by Zhuang Bifan
To them, the power to cast the Spell of Frost like that was not what a human would be capable of.
In judging the abilities of a Mage, the most important aspect was to look at how long they took to shorten their recitation of spells.
The higher his level, the shorter the time a Mage would be able to recite his spell in.
In most situations, a Magic Shooter could only compress the recitation for a spell of level-one or level-two. Once the spell reached level-three and above, any forceful attempt to compress it would no doubt cause it to deal the damage to the Mage himself. Due to the complexity of the magical elements in a spell, only an experienced and knowledgeable Archmage had the skills to compress a level-four spell.
Yet, this universal law could not be applied to a crazy Mage like Lin Li at all.
Based on the ability of Magic Shooters, if Lin Li could compress a level-four spell forcefully without any repercussions, would there be anything else that could challenge that beast?
Mason and Orrin were stupefied. Both of them sighed after glancing at each other.
The common sense of humans was not to be applied to beasts…
The wind blades that came after seemed so unreal to them.
They had never seen any Mage with such nimbleness and speed. Neither had they met one who could integrate speed with magic so seamlessly. The method undertaken by Lin Li to attack the wolves with the created distance between them seemed as though every step was a carefully calculated one.
Looking at how fast the freak killed the enemies, Mason could not help but curse with admiration. "F*ck! I'm impressed!"
He just could not help it…
Speaking about experience in battling magical beasts, Lin Li was totally an expert adventurer. Mason, who grew up receiving the traditional magic education, had no right to even try to compare himself with Lin Li.
"Idiot! Why are you still in a daze?" chided Orrin as he glared at Mason. Being a Magic Shooter himself, Orrin had a stronger mental strength to deal with unexpected situations. Although he was also stunned by his freakish teammate, he was able to recover faster than Mason.
"I'll really turn into an idiot if you keep calling me so…" Mason sulked in guilt as he was brought back to reality. It was rare that he did not fight back this time when Orrin insulted him. After that, like Orrin, Mason started his recitation.
These three men were not weaklings. They did not need any prior discussion on their battle strategy.
Right after Orrin and Mason started their recital, Lin Li changed his tactics.
Having taken a breather amidst the pack of wolves, he did not employ his wind blades immediately, but raised his staff and started to recite the Swamp Spell.
As a ray of light shot out from the Winter Staff, air bubbles surfaced from the empty and wide field ahead of them. Next, the first few wolves that were leaping towards them were wholly engulfed by the mud—no time for cries.
In the blink of an eye, the wolves lost nearly ten of their own kind. No matter how dumb these wolves were, they would have realized the danger of the swamp. Under the threat of impending doom, almost all of the Three-eyed Blood Wolves chose to retreat.
With the help of the swamp, Lin Li finally had the time to catch his breath.
Yet, he chose to continue to recite the spell.
At this moment, Lin Li had already reached his limits.
Delirium, Mind Control, and Hysteria…
Magical elements surged turbulently like ferocious flood. The recitation that was previously flowing in cadence became rushed and monotonous, and also carried a faint sense of jaggedness. Lin Li, who never had to worry about his stamina, started to feel exhausted. He broke out in sweat, and his right hand that was grabbing tightly onto the Winter Staff also reflected the bulging green veins of his.
The three types of Mental Spells were unleashed at once. The Spell of Hysteria broke out on the King Wolf, and that was followed by the Spell of Mind Control on one of its nearest comrades. Subsequently, the Spell of Delirium broke out too…
A sound of piercing cry could be heard. The wolf that was under the Spell on Mind Control started to show aggression towards its King Wolf.
"Sizzzz…" After a ripping sound, silence filled the entire jungle. All of the Three-eyed Blood Wolf seemed as though they were in a daze.
"Arwooooo…"
The howling of the King Wolf reverberated throughout the jungle. It was a sound that carried rage and fury. Having lost its dignity to a small wolf, the Spell of Hysteria that hit the King Wolf started to take its effects. Its anger and aggressiveness were amplified, and the red light from the eye on its forehead began to blink like thick droplets of blood.
That grayish-white shadow moved like a sudden bolt of lightning.
To the other wolves, the King Wolf at least level-12 was an almighty existence. Its strength greatly surpassed any other wolves'. Under its rage, it went beyond terrorizing. The wolf that dared to offend the King Wolf was torn into pieces by its razor-sharp claws and teeth.
At that moment, fresh blood splattered all over, and torn limbs were strewn everywhere. The bloodstained coat of the King Wolf emitted a strong stench of blood, and this triggered its d.e.s.i.r.e to kill…
Chapter 122 - Level-13
Under the Hysteria Spell, the King Wolf went completely out of control.
In that moment, it resembled a pale streak of lightning that brought about foul wind and rain of blood among the pack of terrorized wolves. The Three-eyed Blood Wolves became bits and pieces of flesh strewn all over in a sea of blood. The savage killing continued, turning the tranquil and peaceful jungle into a terrifying ground for ruthless slaughter.
In front of their raging king, no wolf dared to oppose it. The movement of the gray bolt of lightning left behind trails of blood. Between its light fur were stains of red blood and flesh, and in its eye was madness and thirst for blood.
After he was done with all these, Lin Li heaved a sigh of relief. The success of these three spells was as though a death sentence to the King Wolf. The Spell of Hysteria would continue for 15 seconds. With this duration, the contribution from Orrin and Mason would suffice even if they recited a level-10 spell.
Yet, after he wiped off his cold sweat, he realized that these two fellas had forgotten to recite any spells, staring at him in a daze.
"F*ck, what are y'all doing?"
"O-oh…" muttered the two men as Lin Li's shout brought them back to reality. They hurriedly grabbed onto their magic staffs and started another long recital.
After calculating the duration left for the Spell of Hysteria, Lin Li felt more relaxed. Although there was still 10 seconds left, and hence enough for them to finish their recitation, Lin Li could not help but grumble, "Are they not afraid to be killed by the bite of mana when they zone out at this crucial moment?"
Right after his comment, both men completed their recitation.
Two spells were summoned. One was the Spell of Flaming Storm, while the other an Icy Spear.
These two level-eight spells that were contradictory in nature inflicted a huge magical wave among the trees. Blinding sparks flew all over, and bitterly cold air filled the surroundings.
"Bang!" A thunderous explosion echoed throughout the jungle. Magical elements stirred so violently that the ground was trembling as well. Countless sparks scattered everywhere like resplendent fireworks in the night sky. Concurrently, a beam of blue light also struck the lifeless body of the King Wolf like a bolt of lightning…
"Arwooooo!" The cry of the King Wolf was filled with endless despair.
Immediately thereafter, the two spells coiled around the throat of the King Wolf. There was a loud blast, and everything went back to normal as well, reverting to the peaceful state from before at once.
That was the terrifying force of the two most powerful spells. Although the spells were at a lower level in relation to the level-12 King Wolf, it would not have escaped its inevitable doom since it had not yet reached th
e next stage at level-15.
Behind the remnants of the sparkles, Lin Li could clearly see a piece of black coal lying in the place where the King Wolf was. In the middle on the coal stood an Icy Spear…
All of the other wolves froze. The death of the King Wolf sent them into disarray. Without their leader, they would not have any chance of defeating any opponents. Furthermore, it was the three monsters before them who had their King slaughtered so brutally. Therefore, these wolves chose to retreat instinctively.
Just as how they initially entered the scene like a flashing flood, when the wolves backed away, they resembled the fast declining of water level as well.
"Phew…" When the last wolf left their sight, Lin Li heaved a sigh of relief. Yet, his legs turned into jelly when he tried to walk forward, and he fell onto the ground helplessly.
He had exerted all of his strength in that grueling battle. Lin Li had a limit to his huge mental capacity too. First, he compressed the recitation of a level-four spell by half. Then, he cast two spells of level-two and level-three consecutively. Throughout this, the persistent struggle with the bite of mana was real. It was almost suicidal…
Lin Li felt as tense as a bow that had been drawn to its limits. The arrow was only released when everything got sorted out. Then, he just felt like a deflated balloon, losing all his energy.
"Felic, how are you feeling?" asked Mason in a concerned tone as he ran over to him.
"No worries… I am just exhausted. A little rest and I'll be fine…" Lin Li replied as he tried to smile, and shook his head weakly.
Mason was not convinced. He asked again, "Let's go back now and see what that old dude says?"
"Idiot," commented Orrin. Every time when Mason said anything foolish, Orrin was bound to suddenly appear behind him like a ghost.
"Bastard…!" Mason cried out in agitation.
"Not happy?"
"I'm going to beat you up one day! Just you wait…!"
"Moron…" Orrin shot Mason a scornful glance before kneeling down before Lin Li. A strand of genuine concern was reflected on his signature poker face.
"You should take a break first. Leave the rest to us."
It was natural that a level-eleven Magic Shooter had more discernment as compared to a level-nine Mage. Orrin knew that Lin Li was really worn out just by looking at the cold sweat on his forehead. Furthermore, if he was still not exhausted from summoning such a series of extreme spells, Orrin would not know how to describe his teammate anymore…
The state of being tired proved that this man was still a human being after all…
"Alright," replied Lin Li as he nodded. After passing the abstract piece of map to Orrin, he leaned against a tree, and closed his eyes in fatigue. He was really tired. His limits were continuously challenged in that battle. No matter how much mental strength he had within him, he could not support it any longer.
Slowly, the footsteps of his teammates faded away. The silence that filled the atmosphere was eerie. Apart from the sound of the cold wind, the only thing Lin Li could hear was the sound of his pumping heart. The smell of the corpses of the wolves that were strewn around in a mess emitted a really foul stench in the stale air. However, these did not disgust Lin Li at all. He just closed his eyes and leaned against the trunk of the tree as though he was asleep…
Although his body was completely out of energy, his jolting mind was still in a constant state of excitement.
At this moment, Lin Li was immersed in an intriguing realm.
The course of the battle he had been in just then continued to replay in his mind. It was as though every minute detail of the different battle techniques was replayed in slow motion. Everything was reflected with amazing clarity—even the most subtle flow of mana was not missed.
In such a magical realm, Lin Li could even attempt to simulate the strategies he'd used repeatedly. From the Spell of Frost to the last three Mental Spells, Lin Li never had to worry about the bite of mana. Without the fear of any more lurking Three-eyed Blood Wolf, what he wished to do was to reattempt those spells over and over again, and to feel the flow of mana time and time again.
It was as though deeper knowledge and insight were gained every time he conscientiously reviewed the spells.
That was a worldly sensation that Lin Li could never describe with words. Lin Li, however, knew that he was not far from that tightly shut door.
In that instance, it was as though time had lost its meaning.
Lin Li just sat there peacefully, taking in whatever benefits he had gained from that battle. As time trickled, he knew that he was getting closer and closer to the door…
When he finally arrived before that door, everything seemed so simple. The only thing Lin Li did was to reach out and give the door a gentle push…
Afterwards, he felt a sudden sense of enlightenment.
"Old Grimm was right…" said Lin Li with a smile as he got up from the ground. There was no strand of fatigue left on his face. The smile that he gained from the battle allowed him to feel energized at once.
This was all due to the breakthrough he just had.
Having been stuck at the level-12 for such a long period of time, he finally got to the level-13 through that battle.
Lin Li clearly remembered that when he was still at Jarrosus, Old Grimm had once told him that the fastest and only way to progress was through continuous battles.
Based on the numerous research and countless experience that that legendary Mage had acc.u.mulated, the real breakthroughs and realizations could only come from the struggle on the verge between life and death. Only had one gone through such a profound experience would he be able to scale greater heights as a Mage.
Under the pressure of death and the stress from summoning extreme spells, Lin Li had been living on the edge between life and death. Yet, that also paved his way towards enlightenment and breaking through.
Chapter 123 - Emerald Dream
Macklin had been observing the three men with the Warlock's Eyes ever since they stepped foot into the jungle. With his powers as a high-level Archmage, it was extremely easy to conceal himself from them. Hence, nothing had escaped the pair of old eyes. He was aware of every single detail of their encounter—including Lin Li's breakthrough.
The expression on his face became more serious than ever. He was very shocked by Lin Li's breakthrough. Despite the young age of twenty, this Magic Shooter had already reached level-13. To describe the man as 'powerful' would be an understatement. If the news of his breakthrough were to be known by the Supreme Council, it would surely create a commotion.
"F*ck Gerrian, that old bastard…" cursed Macklin under his breath. He could not understand why a hot-tempered man like Gerian had the good fortune of having such a gem like Lin Li.
The old man got more and more vexed as he pondered this matter.
"I can't let this be. I need to think of a way to bring him to Alanna. To stay in Jarrosus would be such a waste of his potential! But… what should I say to Jarrosus? Oh, yes… maybe I could exchange Lin Li with 10 of my Magic Shooters! Yes, yes… I shall let Aldwin discuss this with Jarrosus after I get back!
"Eh?" While Macklin was still muttering to himself, he suddenly sensed the presence of a peculiar magical wave. Then, his facial expression changed. "Damn! Why is that fella here?"
At once, he swooped up into the air hurriedly despite his old age.
…
Lin Li felt so powerful after his skills upgraded. It was as though he could cast a huge amount of magical elements with just a raise of an arm! Even at this moment, when he was walking in the creepy and gloomy jungle, every step he took felt lighter than before.
With the help of the markings left behind by his teammates, Lin Li found them easily. For those two men, navigating the jungle had been an arduous journey.
"Goddammit, Macklin is such an old bastard…" Mason cursed his mentor profusely as they ventured through a jungle full of thistles and thorns.
Mason was be
yond frustrated. The abstract markings on the crazy map were totally incomprehensible! Those curvy lines drawn by Macklin were just like earthworms tangled together! How were they going to locate any treasure with this mess?
What was the purpose of this map—if there was even any??
Facing the ranting Mason, Orrin just shook his head helplessly. He did not even bother to scold him for his foolishness anymore. Orrin was also exasperated with that map. Even he started to doubt the credibility of the old man.
What if… this was a conspiracy to lead them into a trap?!
"Felic!"
Just when Mason was at the peak of his irritation, he saw Lin Li coming from behind. At once, his face glowed with surprise and happiness—just like that of a drowning person who found a life-saving straw. In these two days, Lin Li had indeed surprised him a lot of times. This teammate of his had already become an invincible man to him, and he thought that nothing would be unconquerable by Lin Li—including that insane map.
"Are you better now?" Orrin asked with a hint of suspicion.
Watching how the freak walked towards them from a distance, Orrin felt there was something different about him. Yet, he could not make out what exactly had changed. If he really needed to give an answer, he could only say that Lin Li had become more powerful than before.
"Yes."
Lin Li smiled as he walked towards them. Mason came over, and passed the map to him frantically, looking as though he was giving him a bomb that could explode anytime soon. Mason told him, "I don't understand this crazy map…"
"Same here," replied the grinning Lin Li as he put the map into his pocket casually. "If I'm not wrong, I think the old man did not intend to let us understand it from the start."
"I knew it! He was plotting against us…" Mason said in fury.
Lin Li shook his head, and replied, "It was no conspiracy. He just wanted to create some challenges for us to gain more combat experience."
