NOVEL NEXT Chapter 586: New Skill
Damon only stopped when there was not a single trace of anything remotely poisonous in the entire vicinity. The sands, the cavern, the poisonous lakes that had formed, he cleaned everything to the last drop of poison.
For a second he was doubtful if he was even going to get any successful extraction notification from this one as the huge broodmother's blood and poison was pretty much indistinguishable at this point. But thankfully, there was a ping.
[Ding! Bloodline Extraction successful]
[Ding! You have extracted the ability 'Poison Mutation']
Poison Mutation (D rank): Mutates your venom slightly. The mutation may or may not result in a beneficial outcome, depending on the nature of the host, surrounding mana, and environmental toxins present. Cool Down: 1 day
"Hmmm…" Damon went through the skill description. It felt a little anti-climactic that he would get so little after fighting with that behemoth of a being for so long. Only a single D rank skill. That too, his level was locked so he did not get the experience points either.
But on second thought, this D rank skill might not necessarily be D rank in his hands. In fact, this single skill could be far more valuable to him than anything else he could have obtained. Poison Mutation could allow his venom to adapt gaining new effects such as hallucination, or mana disruption.
The most common effect he had seen until now would be paralysis, corrosion or complete lethality but at his current level these sorts of adverse effects might not necessarily work out. Instead, if he tried making the poison more complex and limited to a specific effect, blocking it might become more difficult even if it was a peak C rank powerhouse.
The skill also might not necessarily yield a positive outcome every single time. It could even alter appearance, color, or elemental nature without significant change in strength. It could also cause his venom to become unstable, briefly weakening or even turning hostile to his own body until purified.
Overall, it was an interesting skill and based on how he used it, he could play around with it a lot and gain a lot more from it. He could even use it to fill up his poison requirements for his next cycle in the Nine Million Poison Body technique.
The Nine Million Poison Body required him to experience, internalize, and survive countless forms of toxin, each unique, each carrying its own logic of death. It wasn't just about resistance. It was about understanding poison at its core, turning it into a part of one's existence.
With Poison Mutation, he wouldn't need to search the world for rare venoms or unique creatures anymore. His own body could become a living laboratory, a constantly evolving furnace of toxins, birthing new strains every time he fought, bled, or even breathed. Each mutation could push his body and his cultivation closer to perfection.
Damon closed his eyes and focused on the many thoughts running in his mind. He did not know why but he still had a feeling that he was missing something that was right in front of his eyes.
Damon took out the sealed legendary ring in his possession, the Venom King's coil. He once again studied its details.
[Venom King's Coil – Legendary (Mythic Evolution Potential)]
Bound Status: Partially Unsealed
Once worn by the ancient Venom King, a sovereign of poisons feared across worlds and universes, feared even by other monarchs of the abyss. This ring contains a fragmented realm forged from the Venom King's own blood, spirit, and mana.
+25% Poison Affinity
+25% Poison Resistance
Reduces cooldowns of poison-based skills by 25%
Fang of Dominion (Sealed): ???
Serpent's Wake (Sealed): ???
Allows limited access to the [Coil Realm], a hidden spatial dimension infused with toxic spiritual energy (Can be unlocked)
Grants the passive trait [Toxic Resilience], Immunity to all basic poisons, and resistance to curse-type venoms
Toxin Sanctum (Passive): All poisons stored within are preserved indefinitely and may increase in potency over time.
Venom Master's Insight (Passive): Grants a bonus to all poison and antidote-related crafting attempts (+40% success rate, +15% potency).
***
Yup, this would definitely help him get what he needed faster. Wait a second, Damon's eyes immediately lit up. Now that he had finished the second cycle of the Nine Million Poison Body technique perhaps he could gain access to the Coil Realm?
"Yo, Miss Snake? Are you there? Can I do it? Can I enter the world?"
To his surprise, yet again no response came.
"Come on. Isn't it against rules or something to not let me in even after I have satisfied the requirements?" Damon probed again and this time a chilling response quickly came out.
"You did not meet the requirements yet."
Damon was about to retort but in the end decided against it. If he did not meet the requirements, then he did not. There was no point in arguing about it. He still had a long way to go and he refused to believe that he wouldn't crack this bitch sooner or later.
He had more important things to do right at this moment. He had already wasted a good amount of time with this broodmother when he should have made Lirae as his focus. He quickly contacted her. The next moment Lirae's gentle loving voice came in.
"I am fine, my love. You do not have to rush to find me. Even if Erelion throws something at me, I can handle everything. Don't worry, my love. I will be fine."
Damon did not like the way she spoke. Not one bit. It was time to put an end to this nonsense. There was no need to wait any longer. His mind briefly flitted back to the elusive thought in his brain but he decided to focus on it later.
He flashed his eyes open and stood up. In the distance, a few people were patiently waiting for him. Damon teleported in front of them and raised his brow. This was a lot more people than he had expected.