Bizarre Voyage: Summoning The Fourth Crisis

Only three Demon Base Spirit Branches were left.

After hesitating for a moment while looking at the Demon Base Spirit Branch in his hand, Mushroom took out a sea crab and placed it in the mortar.

The process was the same; the only variable was the Demon Base Spirit Branch.

Mushroom proceeded with caution.

After a short while, he mixed the ground-up Demon Base Spirit Branch with the sea crab, placed it into the boiling apparatus, adjusted the Temperature, and began the final step.

GURGLE GURGLE...

However, an accident occurred just as the Temperature rose.

The Magic Potion in the boiling apparatus began to boil violently. The liquid transformed into a foam-like mass, turned a bizarre purple, and frantically bubbled over.

It looked like a monster with countless tentacles struggling to break free.

The concoction had failed.

The Refining Platform was coated in Wax Oil and began to clean itself automatically.

Without a doubt, simply swapping Demon Base Spirit Leaves for a Demon Base Spirit Branch wasn’t going to work.

But Mushroom wasn’t discouraged. Although he had been hopeful, he had also anticipated this outcome.

’Maybe it’s the Temperature? Or the mixing method is wrong? Or is it a dosage issue?’

Mushroom glanced at the Refining Platform. There were still many tools on it that he hadn’t used.

After a moment of thought, Mushroom learned from his failure and prepared for a new attempt.

...

Over on Niuniu’s side.

After failing to force-grow the plant many times, Niuniu was driven completely mad with rage.

”Sea crab, in it goes... Mad Talk Mushroom, in it goes... Sea Star, in it goes... Pufferfish, in it goes... Madness-Dissolving Clump, in it goes... Recovery Wax Block, in it goes too... Let’s add some more...”

”I’ll fucking add it all!”

After adding every consumable he could see, Niuniu began to mix them together haphazardly before unceremoniously placing the concoction on the boiling apparatus.

WHOOSH!

He cranked the flame to its maximum.

’Who says you have to follow a recipe?’

Niuniu crossed his arms and nodded in satisfaction. ”I can craft even without Demon Base Spirit Leaves! Who knows, maybe I’ll brew some unexpectedly potent potion!”

BUBBLE BUBBLE...

The boiling apparatus began to bubble furiously as the mixed consumables churned and reacted violently.

THUD THUD THUD...

The Refining Platform suddenly began to tremble.

Seeing this, Niuniu froze, and a bad premonition crept into his heart.

FWOOSH!

A plume of blood-red smoke rose up, forming a wailing skull that seemed to be giving Niuniu a final warning.

’Something’s wrong.’

Realizing something was amiss, Niuniu’s heart sank. He quickly turned and ran for the door.

But it was too late.

BOOM!!!

A massive explosion erupted. The liquids, solids, particles, crystals, and all sorts of strange things in the boiling apparatus scattered like shrapnel from a grenade.

[You have been tainted by Madness...]

[Your Power has increased...]

[Your Blood Volume...]

[Death]

Niuniu’s Demon-Harboring Cottage filled with smoke of various colors.

As for Niuniu himself, he was blown away by the explosion before he could escape. A jumble of strange status effects flickered across his body before he turned into a Wandering Soul and ascended.

[Refining Platform damaged. Repair requires 25 Wax Oil.]

[Demon Base Seedling·Tier One (Withered)]

The Refining Platform was wrecked. The Demon-Storage Basin was fine, but the seedling inside had withered.

”Damn it!”

Niuniu cursed as he looked at his smoke-filled cottage and left in frustration.

Mushroom happened to come out at the same time. Another player also emerged just then, and their bodies overlapped for a moment before they were pushed apart.

But they were used to this; it was a normal occurrence.

”How did you become a Wandering Soul?” Mushroom asked, looking up at Niuniu’s Wandering Soul form with some confusion. ”Are there monsters in the Demon-Harboring Cottage?”

”Ahem, it’s nothing,” Niuniu replied, a bit embarrassed. ”I accidentally blew up the Refining Platform.”

Mushroom immediately understood.

’That guy Niuniu must have pulled some stunt and gotten himself killed again.’

”Hahaha, Niuniu, what kind of shenanigans did you get into this time? You must be the first person to get yourself killed inside your own Demon-Harboring Cottage, right?”

The other player found the situation hilarious.

”I’m out of Wax Oil,” Mushroom said with a sigh. ’This Demon-Harboring Cottage really is a money pit.’

”Wanna go get some?” Niuniu, who had also suffered heavy losses from his recent mess, suggested.

”Let’s go!”

The two of them hit it off immediately and decided to go farm some Wax Oil before continuing.

...

Brother Yu carefully checked the number of fish in his pockets and stored in the Spirit Candle, then breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed he hadn’t encountered any bugs.

”We’re all ready, Brother Yu.”

At that moment, Pai Daxun and a group of Demon Summoners looked at him with great anticipation.

”Alright then, let’s continue.”

”You guys start fishing. I’ll come check on you later.”

Brother Yu coughed, quickly stood up, and said this.

Afterward, the group of Demon Summoner players transformed into avid fishermen, spreading out across Candle Island to find suitable fishing spots and compete for the final victory.

Once all the Demon Summoners were fishing on Candle Island, Brother Yu went directly to the Spirit Candle.

[Consume 9 Wax Oil to Teleport to the Jinghai Islands instance?]

[Teleporting...]

Carrying his fishing rod, Brother Yu quickly used the Spirit Candle’s Teleportation function to arrive at the recently released archipelago.

Although it couldn’t be described as sunny and beautiful, the weather in the Jinghai Islands was much better than in Seaside Town. It looked overcast, and the wind and waves weren’t strong.

After looking around to get his bearings, Brother Yu first headed toward a beach full of pebbles and reefs.

Arriving at a small trench, Brother Yu began to reach into a tide pool, feeling around.

Before long, he had pulled out some small catches.

[Obtained: Small Oyster x1]

[Obtained: sea crab x1]

[Obtained: Razor Clam x1]

[...]

[Small Oyster]

[Type: Item]

[Rarity: Abundant]

[Explanation: A creature that is extremely common on the coast. Can be used for crafting or as bait.]

Although most players had already determined that the Jinghai Islands had no real story to uncover and was just an Ordinary island instance, Brother Yu was still very fond of it.

After all, in this instance, besides fishing, he could even enjoy the fun of foraging on the beach.

For example, oysters and other seafood would appear in this tide pool every so often. They could be crafted into consumables or used as bait, and most importantly, they were free and didn’t cost any Wax Oil.

After carefully feeling around again to make sure there were no fish left, Brother Yu shouldered his fishing rod and prepared to head to his usual fishing spot.

However, as he passed a crevice in a reef, his gaze fell upon something and he stopped in his tracks.

”I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you today. So you were hiding here,” he muttered.

Mumbling to himself, Brother Yu reached out his hand and pulled the small creature out of the crevice.

[Red Ring Octopus]

[Type: Item]

[Rarity: Rare]

[Explanation: A venomous juvenile octopus that is also a favorite food of certain sea creatures.]

This thing was indeed venomous; getting bitten by it would inflict the ”Poisoned” status.

But Brother Yu had long since figured out the trick. He skillfully knocked it unconscious and put it in his inventory.

This could also be used as bait, and it attracted big catches.

It was just that the last time Brother Yu encountered one, he didn’t seize the opportunity and let the big one get away.

So, he planned to save up a number of Red Ringed Octopuses and then pick a good day to go fishing.

After arriving at a strange rock that jutted out toward the sea, Brother Yu sat down, took out his fishing rod, leisurely attached some Sand Worm Bait, and cast his line into the water.

[Fishing...]

Brother Yu hummed a little tune and waited leisurely.

Time slowly passed.

Before long, a shriveled corpse, bobbing in the water, drifted with the current and floated over to where Brother Yu had cast his line.

Seeing this, Brother Yu frowned.

He then set down his fishing rod, took out his Law Knight’s Greatsword, went to the shore, and pushed the corpse aside.

’Shoo, shoo, get out of here. Don’t bother me while I’m fishing.’

After doing all this, he returned to his fishing spot.

This corpse would drift here at a fixed time every day. There was nothing on it, so it was probably just an ordinary environmental detail.