Chapter 144: Zhang Wisteria, the Plant Demon in a Host Body

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Zhang Chu had a dream.

A giant purple wisteria woman sprouted from his navel, a Gatling gun slung over her shoulder.

Then she opened her cavernous mouth and swallowed him whole.

That was as far as the dream got before his right leg kicked out and woke him.

“Damn it!”

The exclamation carried two meanings.

First: thank goodness it had only been a dream and he was still alive.

Second: his head was buzzing because the vine demon had truly gained sentience. A purple humanoid vine, its palm connected to his, was sitting beside him.

“Human, now that you’re awake, take me out for spicy hot pot.”

Seeing that Zhang Chu was awake, the vine demon spoke. Then, with startling excitement, she threw herself into his arms, rubbing the vine-woven face against his chest.

Damn it!

Zhang Chu was certain he had not imagined it. This thing had not only gained sentience—it was actually acting spoiled.

“Damn system, what is going on? The vine demon seed was planted in my stomach! Get out here and give me a reasonable explanation!”

Zhang Chu’s body went rigid, and a chill ran down his back. He did not dare move.

Was this the spirit-realm version of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio?

Even A Chinese Ghost Story had never been this thrilling.

“Congratulations, Host. You have acquired a parasitic plant demon: Purple Wisteria.”

The next second, a red notification window appeared before Zhang Chu’s eyes.

The flood of text left him shocked at every line—eighteen shocks in all.

“So that means I’m your master now?”

Only after reading the system’s introduction to parasitic plant demons did Zhang Chu finally relax. He began examining the humanoid vine in his arms, which spoke in the voice of a little girl.

“Human, I only know that I will die if my seed leaves your body.”

“I grow quickly by absorbing energy from your body.”

The vine demon spoke in a soft, childish voice.

Hearing this, Zhang Chu finally dared to believe that he had truly stumbled into incredible luck.

A parasitic plant demon was not something just anyone could obtain.

To acquire one, a person needed at least the strength of a Spirit Realm practitioner—in other words, the cultivation of a half-step Qi Refiner, as they were known on the Spirit Energy Continent.

Simply put, a parasitic plant demon meant forcibly fusing a plant demon with one’s own body. There were several methods of fusion, but the two most common were these:

First, using a special method to swallow a vine demon seed. This was meant for vine demons that had not yet developed consciousness.

Second, using a special method to fuse an awakened vine demon into one’s body, making it a part of oneself.

A parasitic plant demon was an auxiliary means available to half-step Qi Refiners.

Not only could one acquire some of the plant demon’s methods of attack, but if the plant demon was powerful enough, it could even fight alongside its host, becoming the warrior’s indispensable partner.

Plant demons grew mainly by drawing upon the energy of their hosts.

Previously, when Zhang Chu had used Lightning Vine Entanglement, it was because the technique had absorbed the vine demon seed that the energy vines had transformed into tangible purple wisteria, complete with the wisteria’s special anesthetic properties.

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“So it was because I took thirty Spirit-Shaping Pills last night that the vine demon seed was accidentally stimulated ahead of time, awakening the consciousness of the parasitic plant demon?”

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Chu tentatively reached out and touched the humanoid vine’s head.

It was all woven from vines.

Yet when he touched it, he seemed to sense genuine vitality.

“I’m a girl, you know. You should be more polite, human.”

The vine demon shook her head in a childish voice and hopped half a step backward.

“Oh, for crying out loud! You even have male and female distinctions? You really have gained sentience!”

Zhang Chu could not help praising her.

“If the vine demon grows powerful enough to assume human form, will she actually look like a human?”

Zhang Chu could not help indulging in the thought.

“Transforming a plant demon into human form requires a tremendous amount of energy. Initial estimates suggest that one hundred billion points of mental power would be necessary.”

The system unexpectedly displayed another red notification window.

No way!

She really could transform!

Zhang Chu had only thrown out the idea casually. He had never expected it to be true.

But one hundred billion points of mental power...

Zhang Chu did not dare think about it for now.

No matter how powerful an external aid was, it was still better to grow strong oneself.

Besides, the fact that he possessed a vine demon would certainly provoke the jealousy of every faction—especially the Divinefall Alliance lurking in the shadows. He absolutely could not let the secret be exposed.

“Purple Wisteria Zhang, now that you’ve awakened your plant-demon consciousness, tell me about any special abilities you have.”

Zhang Chu gave the purple wisteria a name.

“I can eat. I can eat a great, great deal.”

Purple Wisteria Zhang raised her head, planted her hands on her hips, and spoke in a babyish voice.

“...”

Completely useless!

Still, she had sprung from his own stomach. Perhaps she would prove useful someday.

His own parasitic plant demon was his own responsibility.

“Boss, reserve us a private room.”

Zhang Chu took out his phone and booked a seat at an all-you-can-eat hot-pot restaurant near West Sand Garden.

To fill this little thing’s stomach, an all-you-can-eat restaurant was his only choice.

With assets worth twenty billion, if he let her eat freely, he would be bankrupt within a few months.

After studying the matter for quite some time, Zhang Chu finally understood that he could summon and dismiss the parasitic plant demon through his own consciousness.

“Go back.”

With a thought, Purple Wisteria Zhang slipped through his palm and returned to his body, coiling within his lower abdomen.

“From now on, communicate with me through your mind. Don’t speak out loud. If the Martial Administration Bureau dissects me as a monster, you won’t survive either!”

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“And from now on, call me Big Brother. Stop calling me human this and human that.”

After giving Purple Wisteria Zhang his instructions, Zhang Chu finally left the room.

At noon, at an all-you-can-eat hot-pot restaurant in a commercial plaza near West Sand Garden, the owner had already cried himself unconscious in the restroom.

The three-hundred-and-ninety-nine-yuan seafood set had cost him a full ten thousand yuan in losses.

Afraid of embarrassing himself, Zhang Chu had deliberately worn a mask and sunglasses.

The owner sent him out of the restaurant with tears in his eyes, then put him on the blacklist.

On the way home, Zhang Chu summoned Purple Wisteria Zhang with a thought. She emerged through his palm, formed a humanoid shape, and sat in the passenger seat, even crossing her legs with practiced ease.

“Big Brother, that all-you-can-eat hot pot was delicious. You humans know how to enjoy yourselves far better than we demons do. No wonder the innate genes of our demon race always contain the urge to conquer human cities.”

At that, Zhang Chu immediately perked up.

“Purple Wisteria Zhang, how much do you know about the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda and the demon race?”

The last time he had investigated the Vajra Demon-Suppressing Stone in a high-level restricted zone on Azure Dragon Mountain, he had accidentally planted the vine demon seed.

Zhang Chu was deeply interested in the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda and the demon race.

But Guan Zifang had refused to say anything, insisting that such matters were not something Zhang Chu should concern himself with at his current stage.

“I don’t know.”

Purple Wisteria Zhang answered crisply.

“Aren’t you a plant demon? Plant demons and beast demons are collectively known as the demon race. How can you know nothing about them?”

Zhang Chu was somewhat surprised.

“Actually...”

“Enough. Go back!”

Before Purple Wisteria Zhang could finish, Zhang Chu looked up and saw that Zhang Daoyi was standing outside his home.

He hurriedly circulated his mental power and sent the plant demon back into his body.

He parked, opened the door, and got out.

“Uncle Zhang, what brings you here?”

“I called you, but you didn’t answer, so I came over myself. I wanted to discuss something with you.”

Seeing Zhang Chu return, Zhang Daoyi smiled.

The two went inside, and Zhang Chu poured him some tea.

“What is it, Uncle Zhang? Just tell me.”

“The Twin-City Military Command Tournament is being restarted. It is expected to be held in Ganzhou next month, and I want you to lead a team there.”

Zhang Daoyi wasted no time and went straight to the point.

The Twin-City Military Command Tournament?

Hearing those words, Zhang Chu’s heart gave a faint tremor.

“Uncle Zhang, if I remember correctly, wasn’t the last Twin-City Military Command Tournament held fifty years ago?”

“Could it have something to do with the appearance of the half-beasts?”