Interstellar Farming: I Make Potions and Climb to the Top

As the group passed through the last stretch of roiling clouds, the full silhouette of the New Continent suddenly became clear. They saw vast, dense, and thriving primeval forests. Sunlight spilled across the land, draping it in a vibrant cloak.

Stout, towering trees shot up from the ground, their green leaves brimming with life. There were also large areas of azure or fluorescent green water. To the southeast, a vast region was shrouded in black mist. Through the mist, one could faintly make out the Black Forest below, its trees covered in scaly bark.

Ning Xuan extended her vines to brush past the canopy. Hundred-meter-tall giant ferns trembled like living things, their umbrella-like fronds covered in pearl-like dewdrops that burst into shards of ice in the air currents.

The moment the Guardian Barrier collided with a colossal, sky-piercing redwood, the barrier was forcefully repelled.

Ning Xuan saw the giant redwood’s bark suddenly crack open, revealing an amber-colored resin inside. The resin glinted with a metallic luster in the sunlight, then reverted to the appearance of normal bark in the blink of an eye.

The branches and leaves were dense. Qinghe controlled his metal blade to slice off a few dangling branches. The severed ends didn’t spray sap, but rather a cloud of fluorescent spores that traced an eerie green trajectory.

’My mind feels strangely excited. I wonder what Level of mutated plant these green fluorescent spores come from, to be able to affect my spiritual power.’

"Stop cutting! These spores are toxic. Hold your breath and let’s get out of here." Ning Xuan retracted her vines. Di Youlin spread his wings and flew into mid-air, with Ning Xuan’s arms around his neck as she sat on his back.

Ning Xuan gave the order, and the others silently obeyed. They all used their own methods to get away from the green mist, landing in a nearby area. The climate in this region was pleasant and the air was very humid. It contained some unknown substance that made breathing feel very refreshing and comfortable.

Walking beneath the towering trees, the ground was shielded from the sun, making it damp and sticky. Qinghe, who was walking at the very front, suddenly frowned. "Something’s approaching us."

A faint tremor ran through the ground. Ning Xuan thought she heard the rustling sound of plant roots scraping against each other.

The sticky soil beneath their feet began to churn, and countless fine, earth-brown roots surged up from the ground. Large swathes of the earth collapsed as innumerable roots burst forth, weaving themselves into a net that lunged at the group like a living creature.

Qinghe held up a blade of shifting form to meet the oncoming roots. This blade was his Lifebound Scale Armor, which could transform into any shape at his will.

Qinghe’s figure moved as fast as a flash of light, dicing the roots into segments. Yun Han flicked his hand, releasing a ray of white light—the Annihilating White Light. The earth-brown root segments vanished instantly.

Working together, the two of them quickly cleared away the roots.

Just then, the surrounding tree trunks suddenly split open with countless fine cracks, and clouds of fluorescent spores gushed out, blanketing the entire area in a hazy green mist.

"Hold your breath!" Ning Xuan’s voice came from within the mist. "Get out of here."

"Everyone, follow me." Zhang Nan took the lead and headed left.

In this unfamiliar environment, they chose to trust Zhang Nan’s judgment.

Zhang Nan looked up at the sky, which was obscured by the canopy, and gathered a wisp of clear wind at his fingertip. The current swirled upwards, bringing down a few leaves that shimmered with a phosphorescent glow. He closed his eyes to analyze them for a moment, then continued to the left.

Zhang Nan’s Companion Spirit was a Golden Hamster, which had an incredibly keen perception of the natural environment, especially things underground. Under his guidance, Ning Xuan and the others quickly left the area.

After leaving the dangerous area, the terrain became flat and open. Although they were still surrounded by trees that soared to the clouds, these trees were noticeably tall and straight, with wide spaces between them. The path here was much better than before.

Wang Yue took numerous scattered materials from his backpack. After a flurry of assembly, a roofed, four-wheeled mechanical vehicle—about four to five meters long and two meters wide—appeared before them. Wang Teng also took many parts from his backpack, assembling a large cannon barrel that he mounted on the vehicle’s front. "This mobile cannon can fire energy blasts, laser blasts, and also physical projectiles like iron nails and steel needles. It’s powerful, quiet, and very practical."

Wang Yue took the driver’s seat, Wang Teng sat behind the cannon to operate it, and the others chose their own spots.

"Our top priority right now," Ning Xuan said, "is to find a supply point or safe zone set up by the military."

"Agreed, Contractor. When I was looking down from the air just now, I saw a large lake to the northeast. We could try searching in that direction," Lin Mo suggested.

Solid food might have survived the Jump Ship’s transit, but liquid water was impossible to bring along and preserve. Even if they weren’t looking for a supply point, they still had to prioritize finding a drinkable water source. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Let’s go. Head northeast. Pay attention to our surroundings and look for any traces of human activity. See if you can find any edible plants, animals, or fruits, and at the same time, look for any resources worth collecting," Ning Xuan ordered.

"Lan Xin, Chen Nan, Zhang Nan—the three of you are in charge of mapping the terrain we just passed, including the types of trees and the vegetation structure. As we travel, you’ll need to constantly update it. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, we’ll discuss it as a group. We must ensure that we can create a detailed map of every area we set foot in," Ning Xuan instructed Lan Xin, Zhang Nan, and Chen Nan.

The three of them acknowledged the order and immediately took out paper and pens to begin drawing. This was a task assigned before they set out, so all three were already prepared.

Wang Yue drove the mechanical vehicle northeast for about three hours. During that time, they hunted three deer-like Exotic Beasts that were over two meters tall, gathered three energy-rich Exotic Plants, picked more than a dozen types of non-toxic, edible wild fruits, and found a giant beehive.

Ning Xuan named the three two-meter-tall, deer-shaped Exotic Beasts "Crystal Horned Deer" because of their crystal-like horns.

In the sunlight, their horns would refract a crystal-like luster. They could conduct energy, making them a rather rare energy-conducting material that could be used in a lot of mechanical manufacturing and equipment forging.

After driving for over three hours, they happened upon a clear stream surrounded by a large, soft meadow. To replenish their strength, Ning Xuan decided they would stop here to rest.

"Master, the meat of this Crystal Horned Deer is extremely fine and tender. It even gives off a faint scent of pine when roasted, so the taste is sure to be excellent," Nine-tailed said while dissecting the deer carcass. The knife in his hand moved with precision, skinning the beast and separating muscle from bone.

After deciding to let Nine-tailed join the joint examination team, Ning Xuan had made him cram-study subjects like species analysis.