"Lu Yan! If you don't want to end up a cripple begging in Yangcheng, then take your people and get lost! Our Wang family's things—do you think you're worthy of reaching for them?"
"Heh, the Spirit Seed belongs to no one. Whoever has the bigger fist gets it! Other people might fear the Wang family, but our Fire Flame Squad doesn't!"
"Stubborn to the end!"
Both sides were bristling with anger. When words failed, they immediately started fighting.
Xu Fang stayed far away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. He even stopped eating his luncheon meat and focused intently on enjoying the battle between Intermediate Mages.
He hadn't gotten a clear look at the last battle between Intermediate Mages on the train because he had been separated from it by an entire carriage.
"Fire Spark!"
Hunter Mage squads spent all year roaming the wilderness, so they knew the importance of seizing the initiative. A blast of Fire Spark was hurled over at once.
Xu Fang hadn't seen him make any preparatory movements at all. He had completely mastered Elementary Fire Spark Magic, casting it as easily as lifting a hand, with one shot every three seconds.
"Ice Vine—Coverage!"
The Wang family's retainer refused to be outdone. After several rounds of probing, both sides gradually worked themselves into a fury, and the intensity of the battle continued to rise.
"Cover me and let them taste the effects of Bone Crushing Frost!" Wang Zhengbing said.
The other retainers immediately stepped forward and formed a triangular formation around him, giving him ample time to charge his spell.
In battles between Intermediate Mages, Intermediate Magic was not what they used most often. The waiting time was too long, and mages had fragile bodies. One Elementary Magic spell from the opponent could take their lives.
But once it was truly cast, its power was far beyond what Elementary Magic could compare with.
The Star Seeds connected one after another, rapidly forming a Star Track.
The bright Star Track crossed over itself again, quickly transforming into a Star Map beneath Wang Zhengbing's feet!
Crack, crack...
As soon as the Star Map appeared, Wang Zhengbing's entire body was enveloped in ice-blue frost.
A vast and biting chill surged around him. The sweltering air abruptly froze, becoming cold enough to pierce the skin.
"Everyone, move!"
"Ice Lock—Ice Python!"
Seeing that Wang Zhengbing had completed his Intermediate Ice Element Magic, the three retainers in front immediately withdrew to either side. A gigantic Ice Python, seemingly alive as it flicked its tongue and bared its fangs, charged toward the Fire Flame Squad!
The terrifying sight frightened the members of the Fire Flame Squad into hurriedly dodging. Only their captain remained motionless.
"You old bastard!"
Lu Yan spat, pouring his magic energy fiercely into the Star Map he had just drawn. "Didn't your high school teacher ever tell you? Below the Advanced level, the Fire Element is king!"
"Fierce Fist—Heaven-Shattering!"
In an instant, a massive flaming fist appeared out of thin air, rolling waves of heat seemingly twisting the air.
The poor trees and weeds could not withstand the torment of being frozen and then roasted. They cleanly shattered into fragments and scattered with the wind.
A giant fist against a giant python!
In terms of destructive power, the Fire Element was undoubtedly stronger. But Wang Zhengbing had cast Intermediate Level Two Magic, giving him the advantage in level.
The two skills ground against each other, sending waves of shock blasts erupting outward. For a time, Flying Sand and Rolling Stones filled the battlefield in utter chaos.
The others weren't fools. This was no time to worry about martial etiquette. Taking advantage of the low visibility, they each hurled spells at their opponents.
The battle lasted a full ten minutes, with both sides using all their trump cards.
It began with spells blasting against one another, progressed to a clash of Magic Tools, and finally ended when Wang Zhengbing's Demon Slaying Tool severed Lu Yan's shield Magic Tool.
The battlefield had been wrecked beyond recognition. Every tree had been uprooted, and enormous craters were scattered across the ground. The air had turned yellow and hazy, stinging painfully against their faces.
"Lu Yan, damn you! Give me a straight answer—are you surrendering or not?" Wang Zhengbing panted heavily, gripping a black-gold Demon Slaying Tool.
Lu Yan was utterly frustrated!
Damn it, these hateful family retainers! If they had the guts, they should take off their equipment and fight hand-to-hand!
The Fire Flame Squad had already been subdued. Some were injured, while others lay on the ground. If the opposing side hadn't been wary of the Judgment Society, most of them would already have been blasted into scraps.
His magic energy had also been completely exhausted. He had no chance of turning things around.
"Wang family, I'll definitely come back!" Lu Yan threw out a final threat. "Let's go!"
The group quickly withdrew without lingering any longer.
Seeing them leave, the Wang family retainers breathed a sigh of relief.
"Damn, those bastards can really fight."
"Lu Yan's Fierce Fist has already touched the threshold of Intermediate Level Two. If it were any stronger, we would've had a hard time ending things today."
"My Star Cloud is nearly depleted. I used too much Magic just now."
"Same here. Uncle Bing, should we head back now?"
Everyone from the Wang family looked toward Wang Zhengbing. Wang Zhengbing frowned in thought before speaking. "No. Dig out the Spirit Seed. We're taking it back today!"
Everyone was stunned.
A young mage said, "Uncle Bing, didn't you say Spirit Seeds have a short shelf life? Will there be a problem if we take it out now?"
"It's still better than letting someone else snatch it away!"
Wang Zhengbing said, "The Fire Flame Squad didn't get the Spirit Seed, and they definitely won't let us off easily. Before a day passes, all of Yangcheng—no, even the several cities nearby—will know that a Spirit Seed has appeared here."
Under a sufficiently generous reward, there would always be brave men.
With a three-hundred-percent profit, these flies would dare commit any crime, even risk being blasted to death by an Intermediate Mage.
A ready-made Spirit Seed sitting right here was even more worthwhile than a Commander level Spirit Essence!
"There's no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days. Escort the Spirit Seed back to the family first, preserve it in a container, and send it to Magic City immediately!"
Wang Zhengbing was the head of the Wang family's retainer hall. Once he spoke, no one disobeyed, and everyone quickly got to work.
......
"Boom!!!!!"
After the deafening explosion, a clear spring was blasted open, leaving behind only a charred crater.
This Light Element Spirit Seed had not been hidden very deeply. Usually, when an Elemental Seed began affecting the surrounding environment, it meant that it had already been exposed.
After the hole was blasted open, it seemed as though a seal had been undone. Fierce light shot into the sky.
Everyone present closed their eyes, feeling waves of scorching pain through their eyelids.
"It really is top-grade!" Wang Zhengbing praised.
This Light Element Spirit Seed was called "Fluorescence." It could increase the power of basic Magic by 2.5 times, placing it above average compared to other Spirit Seeds.
However, the most exceptional aspect of Fluorescence was not its amplification, but its additional trait—constant temperature.
Even at the bottom of a deep spring, it could use natural light to produce a scalding hot spring. Not long after it emerged from the water, all the ice chips on the battlefield had already melted.
Wang Zhengbing had heard the family head say that the Second Young Master Zhao of the Magic City Zhao family had awakened the Light Element, the most useless attribute of all. Even if he cultivated to the Intermediate level, all his skills would still be defensive.
Would a genius of such a prestigious family be willing to become a Turtle Shell Mage?
This Spirit Seed could be said to suit his needs perfectly.
After absorbing Fluorescence, Light Element magic energy could condense at a constant temperature, reaching the effect of burning flames. Combined with its 2.5-fold amplification, it would not be inferior even against a Fire Mage of the same level!
As for Young Master Zhao being too low-level to absorb it?
That was the Zhao family's problem. Whether they used special means to store it or distributed it to someone else had nothing to do with a minor family like theirs.
"Be careful, all of you. You few, clean up the battlefield."
As Wang Zhengbing gave orders, he casually asked the guards who had come to help, "Other than the Fire Flame Squad, no one else came in, right?"
The guard confidently replied, "No one. Just the six of them!"
"Good. Once this is over, I won't let a single one of those six off... Wait, how many did you say!?"
The guard jumped in fright and stammered, "S-Six. Six people."
"There were clearly only five just now..." Wang Zhengbing's breathing quickened. Unease suddenly surged in his heart. He whipped his head around and saw a figure rapidly approaching!
"Go to hell!"
"Ice Lock · Bone Grinding!"
Wang Zhengbing roared and released all the magic energy he had left. He no longer considered whether to leave the other person alive; he had to eliminate every possible threat!
Facing the oncoming chill, the other person neither dodged nor evaded. A golden Star Track flashed past.
Perhaps his eyes were playing tricks on him, but Wang Zhengbing felt that the color of this Star Track was somewhat wrong, as though it had been mixed with a hint of red.
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