Chapter 136: As Solid as Fort Knox

Qin Ming selected over a dozen pieces of decaying wood that had already sprouted illusion mushrooms.

Following this, he drew upon his past experience. First, he used the "Accelerated Ripening" attribute to force all these phantom mist mushrooms to maturity. Once matured, they produced a significant number of spirit mushroom seeds.

As Qin Ming accelerated their growth, a continuous stream of pink mist began to permeate the back hills of Wangyue Island. The pink fog grew denser and denser, billowing straight up into the sky.

Wu Jiang looked up at the eerie pink smoke, his brow furrowing into a deep frown. A sense of unease crept into his heart; he could not fathom what kind of heavenly phenomenon Qin was creating, nor what he intended to do.

Qin Ming worked tirelessly, day and night, without a moment's rest. He continuously consumed his stock of "Accelerated Ripening" attributes and the five "Leaves of Time and Space" attributes, frantically hastening the growth of the phantom mist mushrooms.

When he felt the timing was right, he activated the "Spirit Plant Symbiosis" attribute.

In an instant, he felt an inexplicable connection form between himself and the pink mist released by the phantom mushrooms. He realized he could freely command and direct this pink fog.

In the following days, the members of the Wu family were astonished to discover that a massive plume of pink smoke was rising from the back hill of the main peak of Wangyue Island, billowing into the sky like exhaust from a chimney.

Upon reaching the atmosphere above the island, the smoke spread out like a giant umbrella, encompassing the entire ten-mile radius of Wangyue Island.

A month later, the concentration of the pink smoke reached a terrifying level; merely looking at it felt as if one's soul were about to be swallowed whole. Although Wu Jiang was afraid, he dared not disturb Qin Ming, leaving him no choice but to wait for Qin to conclude his seclusion to ask what was happening.

As time passed, the pink smoke grew thicker and thicker, eventually forming a canopy that blotted out the sun.

"A phantom mist formation comparable to a Tier 3 illusion array—it’s finally complete!" Qin Ming looked up at the sky and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

He then pointed his finger, and countless black spirit seeds flew from his hand, hiding themselves within the pink mist. These were seeds upon which Qin Ming had cast the "Thorn Spell"; once touched, they would trigger a thorn trap.

In this way, combined with the phantom mist, he had created a composite formation with the power of a Tier 3 array. Should any blind cultivator blunder into the mist, Qin Ming could simply step out and collect their blood pearls.

He then consumed the remaining "Spirit Plant Symbiosis" attributes to craft several wooden tokens. These special tokens allowed the holder to control the activation and deactivation of the phantom mist formation.

Afterward, Qin Ming summoned Wu Jiang. Seeing Qin, Wu Jiang was bursting with questions.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, this smoke above the spirit island, what is—"

Qin Ming smiled slightly. Even if the other hadn't asked, he would have needed to instruct him. "Fellow Daoist Wu, this mist shrouding Wangyue Island is a phantom formation comparable to a Tier 3 array."

"With this defense, even if the 72-Island Loose Alliance and the Zhao family go to war, they will no longer be able to affect our Wangyue Island."

"Remember, this pink smoke is no trifling matter. Ensure your clansmen never approach it."

"This token can control the phantom mist formation; you may use it to enter and leave Wangyue Island freely."

After explaining, Qin Ming handed a token to Wu Jiang, giving him a meaningful, knowing look.

Wu Jiang was overwhelmed with shock upon hearing this. A phantom formation comparable to a Tier 3 array? With trembling hands, he took the token. That Fellow Daoist Qin would entrust such an important item to him meant one thing: he was being granted absolute trust.

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Qin, I shall be the only one to use this."

Qin Ming nodded. As long as the other understood the stakes, that was enough. He still needed Wu Jiang to run errands; he could not truly isolate himself completely. He merely wanted to increase his defensive measures before attempting to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, avoiding interference from the likes of Zhao Wuji.

From this day forward, with the protection of the phantom mist formation, Wangyue Island could be described as impregnable. It wasn't just Zhao Wuji; even if the False Core ancestor of the Zhao family were to arrive, they would never return if they blundered into this pink mist.

Under normal circumstances, Qin Ming would keep the mist stored within the mushrooms, and the illusion effect would only trigger automatically if a cultivator above the Foundation Establishment stage approached. With this barrier in place, Qin Ming could finally farm and cultivate in peace.

Half a month later, just as Qin Ming had anticipated, Zhao Wuji had not given up. He appeared once again in the vicinity of Wangyue Lake.

This time, he did not come alone; he brought a large group of spirit island families who had submitted to the Zhao clan, creating an air of intimidation as if to force a capitulation. Mo Lingwei of Qingxia Island was among them, likely coerced by Zhao Wuji.

But when they arrived near Wangyue Island, they were instantly stunned. A canopy of pink mist, blocking out the sky, stood in their path.

"What is this?"

"What kind of tricks is the Master of Wangyue Island playing?"

The crowd began to chatter, but only Mo Lingwei realized the significance.

'Is this not the phantom mist formation created by the smoke released when a Tier 2 peak spirit plant, the Phantom Mist Mushroom, matures? A special illusion formation comparable to a Tier 3 array!'

Mo Lingwei’s eyes were filled with horror, her heart in turmoil. However, she chose not to speak, quietly retreating to the very back of the group.

Zhao Wuji also stared at the mist, his brow furrowed. He had just released his divine sense into the fog to probe it, only to be shocked to find that his sense was like an ox entering a sea of clouds—swallowed by a black-hole-like suction, revealing nothing at all.

For a moment, the group stood stagnant, at a loss.

"Playing god!"

"Let this old man see what is going on."

Two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the spirit island families, seemingly impatient, volunteered. One of them first released a flying crane spirit pet, which flew into the mist and circled a few times without incident.

Emboldened, the two activated their mana shields and flew toward the pink fog.

At first, as they entered the outer perimeter and came into contact with a bit of pink smoke, nothing happened. Encouraged, they grew bolder and ventured deeper into the mist.

Watching the two island masters enter, Zhao Wuji felt a deep sense of foreboding. Still, he calmly commanded the others, "Do not rush in yet. Wait for the two island masters to return and tell us what the situation is."

The group waited in silence.

A moment later, Zhao Wuji sent a sound transmission to the two, asking for a report.

However, half a stick of incense passed, and there was no response. Zhao Wuji began to sense that something was wrong, his expression shifting constantly.

An hour passed. The two cultivators still had not emerged.

The crowd began to panic, whispering among themselves. Was the pink mist really that terrifying? Two Foundation Establishment cultivators entered, and they couldn't even send a message back?

Zhao Wuji, not one to believe in such things and confident in his own strength and trump cards for survival, approached the mist, maintaining a safe distance.

At first, as the outer wisps of pink smoke drifted toward him, he touched them and felt nothing. But after a while, his vision suddenly shifted, and he was plunged into an illusion of a sea of blood and mountains of corpses. Within the illusion, the cultivators he had killed in the past appeared, their cultivation bases now several times higher than his own, charging at him to claim his life.

Zhao Wuji’s face turned pale with terror as he struggled desperately.

*Crack!*

At that moment, a milky-white jade pendant at Zhao Wuji’s waist shattered.

He snapped out of the illusion, his hair disheveled, his heart pounding, his back drenched in cold sweat. He fled the scene at once.