Fusion

Inside the stone hut, Starfire bent down to examine the formation array on the ground.

The array's lines traced intricate patterns across the stone slabs, with the newly added charging formation perfectly nested within, creating a flawless structure.

Three Magic Pool Puffshrooms serving as backup magic sources were also positioned properly at the nodes.

At this moment, Starfire's mycelium had spread along his body's Magic Patterns throughout his entire form—he had truly become a member of the Mycelial Network.

In the main tent, Shou had analyzed the tribe's current situation for him, making him understand that they actually had no choice left.

Whether willing or unwilling, whether suspicious or not, unless he abandoned the tribe and fled south alone, integrating into it was the only option.

After connecting to the Mycelial Network, he finally heard the voice of that existence called "Boss." It wasn't the unfathomable, emotionally inscrutable presence he had expected, but instead had a kind of... lively feeling?

This word seemed strange to use here, but that was indeed Starfire's impression.

The "Boss" was filled with curiosity about the mysteries of the Cradle, the details of the Birth Ceremony, and even the tribe's lost history.

Regarding history, there were no longer any eyewitnesses from before their settlement in the Far North among the tribe. What he could tell were just fragments he had heard from the older generation in the past.

Fortunately, he was familiar with both the Cradle and the Birth Ceremony. Since he had already decided to submit, he held nothing back and revealed everything.

He elaborated in detail on the formation array's construction principles, the energy flow nodes, and every step of the ceremony—extremely thoroughly.

Unfortunately, after hearing about a third of it, the mushroom on the other end couldn't understand at all anymore. Too embarrassed to call a stop, he could only respond with "mm-hmm-hmm" afterward, pretending to understand.

After struggling through the pretense of understanding, Lin Jun raised a question of his own: In the ceremony, what would happen if you first gave a demon a skill, then inscribed the same skill?

Lin Jun had tried it before—you couldn't give a demon the same skill if it was already inscribed, but what if the order was reversed?

So that's what Starfire was doing now.

To be honest, Starfire was filled with resistance toward this approach that was almost sacrilegious to tradition, treating the Birth Ceremony like an experiment, even though it posed no theoretical danger.

However, he suppressed these personal feelings very well.

This time, the process went unusually smoothly. The magic provided by the Magic Pool Puffshrooms was inexhaustible, and they could even be replaced with fresh Puffshrooms at any time, completely solving the problem of insufficient magic for the formation array.

According to Starfire's knowledge, having magic drained was a painful experience, but the Puffshrooms seemed to have no such troubles.

The Puffshrooms performed a strange "blessing ceremony" before him.

First, several Puffshrooms together stomped all over the newborn demon, filling the room with "puff-puff" sounds, then scattered spores. Upon contact with the fungal carpet, it seemed complete.

Overall, it was indeed very simple and convenient.

Then came his inscription of the Magic Patterns.

Still [Cold Resistance LV8], with a Grub brought by a Puffshroom being slaughtered outside.

When Starfire completed the last Magic Pattern on the demon's face, the deep blue Magic Patterns covering the youth's entire body activated, bursting with brilliant light. Their profound and concentrated degree even exceeded the patterns on Starfire's own body!

Starfire had no time to examine this difference closely. He let out a long breath—this was his first successful completion of Magic Pattern inscription.

And Lin Jun also got the answer to his question.

[Cold Resistance LV9]

On the newborn demon's status panel appeared this level that even Lin Jun himself had never reached!

The proficiency... had stacked!

This this this this this!

This demon was just too suitable for him!

Previous Demon Lord! You did well!

Lin Jun now wanted to open the dungeon seal and properly thank that one-sixth Demon Lord!

At the same time, a thought involuntarily emerged.

If... two LV10 skills were stacked together... what would happen?

Just imagining those limitless possibilities made his heart itch unbearably, wishing he could immediately verify it.

Unfortunately, demons could only inscribe passive skills, and Lin Jun mastered very few LV10 skills. Powerful magic creatures possessing LV10 skills were even rarer than phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Lin Jun had tried using Puffshrooms to replace sacrifices, but unfortunately it failed. Apart from the Puffshrooms' own weak life energy, no skills were extracted.

If only suitable materials could fall from the sky...

---

Empire, Demon Territory, Galbatai.

Grey walked through the corridor, his gaze sweeping over the familiar figures of his kinsmen on both sides. His nerves, tense for months, finally relaxed slightly in this familiar environment.

He had just finished a long journey, his footprints covering the ice fields and frozen soil of the Far North, delivering the Empire's recruitment order to every settlement, returning travel-worn not long ago.

His Majesty's side had someone from his company, Viscount Hao, to report back, while he needed to report to the clan leader.

Passing by the training ground, a commotion and dull impact sounds caught his attention.

Inside the field, a lopsided duel was taking place. A demon of unusually tall stature, his entire body covered in pitch-black Magic Patterns, was being surrounded and attacked by twenty kinsmen.

He neither dodged nor blocked, only met the rain of attacks with overwhelmingly brutal posture. Each swing of his arms or kick sent his attackers flying like torn sacks.

Bang!

The last person was grabbed by the neck with one hand and slammed hard against the solid stone wall, instantly losing consciousness.

After dealing with everyone, the tall demon turned his head to look at Grey above, the corners of his mouth forming an unfriendly smile.

"Grey? Finished with the hard work in the Far North?" His voice was booming, carrying undisguised provocation. "Rare that you're back—why not come down and stretch your muscles? Let me see if you've made any progress on this trip?"

As he spoke, he contemptuously beckoned with his finger.

Grey's expression instantly darkened by two shades.

The demon below was called Garon, whose strength had reached LV60. When they were both Diamond-class, Grey had won few and lost many battles against him. Going down now would be asking for humiliation.

He didn't respond to that grating provocation, only gave Garon a cold glance before turning and leaving. Behind him came Garon's unrestrained laughter.

Grey made his way to the hall at the castle's core. He knelt on one knee on the floor, bowing his head as he began reporting the mission details to the demon clan leader sitting not far away in a casual posture.

However, just as he began, the figure in the seat raised a hand to interrupt him: "Skip everything else, just talk about the demon part."

"Yes!" Grey concisely laid out the current situation of the Far North demon tribe and the three-month deadline he had given them.

"In your opinion, will they ultimately accept the Empire's olive branch?" The clan leader's voice revealed no emotion.

Grey pondered briefly: "They're obviously unwilling to hand over the Cradle. I believe that, pressed by circumstances, the possibility of them migrating south is extremely high. But directly swearing allegiance... the possibility is slim."

The hall fell into brief silence, with only the sound of the clan leader's knuckles tapping the armrest. After a moment, the order came: "Have Garon make a trip to the Far North. Grey, go find him right now."

Grey raised his head slightly and asked one more question: "Clan Leader, you mean...?"

"A tribe with only two remaining Diamond-class members, one of whom is a cripple—weakened to this extent, it wouldn't be surprising if they quietly perished at any time. Their survival doesn't matter, but if all the Magic Cores were lost, that would be an unacceptable loss for the entire demon race. Send Garon. If they submit, escort them back. If they still can't see the situation clearly..." The clan leader's voice paused, taking on a chill, "then 'recover' as many Magic Cores as possible!"