Ch 1096 - Ch 1100
Chapter 1096
Chapter 1096: The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon!
___Translated by XephiZ___
Edited by Aelryinth
"Bow!"
Mu Ningxue did not wait any further . Death was already knocking on the door . If she allowed the creatures to strike first, they would be hanging in the air like some spoils of war before they could react!
The sharp frost of her Nirvana Ice Domain spread wildly in the deep abyss of the dragon pond . Snowflakes fell like plum blossoms from the air as the Ice Magic began to accumulate!
"So…so cold!" Tony rubbed his hands against his arms . The other three immediately felt uncomfortable due to the cold .
The Nirvana Ice Domain that Mu Ningxue had unleashed this time was a lot stronger than usual . Every time the Ice Crystal Bow was Summoned, it felt like it was going to cover the whole place in white snow, and not allow even the slightest difference in color!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon hanging on the weaving silk immediately realized something did not seem right . Its little head sprang open, revealing several mouths, each with sharp fangs like the teeth of a saw . It was quite an eerie sight!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon did not have eyes, but they could feel the creature staring at them with murderous greed . The creature suddenly scuttled in Mu Ningxue's direction!
Its speed was absolutely insane . It was moving freely in the air despite the lack of a solid path . It would move like a spider on a web, dash like a scorpion, or slither like a snake at times…
It did not attack Mu Ningxue boldly, as it seemed to be afraid of her . It kept changing its position above the group .
Mo Fan saw a faint shadow flickering past rapidly . The creature was so quick that he could not even see its movements clearly . It was incredibly dangerous if they could not predict the creature's whereabouts!
"It's moving too fast, what should we do? We're all going to die!" Tony screamed .
The deadly creature kept pacing back and forth above the group . Everyone could tell that the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was clearly a lot stronger than them . A single Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon could butcher them like livestock, not to mention that there was another one standing by on the wall!
"We must strike preemptively!" Mo Fan said to Mu Ningxue when he started to have a bad feeling .
The frost danced in the air as her sleeves rustled . Mu Ningxue fiercely extended her arms, now slightly floating in the air!
The crystalline dust gathered in front of Mu Ningxue and outlined the Ice Crystal Bow . A long crystalline arrow appeared between Mu Ningxue's fingers!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon finally realized that this group of humans was no harmless prey like those they had murdered as they pleased . Its movements were as unpredictable as a phantom as it lunged at Mu Ningxue from a tricky angle . Its front claws were aiming for Mu Ningxue's throat!
"Pulverizing Arrow!"
Mu Ningxue's aura reached its limit . Everything froze at that instant, apart from an icy, deadly arrow that tore through the frozen time and swept forth with an astonishing, pulverizing storm…
The Pulverizing Arrow flew right at the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon, and the strong tide of poison preceding it!
The poison tide formed a great contrast with Mu Ningxue's sacred storm of frost, each filling up half of the dragon pond . The whole place shook vigorously when the two crashed into one another!
The arrow struck the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon in mid-air . It was like the commanders of two armies charging at one another, but the arrow managed to land a hit on the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon's body was almost instantly covered in ice, turning it into a smooth, ice statue! In less than half a second, the ice statue broke into pieces and shattered in the air, becoming crystalline powder!
The poison tide was devoured by the raging storm . The Pulverizing Arrow broke into dust, taking the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon with it, as it too turned into tiny, white particles…
Tony's eyes widened, dropping his jaw as if it had somehow dislocated!
Even though the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was not as strong as a Ruler-level creature, it was definitely one of the strongest Commander-level creatures he knew, yet Mu Ningxue had killed it with a single arrow . Tony suddenly felt that the Goddess of Ice was even more terrifying than the creature!
"Is…is it dead?" Ayleen was struggling to believe it too . The magic equipment that Mu Ningxue had brought out was unbelievably powerful; it had killed the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon that they did not think they could stand a chance against!
"It's dead, but…" Mu Ningxue's breathing intensified . She turned to the other Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon that was still on the wall .
The two Heart-Devouring Hellish Demons had lived in the poisonous swamp for a long time, and had killed countless creatures . Mu Ningxue had locked her arrow onto the female Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon that was stronger of the two, and killed it with a single blow!
If she did not attack decisively, they would be the ones that died instead!
The male Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon uttered thunderous cries . It was only standing by on the wall, planning to watch how its mate was going to torture the humans to death, but its mate had simply died all of a sudden .
It cried out madly; the four felt like the sharp screech was going to pierce through their brains!
"Let's go," Mu Ningxue said with a pale face .
"Why don't you just fire another arrow at it?" Tony said .
Mo Fan stared at the man, who immediately shut his mouth .
The four immediately took their leave . They were unsure if the death of the female Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was enough to break the spell that kept bringing them back to the same place . However, they knew it was too dangerous to stay behind .
The male Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon kept screeching, but it did not launch an attack, either . Clearly, the creature had a certain level of intelligence . It had just witnessed how the stronger female Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon had died in an instant, so it was worried it would share the same fate…
However, the intelligence of the remaining Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon had actually bought the four some time . It was not like Mu Ningxue was reluctant to fire another arrow at the male Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon, but her energy was already depleted after firing the first one .
She was weak, very weak! Her cultivation was still not strong enough to fully master the Ice Crystal Bow, resulting in a great burden to her .
However, Mu Ningxue did not faint straight away . She was trying her best to stay conscious . If the male Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon realized that she had lost all her energy, it would surely be a great disaster when the creature proceeded to avenge his partner!
Mo Fan did not dare to support Mu Ningxue, even though he could tell that she was desperately trying to hold herself together .
"Let's go, we can only hope that the creature is afraid to die!" Mo Fan said grimly .
Even though the female Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was dead, they still had no chance of taking on the male Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon . They had to leave the place while the creature was still too afraid to attack them!
It turned out that the female Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was responsible for the illusion that kept bringing them back to the Seven Serpents Dragon Pond, as they no longer ended up back in the same place .
Ayleen kept casting Brilliant Light to show the path . Their surroundings started to look familiar to them .
They had managed to escape the illusion . They only needed to make their way to the entrance where the layer of poison miasma was the thickest, and they would soon leave this horrible place .
"Is that creature… still following us?" Tony looked behind worriedly .
The area lit up by the Brilliant Light was fairly limited . The place behind them was covered in pitch-black darkness . However, Tony was still able to catch a glimpse of some legs crawling along the wall, a long tail like a snake's, and the eerie fangs sticking out of the numerous mouths on the creature's head .
The creature clearly had no eyes, yet Tony felt like it was able to see through him with its vicious gaze . Tony shuddered, he could even hear his heart pounding .
"That…that creature is still following us!" Tony cried out .
"The creature will attack the moment Mu Ningxue reaches her limit…" Mo Fan said .
The male Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was smart; it had only followed the group because it was suspicious of Mu Ningxue's condition . They were still within its territory . It had great patience, like a wild wolf that was not good at overwhelming its enemy through brawling, but its unwillingness to give up and its patience . It would continue to apply pressure to its prey until it was finally worn out both mentally and physically . Its prey would simply give up, allowing the wolf to feast as it pleased!
"Aren't we there yet?" Ayleen said in a panic .
The weaker Mu Ningxue was, the heavier everyone's heart was pounding . They could feel that the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was very tempted to make its move .
"We're almost there, it's just after the junction with ten paths," Tony said .
"I…I…" Mu Ningxue was finally at her limit . She closed her eyes as she was overwhelmed by fatigue . Her body immediately fell feebly .
Mo Fan quickly caught her in his arms . The moment he felt the exhilarating sensation of holding the beautiful woman, he also felt a strong murderous aura charging at them like an army of soldiers on horses!
"Ayleen, take care of her!" Mo Fan placed Mu Ningxue against a boulder nearby and asked Ayleen to stay close to her .
"Fatty, if there's anything useful, just use it now . Don't you dare preserve your strength when we're all going to die here!" Mo Fan yelled at Tony .
"I…I…I can set up a barrier, but I'll need some time . It should be able to hold the creature off for some time!" Tony said in a trembling voice .
"Be quick, I'll hold it off first!" Mo Fan said .
Mo Fan did not dare waste his time further . He summoned Teenage Flame Belle to merge with his soul .
The Calamity Fire erupted and lit up their dark and sinister surroundings . The blazing flame formed a giant sword that Mo Fan was holding tightly in his hand…
"Lightning Tyrant!"
Fire alone was nowhere enough . Mo Fan proceeded to unleash his Lightning Tyrant Domain while he was possessed by Little Flame Belle . He was wearing lightning as his armor, with fire engulfing him and spreading more than a hundred meters away from him!
As Mo Fan unleashed two of his strongest magicks, he finally felt a little confident of taking on the vicious creature!
Chapter 1097: 1097
Chapter 1097: The Way Out
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
The combination of lightning and fire circling Mo Fan formed a powerful Double Lightning-Fire Lotus . With a burning sword in his hand, Mo Fan dashed right at the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon and slashed out!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon reached out its claws . It expected to collide into Mo Fan judging from the path it was flying in, yet the creature suddenly moved sideways . Mo Fan ended up slashing a string of weaving silk instead of landing a hit on the creature!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon showed up at Mo Fan's side . Mo Fan reacted fairly quickly by attacking the creature that was crawling in the air with the Sky Lightning Claw!
To his surprise, the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was extremely cunning . It was still doing a feint . It suddenly jumped and landed nimbly behind him .
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon kicked in the air, propelling itself toward Mo Fan's back like a missile!
Mo Fan was breaking out in cold sweat . He had already predicted the creature's feint, yet he did not expect it to be so cunning, altering its position several times before making its move by abusing its strange, rapid movement in mid-air and positioning itself right behind him . The creature was so quick that Mo Fan did not even have the time to turn around, since he had just cast the Sky Lightning Claw!
"Fleeing Shadow!"
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was currently in Mo Fan's blind spot . He could not see the creature, but he quickly dodged instinctively .
Falling to the ground, Mo Fan rapidly sank into a black shadow . The fifth-tier Fleeing Shadow immediately split into several decoys, while he left a shadow clone behind with the Dark Noble Mantle!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon screeched . It instantly saw through Mo Fan's little trick .
Not only was he able to tell that the shadow clone was a fake, it was also able to lock onto Mo Fan among the other shadows!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon had relatively long front limbs, and its claws were incredibly sharp .
It accurately pinpointed Mo Fan's location and swung its claws at it, tearing the shadow that Mo Fan was in half!
Mo Fan realized he had no chance of dodging the attack . He quickly summoned a wall with his will to stop the creature's claws .
Unfortunately, the wall of defense was too weak to stop the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon's attack . Mo Fan twisted sideways forcibly, just so the attack would not deal a critical blow to him .
The next second, a tremendous, burning pain came from his arm . He could clearly feel his blood jetting out and splattering in the air!
Mo Fan gasped and saw half of his arm flying off his body . He slammed heavily on the boulder nearby .
Enduring the pain, Mo Fan used his will to retrieve his arm and immediately flew away with Rocket Wings, distancing himself from the terrifying creature as quickly as possible!
"Thousand Piercing Fire Feathers!"
Utilizing the momentum, Mo Fan immediately scattered the feathers and detonated the two walls on both sides!
The lower part of the walls was destroyed, and the two walls came tumbling down . The shattered rocks formed a barricade, separating Mo Fan and the monster!
The ground shook vigorously . Mo Fan landed in front of Mu Ningxue, Tony, and Ayleen .
Ayleen was in shock when she saw Mo Fan holding his other bloody hand .
On the one hand, she was surprised that the creature was able to sever Mo Fan's arm in just a brief encounter, but on the other, she was astounded by how calm Mo Fan seemed to be even when his life was at stake . The man was so calm that Ayleen began to doubt if he actually felt any pain or fear . . .
"Those rocks won't hold the creature for long, let's go," Mo Fan clutched his bloody hand and led the way .
"Are . . . are you alright? You're losing a lot of blood!" Tony stammered .
"Just heal me after we're out of here . That creature is really strong," Mo Fan said .
Tony was so worried about Mo Fan that he still decided to cast Healing Spirit on the wound, hoping that the spell could stop the bleeding for the time being .
However, Tony soon discovered that Mo Fan's wound had turned dark blue . The Healing Spirit was having trouble healing the wound because of it .
"It's poisoned!" Tony said .
"Forget about it for now… where's your barrier?" Mo Fan said .
The wound would not cost his life in the short period, but if they did not start running, the savage Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was surely going to butcher them all .
"Oh, oh, it's ready!" Tony said .
"Then what are you f**king waiting for!?" Mo Fan cursed .
"But that creature still hasn't . . . " Tony was planning to activate the barrier when the creature was chasing after them, but he soon heard some movement from behind .
Tony was a Sound Mage . He could only hear a soft rustle, yet when he turned around, he was surprised to see that the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was less than two hundred meters away!
Considering the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon's speed, two hundred meters was only a matter of a blink of an eye . It was the same as just a few inches away!
"Sacred Grasp!"
A purple-golden light with the shape of a hand encapsulated the group of four, like the God of Light was clenching them in his fist . The sturdy light served as protection for the group .
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon attacked the barrier fiercely, producing loud metallic clanks . After realizing is attacks were not so effective, the ghastly creature suddenly spread its legs and spat something ahead of them!
Strings of weaving silk sprang forward, each reflecting a sharp glow as they went past the group . The strings were scarier than flying steel ropes . They easily penetrated the solid ground!
More strings appeared and formed a deadly spider web sealing off the path ahead!
"It's over, we're trapped!" Tony screamed .
"Ride the Wave!" Ayleen Summoned out a piece of magical equipment .
A tide with a blue glow started flowing under the group's feet, gradually forming a fierce current carrying them forward . A blue wind resembling a raft pushed the group of four forward and broke through the web made of woven silk!
Mo Fan turned around and saw the strings gathering rapidly . It was quite a relief that Ayleen had such a useful piece of equipment to aid their escape by multiplying their speed . Otherwise, they would really end up being eaten by the creature!
"This way, we're almost there!" Tony yelled .
The land ahead of them finally started to rise . With a push of the wave, they went right for the layer of poisonous miasma .
Tony quickly opened a gap, allowing the group to reach safety .
After making it through the poisonous miasma and seeing the bright sky and the mountains nearby, the group was absolutely relieved to see the light again .
Just as they thought they were already safe, the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon climbed out of the poisonous miasma with a terrifying screech, determined to drag them back into the swamp of death!
The group had basically used all they had, yet the creature was still pursuing them relentlessly . They were starting to lose hope .
Mo Fan took a deep breath . In the end, he still had to rely on the Demon Element . He initially thought he could save the energy of the Essence Orb for a great cause, yet he had no choice but to use it in the treasure hunt .
However, there was nothing he could do . The group had gone into a place they were not supposed to go . If he was still reluctant to use the Demon Element, he was going to die in the tournament which the world was placing its attention on!
"Demon Judgment Sword: Holy Extermination!" thundered an imperious voice . A tiny figure on the mountainside uddenly emitted a brilliant, golden glow, constructing a spectacular golden Star Palace!
The Star Palace of the Super Level summoned a dazzling, golden light sword to fall from the stormy clouds, like the judgment delivered by a god . The enormous sword landed right on the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon that was about to get its way!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon was impaled to the ground . The light it produced had razed two hills nearby to the ground!
The sword stood firmly on the mountain range . Its magnificent appearance had surpassed the mountains . Mo Fan lifted his gaze and stared at the enormous light sword in astonishment . . .
It was not the first time Mo Fan had seen the Super Spell of the Light Element, yet when he was standing close to the hills that had been leveled by the Holy Judgment Sword at such a close distance, the shock he felt was entirely different compared to the one he experienced when he was watching it from far away!
If only he possessed power of such degree, he would no longer be afraid of being chased by the Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon!
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon did not die right away . It broke free from the destructive energy . Its skin was burned completely, revealing the rotten flesh underneath .
Most of its legs were broken, and even its tail was about to fall off . . .
The Heart-Devouring Hellish Demon's outstanding vitality enabled it to drag its severely injured body away and escape into the poisonous miasma . It disappeared in the blink of an eye!
"Stop chasing, there's no way you will find it down there… besides, we'll be in great trouble if we startle the Poison Valley Ruler that the creature is under the command of," Felmon ordered, stopping the assistant judges from chasing after the creature .
Han Ji and the advisors of the English and Swedish teams were present, too . They let out relieved sighs when they saw the four were able to make it back in one piece .
However, Han Ji soon noticed that Mu Ningxue had fallen unconscious, and Mo Fan had lost one of his arms . The smile on his face soon vanished .
If even Mo Fan had suffered such a serious injury, it meant the group had barely escaped from the jaws of death!
"Have you seen Kelly and his group?" Felmon came forward and asked solemnly .
"They are dead," Mo Fan replied .
"Were they missing, or did you actually see them?"
"We saw them," Mo Fan confirmed .
Felmon's face darkened . He stared at the poisonous miasma as if he was looking at some terrifying ocean .
"It's a miracle that you guys were able to come back alive," Felmon murmured .
Chapter 1098: 1098
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
Mo Fan was immediately sent to receive treatment after he returned to the stage .
The poison was shocking; half of Mo Fan's body had turned dark blue . Han Ji personally helped treat Mo Fan's injuries . It took him quite some time just to drive the poison out of the young man's body!
After getting rid of the poison, Han Ji proceeded to reattach Mo Fan's arm . Han Ji's Healing Magic was impressive, indeed! Mo Fan's arm was back to normal in no time…
Normally, if a person's arm was severed, as long as the person was able to retrieve the severed limb and reattach it back to their body with the Healing Element, the person would recover quite speedily . However, if the arm was smashed into pulp, the Healer would have to regenerate the cells and tissues, meaning that the process would take a longer time, and the injured would have to spend months recovering!
——
"So you're saying that was the place where the grand treasure of the treasure hunt was hidden thirty-two years ago?" Mo Fan asked Han Ji with wide eyes .
"Yes . No one had expected your team would go there," Han Ji wrapped the cut on Mo Fan's arm with a golden-blue bandage, warning Mo Fan not to do any vigorous exercise for the next two days .
"Damn it, that Swedish idiot almost set us up!" Mo Fan cursed instantly .
They should not have believed the cunning, plump man in the first place . They almost lost their lives down there, and Mu Ningxue was forced to use the Ice Crystal Bow . She would be weak for quite some time, and they were unsure if it would affect the upcoming matches . Mu Ningxue had waited for a long time to make a name in the World College Tournament!
"It's such a pity, if only you guys could have retrieved the treasure, too . If I'm not mistaken, it should be a Stone of Will, a unique stone that can significantly increase the mental strength of a Mage, and is extremely useful for anyone with the Psychic, Curse, or Space Elements," Han Ji sighed .
"A Stone of Will… is it valuable?" Mo Fan asked .
"It used to be, back in the days . They found an ore vein full of Stones of Will in Iceland . These Stones of Will used to be available everywhere across the world, so there were quite a lot of outstanding Space Mages and Psychic Mages during that time . These Mages were able to achieve greatness with the Stones of Will, but eventually, the vein was mined out . Many Hunters tried finding another ore vein, but they could not, even until today . As a result, these Stones of Will are as valuable as antiques in the current era…" Han Ji said .
Mo Fan saw Han Ji recalling the glory of the past . He took out the box with a bloody handprint on it . He opened the box and showed it to Han Ji, "Is this the stone you're referring to?"
Han Ji took a quick glance and nodded subconsciously . The Stones of Will were fairly unique, limpid with a silver glow, and had runes like the orbits of stars on the surface .
Han Ji soon realized something . His eyes widened as he blurted out, "You…you found it!" He was so loud that he gave Mo Fan a fright .
"I happened to stumble upon it . I think Kelly and his group found it, but they did not make it out . I found it, so I just brought it along . I didn't expect it to be the grand treasure from thirty-two years ago!" Mo Fan was overjoyed .
A stone able to improve a Mage's mental strength; wasn't it something that he was searching for desperately? He needed a huge upgrade to his Space Element . Otherwise, his Space Element was pretty much useless in a battle . With this Stone of Will, his Space Element would soon be able to shine, too!
"This is great! Well done! You have always been bold yet scrupulous… it's really a great item!" Han Ji burst out laughing .
It seemed like Mo Fan did not suffer his injuries for nothing . He had brought back the old grand treasure that was easily more valuable than the grand treasure prepared for this treasure hunt . Han Ji believed that if the Stone of Will was auctioned, it would surely be sold for a higher price than the highest-quality Soul-grade Seeds out there!
"Tell me how I should use it, hehe! It better help me improve greatly within a short period . That way, I'll be more confident in the finals!" Mo Fan smiled .
"The Space Element is classified into nine levels . The first, second, and third levels are referred to as the basic stage . Your control of your Space Element is currently in the second level, so it's pretty much in the middle of the basic stage . It will allow you to move objects lighter than ten tons, and you can also form a wall, or knock enemies back with your will . However, you know that you're still quite a distance away from reaching Ai Jiangtu's level," Han Ji said patiently .
"Ugh… I never learned the details of the Space Element . I basically feel my way around it," Mo Fan admitted awkwardly .
"Ai Jiangtu is currently in the intermediate stage, I'm guessing that he has achieved the fourth level, but the difference between the two stages is immeasurably huge . In your case, the Space Element can mostly provide you with some support when fighting against Advanced Mages . However, once you've reached the intermediate stage, if you gather all your focus and expend energy equivalent to casting an Advanced Spell, your Telekinesis can deal the same damage as an Advanced Spell . You can even move a mountain and slam it down at your enemy," Han Ji informed him .
"No wonder! I have always wondered why both Ai Jiangtu and I were casting the same Basic and Intermediate Spells, yet the effects of the spells differed by so much . It turned out that the Space Element has its own levels," Mo Fan realized .
"Any magic that is closely related to a Mage's mental strength is the same . After all, there are no Seeds for the Space, Psychic, and Curse Elements, and their potency solely depends on the Mage's mental strength . It has nothing to do with the Star Patterns or Star Constellations . Therefore, as long as your mental strength keeps growing, it's going to strengthen your will too, meaning that you can endure attacks directed at your mind better . For example, if your mental strength has reached the intermediate stage, a Psychic Mage in the basic stage is unlikely going to be able to affect you with their Psychic Spells," Han Ji informed him .
Mo Fan's eyes flickered upon hearing Han Ji's explanation .
He never thought the improvement of his mental strength could also improve his resistance to the Psychic Element . It was definitely a piece of good news!
Currently, Mo Fan's greatest weakness was a Psychic Mage, as they could easily prevent him from casting his destructive spells . If it was as Han Ji had mentioned, there was no need for him to be afraid of Psychic Mages as long as his mental strength was higher . He still stood a chance, even if he stumbled into a powerful Psychic Mage!
"So this Stone of Will…" Mo Fan looked at the silver stone . He was fondling the stone admiringly, as if it were his own son .
"Just place it somewhere close when you're meditating . It will emit a glow similar to Magic Equipment specifically used to strengthen a person's soul, to improve your mental strength . It doesn't take long, either, so I'm sure that your mental strength will improve dramatically before the finals!" Han Ji said .
Han Ji was looking forward to seeing the result, too . When he first met Mo Fan in the Ancient Capital, the young man already stood out among the Mages of his age . Now he had achieved the Advanced Level, granting him access to six Elements! His Fire, Lightning, and Summoning Elements had been very impressive throughout the tournament, and if his Space Element could also improve dramatically, he was surely going to enter the limelight during the finals and shock the world!
—
Han Ji's explanation clarified the details of the Space Element to Mo Fan .
Han Ji was right . Mo Fan's mental strength was currently at the second level . It did improve significantly when Mo Fan was fighting against Jack's scorpion beast, but it did not break through straightaway . It was currently between the second and third levels .
The Stone of Will was a rare item, containing overwhelming energy . Mo Fan could not wait to go into seclusion and start meditating .
However, before that, Mo Fan had to split the loot first .
If it was someone else, Mo Fan would obviously not mention the Stone of Will and claim possession secretly . There was nothing to be ashamed about, yet Mo Fan was well aware of how shameless he was!
However, Mo Fan was not so stingy when it came to Mu Ningxue and Ayleen .
The two had used all they had just so the group could make it out alive, especially Mu Ningxue, who was still in a weak and feeble state . Mo Fan was extremely worried that she would not recover before the next round of the tournament…
Mo Fan desperately needed the Stone of Will, so it was obvious that he would be taking it . Apart from that, the loot they had robbed from the other teams, together with the Soul-grade Seed they had acquired from Meos and her group, summed up to a total value of more than two billion .
Ayleen and Mu Ningxue split the profit in a ratio of four to six . What they took was comparable to the value of the Stone of Will that Mo Fan had claimed .
As for Tony, who was also on the team…
That son of a b**ch, Mo Fan was merciful enough that he did not skin the plump man alive, just to maintain the Chinese team's image, let alone split the loot with him!
Tony of the Swedish team felt wronged . He did admit that his misinformation almost cost everyone's life, but he was still heartbroken when he did not earn any profit after what he had gone through, yet there was nothing he could say .
Ayleen was quite embarrassed to take so much profit . She ended up giving two hundred million back to Mo Fan in order to stick to the promise she gave, that she would only be taking two-tenths of the spoils .
Mo Fan gladly accepted the money . He paid off the debt he owed to Pang Lai, and used the leftover to buy some snacks for Little Flame Belle and the Flying Creek Snow Wolf . The resources would slowly improve their attributes, preparing them for their next evolution in advance .
Even though Mo Fan was not left with many resources in the end, he was still quite satisfied with the outcome…
Both the surprise that the Flying Creek Snow Wolf had given him, and the chance to strengthen his Space Element had given Mo Fan the confidence that he could easily dominate the tournament with only four of his Elements!
He would have struggled to take on a Commander-level creature before, but he could easily take on two or three at the same time now!
Chapter 1099: 1099
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
Mo Fan went into seclusion while the organizer was finalizing the ranking of the teams, based on their performance during the treasure hunt .
The round after the treasure hunt would be the finals . The format was fairly simple: the teams would be competing against one another, and the last team standing would be the winner . The top three teams would be given tremendous prizes!
Mo Fan and Mu Ningxue had earned two billion for the team . It was already equivalent to the total earnings of a group consisting of six people, and it did not even include the value of the grand treasure that Mo Fan had found . Otherwise, their earnings would easily match that of an entire national team . Not many students could achieve such a great feat, or possess such remarkable strength!
With their great achievement, the Chinese team was ranked third, just behind England and Germany .
Meanwhile, the American team that was regarded as the first seed was ranked fourth, possibly because one of their main carries, Jack, was unable to deliver as expected .
None of the countries had managed to find the grand treasure of the treasure hunt, either . The different teams were quite relieved after hearing that .
The reason was that the grand treasure usually possessed great value, and if it was the kind that could help a Mage improve tremendously, it would greatly affect the upcoming matches . Many countries were upset that they did not acquire the grand treasure, but they were relieved knowing that no one else had found it, either!
However, they did not expect that someone on the Chinese team had found the grand treasure from thirty-two years ago, and it was even more valuable than the grand treasure of this treasure hunt!
Both Mo Fan and Mu Ningxue had displayed outstanding strength in the treasure hunt . The trio even managed to defeat a group of twelve participants, leaving the whole world in awe . The teams were starting to get nervous, as none of them had expected the Chinese team to have two such incredible talents out of nowhere…
In addition to that, many people also realized that Mo Fan and Mu Ningxue, who were already strong to begin with, had obtained lots of resources from the treasure hunt, meaning that the two would be even stronger in the upcoming finals!
—
The World College Tournament was in full swing . People across the world were setting their eyes on the specific countries and students they were supporting . Meanwhile, the capital of Greece, Athens was also holding a marvelous election .
The position of the Goddess of the Parthenon Temple had remained empty for a long time . The Parthenon Temple had suffered quite some damage to their reputation after their Healing Magic declined, so they were hoping to elect a new Goddess, loved and respected by the people, to regain the glory that the Parthenon Temple used to have!
The election took place as soon as the treasure hunt of the World College Tournament ended .
It was only the first round of the election . It would choose four Saintesses from the Candidates, based on the support they were receiving . Even though the election of the Parthenon Temple was not open to the public, the devoted followers of the Parthenon Temple were waiting patiently for the result, hoping that the Candidate they supported would emerge victorious, and would receive the votes of the people, too…
The result of the election was announced when the sun was setting in the west . The Saintess with the highest votes was Andi, followed by the relatively aged Panijia . The third Saintess was Asha'ruiya, the disciple of the previous, well-respected Great Muse . However, the whole world was dumbfounded when they learned Ye Xinxia was the fourth Saintess .
Saintess Andi was the Candidate deemed to be the successor for the role of the Goddess . Her reputation had been off the charts in both the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere . The Hall of Knights supporting her had granted her a spacious, holy sky, allowing her to be born in colorful clouds, and to grow under sacred light . Every word, action, and her demeanor clearly implied that she was the best Candidate to take on the role of the Goddess .
However, there were rumors that Saintess Andi did not have a pure, kind heart . The truth was, the biggest factor electing a person to be the Goddess was their wisdom, instead of their overflowing mercy . For example, the previous Goddess, Izisha, was well-known for her righteous and merciless attitude!
Andi was comparable to Izisha in terms of intelligence, and she had earned the full support of the Hall of Knights, implying that she was not just an elegant vase of flowers, but she had full control over the greatest armed force of the Parthenon Temple!
Meanwhile, Panijia had come from an ancient renowned family of Healing Magic . In comparison to Andi's imperiousness, Panijia and the faction supporting her were leaning more toward conciliation by reaching out to any faction that was willing to cooperate with the Parthenon Temple .
Panijia had always been busy doing things to win the hearts of people over . The charitable acts done under her name were comparable to all the charities combined across the world, thus Panijia was well-loved by the people…
Asha'ruiya was someone that was loved by the people of Greece since she was born . In their eyes, she was their most sacred little angel, as she was the adopted daughter of the previous Great Muse, Wen Tai .
Wen Tai's name was made known to the world around twenty years ago, as he was the only man allowed to enter the Hall of the Goddess of the Parthenon Temple freely, and was the only man in history appointed as the Great Muse of the Hall of the Goddess . Every achievement he had was shocking, and to the world, he was like a god in the form of a man .
The truth was, the people of Greece referred to him as the Holy Saint .
Since Wen Tai's death, the followers that had respected and loved him placed all their hopes on the man's adopted daughter, Asha'ruiya . The woman was like the most sacred fairy of Greece, and countless people were willing to offer everything for her sake…
She did not try to grab the attention of the people, did not use any trick to win people's hearts over, and did not purposely maintain her image, yet she still had a bunch of followers!
Most interestingly, Asha'ruiya had never conducted the initiation, she never attended the classes held by the Hall Mother, and she did not even want to be a Candidate, but the people still pushed her high up . Many people were jealous of the attention she received from her identity as the daughter of the Holy Saint Wen Tai .
It was expected that Asha'ruiya would end up as a Saintess, but the fourth Candidate that was selected was a complete surprise!
Everyone knew that Ye Xinxia had been promoted to an official member of the Hall of the Goddess from a probationary servant not long ago . It was true that she had achieved some impressive feats lately, earning her some reputation, but it was still a far distance away from becoming the fourth Saintess .
And yet, she had won in the first round of the election . The result was simply dumbfounding to the world . Everyone was discussing the background the woman might have, or who the person that was supporting her behind the scenes could be, that she could make it to the top four in the election!
—
Outside was immersed in a great uproar, and so was the inside of the Hall of the Goddess . Xinxia stayed in her room, looking at the colorful flowers outside her window .
Normally, she would empty her mind by looking at the garden through the window, looking at the butterflies as they flew between the flowers…
However, she was having trouble doing that today .
It was absolutely insane!
The election of the Parthenon Temple was not child's play . It greatly mattered to the whole world .
Not many organizations had a reputation that surpassed the Magic Associations of each continent, but the Parthenon Temple had done so .
Xinxia was overwhelmed with joy when she had the chance to enroll in the Parthenon Temple . At least, that was what she thought in the beginning…
However, things did not go the way she wanted; it simply felt like she was in the middle of an absurd dream .
"Are you scared?" a crisp voice came from outside the window .
Xinxia lifted her head slightly and saw a woman so glamorous that she subconsciously held her breath . It would take Xinxia a long time just to master the confidence and calmness the woman was displaying on her face…
"Are you… Asha'ruiya?" Xinxia asked .
Asha'ruiya was the kind of person that everyone would only hear the name of, but never had the chance to meet . She was free and unconstrained by the rules of the Parthenon Temple, and it was Xinxia's first time meeting her…
"Mmm, but you haven't answered my question, are you scared?" Asha'ruiya walked closer to the bed and leaned forward . Her gentle hair fell on the window ledge .
"I am," Xinxia nodded .
She was actually quite scared . As an insignificant student, she found the utter glory that she had received all of a sudden unbearable . Most terrifyingly, she was utterly clueless about the reason behind it!
Why would she even be selected? The Hall Mother had only promoted her because of a sudden impulse . She even said that it was just a chance for Xinxia to learn from the Candidates, yet she ended up as one of the four Saintesses . In other words, she was only one step away from securing the role of the Goddess!
Xinxia was having a hard time believing it . She never thought she could go this high . She was feeling uncomfortable with the height she was currently at!
"Aren't you willing to be a Saintess of the Parthenon Temple? Aren't you interested in the role of the Goddess?" Asha'ruiya asked seriously .
Xinxia shook her head . It was true that she was keen to learn the magical Healing Magic, but apart from fear, she really did not feel anything toward the position she was currently in .
"Am…Am I being used like a pawn?" Xinxia raised her head and asked softly .
Asha'ruiya was startled for a moment, before she smiled, "You're smarter than I thought . "
"So you're the player?" Xinxia asked seriously .
"You aren't my pawn . I just happened to investigate your background, and discovered that you have an elder brother who's unrelated to you by blood . He just happened to be the person that I want to beat the crap out of recently," Asha'ruiya explained .
"Did he get on the wrong side of you?" Xinxia knew Asha'ruiya was referring to Mo Fan .
"He took advantage of me," Asha'ruiya said .
Xinxia dropped her jaw, lost for words for a moment . She was surprised by how straightforward and honest Asha'ruiya was, yet she was also shocked by how bold her brother Mo Fan was, daring to take advantage of Asha'ruiya!
Unlike a fake candidate like her, Asha'ruiya was a real Saintess of the Parthenon Temple, and her followers were enough to raze a country to the ground!
Chapter 1100: 1100
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
A small pavilion in the south garden…
A thin, soft nightgown was attached to Saintess Andi's body . The candidate with the highest number of votes did not have an awe-striking face, but she did have an impressive physique . The night breeze on the mountain swept past, caressing the nightgown over the woman's smooth and curvaceous body…
She was barefooted, looking down at the dimly-lit Citadel of Athens .
She had been doing the same thing for years . She enjoyed admiring the bustling night scene of the city from the great height . She liked seeing a huge crowd of her supporters chanting her name passionately…
However, she was not feeling ambitious tonight!
"We didn't expect it to come to this . " The Great Muse Mellaura was standing close to the statue in the garden with a gloomy expression .
"The election is grander than that for a president, it's never meant to go smoothly . How can we expect that all four Saintesses will be on our side?" Andi said calmly .
"You sound like you aren't too bothered that Asha'ruiya has shown up to interfere with our plan? And aren't you curious about who's supporting Ye Xinxia behind the scenes?" Great Muse Mellaura asked .
"I have a premonition," Andi slowly walked down from the pavilion along the white stairs . She did not continue her sentence, but suddenly said, "I initially thought Panijia was our greatest enemy…"
"You're worried about Asha'ruiya?" Mellaura said .
Andi shook her head and said sternly, "The scariest thing is, I still don't know who they are . "
"Perhaps you've been worrying too much? Once we make it to the final phase, we won't have to worry any longer . Back then, when I was assisting Izisha, she was very anxious and worried, too . She kept discussing her brother to me, but she was still the winner in the end, wasn't she?" Great Muse Mellaura said .
As the two were talking, the old servant Gulan hurried over . She purposely dismissed the other servants that were standing by in the garden and ran over to Mellaura and Andi .
"Essendale… they caught him!" Gulan said in disbelief .
"That was the premonition I was referring to," Andi said .
Beside her, Mellaura was utterly lost in her thoughts . She could not even hold the Staff of the Great Muse firmly . It fell onto the statue nearby .
"Then we…"
"We've lost," Andi said .
"How is that possible? We were so close, so close to ruling this place!" Great Muse Mellaura totally lost her calm . It looked like she had aged significantly in an instant .
"The funny thing is, I still don't know who's pulling the strings…" Andi said in a self-mocking tone . She took a final glance at the Citadel of Athens and untied the nightgown as she slowly approached the edge of the pavilion .
The edge was the cliff of the sacred mountain, and at the bottom was the Ten Thousand Stairs .
Gulan was just about to ask what they should do next when she saw Andi still walking toward the edge . The moonlight set off the amorous charm of her naked body, as flawless as a milky-white statue!
She finally reached the edge . She suddenly took another step forward and started falling as Gulan screamed .
Gulan did not see Andi using any magic, nor was she channeling any spell . She continued to fall unimpeded!
—
Xinxia was sitting on the balcony outside her window while conversing with Asha'ruiya . She suddenly stopped, her eyes fixed on the cliff in the distance…
"It seems like someone has just fallen off the cliff," Xinxia pointed at the cliff, but she did not sound too confident .
"You're already a Candidate, so who's occupying the residence above yours?" Asha'ruiya did not turn around . She still had a gentle smile on her face .
"Was that really a human?" Xinxia grabbed the wheels of her chair firmly, about to head out .
The sacred mountain was very tall, so it would take some time before the person reached the bottom . There was a chance that she could still save the person if she started heading there now .
"If you don't let her die tonight, she will hate you for the rest of her life," Asha'ruiya said .
"Was that Andi?" Xinxia asked with a complicated look .
"Yeah, a wiseass . Well, it serves her right," Asha'ruiya answered heartlessly .
"I want to leave this place," Xinxia said firmly .
As a matter of fact, Xinxia had the urge to leave after she was chosen as a Candidate by the Hall Mother . She was just an outsider at the Parthenon Temple, yet she was suddenly dragged into the competition for the role of the Goddess .
"From the first day you set foot in the Parthenon Temple, your path to the Hall of the Goddess was already lit up with a green light, wasn't it?" Asha'ruiya mused .
"I want to leave this place . "
"Are you sure about that?" Asha'ruiya smiled . She added before Xinxia could respond, "I initially thought you were quite old, but you're so young still . I have come to visit you because I'm hoping that we will just mind our own business . "
—
—
Another news shocked the entire world when the World College Tournament was still going on . The whole city burst into an uproar when the news reached Venice .
Mo Fan had just come out from his seclusive cultivation . He realized that everyone was talking about the same news: that Saintess Andi had passed away due to some sickness .
Mo Fan had heard the name Andi before . First, the European countries were rather religious . The Parthenon Temple was like the most sacred entity to them, and the Goddess was treated like the spokesperson of the gods, like a pope . As such, it was reasonable that Mo Fan had heard the name of the Candidate that had the highest hope of being elected as the Goddess .
He had heard Xinxia mentioning her name a couple of times, too .
The Goddess of the Parthenon Temple was not just a symbol of faith . She was the person that actually had access to the Spell of Resurrection . Mo Fan clearly remembered how some people kept mentioning the Goddess of the Parthenon Temple whenever someone died…
When Xu Zhaoting was turned into a Cursed Beast, Mo Fan had asked Tangyue, and learned that the only way to save Xu Zhaoting was the Spell of Resurrection of the Parthenon Temple .
The hero that stopped the plague in Hangzhou, Wang Xiaojun, was currently lying on a bed after losing his soul, and the only way to wake him up was the Spell of Resurrection .
It was impossible for life to return after it was lost . Despair and pain of death could easily wipe out the meaning of life .
As such, the significance of the Spell of Resurrection surpassed everything!
"Hall Master Kendi announced that Andi had always suffered from a genetic disease . She had devoted her limited life to helping the world, but the gods had taken pity on her, and were not willing to let her suffer further . He has received her in Heaven… she did not leave us, she only went closer to the gods, she no longer has to speak on behalf of the gods, or listen to the gods . She will be praying for us beside the gods…"
"The world is saddened by the death of Saintess Andi, but the Holy Judgment Court has been questioning the truth . They believe Saintess Andi committed suicide to escape punishment . Essendale had committed an unforgivable crime, and he was once very close to Saintess Andi . "
"Saintess Andi's remains were not allowed to be viewed by the public . The sorrow that Hall Master Kendi, her father, is going through is understandable . She was a good Candidate, and had done many great things for Greece, for Europe, and for the other continents…"
The news spread rapidly . Mo Fan kept seeing news about Andi whenever he looked at his phone or had a conversation with someone . Mo Fan did not really care about politics or religion . Andi's death did not really matter to him . He was struggling to understand why the people were making a big fuss about it…
On the other hand, Mo Fan was puzzled after learning that the Master of the Shadow Element, Essendale, was captured and executed .
Considering how strong Essendale was, only a few people in the world could possibly defeat him . Essendale was the Master of the Shadow Element; if he was determined to run away, it was almost impossible to catch him!
"You don't seem to care about Andi's death? Let me tell you, I have some insider information; Andi actually committed suicide . She jumped from the highest place of the sacred mountain naked and fell onto the Ten Thousand Stairs without any protection . Imagine how bad she would look…tsk tsk tsk, a Candidate with such an alluring physique smashed into minced meat like that… I bet she hadn't even tasted a man before…" Zhao Manyan kept saying how much of a pity it was .
Zhao Manyan was someone from the upper class of society, thus he would know a lot more than ordinary people .
"Her death has taken everyone's attention away from what happened to Essendale . I don't care how she died, I just f**king don't understand how the Master of the Shadow Element ended up being caught!" Mo Fan sighed .
"You really want to know?" Zhao Manyan said in a mysterious voice .
"Aren't you talking nonsense? I'm passionate about magic, about power, not some fight over influence!" Mo Fan replied .
He could easily tell that Andi had lost the fight for power in the Parthenon Temple, and so she had been disqualified . Mo Fan was clueless about the complicated situation, nor was he interested in learning about it!
"Here, I have something incredible to show you . It's a clip of Essendale's arrest and death . Are you interested in it? It's forbidden to watch it, and the Holy Judgment Court has declared that every person that watches it is committing a crime . Are you still sure you want to watch it?" Zhao Manyan said .
"Are you sure its source is safe?" Mo Fan raised his brows .
"Yes . "
"Then just play it . "
—
Mo Fan had no idea how Zhao Manyan was able to get his hands on the recording . Since most spells would emit brilliant lights when they were cast, it was almost impossible to use a mobile phone or device to record a magic battle . The broadcast of the World College Tournament through the Observer Eagles was specially handled to make it viewable . If anyone tried recording the fights with their phones, it would only end up as a white screen .
As such, the clip that Zhao Manyan got his hands onto was most likely recorded with some unique military equipment . The Holy Judgment Court would severely punish anyone that broke the rules!
"It seems like a member of the Holy Judgment Court recorded it . We can't really see Essendale from this angle," Mo Fan mumbled, staring at the clip's strong interference .
Mo Fan was fairly curious about the power of a Mage like Essendale . Pang Lai was already one of the strongest Mages in China, yet he was still no match for Essendale . The battle that the Holy Judgment Court had fought to catch Essendale was surely going to be spectacular!