Mushroom Lord in the Underground City-Chapter 327 - 319: Sigmund

When the Puki army, representing Lin Jun’s spiritual power, joined the battlefield, the tide of the battle instantly reversed.

The front lines were quickly pushed back from the narrow cave entrance to the forest outskirts, then became locked in an intense standoff.

The sounds of explosions and gnashing reverberated everywhere, as Puki and wild wolves fought and died, neither able to completely obliterate the other.

This doesn’t mean that the true soul power of both sides is on the same level; it’s just that the power that can project into the Pink Puki’s dream is limited.

For Lin Jun, [Spiritual Guidance Level 5] is like a narrow pipe; even if he possesses a reservoir-like amount of spiritual power, it can only trickle through this pipe slowly.

If it were on his home ground, the amount of spiritual power coming through from the other side now would be easily crushed.

Of course, having a large total volume isn’t without its advantages.

Thus, the war of attrition began; even if this soul power loss were ten times more severe, it would be insignificant to Lin Jun. Who knows if it’s as easy for the other side?

Since it was a matter of attrition, Lin Jun simply blocked Inanna and her Puki, representing her spiritual defense, deep in the cave, preventing them from getting involved.

The entire dream world eventually ended with the forest covered in wolf corpses and Puki remains.

...

"Boss... I had a nightmare again." Inanna said, a bit dazed, after waking up the next morning.

"How does it feel? Tired?"

Upon being asked, Inanna realized that her mental state was significantly better than after last time’s nightmare: "It seems... alright? Not so unpleasant."

She hesitated and then asked, "Those Puki that came to help in the dream later... did you bring them, boss?"

"Kind of."

"What’s going on exactly?"

"Simply put, someone is trying to harm you in your dream," Lin Jun said casually, "but don’t worry, I tested them last night; their level is just so-so. With me protecting you, there’s nothing to fear."

Hearing the boss’s words and recalling the timely aid from the dream, Inanna relaxed a bit, but anxiety quickly crept back in: "Boss... won’t this hurt you, though?"

Lin Jun thought about it; a "scratch" on the spiritual level probably wouldn’t count as an injury, right?

"No. But if the other side doesn’t stop, your recent dreams will probably all look like this."

Hearing that the boss was fine, Inanna finally felt at ease, but more questions arose: "But... who exactly wants to harm me? And even killed my mother..."

"I don’t know that." Lin Jun analyzed casually, "Maybe it’s related to your identity, like being your father’s enemy or something?"

Inanna nodded, but her face still showed confusion, apparently at a loss for any clues.

"By the way, I remember your family seems to have a lot of Beautiful Dream Flowers?"

...

In the depths of the Crimson Tower, facing off High Castle Fortress of Duke Alama from afar.

In a dark, sealed hall that let in not a speck of light, the black light swirling around the giant Magic Array had not yet completely dissipated.

At the six nodes surrounding the Array lay six tightly bound humans.

Their chests still rose and fell faintly, but their eyes were hollow and lifeless, as if their souls had long been drained, leaving only gasping shells.

In the center of the Magic Array, a pitch-black coffin slowly creaked open. Duke Sigmund of the Blood Race sat up from inside, with a trace of confusion flickering across his pale face.

Hearing the sound of the coffin, Margas silently entered, having patiently waited outside: "Duke Sigmund, has progress been smooth?"

Margas was not of the Blood Race, yet his complexion was similarly pale.

To extend the contract held by Duke Sigmund that belonged to Duke Alama’s wife, to her daughter, he had paid a hefty price.

Abyss Magic is like this—immensely powerful, bizarre, and hard to defend against, while also carrying huge costs or risks. It’s not an exaggeration to say it harms oneself before others.

With indifference, Sigmund glanced at the six "consumables" whose spirits had been utterly shattered, then casually waved his hand, extracting their blood and turning them into dried corpses, squeezing out the last ounce of value. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"It didn’t go well—encountered a new obstacle."

"Was it that Illusion Potion made from Beautiful Dream Flowers?" Margas seemed surprised, "The intelligence suggested that girl wasn’t staying at the Duke’s Mansion... Could they really respond so quickly?"

But Sigmund shook his head: "No... it doesn’t feel like an illusion."

The Illusion Potion could construct layers of beautiful dreams for the user, like layers of shells, slowing down his erosion of the dream through "Strange Dream."

However, recalling those Puki that suddenly appeared, it seemed more like they had taken some kind of potion that increased spiritual power.

Upon hearing the Duke’s description, Margas wasn’t worried: "My Lord, no potion that enhances spiritual power is suitable for long-term use. Moreover, what she consumes is ultimately her own spirit, while what you consume is merely some captives. Once the ’Strange Dream’ connection is formed, it will never sever; she cannot escape from your grip."

Margas’s assessment was something Sigmund also knew but was not satisfied with: "Of course, I know she can’t escape in the end, but I don’t have time to drag this out. That fool Xenophon—a thousand times I’ve warned him against solo duels, and yet he nearly got slaughtered by a human Sword Saint at the front line. Now the west front is stalled, and the Emperor has repeatedly urged me to intensify the attack on High Castle Fortress."

"My lord, didn’t the Emperor also send Duke Eleanor to assist you?"

"Eleanor?" Sigmund sneered, "She’s only good at raising a few blood minions. On the battlefield, if she doesn’t hold us back or stab us in the back, that’s a big help already. To expect her joint efforts to break High Castle Fortress head-on with Alama? That’s pure fantasy!"

Especially since Sigmund’s relationship with Eleanor wasn’t good.

"Margas, I know you’ve already paid a lot, but we need to see this through to the end." Sigmund said in a deep voice, "If we can’t shorten the time to control her, all this will be meaningless, you understand?"

"I understand..." There was a hint of helplessness in Margas’s tone, indicating that he would have to pay even more after this.

Sigmund patted his shoulder, his voice taking on a hint of temptation: "Don’t worry. After this is done, I will personally request the Emperor to reward you with the Book of Miracles. With it, your Abyss Magic... might truly reach the ultimate realm."

Finally, he added: "You know I keep my promises, just like last time."

Margas bowed his head deeply: "Yes, my lord! I will do my utmost!"