Chapter 22: Forum Explosion

The Spirit Stabilizing Liquid worked by making Spirit Grass adapt to its surroundings. The plant Jade Dew naturally could not compare to Spirit Grass. Perhaps the powerful vitality within the liquid was the reason it caused variegation.

Zhou Yu took out the small golden gourd from his pocket. One drop of Spirit Stabilizing Liquid had strong vitality. What if he diluted it? Would it only make the Jade Dew adapt to the environment without causing variegation?

Thinking of this, an excited look appeared on his face. He quickly walked to the well pump and pumped out some clean groundwater.

After that, Zhou Yu went to the kitchen. He got a clean small porcelain bowl and a small spoon. He scooped a little water from the bucket, just enough to cover the base of the bowl. Then, he took out the golden gourd, opened the lid, and carefully dripped one drop of Spirit Stabilizing Liquid into the bowl.

After entering the water, this drop of Spirit Stabilizing Liquid did not disappear directly. Instead, it slowly blended with the water. This reassured Zhou Yu a little. His biggest fear was that the Spirit Stabilizing Liquid would not dissolve in water or would vanish directly in the water.

After a little while, that drop of emerald-green Spirit Stabilizing Liquid completely dissolved into the water. It turned the bowl of clear water into a light green color, emitting a faint fragrance.

During these past few days, out of curiosity, Zhou Yu had also tasted a drop of Spirit Stabilizing Liquid. But nothing changed. It seemed he couldn’t feel the powerful vitality within the liquid at all. This made him understand that this Spirit Stabilizing Liquid seemed specifically made for Spirit Grass and plants.

The Spirit Stabilizing Liquid was now diluted. Next was the experiment. He took a Black Muscle Jade Dew from the Spirit Gathering Array, planted it in a flower pot, then picked up the small porcelain bowl. Using the small spoon, he scooped about one-fifth of the liquid and poured it onto the leaves of the Black Muscle Jade Dew.

This one-fifth portion of light green liquid, upon touching the Jade Dew leaves, did not instantly disappear. Instead, it slowly faded from sight.

Zhou Yu placed the small porcelain bowl on the ground, then sat on a stool, carefully observing the condition of this Black Muscle Jade Dew. If its condition looked bad, he would pour on more liquid.

He waited for over an hour. The Black Muscle Jade Dew was in good condition, not showing any signs of wilting. Just as he was about to declare success, he suddenly saw faint variegation appear on the Jade Dew.

Seeing this variegation, Zhou Yu was filled with frustration. All his previous effort was wasted. He set this Black Muscle Jade Dew aside and took another Black Muscle Jade Dew from the Spirit Gathering Array. He planted it in a pot. After thinking for a moment, he used the small spoon to scoop a slightly smaller amount of liquid than before and poured it onto the leaves.

More than an hour later, the Jade Dew was in good condition, with no variegation. Two hours passed, and it was still the same. Zhou Yu excitedly pumped his fist. Finally, he had succeeded.

Afterwards, he calculated the dilution ratio. Then he poured all the remaining liquid from the small porcelain bowl onto that Black Muscle Jade Dew from the experiment that had developed variegation and moved it into the Spirit Gathering Array.

According to this ratio, one drop of Spirit Stabilizing Liquid could be diluted into about ten portions of liquid. This would ensure the Jade Dew could adapt to the environment while being unable to mutate into variegation.

Zhou Yu helplessly looked at the successfully experimented Black Muscle Jade Dew beside him. To prevent variegation, he had really gone to great lengths.

Of course, for the sake of caution, he would not post about this Black Muscle Jade Dew in the Xianrou Garden forum thread yet. He would decide tomorrow morning.

During the time Zhou Yu was experimenting, the entire Xianrou Garden forum was about to explode because of his thread. Although this succulent plants forum was one of the top forums in the succulent world, with countless wealthy succulent enthusiasts inside, most people were there to exchange knowledge, make friends, and incidentally see if there was a chance to find a bargain.

Even some professional succulent cultivators mostly sold only seedlings or side shoots. As for mature, precious succulent plants, sellers were very rare. Even if they sold, they would choose to do private transactions with some friends.

The mature Pan Deng Yulu Variegata with a diameter of seven centimeters displayed in Zhou Yu’s thread had almost never appeared in the forum’s auction history. This was a mature Pan Deng Yulu Variegata. Anyone who cultivated one would never sell it easily.

Many forum-browsing succulent enthusiasts, upon seeing Zhou Yu’s thread, were instantly amazed. The beautiful Pan Deng Yulu Variegata in the pictures was simply a perfect work of art. It was truly more beautiful than any Pan Deng they had ever seen. Their hearts were instantly conquered.

The window surface of Pan Deng Jade Dew was originally very transparent, glossy, and moist, like an ice lantern. The Pan Deng shown in the thread had an even more transparent and brighter window surface. The yellow variegation radiated from the inside out. About one-third of the entire Jade Dew showed variegation. It really made people feel like they were looking at an ice lantern.

“First comment. This window surface, this variegation… I’m in awe. This couldn’t be photoshopped, could it?” The first succulent enthusiast to see the thread commented with surprise and doubt.

“Such a beautiful Pan Deng Jade Dew, why sell it? Why sell it?” The second succulent enthusiast said, feeling frustrated as if watching someone waste potential.

“Are you kidding me? Selling such a perfect Pan Deng on Xianrou Garden is simply a waste! It should be entered in a succulent exhibition.”

“Judging from the transparency of the window surface and the natural look of the leaf variegation, it probably isn’t photoshopped. Moreover, this is a senior-level forum member. They wouldn’t joke like this.” A technical expert analyzed.

“Big brother, I beg for a single ‘leg hair,’ I beg for one leaf, just one leaf.”

Some wealthy succulent enthusiasts, seeing this thread, were like hungry wolves spotting a little lamb, their eyes gleaming. Many wealthy people said they cultivated succulents to cultivate their character. Translated into plain language, that meant they had money and wanted to find a high-end thing to show off.

Unfortunately, most people’s beautiful mature succulent plants were mostly not for sale. They only sold some seedlings. This meant that even if they had money, they couldn’t buy good stuff. Now, Zhou Yu’s mature Pan Deng Yulu Variegata gave them new hope—hope for showing off.

“I claim this Pan Deng Yulu Variegata. Don’t anyone try to snatch it from me,” a certain rich second-generation declared with great bravado.

“I won’t fight you for it, because this Pan Deng Yulu Variegata is destined to be mine,” another wealthy person said very calmly.

Not long after Zhou Yu posted his thread, a middle-aged man in an office building of a big city habitually opened Xianrou Garden. His name was Wang Mingyuan. He was also a succulent enthusiast. He had been active on the Xianrou Garden forum for five or six years. With some management experience, he became the moderator of the Agave section, the most popular board in the Plants area.

After entering the forum, he scrolled down and looked at the hot topics ranking. Seeing the title of the number one post, he paused. “Pre-auction photos of mature Pan Deng Yulu Variegata.”

This was probably someone joking. Wang Mingyuan shook his head. Malicious posting would cost forum points. He picked up his teacup nearby and casually clicked on the thread. He saw the thread was posted in the Agave section he managed.

When he saw the beautiful pictures of the Pan Deng Yulu Variegata in the thread, his eyes widened in disbelief. His tea-drinking action froze instantly.

Such a perfect Pan Deng Yulu Variegata, reaching seven centimeters—it was something he had never seen before. Based on his experience, the pictures were unlikely to be photoshopped.

He looked at the comments below the post. The entire forum had already exploded because of this Jade Dew. In less than half an hour since the post was published, it had nearly a thousand views and hundreds of replies.