitting at intervals, had no risk of bursting, but not so for normal Slimes.

In the end, after all the tinkering, everything reverted to its original state.

The bicolor Slime suppressed the Rift, and the surrounding Puki not only couldn't harm it, but also had to serve it well.

However, Lin Jun couldn't just do nothing.

By relying on the skill to create rock walls, the Puki began constructing a cage around the Slime, or more accurately—a hanging cage.

A tightly sealed cage bottom with a small hole fitted to the Rift and two drainage outlets.

The upper part of the cage has an openable exit for those split Slimes to emerge, enjoying a full-service slaughter and decomposition process.

At the top of the cage, strengthened[Resilience] fungal threads formed tentacles, able to lift the bicolor Slime to expose the Rift when needed.

In the hollow mountain, Lin Jun stationed 40 Puki on permanent standby.

These Puki all had enhanced blood volume and possessed [Corrosion Resistance].

They were like a small elite squad.

Besides handling the splitting Slimes, they were also prepared for potential emergencies here.

For instance, if the bicolor Slime suddenly died, the Puki had to physically block the Rift.

With their blood volume and resistance, each Puki could buy about half a minute for Lin Jun to react.

Apart from that, they had another task, to train [Corrosion Resistance].

Periodically, the cage would be lifted, releasing a bit of the corrosive curse to be used immediately, repeatedly to slowly level up the skill.

This was Lin Jun's precaution.

This Rift was too peculiar, with its future disappearance or expansion uncertain.

If it expanded, turning the entire sixth layer into a cursed wasteland, Lin Jun would be left struggling on the upper five layers, assuming stairs could block the curse.

But if corrosion resistance could be developed to a high level, not fearing the curse, then perhaps Lin Jun could expand territory in reverse!

With everything set, the outside Puki began the filling work.

This was a new batch of Puki construction crew, the previous batch was almost sacrificed in the Slime flood.

They were refilling stones and earth, burying the opening of the hollow mountain, leaving only a reinforced fungal underpass.

To prevent those curious adventurers from wandering and stumbling upon the Rift.

...

[Level Up: Level 52 → Level 53]

[Seven Sins of Greed Triggered]

[Plunder Skill: Scale Armor Level 5 → Level 6]

[Plunder Skill: Corrosion Resistance Level 5 → Level 6]

[Plunder Skill: Saliva Arrow Level 3 → Level 4]

Oh!

What you wish for comes true, corrosion resistance has leveled up!

The batch of Dragon Beast Mirage harvested before had almost been completely decomposed.

Not mentioning the purely entertaining skill of Saliva Arrow, Lin Jun's initial purpose of breeding Mirage was for Scale Armor, but now corrosion resistance seems equally important, maybe expanding the breeding scale is worth considering?

Although I'd like to do so, there are no new breeding locations for now.

After all, new breeding spots also need environments like the Venom Lake where Mirage can hide and protect themselves.

Otherwise, if passing demons and adventurers casually picked them, that wouldn't be breeding, but charity.

Additionally, not only did the skill level up this time, but the level that had been stuck for a long time increased by one!

It must be said, leveling up becomes slow at higher levels, since the Demon Tide, the level barely moved.

No longer the joy of rapid leveling like in the Deep Area.

But thinking about it, it makes sense, being a low-fifty-level individual, spending days on a Level 25 capped layer, relying on natural gathering and corpse decomposition for experience, how could leveling up be quick?

To level up quickly, most likely, it requires returning below to fiercely clash with those advanced demons!

Speaking of descending, there's an interesting place on the sixth layer—a Rift leading straight to the Deep Area.

It was where Inanna first fell.

After occupying the dome and unlocking the full map, Lin Jun also confirmed the location.

Now that the Slime crisis is solved, there's naturally time for research.

Except there's one problem, with so many Rifts, which one leads to the spot it was back then?

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