Chapter 126

Chapter 126

A tiny mushroom, with its pale, tender stalk-foot, pushed off the ground with effort. Bouncing lightly off the edge of a companion's cap, it gracefully leaped onto a nearby giant mushroom, then hopped and skipped all the way to Shen Yi.

Shen Yi hadn't yet recovered from his surprise. Instinctively, he reached out and caught the little mushroom, lowering his gaze to meet the tiny creature's eyes.

The small mushroom's vibrant green cap was adorned with miniature emerald leaves, plump and glistening like clusters of water-kissed gemstones—a distinctive feature of the Holy Light Mushroom.

It was hard not to draw a conclusion.

Shen Yi, incredulous, blurted out: "Grandpa Tree, you had babies?"

No sooner had he spoken than the little mushroom in his hand kicked his face with its tiny foot. "Grandpa is here! Can't you recognize me?"

Immediately, the group of small mushrooms on the ground began hopping and waving their stalk-arms, asserting their presence: "Grandpa's here—Grandpa's here—"

Shen Yi glanced at the boisterous group of little mushrooms, unsure. He looked again.

He lowered his head, meeting the pair of tiny green-bean eyes, a wide-eyed stare meeting a small one: "You? You're Grandpa Tree? All of you?"

"All of us!" Grandpa Tree shook his cap proudly, brimming with confidence. "As many as I want."

As he spoke, faint rustling sounds emerged from the soft, damp soil below. Clusters of miniature Holy Light Mushrooms sprouted, shaking their heads and swaying as they pulled themselves out of the ground. True to his word, there seemed to be an endless supply.

The little mushrooms, as if afraid Shen Yi might miss them, puffed out their chests and shouted as soon as they came alive: "Grandpa's here!"

Cluster after cluster appeared, threatening to form an entire mushroom army. Shen Yi's ears were filled with the chorus of "Grandpa's here," nearly bursting his eardrums. He quickly called a halt: "Alright, alright, I get it. You're all Grandpa, okay?"

The little mushrooms enthusiastically leaped onto the giant mushroom, rushing toward Shen Yi. Xi Ye, with quick reflexes, snatched one and held it up in front of his eyes: "Why are they so small?"

In terms of size, they were polar opposites of the previous Holy Light Mushrooms.

The captured mushroom's limbs dangled weakly. Hearing this, it raised its cap, and as if on cue, the other little mushrooms swarmed toward the one in Xi Ye’s hand and merged with it seamlessly.

Under the astonished gazes of Shen Yi and Xi Ye, one mushroom after another hopped over and fused with it. The mushroom instantly swelled in size, becoming too heavy to hold comfortably. Xi Ye promptly dropped it.

The fusing mushroom spirit tumbled agilely in mid-air and landed on the ground.

Its creamy-white stalk-feet planted firmly in the soil, and this time, without needing to merge with others, it began to grow rapidly, expanding even faster than before.

Shen Yi’s psychic awareness “saw” countless glowing white mycelia converging from the dark soil beneath, spreading beneath its feet, continuously supplying it with nutrients and energy.

In just a moment, the little mushroom had grown larger than both Xi Ye and Shen Yi.

A Fu flew over curiously to observe.

It reached out a stalk, attempting to grab Xi Ye the way Xi Ye had held it earlier, but Xi Ye, already on guard, nimbly dodged. The mushroom awkwardly swiped at the air twice, then said triumphantly: "See? I can grow big, but I prefer being small."

Grandpa Tree had always been tiny before.

Xi Ye pushed away the mushroom hand trying to pat his head, stepped onto the stalk, and nimbly flew up to the cap of the giant Holy Light Mushroom spirit. He stepped on the plump, elastic leaves underfoot and remarked, "So, did you fuse with the Holy Light Mushroom, or did it fuse with you…?"

This version of Grandpa Tree—or rather, this group—aside from its tiny size, bore no resemblance to its former self. It now looked entirely like a Holy Light Mushroom.

If a Holy Light Mushroom were to gain sentience, this is likely what it would look like.

“Of course, we fused together. It had no consciousness—it was just an ordinary mushroom, albeit a very old one.”

The oversized mushroom rolled its eyes disdainfully at Xi Ye, then turned to Shen Yi for reassurance, pointing to the two pink blushes beneath its beady eyes and the green patterns spreading across its stalk: “These are my patterns, Shen Yi. Don’t you remember them?”

Grandpa Tree’s former tiny form did indeed have two adorable pink blushes on its face.

Shen Yi’s antennae twitched as he tried to recall. It seemed there had been some green patterns on its body, but he wasn’t entirely sure. Still, it didn’t matter.

He held the mini mushroom version of Grandpa Tree in his hands, poking it over. Lifting its cap and mushroom arms for a closer look, he sighed regretfully: “What happened to the little ball on your head?”

He had quite liked Grandpa Tree’s previous appearance, especially the Starlight Dandelion ball atop its head, which resembled a dandelion, dotted with starlight and full of fairy-tale charm. Those Starlight Points also had the ability to purify toxins.

At this thought, Shen Yi’s poking finger suddenly paused: “Grandpa Tree, you didn’t evolve away your purification talent, did you?”

The Starlight Dandelion was an essential item for players staying in the Enchanted Mushroom Forest. If it disappeared, players would have to rely on their own resilience from now on.

Shen Yi’s antennae trembled. Tsk, he mourned silently for the players.

“Of course not.” The little mushroom’s beady eyes widened, and its plump stalk-hand waved in front of Shen Yi’s face. Green light points emerged from the leaves on its cap, converging into a shimmering ribbon of light that gently encircled Shen Yi.

Shen Yi reached out and touched a few of the light points. They landed on his fingers and then melted into his body. Immediately, he heard the system notification.

“Host has acquired [Dispel Buff]. Negative buffs have been dispelled.”

Clearly, these glowing points were the starlight of the Starlight Dandelion.

As the little mushroom waved its milky-white stalk, a cluster of Starlight Points gathered, forming a complete Starlight Dandelion.

Grandpa Tree handed the Starlight Dandelion to Shen Yi, its voice still the same crisp, childlike tone: “The Enchanted Mushroom Forest is the most suitable forest for mushrooms to grow.”

Though seemingly unrelated, this was actually an explanation for the question Shen Yi and Xi Ye had earlier—about who fused with whom.

Because mushrooms are the most suited beings to thrive in the Enchanted Mushroom Forest, when merging with the Holy Light Mushroom, Grandpa Tree adopted some of its characteristics.

The little mushroom lay in Shen Yi’s palm, sighing with a worldly tone: “It’s a pity I can never leave the Enchanted Mushroom Forest again. That’s the… price.”

It spoke vaguely mid-sentence. When Shen Yi tried to ask for details about this evolution, Grandpa Tree shook its cap mysteriously and said, “I can’t tell you now. Knowing too much may not be good for you. When the time comes, you’ll know what to do without me telling you. What I can say is that there are realms beyond Legendary.”

Hearing this, Xi Ye unconsciously clenched his fist, his dark green eyes gleaming with ambitious fire. He was now 7-star, and Shen Yi had reached level 80. The 9-star Legendary rank was no longer an unattainable dream.

If there were realms beyond Legendary, he would do whatever it took to reach that pinnacle and become the strongest.

“Now, the entire Enchanted Mushroom Forest is my territory—truly mine,” Grandpa Tree stood up, standing on tiptoe, and beckoned mysteriously to the two. “To reach such a realm, you need both good timing and great opportunity.”

At this, Grandpa Tree glanced back at Shen Yi, his gaze meaningful: “Perhaps I was able to seize this opportunity thanks to your luck.”

That’s why he was willing to share this with Shen Yi.

As they spoke, Grandpa Tree had already led them into his mushroom space.

This wondrous underground kingdom within the Holy Light Mushroom had expanded several times over compared to memory, resembling another underground city. Countless circular platforms extended from the mushroom walls around them, layered and interlocking like a spiral staircase stretching from the top to the bottom.

In memory, these steps were covered with moss-like green blankets, where Grandpa Tree’s Starlight Dandelions grew.

But now, Shen Yi and Xi Ye saw only thick green mycelia covering the steps—in fact, the entire mushroom space was draped with countless such filaments.

Like nutrient-transporting tubes, they extended to the platforms, forming innumerable egg-shaped cocoons.

Shen Yi and Xi Ye sensed immense vitality within these cocoons. Grandpa Tree was nurturing new life.

The two exchanged a glance, both thinking of the Deer Antler Tree in the desert cavern, the Life Crystals in the magma crevices, and even the still-sealed sea in the Frostsea.

Had Little Stone also embarked on the same path as Grandpa Tree?

Shen Yi suddenly felt an impulse to visit the [Frozen Sea Region].

“Follow me,” Grandpa Tree waved to the two of them, leading them to a platform. Without knowing what it did, the cocoons entwined with mycelium suddenly turned transparent, revealing the tiny humanoids with mushroom-cap heads curled up inside like infants.

These beings resembled Flower Fairies in form, except they had no wings.

Shen Yi recognized the familiar pattern on the cap of the one before him.

“It’s Xiao Yin!” Xiao Lan’s friend, the sassy and clever little silver mushroom.

“Mm,” Grandpa Tree also noticed it, “this little one has particularly outstanding potential.”

Grandpa Tree explained, “I absorbed too much energy from the Giant Velvet Sunflower this time, so I channeled some to the little mushrooms. Among all these small mushrooms, only it achieved full evolution.”

Shen Yi asked, “Is the evolution direction of the small mushrooms guided by you? It’s quite similar to Flower Fairies.” Except for the mushroom caps on their heads.

“Of course,” Grandpa Tree said, “Flower Fairies are the spirits personally created by Him, so they are naturally the most perfect form.”

After observing the evolving Mushroom Spirits, Grandpa Tree waved again and took them to another platform to see the Mushroom Spirits still developing. These are the truly new beings nurtured by Grandpa Tree.

What surprised Shen Yi was that the caps on these Mushroom Spirits’ heads were also diverse and varied. On this platform alone, Shen Yi spotted several familiar-looking mushroom caps.

Grandpa Tree: “I collected all the mushroom spores in the [Mystic Mushroom Forest] and merged them into these new spirit spores. The [Mystic Mushroom Forest] shouldn’t have only one or two types of mushrooms.”

“But how did you manage to nurture so many different kinds of Mushroom Spirits?”

Shen Yi gradually realized that Grandpa Tree now possesses the ability to create life.

It is not creating ordinary beings but spirits born with innate spirituality, just as the World Consciousness created Flower Fairies.

How can a mushroom possess the ability to create life?

Or rather, what does it mean if a mushroom gains the ability to create life?

Shen Yi vaguely sensed that he had touched upon the most critical core. Could Grandpa Tree’s so-called realm above Legendary be about gaining a share of the World Consciousness’s power…

What higher realm could there be than becoming part of the World Consciousness?

Just as Shen Yi was astonished by his own wild thoughts, Grandpa Tree’s next words seemed to confirm his speculation.

“Now, you should think of me as the [Mystic Mushroom Forest], not just a powerful mushroom within the [Mystic Mushroom Forest].”

Swaying on a fungal thread, Grandpa Tree said to Shen Yi, “I must also thank you for the miraculous Phantom Insect you gave me. It was from it that I comprehended the talents of fusion and nurturing. It helped me greatly.”

That Phantom Insect was a mutated Phantom Insect nurtured by the fairy after consuming [Spirit Sand], inheriting Spirit Sand’s talents for nurturing and fusion.

When Grandpa Tree used it to leave the [Mystic Mushroom Forest] and travel around, it never imagined that one day this tiny Phantom Insect would play a crucial role in its evolution.

As they spoke, Grandpa Tree mysteriously led them to a new platform, its little hands rubbing together excitedly, clearly more excited than before, eager to show off its treasures. It successfully stirred Shen Yi and Xi Ye’s curiosity.

Without knowing what Grandpa Tree did, the mycelium gradually turned transparent, and Shen Yi saw “Grandpa Tree” lying inside the cocoon.

Tiny, green, bean-sized figures, cheeks tinged with pink, backs marked with emerald stripes, a round light-colored spot on their bellies, and a [Starlight Dandelion] fluff-ball on their heads, curled up in the cocoon—a spitting image of Grandpa Tree’s old form.

Shen Yi exclaimed in surprise, “Didn’t you say that mushrooms are the most suitable beings to grow in the [Mystic Mushroom Forest]?”

“But these are mushrooms,” Grandpa Tree gently touched one of the transparent light cocoons, its tender gesture revealing its fondness.

Before merging with the Holy Light Mushroom, Grandpa Tree was essentially a spirit bug. Now, the beings it nurtures, which inherit its appearance, are essentially mushrooms. Their bodies are composed of mycelium and mushrooms, not flesh and blood.

“Mushrooms come in all shapes and forms. Perhaps you’ve never seen mushrooms like this before, but from now on, you’ll know.”

Shen Yi sheepishly twitched his antennae, realizing his conservative and preconceived notions. His creativity and imagination couldn’t compare to Grandpa Tree, who had lived for thousands of years.

Grandpa Tree’s created Mushroom Spirits are divided into two types: one is the [Mushroom Spirits], similar to the previous small mushrooms, with the talent for poison; the other is these [Starlight Dandelion Spirits], which inherit its appearance, with talents for healing and detoxification.

The mushrooms will continue to evolve with rising star ranks, eventually developing into mature spirit forms—petite beings sporting mushroom caps and Starlight Dandelions on their heads.

By the time they finished touring the Holy Light Mushroom realm, daylight had broken. Shen Yi and Xi Ye had absorbed too much information, feeling both fulfilled and excited, with countless speculations and ideas waiting to be verified. The two wordlessly agreed to visit the [Frozen Sea Region] to check on the evolved Little Stone.

As they left the [Mystic Mushroom Forest], Shen Yi suddenly thought of something and turned back to ask, “Grandpa Tree, are the monster mushrooms in the forest still around?”

“Of course,” Grandpa Tree said meaningfully, “as long as life exists, monster mushrooms will always persist.”