CHAPTER 349: CHAPTER 349: THE SPORE FOG TIDE, THE HUGE MUSHROOM_1

"So many substandard products; it looks like the only perfected one is the Claw Marshal." Looking at the large number of Transformed Human corpses on the ground, he realized he had faced considerable resistance descending from the Enchantment Workshop.

"I have to admit, these Enchanters are ruthless. The predecessors of these materials were the Imperial Guard and City Defense Army of Claw Cliff. No wonder they remained silent. If it were me, I wouldn’t have bothered either."

Wang Linchi recognized that these Transformed Human corpses were originally personnel guarding Claw Cliff. A disappearance of this magnitude must have been noticed by the Imperial Guard and City Defense Army; otherwise, the Royal Minister Faction might not have been able to keep them so quiet.

"There’s so much infighting, and they’re still alive. It’s ridiculous..." Wang Linchi felt that the Royal Family of Great View was better; at least when facing an external enemy, they wouldn’t hold anyone back. Look at this White Claw Empire—it’s the Royal Family here that’s dragging everyone down.

After entering the third underground level, purplish light glowed everywhere. Upon closer inspection, it emanated from mushrooms.

"This Illusionary God Mushroom grows so well? And look at its quality, this size..." Wang Linchi went for a closer look. All these mushrooms were Illusionary God Mushrooms, visibly emitting large amounts of purple smoke.

The smoke, of course, wasn’t actual smoke but spores.

"Huh? This thing..." Wang Linchi forcefully restrained a cluster of spores with his Thought Field. After scrutinizing them thoroughly, he concluded, "Just as I thought."

"The spores of the Illusionary God Mushroom are the key to reanimating the corpses." He recognized them immediately. He had previously been perplexed as to why the corpses could move. Later, he discovered that the blood within these Transformed Human corpses hadn’t dried and was instead filled with some substance. Wang Linchi had initially suspected this substance might be spores, but since they appeared inert, he hadn’t paid them much attention.

Now, however, he had proof.

The reason they were inert was that the Illusionary God Mushroom couldn’t survive outside the third underground level, and the same naturally applied to its spores.

However, the inertness of the spores didn’t affect their usability. They had even been modified by the Enchanters, who utilized the Illusionary God Mushroom’s characteristic of stimulating Elemental Bloodlines to achieve an animation effect.

"Living spores are more troublesome." Wang Linchi noticed a large number of spores consciously surging towards him, attempting to enter his body. However, his Thought Field, combined with the Heart Light Shield and Soul Shield, effectively repelled all of them.

The spores gathered, forming a purple fog tide that seemed to cover everything.

His Fanciful and Fickle erupted in a ring centered on him. Wherever it passed, the purple spores turned gray and fell, accumulating on the ground as a thick layer of ash.

"If they change color upon death, why are they purple inside the Transformed Human corpses? Is it because of the transformation process?" Wang Linchi stepped onto the ash and randomly chose a direction.

Where else could he go? The third underground level clearly held a secret, but the Old Lizard Enchanter he’d interrogated didn’t know it. The entire Enchantment Workshop was likely controlled by the entity behind the scenes; how could anyone there know any secrets? So, relying on luck seemed more practical.

As he walked, the spore fog grew denser, as if someone was intentionally trying to obstruct him. The more this was the case, the more resolutely Wang Linchi headed in that direction.

Otherwise, how could he prove he was right?

When he passed through the spore fog tide, he found himself in what seemed like another world.

Not far away stood a giant purple mushroom. Unlike the smaller ones, this colossal mushroom didn’t emit spores; in fact, no spores were visible around it at all.

"We meet again," Wang Linchi said to the giant Illusionary God Mushroom.

He wasn’t sure if it was Zi Guang, but he decided to try a bluff. Whether it worked or not, he wouldn’t lose anything. It was just a few words, after all.

However, Wang Linchi received no reply, and his Soul Vision revealed nothing. Just as he thought he had failed, a purple glow emerged atop the giant Illusionary God Mushroom.

"Outsider?" The voice was similar to Zi Guang’s but calmer and tinged with bewilderment.

"It seems you’re unaware of what has happened in the outside world," Wang Linchi instantly seized upon the information in its words, using it to his advantage.

"Indeed, I do not know. Matters of the outside world are handled by my children," Zi Guang’s voice began to sound older, as if it were truly awakening.

"They can be quite mischievous. I wonder what they told you?"

Wang Linchi watched as countless purple glows and the billowing spore fog intertwined, eventually forming a constantly rotating sphere. The sphere was still frantically absorbing spores and expanding.

"We discussed a deal, but he’s rather childish, so we didn’t reach an agreement." Wang Linchi didn’t intervene. It wasn’t because he was watching his opponent ’charge up’; rather, the entity’s weakness was beyond his imagination.

Despite the grand display, which almost enveloped the entire third underground level, this level wasn’t very large to begin with. After the purple spore fog dispersed, Wang Linchi could clearly see its boundaries; it was even smaller than the Enchantment Workshop.

As for how it could supply the entire White Claw Empire and still have a surplus, it was naturally due to the extremely high yield of the Illusionary God Mushroom.

Wang Linchi observed a mushroom develop from a spore to releasing its own spores in just ten minutes. The entire third underground level was densely packed with these mushrooms; crush one, and ten would sprout in its place.

"Is that so? Well, no matter. We can also discuss a deal. How about it?" Zi Guang said.

"Let’s hear it. If it’s suitable, we can talk," Wang Linchi said, instantly wary. Why would it want to make a deal after it finished ’charging up’?

Zi Guang transformed into a streak of light and rushed toward Wang Linchi.

"I need your body! Give it to me, and I will use it to achieve great fame!

"You’ll surely agree... won’t... you?"

When Zi Guang charged, it slammed directly into Wang Linchi’s triple-layered defenses, stunned that it couldn’t break through.

"I’m not really inclined to agree," Wang Linchi said with a smile.

His daring came from his confidence.

"How could you possibly block me?!" Zi Guang sounded incredulous. The power it had gathered from the entire third underground level had been effortlessly repelled.

"A month ago, I might not have been able to block that," Wang Linchi said, his eyes glinting with a terrifying light.

His formless Fanciful and Fickle instantly erupted within Zi Guang, consuming all the spiritual power from one of his Golden Core Illusions.

"Wait, let’s talk... abou—"

Zi Guang began to swell, completely unable to withstand such immense spiritual power. Then, a terrifying roar erupted, and an extreme Impact swept through the entire third underground level.

All the spores and Illusionary God Mushrooms were reduced to ash by this Fanciful and Fickle attack, powered by the spiritual power of a Golden Core Illusion.

"Honestly, you’re not even as good as the Titan King," Wang Linchi sighed.

He might not be able to defeat the Titan King currently, but this Zi Guang, this Illusionary God Mushroom, couldn’t even withstand a single blast of his Fanciful and Fickle. The difference in their strength was obvious.

Consider the Titan King: he detected Ye Tian and the others the moment they entered his domain. This thing, however, didn’t even wake up until I practically stumbled over it and had to prompt it.

Meanwhile, the form of the giant Illusionary God Mushroom began to twist and distort. From the very beginning, it hadn’t been real, merely an illusion.

But this illusion was incredibly realistic. It wasn’t just visual; if one got close enough, one could smell it and even feel it upon touch.

"What, playing dead?" Wang Linchi didn’t care if his opponent was cunning or just slow-witted. As long as he could win, he’d be this arrogant. If he couldn’t win, of course, he’d have to be meek and submissive.

"What do you want?" an ethereal voice sounded.

Although Wang Linchi had destroyed its consciousness carrier, killing the entity itself wouldn’t be easy. After all, on the second underground level, many Lizardmen who had consumed Illusionary God Mushrooms were providing it with sustenance.

However, it couldn’t leave the third underground level; something was clearly binding it there. At most, it could probably only send out its ’children.’ But that child—the one he’d encountered before—clearly wasn’t the first one sent out but rather one dispatched recently, thus lacking experience and worldly knowledge.

"What do I want? Let’s not discuss that for now."

"I just have a small question, and I hope you can enlighten me."

"What exactly is providing you with such abundant nourishment, allowing you to propagate so many mushrooms in such a small space?" Wang Linchi asked.