Mu Nu Jiao had already reached the Intermediate Level in two elements by the time she entered university. Her talent was obvious.
At the same time, she wasn't one of those unambitious children of aristocratic families.
The instant the tree root stabbed toward her, a round Shield Magic Tool suddenly appeared in her hand!
With a bang, the round shield blocked the tree root, and Mu Nu Jiao narrowly escaped disaster.
Song Jie watched the scene unfold. He'd thought he was about to play the hero and save the damsel in distress.
But he quickly realized that Mu Nu Jiao wasn't one of those delicate, helpless girls.
"Watch out!" Mu Nu Jiao shouted at Song Jie.
Song Jie frowned. He'd been on guard the whole time, but he'd let his attention slip for a moment, and now the tree roots had targeted him.
So I'm the sixth man, huh? Song Jie grumbled inwardly, completing his Star Track in one smooth motion.
Radiance!
Great Burst!!
A ball of golden light shot from Song Jie's palm and exploded among the cluster of tree roots in front of him.
The golden light flashed and vanished, but the tree roots were blasted apart, as if they'd been dismembered.
Seeing this, Mu Nu Jiao confirmed that what Mu Lei had told her was true.
The people around them hadn't noticed Song Jie's actions, because they were all too busy fending for themselves.
Seeing the tree roots spreading toward them again, Song Jie didn't hesitate. He unleashed several more Great Bursts at the roots in front of him!
He couldn't let them get close, or everyone would be in trouble.
Seeing that the situation was getting worse, Mu Nu Jiao turned to the middle-aged man. "Uncle Jin, they won't be able to hold out much longer if this continues, and we'll be surrounded too."
Uncle Jin looked back at the hunters behind him. There had been more than thirty of them before; now, only a little over twenty remained.
He hesitated, then said in a low voice, "Everyone, listen up. I'll clear a path for you in a moment. Follow me and charge out!"
The group was in a sorry state, but his words immediately lifted their spirits.
Most of them were Novice Mages, and very few had any real offensive power.
If this continued, they wouldn't last much longer. In the end, the tree roots would kill them all.
Seeing that the High-level Mage was about to act, Song Jie suppressed his own urge to step in.
Then—
Uncle Jin looked ahead, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. In an instant, a constellation appeared around him!
This was the constellation of a High-level Mage!!
Watching from behind, Mu Nu Jiao and Mu Lei couldn't hide their longing for the High-level.
"Heavenly Flame Funeral!"
"Flame Rain!!"
A massive, scorching fireball slowly rose, growing larger and larger!
With a boom, the fireball exploded. Flames poured down from the sky like a torrential rain, streaking through the air like meteors.
The path ahead of them was instantly swallowed by flames. The tree roots turned to ash the moment they touched the fire.
A wave of heat washed over them. The temperature around them soared, and sweat poured from their bodies.
"Wind Mages, clear the way!" Uncle Jin barked. A Wind Mage completed his Star Track!
"Wind Track!"
"Floating Shadow!!"
He charged forward, and a gust of wind immediately swept the flames to either side.
"Everyone, follow!" Uncle Jin roared, taking the lead behind the Wind Mage.
Seeing this, the others followed close behind Uncle Jin, desperate to get away from there as quickly as possible.
They ran through the sea of fire. Even as they coughed, they didn't dare stop.
"Fire Mages up front, keep clearing the way!"
At Uncle Jin's words, the Fire Mages released their magic once more, reducing the tree roots blocking their path to ash.
Now only the tree roots ahead of them stood in their way. Those pursuing them from behind had all been burned up in the sea of fire.
"Wind Disc!"
"Tornado!!"
An Intermediate-level Wind Mage controlled a swirling tornado, sweeping the blazing flames forward.
They kept passing the attack from one mage to another. As they neared the end, smiles spread across their faces!
"We're almost there!"
Most of the group looked utterly disheveled. Their faces were red from the heat, and some of their clothes had been scorched.
"Damn it! There are more and more tree roots! It doesn't want to let us out!" someone cried, watching the roots surge toward them.
Uncle Jin had already released two High-level spells, but with so many tree roots pouring toward them, even another High-level spell might not be enough to keep them safe.
"Uncle Jin!"
Mu Lei glanced at Uncle Jin. He was the backbone of the group, and they could only wait for him to give the order.
Uncle Jin didn't hesitate. He formed another High-level Star Map, and a brilliant constellation appeared. His High-level Fire Element magic once again reddened the sky.
Flames lit up the sky, and the ground became a sea of fire in an instant. But the sharp tree roots charged forward like warriors marching to their deaths, rushing into the flames like moths to a fire!
"Now! Charge out with me!" Uncle Jin glanced at Mu Nu Jiao and Mu Lei, then told them to follow.
The others surged forward. They didn't want to die there, and rushed toward the front as fast as they could.
But the tree roots had gone mad. They charged straight at the group without a care for anything.
Although flames filled the area, some tree roots still broke through the fire and stabbed at the fleeing people.
With a ripping sound, a man running at full speed was pierced through the body and dragged into the sea of fire by a tree root.
Everyone knew he was as good as dead. Fear surged through them, and they ran even faster.
"The end is just ahead!" someone cried.
Though the stretch of road was only a few kilometers long, more than ten people had already died.
Song Jie could already sense the danger outside. They'd only just come out—how had so many people already died?
Most people had thought they'd make a fortune from this Bounty Mission, but none of them had expected to meet their end here.
Song Jie kept unleashing Great Bursts to both sides, doing everything he could to give them all a chance to survive.
But—
The Demon Beast controlling the tree roots seemed to be launching an all-out assault. Countless tree roots surged toward them, stopping at nothing.
In the blink of an eye, another person was pierced by a sharp tree root and dragged into the sea of fire.
"The end is just ahead! Let's hurry!" Mu Lei said.
Mu Nu Jiao nodded.
Suddenly—
Dozens of tree roots, each as thick as an arm, twisted together like a braid. In an instant, the enormous root stretched across their path and blocked the way.
The enormous root cut off their escape route, leaving them no choice but to stop.
"Fierce Fist!"
"Nine Palaces!!"
Uncle Jin didn't waste a word. A Star Map formed at his fingertips, and he leapt into the air, punching toward the enormous root.
Nine pillars of fire shot into the sky. Flames spread all around them, and a wave of heat washed over them.
The enormous root was destroyed in an instant, opening a breach ahead!
At the sight of it, those who didn't want to die rushed toward the opening.
Mu Nu Jiao was just about to leave when someone beside her knocked her aside, sending her sprawling to the ground.
Mu Lei was about to look for Mu Nu Jiao, but the crowd swept him along and shoved him forward.
Just then, two enormous tree roots struck again, trying to block their path!
As Song Jie ran toward the opening, he pulled Mu Nu Jiao up and then led her toward the exit!
Before you continue