"Hey, how long are you going to wear those white fuzzy things? Are you planning to wear that ’new outfit’ to the duel later?" Dox’s voice echoed in Vay’s ears.
Vay shuddered and snapped back to reality. Looking up, he noticed Dox had somehow gotten behind him, tearing at those fungal tendrils.
"It’s not like I want to. I can’t get rid of these things right now... Besides, can I even compete in this state?" Vay glanced at Kaier apologetically and said, "I’ll leave the next duel to you."
Kaier was receiving tactical instruction from Angel. Hearing Vay’s words, he immediately stood tall and solemnly said, "Don’t worry, leave it to me!"
Seeing Kaier’s spirited demeanor, Vay showed a pleased expression...
"Why are you pleased about a songbird?" Dox slapped Vay’s shoulder directly. "These sparse white fuzzies are impacting your combat?"
Vay glared coldly at Dox. "I can function normally now because I’ve been drinking potions continuously. If you reimburse my potions with Magic Crystals, then I’ll keep competing."
After a pause, Vay continued, "I’ll drink as many bottles as you reimburse, how about that?"
Mention Magic Crystals, and Dox instantly fell silent.
Still, Dox tried to see if he could help Vay remove the fungal tendrils... He could, but as Ghost mentioned, it could only be done physically, pulling out each still-active tendril one by one.
After all, this was Vay’s body. Dox couldn’t delve deep into his blood vessels or bone marrow to help remove them.
So, Dox had to give up.
However, giving up didn’t mean Dox would shut up. He kept chattering away.
"You don’t necessarily need potions to maintain it. Isn’t there a Mushroom Master here? Why not ask him for advice? He might have a solution."
Dox repeatedly calling ’Mushroom Master’ left Vay puzzled.
It wasn’t until Dox directly pointed at Angel that Vay realized that Dox was referring to Lord Chaowei... as the Mushroom Master.
"When did I get this nickname?" Angel looked at Dox skeptically.
Before he became the "Transcendental Wizard," he’d heard many nicknames, including "Music Box Magician," "Illusion Master," "Lionheart Thorns," and even "Milk Baron." But he’d never heard of being called the Mushroom Master.
Shouldn’t this title be Regina’s?
Dox smugly replied, "I just invented it, pretty good, right?"
Everyone: "..."
Angel was about to refute, but before he could, Vay intervened.
With arms crossed in front of his chest, Vay faced Dox and said, "I just invented a nickname for you too: Potion Supplier. How about it, pretty good, right? Come on, give me the potions and I’ll compete in the next duel."
Dox: "I’m not joking."
Vay: "I’m not joking either. Or, if the nickname doesn’t sound good, we can change it. Potion Master? Potion Maker? Potion Provider? Take your pick."
Seeing Vay’s stance, Dox knew that arguing further would only end with Vay siding with the new idol.
Unable to reason with Vay, Dox turned to Angel: "Though calling you ’Mushroom Master’ was humorous, it’s not baseless. Remember last time in Princess Town..."
Angel coughed twice, interrupting Dox.
"I don’t know what you’re saying, you’d best not spread false rumors." Angel turned to Vay and said, "But I can take a look at your situation. I didn’t mention it earlier because it might relate to your privacy, so..."
Vay’s attitude changed, gratefully saying, "It’s fine, my lord, go ahead."
Angel approached Vay, first glancing at the Black Earl. Seeing no objection, Angel confidently reached out to touch the fungal tendrils.
It was quite peculiar. As soon as Angel’s hand touched the tendrils, Vay exclaimed, "They stopped moving?!"
Indeed, Vay felt the fungal tendrils in his body, that had been causing itchiness, suddenly halted as though time had stopped, becoming completely still.
The sensation for Vay was like... a forest full of chirping insects and birds suddenly silenced by the roar of a dragon. Instantly, the insects stopped, the birds went silent, and the small beasts hid in their dens.
As if a natural enemy had arrived.
Dox immediately chimed in, "See? I wasn’t wrong calling you Mushroom Master."
Not just Dox, even Vay felt the nickname seemed quite fitting for Lord Chaowei.
You see, earlier when his master communicated with him, he also probed his internal body via energy. Even as the Black Earl’s energy invaded, the fungal tendrils showed no abnormal reaction, like brainless sandworms without fear.
And the fungal tendrils indeed lacked wisdom and complex emotions.
Earlier, when Dox was tugging at the tendrils, they showed no fear.
Yet with a single touch from Lord Chaowei, it seemed to trigger the innate fear of these fungal tendrils!
They all froze in place out of terror!
If this isn’t a Mushroom Master, what is? Or should we say, he’s already the mortal enemy of fungi!