Chapter 45：Success and Failure

The aerial roots of the banyan tree hanging from its trunk continuously grow downward, rooting into the soil and becoming new supporting roots. With the help of these supporting roots, the banyan tree continuously expands outward, enlarging its canopy and eventually connecting with newly sprouted trunks and roots, forming a forest from a single tree.

Allen remembered that in his previous life on Earth, there was a banyan forest in an Indian botanical garden with a diameter of over 500 meters. This forest was actually a single, more than 200-year-old banyan tree, exemplifying the concept of a forest formed from one tree.

Initially, Allen planned to sacrifice a bit of mobility and use a banyan tree as his oath plant. With continuous reinforcement and cultivation, he was confident in achieving the highest state of a forest formed from one tree. He even envisioned turning the entire estuary rainforest into an expansive banyan tree. This way, his natural perception could spread throughout the rainforest via his oath plant, significantly slowing the dissipation of his natural perception and granting him unparalleled observational and life-sustaining abilities.

However, the appearance of the Thorn Blood Vine changed Allen's plans. Although a single Thorn Blood Vine couldn't achieve the same as a banyan tree, it could still grow into a massive vine wall. Allen didn't intend to cultivate an obvious vine wall as a target, but using the Thorn Blood Vine as a parasitic plant to attach to rainforest trees and quietly spread was not impossible.

Moreover, this was a first-level extraordinary plant with rare mobility and attack capabilities. Considering all factors, the Thorn Blood Vine was far superior to the banyan tree.

Allen didn't need to choose but needed to clarify if there was a difference in contracting an extraordinary plant compared to a normal one.

"Damn it, the scroll 'Dark Ritual' only explains the cultivation and contract of ordinary plants. How do I contract an extraordinary plant?!"

Allen wasn't afraid to take risks but feared something could go wrong with the only Thorn Blood Vine he had. For ordinary plants, it was a matter of finding a seed with abundant life force, nurturing it with his blood, and promoting its growth with natural energy and poison mist. The cultivation of an oath plant would then follow naturally.

But Allen was unwilling to abandon the extraordinary Thorn Blood Vine in front of him to wait and cultivate a new one. Moreover, there was no genetic relationship between extraordinary human individuals, meaning the offspring of mystic extraordinary beings were not necessarily extraordinary. Only a few powerful guardian beasts had a small chance of producing extraordinary offspring, such as dragon species.

"Really cultivating a new Thorn Blood Vine might not even succeed!" Allen gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve. 

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!" If the Thorn Blood Vine couldn't become his oath plant, it would be a hidden danger. Taking the risk was necessary, as the vine couldn't harm him. At worst, he could kill it and find a banyan tree, which was his original target anyway.

With this mindset, Allen made a decisive choice. Since he hadn't cultivated the Thorn Blood Vine from a seed, he would mimic the process of taming the Green Poison Lizard. Although the lizard had tamed itself, it was the only example Allen could reference.

"Plant Mage Mist and my blood—let's see if this works!"

After a quick check for safety, Allen docked the raft and found a tall banyan tree to hide in its canopy before starting his work. He pulled the Green Poison Lizard from his warm embrace, assigning it to guard duty. The little creature tilted its head, its big eyes curiously staring at the head-sized root mass in Allen's hands, as if asking, "What is this? Can I eat it?"

Allen, looking at the lizard like a clueless child, tossed it to guard the tree canopy's perimeter. The great deer and the woman were placed on the banyan tree trunk below. Despite its reluctance, the deer had to crouch on the high branches, trembling.

Allen drew his hunting knife and cut open a healed section of the Thorn Blood Vine's root. Carefully, he controlled the Plant Mage Mist to seep inside, while his rich natural energy spread throughout the root mass, constantly checking to avoid killing the vine.

"No reaction..." Allen frowned and increased the mist's output. Still no reaction! The Plant Mage Mist was like oil, and the vine's tissue was like water—they couldn't mix.

Hesitant to act rashly and ruin the rare vine, Allen cut off a piece of the root mass, holding it tightly. He tried to merge his natural energy and Plant Mage Mist into it. After about fifteen minutes of intense focus, Allen was drenched in sweat.

"It's working!" Allen's eyes widened as he felt the mist and natural energy fully integrate into the tissue. Adjusting his power slightly, he sensed he could now control the tissue's life energy.

"I can't believe this worked. Forced methods may not be sweet, but they quench the thirst."

With the experiment successful, Allen didn't hesitate to tackle the core root mass. After a brief rest, he resumed his efforts. Following a similar process, he felt a breakthrough sensation, indicating his mist and natural energy had permeated the core root mass.

"Is it really this simple to obtain an extraordinary oath plant?" Allen was incredulous but overjoyed. However, at that moment, something went wrong!

A deathly aura spread as Allen broke through the core root mass. The Thorn Blood Vine's tenacious resistance crumbled like ashes in the wind.

"Damn it!" Allen cursed internally. Forcing his way in had killed the vine's intelligence, and with it, the extraordinary life force. The core root mass's life energy plummeted.

Realizing the vine was reverting to a normal plant, Allen acted on instinct. He sliced his palm and, following the method in the scroll "Dark Ritual," used his blood to nourish the Thorn Blood Vine. This was his last resort!

Despite his efforts, the life energy continued to fall. Just as Allen was about to give up, a familiar sensation suddenly emerged!