"No, that wasn't it."
Principal Zhu carefully looked over Mo Fan, then cried out in shock, "Mo Fan is... an Innate Dual System!"
As Principal Zhu's words fell, everyone was stunned once more.
An Innate Dual System!
That carried far more weight than reaching the Intermediate Level in three years!
"Tsk, I've become famous."
Qin Yuan watched the scene with great interest.
However, Mo Fan having a higher reputation than him was also slightly advantageous for Qin Yuan.
Right, let Mo Fan draw the firepower.
"If you wanted to, you'd only become more famous than Mo Fan." Tang Yue's faint voice came from behind him.
She knew perfectly well that Qin Yuan had not only broken through to the Intermediate Level in three years, but had also mastered Intermediate-Level magic within three years and awakened the Summoning System.
That talent was no worse than an Innate Dual System.
"I'd better not. My magic stage isn't here anyway, and I have no interest in competing with people of the same generation," Qin Yuan said with a smile.
His targets had always been those famous veteran mages.
Surpassing them was far more challenging.
"You really are confident."
"I have the capital to be confident, don't I?"
"...That's true."
Tang Yue nodded in agreement.
Qin Yuan's talent indeed qualified him to set those "seniors" as targets to surpass.
"An Innate Dual System should count as a General Talent," Mu Ning Xue said.
"Mm." Qin Yuan nodded in agreement. "Our Innate Spirit Seeds are Exclusive Talents."
A mage's Innate Talents were roughly divided into three categories: General Talents, Exclusive Talents, and the Calamity-prone.
"I'm taking this kid!"
At that moment, Zhan Kong's bold voice rang out.
"Ahem, when it comes to training talent, our Mage Association is more professional." Yang Zuohe cut in.
The two began a heated argument.
Qin Yuan was not particularly interested in that. Instead, he seized an opening and invited Zhan Kong to have a private talk later.
After Zhan Kong agreed, he threw himself back into the dispute.
"Sister Tang Yue, come with me later," Qin Yuan said with a smile.
Words alone carried no proof. He still needed someone relatively authoritative to serve as a witness, making it more credible so Zhan Kong would believe him.
"Alright."
Tang Yue was somewhat puzzled, but she agreed nonetheless.
After receiving Tang Yue's reply, Qin Yuan nodded, then turned back to chat casually with Mu Ning Xue, occasionally teasing her.
Mu Ning Xue got annoyed now and then, but she was not bothered by it.
The two had a very good relationship.
Seeing Qin Yuan and Mu Ning Xue's tightly clasped hands, a trace of barely perceptible dimness and longing flashed through Tang Yue's beautiful eyes.
"Sigh, this bad little brother..."
Tang Yue let out a sigh.
The Magic Duel finally came to an end.
The shock Mo Fan had brought everyone was something they would find difficult to digest even after several days and nights.
In the end, Principal Zhu made a "request" of everyone, asking those present not to reveal Mo Fan's talent lest someone with ill intentions plot against him.
The leaders of the military, the Hunter Alliance, and the Mage Association also stated that they would help seal off the information to prevent anything from happening to Mo Fan.
After Qin Yuan escorted Mu Ning Xue back, he and Tang Yue went to find Zhan Kong.
"Tell me, Qin Yuan. Did you run into some trouble? Don't worry, I still have some influence in Bocheng."
Zhan Kong patted his chest and spoke cheerfully.
Bocheng's strongest combat power was no empty boast. Especially with his family's "secret technique," fighting demons alone was not a problem.
"Senior Zhan Kong, I'm not the one in trouble." Qin Yuan shook his head. "Bocheng may be facing major trouble... the Black Vatican."
The moment those words came out.
Zhan Kong's eyes narrowed, and the frivolity on his face instantly vanished, replaced by seriousness.
He knew very well that the Black Vatican was hidden within Bocheng. Otherwise, he would not have had Mo Fan keep an eye on Yu Ang during the duel.
Yu Ang of the Mu family was suspicious.
Zhan Kong said seriously, "Tell me the details."
Anything involving the Black Vatican could not be handled carelessly.
"Is Little Yuan finally going to say it?" Tang Yue looked shocked as well and listened intently.
"This was uncovered by Sister Tang Yue."
Yet Qin Yuan's words were astonishing.
Tang Yue: "???"
What? She had uncovered it?
What had she investigated? Over the past two-plus years, her only clue had been Qin Yuan himself, yet he had refused to tell her anything. What did she know?
Tang Yue was about to speak when Qin Yuan took her right hand, and an itch tickled her palm.
She understood that Qin Yuan wanted her to cooperate.
Though filled with confusion, she still instinctively went along with him. "Mm, I did find clues related to the Black Vatican..."
Tang Yue was overwhelmed with shame as she lied.
Clues?
What clues could she possibly have?
"What are they?"
Zhan Kong truly did not doubt her, because he knew Tang Yue was from the Judgment Association.
"We don't know the specifics either."
After pondering for a moment, Qin Yuan said, "According to Sister Tang Yue's investigation, demons have been appearing frequently in Bocheng lately. There are not only Giant-eyed Starry Rats, but also One-eyed Demonic Wolves."
"An investigation was conducted in several areas where demons appeared, and several man-made caves over a meter in diameter were discovered. The smell of Black Beast Demons lingered around the entrances."
Zhan Kong frowned tightly at that.
Tang Yue, standing beside him, was also extremely shocked. She knew nothing at all about these matters.
"I really have been negligent as an adjudicator. Such an abnormal clue as demons appearing frequently in Bocheng, and I didn't even know about it."
Tang Yue began deeply doubting herself.
But this was not the time for her to feel dejected. The urgent matter was figuring out what exactly the Black Vatican was up to.
"Where are those entrances?" Zhan Kong asked.
"For now, they've only been simply concealed to ensure the Black Vatican isn't alerted."
"How many entrances are there, and where?"
"Four have been discovered so far. Three of them are respectively located at the Old Canteen of Inscribed Girls Middle School in the Inscription Area..."
Qin Yuan told Zhan Kong the information about those caves, including the Beiling Area one that had yet to be found.
"I'll secretly send people to watch the areas near those entrances." Zhan Kong nodded slightly, but his brows remained furrowed. "And there's still the Beiling Area..."
If the Demon Caves were not dealt with in time, tens of thousands of people could lose their lives.
Moreover, there was no guarantee that there were only these four Demon Caves.
"Senior Zhan Kong, we have an idea," Qin Yuan suddenly said.
"Let's hear it."
Zhan Kong gestured for him to continue.
"Find a reason to have the people in the Beiling Area leave temporarily. For example, due to the frequent appearance of demons, the military mages need to temporarily seal off and clear the Beiling Area."
"...That could work, but it may arouse the Black Vatican's suspicions."
"Making them suspicious is better than leaving the people of Bocheng at risk."
Qin Yuan said.
From God's Perspective, he certainly knew many things, but it was ultimately inconvenient for him to say them.
In short, the Black Vatican already had an arrow on the string, and Bocheng's disaster was set in stone. Even if they were truly exposed now, they most likely would not change their plans because of it.
"I'll begin handling this matter," Zhan Kong said with a nod.
"Then I'll trouble you, Senior Zhan Kong."
Qin Yuan smiled.
Before long, Zhan Kong left. He departed using Wind Wings, and judging by his direction, he was flying toward Snow Peak Mountain Post Station.
Before you continue