Stinkhorn, gripped by fear, pleaded, "We have no intention... of being enemies with the Immortal. Could you... let me go back?"

Chu Xuan smiled faintly, "You expect me to release you after you've covertly released spores, sent signals, and attempted to infect me with your mushrooms?"

Stinkhorn's expression changed drastically, and a fierce look flashed in its eyes. Seizing the moment when Chu Xuan had retracted the Corpse Refining Blood Fire, it violently erupted with mushrooms from all over its body. In an instant, a thick cloud of yellow gas enveloped Chu Xuan, densely packed with spores.

If these spores were inhaled, they would cling inside like relentless maggots, making them impossible to expel. They would settle within Chu Xuan's organs, mushrooming him from the inside out, ultimately transforming him into a mushrooman.

"Die!" Stinkhorn roared.

"Interesting," Chu Xuan commented nonchalantly as he enveloped himself in a Blood Shield. This was a Qi Refining stage spell, seldom used by him now, but still more than sufficient to block the yellow spores.

The spores, alive with malevolent intent, continuously struck the shield, creating ripples across its surface. Yet even a Qi Refining stage spell was impenetrable to them.

"Such an attack could be considered on par with a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator," Chu Xuan noted with amusement.

"Release me! Big brother, second brother, third brother... they will arrive soon!" Stinkhorn threatened viciously.

Chu Xuan merely smiled and waved his hand casually, incinerating the surrounding yellow spores with Corpse Refining Blood Fire. Even the spores that tried to burrow into his pores were repelled by his Spiritual Qi.

"Don't kill... don't kill me!" Stinkhorn howled in terror as it saw its doom approaching.

Chu Xuan, uninterested in further dialogue, intensified the Corpse Refining Blood Fire, completely engulfing Stinkhorn. Its screams abruptly ceased, and the scent of roasted mushrooms filled the entire rooftop.

At Chu Xuan's nod, Bao was the first to rush forward, grabbing the roasted mushroom and devouring it eagerly, savoring every bite.

Hu had taken several bites and then, from the remains of Stinkhorn's head, he unearthed an irregular yellow crystal, presenting it to Chu Xuan as if offering a treasure.

"Hmm? What's this?" Chu Xuan examined the yellow crystal, deep in thought. It appeared to be Stinkhorn's Psionic core. He could feel the strong psionic energy pulsating within, far surpassing any supernatural creature's Psionic core he had encountered before.

"Could this possibly serve as a wood attribute spiritual item?" Chu Xuan mused, his interest piqued. If he wanted to cultivate the Evil Wood Spiritual Body, he would need to refine a wood attribute spiritual item every three days, a total of thirty-three times to achieve a minor completion.

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"Its energy might not reach the level of a wood attribute spiritual item, but I can give it a boost!" Chu Xuan recalled another method from the Blood Evil Demon Refining Scripture.

For righteous cultivators, spiritual items were rare treasures, obtained either by spending a fortune in markets or by searching through mountains and rivers over long periods. But for demonic cultivators, spiritual items could be created—provided one had a suitable "seed."

For wood attribute spiritual items, a wood attribute "seed" was needed. To Chu Xuan, Stinkhorn's Psionic core seemed an ideal candidate.

"To create a wood attribute spiritual item, a significant amount of wood attribute beings is needed. Fortunately, there is plenty of mushrooman here." Chu Xuan smiled.

He instructed, "All of you, go out and capture as many mushrooman as you can. The more, the better."

"Roar, roar, roar!" The three corpse puppets roared and streaked out like three flashes of black light.

Chu Xuan then selected a flat piece of land and began to set up an array. The array for creating a wood attribute spiritual item was called the Hundred Woods Nurturing Spirit Array.

It sounded like a righteous cultivator's array, but it was, in fact, an unequivocal demonic array. This was because cultivators possessing a wood attribute spiritual root could also be thrown into this array as nourishment to foster the wood attribute spiritual item.

...

In the sprawling expanse of the Great Dream Marsh, located at the tri-province junction of Hanhai, Linjiang, and Jingshan, a vast and vibrant ecosystem thrived.

Before the zombie outbreak, it was the largest ecological preserve in the Han Country, attracting numerous tourists daily to explore its native flora and fauna. Known for its diverse fungi, over half of the country's mushroom species were discovered here.

No one had anticipated that after Psionic energy enveloped the globe, these fungi would develop sentience and form a massive collective.

At this moment, thousands of mushroomen lay in wait within the marsh, ready for orders. High above, two distinct mushroom figures stood. On the left was a small, dark figure almost entirely obscured by a black cap. On the right stood a robust, emerald figure with a green cap.

"Big brother, I was about to fully assimilate the human forces in Jingshan Province. Why call me back suddenly?" Green Cap asked in a low voice.

Ink Cap responded gravely, "The fourth brother was captured by the Immortal."

Green Cap was taken aback, "Captured by the Immortal? We must rescue him quickly!"

Ink Cap shook his head, his face expressionless, "No, abandon him immediately. The Immortal's terror, I have long witnessed. I estimate he's already dead."

Green Cap dared not argue. Among the four brothers, Ink Cap was the strongest and wisest. Without him, they would never have ventured beyond the Great Dream Marsh, as the supernatural creatures here alone were a formidable threat.

"So, you called me back for this? Where's the second brother?" Green Cap asked again.

Ink Cap nodded, "The second should be on his way back now. The Immortal has made moves; we don't know if he's targeting us. Let's lay low for a while and watch his actions."

Green Cap suddenly asked, "What if the Immortal comes for us?"

Ink Cap shook his head, "It will take the Immortal some time to locate our stronghold. Even if he finds it, reaching here will take him time. I've hidden many mushrooms around the Great Dream Marsh; they will detect any approach by the Immortal immediately. Don't worry."

Green Cap nodded, "Alright then, I'll follow your lead and remain hidden for now."

Just then, a sword hum pierced the sky. A figure in black, standing on a flying sword, appeared abruptly before them.

"It's too late to think of hiding now," Chu Xuan said with a smile, looking at the two mushroomen.

Ink Cap and Green Cap were both startled. They had just been discussing the Immortal a moment ago, and now he was already there in front of them!