Dimensional Slime Rancher-Chapter 1: [DROPPED]
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This entire novel has been dropped and its contents have been deleted. I am currently working on a completely new remake of this story from scratch.
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The twelve Searing Mana Cubes sat neatly on the obsidian synthesis tray. They were so beautiful and flawless that they could be mistaken for ancient, divine artifacts rather than beast food.
Because the violently clashing elements of Fire-Drake blood and pure water Qi were bound together by the Stardust Gel, the cube held its shape perfectly.
The violent, destructive heat of the drake blood mixed together with the soothing nature of the hydro-essence created an aromatic, glowing core that rippled within the cube.
Ren was eagerly looking at the Searing Mana Cubes; his curiosity was triggered by the intense pressure radiating from them.
Using a pair of spiritual-wood tongs, Ren picked up one of the cubes. He didn’t immediately feed it to Pudding, but brought it close to his face to inspect the swirling energies.
The aura was a concoction of pure violence and absolute calm. As the scent entered his nose, it instantly enveloped his senses and filled his mind with a rich, dangerous warmth.
Ren was absolutely delighted. He tossed the glowing cube to the blue slime resting on the floor.
Pudding caught it effortlessly, its gelatinous body engulfing the cube in a split second. At first, nothing happened.
Then, the blue slime began to violently bubble. Its skin, usually extremely cool and tender, turned a deep, bruised violet, and then shifted into a glowing, angry crimson.
The slight numbness of the Stardust Gel fought against the burning sensation of the Flame-Drake blood inside the slime’s tiny body.
"Fuck, that looks spicy," Ren muttered, taking a cautious step back.
Suddenly, Pudding let out a loud, rumbling burp.
A ring of actual fire shot out of its pseudo-mouth, singeing the ceiling of the Workshop and leaving a black scorch mark on the metal.
The slime jiggled happily, its body returning to a calm blue, but its core now possessed a faint, golden spark.
It was so effective that Ren almost wanted to laugh out loud. With this, the Beast Tamer Sect wouldn’t stand a chance in the upcoming duel.
Soon, the remaining eleven cubes were safely stored away in the cryo-fridge, and Ren was memorably licking his dry lips, feeling the residual heat in the air.
A successful synthesis would always improve a Rancher’s mood.
After cleaning up the Workshop, Ren prepared to shut down the machines. The heavy lifting was done. He only needed to wait for the morning to show the capital what a real beast could do.
After he completed everything, it was already past midnight. Ren yawned and stretched his arms, ready to sleep.
As a Rancher King, he needed to have high-quality sleep. He would only have a healthy body to scam wealthy nobles if he slept and woke up early every day.
...
The next morning.
Ren opened up the Dimensional Ranch for business.
The weather was not good that day. Dark, heavy clouds had covered up the sky, and there was no sunlight to be seen. A damp chill hung in the air.
"It looks like it’s going to rain," Ren muttered to himself as he looked at the gloomy sky while standing at the entrance.
Pudding lifted its translucent head and glanced at him, then flattened out on the porch and continued to sleep. The slime was so lazy that it didn’t even want to bounce; it seemed that it was not going to seek shelter even if it started pouring.
Ren was slightly surprised. Even though this blue blob was living the life of a pampered pig, why was it not becoming fatter? If a normal beast was fed premium spirit cubes and drake blood every day, it would have already doubled its size, and yet Pudding still maintained its perfectly round, compact figure.
"I think I’ll increase your training in the Gravity Room today," Ren said as he stroked Pudding’s cool, unblemished surface.
Then Ren returned to the counter and prepared the shop.
He placed a small sign on the holographic menu, updating it with the newly created Searing Mana Cubes.
As Ren carried a cup of hot tea out of the living quarters, the optical sensors of Unit 02, the mechanical dog, suddenly emanated an intense red brightness as it stared at the rain starting to fall outside.
Seeing Unit 02 faithfully guarding the door, an awkward smile appeared on Ren’s face. He pulled his favorite recliner towards the entrance and curled up on it.
As there was no warmth from the sunlight today, Ren just stared off into the dreary, wet alleyway.
Soon, Fatty Jin and his heavily armed buddies arrived, their boots splashing in the puddles. As they stepped into the store, Jin Bao immediately noticed the new, glowing red text on the holographic menu.
"Oh my, Boss Ren, is that a new item? Searing Mana Cubes? Are they for combat?" Fatty Jin’s small eyes lit up as he eagerly asked Ren, shaking the water from his extravagant gold robes.
"Yes," Ren expressionlessly nodded, then stood up and got ready for work. The arrival of Fatty Jin signified the start of the daily grind.
When Fatty Jin and his buddies saw the price tag of one thousand Spirit Stones for a single cube, they were all stunned.
But the rich, spicy fragrance leaking from the back room made them eager to buy it.
Without a doubt, Ren’s products were the absolute finest in the empire.
"Boss Ren’s breeding skills are truly superb! I’ll take one for my cousin’s Wind Slime! Haha!" Fatty Jin slapped a heavy pouch of stones on the counter.
He wanted to order the new item, but he was heartlessly rejected by Ren.
"No," Ren simply said. "The drake blood inside will cause a weak Wind Slime to explode. Your cousin’s beast hasn’t reached the required stage. It will die."
Fatty Jin swallowed hard, nodding rapidly. He ended up ordering regular Fuzzball kibble instead, not daring to question the Rancher’s wisdom.
After a while, Fatty Jin and his buddies left the Dimensional Ranch feeling satisfied, stepping back out into the pouring rain.
Not long after they left, a petite figure slowly arrived, holding a bright yellow umbrella and rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Smelly Boss, I am not late, right?" Xiaoyi said with a wide yawn, shaking the water off her floral dress.
The low rumble of thunder could be heard from a distance.
The continuous raindrops formed a thick curtain of water in the sky, completely concealing the heaven and earth. The alleyway looked like a misty illusion. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
"No, you’re late," Ren earnestly said, pointing at the clock on the wall.
Xiaoyi rolled her eyes in response, then stuck her tongue out and made a face at him.
"Smelly Boss! I brought my own allowance today, I want to buy a beast!" Xiaoyi triumphantly said as she took out a heavy silk sachet and waved it proudly in front of Ren. The delightful sound of Spirit Stones colliding could be heard from within.
Ren expressionlessly glanced at the sachet. There was a clumsily stitched smiling bear head sewn on it; it was definitely her grandfather’s work.
"Oh. There’s a new combat item today, but your cultivation level isn’t high enough to handle the beast that eats it. Otherwise, I would gladly take your money," Ren simply said, picking up his tea.
Xiaoyi’s joyful expression froze, and she felt as if an invisible sword had pierced right through her chest. "It hurts!"
"I will definitely cultivate hard for the sake of getting a cute slime!" Xiaoyi declared, pouting fiercely.
"Oh, I am sure the great General Ouyang would definitely be thrilled to hear that," Ren expressionlessly said.
Thrilled? As if! If her grandfather knew she was going to train her martial arts just to buy a bouncy pet, the old man might just vomit a few liters of blood on the spot.
While the two of them were comfortably bickering, a lone figure appeared within the heavy rain.
With an oil-paper umbrella in hand and wearing a pristine white robe, he looked gentle and refined, with a faint smile on his handsome face.
The Third Prince, Xia Ming, slowly stepped into the Dimensional Ranch and closed his umbrella. He gave it a little shake to get rid of the water and leaned it against the wall near the entrance.
Ren curiously looked at the Prince. Xia Ming seemed a little different today. Even though he still gave off a gentle and refined feeling, there was a heavy, bone-chilling coldness hidden beneath his royal refinement.
Xia Ming stepped into the shop but did not greet Ren. He found a wooden stool on his own and sat down in complete silence.
Xiaoyi and Ren were both puzzled by his strange behavior.
Shortly after, the disarrayed, heavy sound of boots splashing through puddles came from the alleyway, along with the rhythmic tapping of rain landing on wide bamboo hats.
From the misty shadows, four figures were slowly walking toward the Dimensional Ranch.
The rain gradually became heavier, and the raindrops created violent splashes on the stone ground. The fog became incredibly thick, and the entire world seemed to be unreal at that moment.
It was as if the roaring rain had suddenly become deadly silent.
As the four cloaked figures stepped into the Dimensional Ranch, a gust of freezing rain and killing intent immediately invaded the space. The warm, cozy ambiance of the shop instantly changed into a suffocating, freezing atmosphere.
Xiaoyi shuddered violently and cowered behind Ren’s legs, curiously and fearfully staring at the four imposing people with her large eyes.
The four of them stepped inside, the water dripping from their bamboo hats. They did not speak a single word to Ren.
Instead, they imperceptibly spread out, completely surrounding the silent Xia Ming.
A single raindrop dripped down from the brim of one of the bamboo hats. As it hit the polymer floor, it suddenly burst open.
