Magic Beast Siege

Jialan ascended the city wall, and the sight before him made him gasp. Under the moonlight, countless Magic Beasts surged towards the wall like a tide, their eyes glinting with scarlet light in the darkness. Soldiers, centered around Warriors with Battle Qi, were positioned at various key points. Archers in the rear, under the command of their officers, rained arrows down upon the enemy waves.

"Lord Mage!" an officer rushed over, "We need your support. Those difficult Magic Beasts, especially the ones in the air, are your responsibility!"

Jialan had already noticed dozens of massive Flying Magic Beasts circling in the night sky. Their wingspans were several meters wide, and their sharp claws gleamed menacingly in the moonlight.

Albert's face was grim as he said, "The involvement of aerial Magic Beasts in the siege indicates the situation is already dire. Flying Magic Beasts are considered elites among Magic Beasts and are not usually deployed lightly."

The old Mage surveyed their surroundings and quickly made a decision, "Anna, you will go with those few Battle Qi Warriors to support other areas. Remember, prioritize healing the wounded and do not act rashly. Jialan, you will stay on this section of the wall to provide support. I will go to where the situation is more urgent."

Anna nodded and, under the protection of several Battle Qi Warriors, hurried away. Albert then turned to Jialan, "Remember, don't push yourself. Your task is to assist in defense, not to play the hero."

With that, the old Mage's figure vanished into the chaotic city wall.

Jialan took a deep breath, cast the spells "Mental Revelation" and "Arrow Protection" on himself, and walked towards the two Mage apprentices on the city wall. They looked very young, around Jialan's age, with faces etched with nervousness. When they sensed the Mana fluctuations of a formal Mage emanating from Jialan, a flicker of surprise flashed in their eyes, and they quickly bowed their heads.

"Sir!" the two apprentices called out in unison, their voices carrying clear respect and anticipation.

Jialan examined them carefully. Both were High Mage apprentices, clad in gray Mage robes. One was enveloped in a strong Fire element, clearly a Fire Mage; the other pulsed with Earth element, likely an Earth Mage.

"Why are there only two of you here?" Jialan frowned and asked, "I remember there being at least four or five formal Mages in the fortress?"

The two apprentices exchanged glances. The Fire Mage apprentice hesitated for a moment before replying, "The other Lords have matters to attend to, so the Spellcasters currently stationed on the wall are all apprentices. For some reason, today the Magic Beasts' attack is much stronger than in previous days, otherwise, we wouldn't have had to request the presence of Lords who have only just arrived at the fortress."

Jialan's frown deepened upon hearing this. He recalled the heavily guarded areas within the fortress, places where even high-ranking officers needed special permits to enter. Clearly, this fortress held many secrets, and those formal Mages were likely dealing with some important matters.

Just as Jialan was about to inquire further about the battle situation, a sudden exclamation came from the front. He turned to see a massive black bear, standing as tall as two men, climbing onto the city wall. This Magic Beast was shrouded in a dense yellow Earth element, and its fur was covered in armor resembling rock.

"It's an Intermediate Peak Rock Armor Bear!" the Fire Mage apprentice exclaimed, "This type of Magic Beast has extremely strong defenses; normal attacks can't even scratch it!"

Just as the apprentice said, the Rock Armor Bear rampaged across the city wall, causing soldiers to scatter wherever it went. Several Warriors with Battle Qi attempted to stop it, but in moments, several had already been killed or injured.

"We can't let it continue to break the defense line!" Jialan said sternly, "You two, help me contain it!"

The two apprentices immediately sprang into action. The Fire Mage apprentice began chanting, and a series of fireballs flew towards the Rock Armor Bear, drawing its attention. The Earth Mage apprentice cast a gravity spell, attempting to slow the Magic Beast's speed.

Jialan took a deep breath, formed hand seals, runes swirling in his eyes, and icy blue light gathered at his fingertips. The surrounding temperature plummeted, and the air began to condense with tiny ice crystals.

"Frost Ray!" Jialan uttered a low cry, and a beam of extreme cold shot towards the Rock Armor Bear.

With the cooperation of the two apprentices, the Frost Ray accurately struck the Rock Armor Bear's head. This highly penetrative spell did not pierce through, but the extreme cold rapidly spread, freezing its head. The Rock Armor Bear let out a roar of pain, and no one dared approach within a four to five-meter radius. However, its movements had clearly become sluggish.

"Again!" Jialan shouted. The two apprentices immediately increased their Mana output.

The second Frost Ray, under Jialan's precise control, struck the same spot on the Rock Armor Bear's head. This time, it pierced through, and the massive body crashed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The surrounding soldiers erupted in cheers, looking at Jialan with awe and envy. However, before they could relax, sharp screeches echoed from the sky again.

"Flying Magic Beasts!" someone shouted.

Jialan looked up and saw over a dozen massive Flying Magic Beasts diving down. Closer now, Jialan could see more clearly. These beasts resembled giant eagles but were much larger, with wingspans of five to six meters. Their feathers were an unnatural dark red, shimmering with an eerie glow in the moonlight.

The archers shot arrows desperately. Except for a few arrows from those with Battle Qi, the others' arrows couldn't penetrate the Flying Magic Beasts' hides. The arrows struck the beasts with clanging sounds before falling uselessly.

"We must deal with them first!" Jialan thought to himself. He knew that if these Flying Magic Beasts weren't dealt with promptly, the defense line on the city wall would soon collapse.

"You two," Jialan said to the Mage apprentices beside him, "You use Fireball or Flame Impact to disrupt their flight. You, keep an eye on the Magic Beasts below the wall. If any charge up, assist the soldiers in holding them back."

The two apprentices nodded and immediately took action. The Fire Mage apprentice began chanting, and clusters of fireballs shot into the sky. Although they couldn't inflict substantial damage on the Flying Magic Beasts, they successfully disrupted their flight paths. The Earth Mage apprentice began reinforcing the city wall, preventing Magic Beasts from breaking through from below.

Jialan pulled his Staff from his Spatial Bag and began to channel Mana. He formed hand seals rapidly with his left hand, chanting words under his breath. As the incantation progressed, the surrounding temperature dropped sharply, and tiny ice crystals began to form in the air.

"Ring of Ice Seal!" Jialan uttered a low cry, and an icy blue halo spread out from him. Wherever the halo passed, the moisture in the air rapidly condensed, forming an area of ice mist. This was an upgraded version of the "Ice Mist Technique." Previously, his Mana was insufficient to cast such a large-scale spell.