Versatile Mage c1-2021, page 886
"It's the Poisonous Red Steam, don't let it reach the bridge!" The advisor in the blue outfit was startled when he saw the steam approaching the bridge.
If the Warrior-level Scarlet Soaring Demons were vaporized in such a short time, the civilians on the bridge were going to share the same fate. They would die as soon as they breathed in the steam!
The red steam was obviously Qiu Zi's deadliest ability. It was using everything it had to flee for its life.
The Poisonous Red Steam was not much of a threat to the Super Mages and Baxia. The human Mages and Baxia could just focus on killing it. However, the steam would cause huge casualties once it reached the bridge and the island.
They might be able to kill Qiu Zi, yet it was going to drag down thousands of humans with it!
"That piece of s***, it's threatening us with a suicide attack!" Zhao Manyan cursed.
Qiu Zi was currently a terrorist that was armed with bombs. If they forced it too much, it would detonate itself and spread the poisoned steam across the island. Baxia was very determined to kill Qiu Zi. An ancient Totem Beast, he was no longer as merciful and compassionate toward humans. He just wanted to kill Qiu Zi, so he was not too concerned about the poisonous steam.
Baxia did not mind, but Zhao Manyan thought otherwise. The steam was spreading quickly. The barrier the Mages had set up only protected the bridge, not the civilians. Many of them were going to be vaporized just like the Scarlet Soaring Demons.
Zhao Manyan would not allow it. Xiamen was a place full of beauties. He would rather die than watching the ladies turn into withered empty sacks of skin!
"Don't force it too much, let it back out of the strait," Zhao Manyan told Baxia.
Baxia let out a roar to express his resentment, using his actions to express his anger.
"Old turtle, what are you doing? I'm warning you, I'm your Totem Guardian. If you don't listen to me, I'll throw the wooden clapper away. You can wait for another hundred years to find someone suitable to be your new Totem Guardian!" Zhao Manyan snarled when he saw how stubborn Baxia was.
Damn it, every Totem Guardian was extremely close to their Totem Beast, yet his old turtle was aloof, arrogant, and proud. Zhao Manyan had enough of it. He was now a Super Mage. If he did not lift the Seal on the wooden clapper, this Totem Beast would still be getting bullied by the Disastrous Duo. He would not be able to defeat the big one, then pick on the small one!
"I promise you, I'll help you kill the Disastrous Duo, but not today. Its steam is going to kill everyone here. You should be looking at the big picture instead," Zhao Manyan said.
Baxia did not slow down. He insisted on delivering a huge blow to Qiu Zi, even if his skin was going to be badly burned by the steam!
The powerful beast grabbed Qiu Zi's neck and lifted it into the air.
He pulled with a great force, snapping Qiu Zi's neck and tail. More steam burst out of its body and spread toward the bridge and Gaoqi Airport. The Scarlet Soaring Demons in the path of the crimson cloud died in great numbers almost instantly. It was a terrifying sight.
Baxia's anger erupted like a volcano, yet he managed to retain his rationality. After breaking Qiu Zi's bones, he let out a furious roar and tossed the beast away from the strait!
Qiu Zi was like a poisonous red bomb when its body was contorted like that. It was thrown into the sea over six kilometers away...
The scorching air cooled down after the beast was thrown into the distance. Baxia stood in the water and let loose an infuriated roar into the sky after he missed out on the opportunity to kill Qiu Zi. The whole city trembled under his rage, including the sea monsters who were invading the island!
Chapter 1932 - The Disappearance
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
The storm above Xiamen started to dissipate after Qiu Chi and Qiu Zi were gone. As it left, the rain finally stopped falling.
Sea monsters were still roaming in the city, but the majority of the city was already evacuated. The Mages began to exterminate the sea monsters that were damaging the city.
The sea monsters were like a sheet of loose sand without the two Great Rulers. As the water in the city started to fall, their strength dropped significantly with it.
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Two days later, the sunlight finally pierced through the thick clouds and shone upon the drenched city around dusk. The shadows of the buildings that were still standing dragged across the water, swaying as the tide gradually fell.
The weather was most likely going to be clear tomorrow if there was sunlight now. The city would soon regain its warmth and charm. By then, the sea monsters would all have retreated to their dens. For those who stayed, there was only one ending: death!
---
Mo Fan did not join the others in exterminating the remaining sea monsters. He was completely worn out. It was already afternoon before he even woke up. He could hear giggles on the field outside the window. He knew they were ladies in the prime of youth as soon as he heard the giggles.
Mo Fan rose to his feet and pulled the curtain to the side. He realized he was still at Jimei University. Even though the school was close to the sea, it did not suffer much damage from the sea monsters and the storm due to its higher terrain.
The storm that had loomed over Xiamen not long ago felt like a nightmare when he heard the giggles of the young and attractive girls. Everything was just as peaceful and fine after he woke up from his sleep.
Mo Fan stood in front of the window and watched the ladies in short skirts for some time. He was starting to miss the day when he first set foot into Pearl Institute. The days back when he was still a student had indeed been more relaxing. He did not have to go rushing about to so many different places that were on fire to put out the flames. He might not be able to wake up again someday, which meant he would not be able to see those pretty skirts and beautiful legs swaying outside his window.
The door opened. The little beauty Lingling came in with a cup of milk tea. She twisted her lips when she saw Mo Fan awake, standing at the window to peep on the girls in their dorm's garden.
"The water level has fallen by half. Most of the buildings were destroyed, but it shouldn't be much of a problem to repair them. The main roads and city core are still intact," Lingling informed him.
"That's great, at least our efforts were not in vain!" Mo Fan answered.
"Is your Shadow Element at the Super Level now?" Lingling asked him.
"Yeah, I didn't expect it either." Mo Fan finally remembered what had happened.
Yeah, his Shadow Element had reached the Super Level. He was struggling to recall everything that happened, since he had just woken up. He was completely worn out after fighting for so long.
"You can do a lot more things now," Lingling said.
"Of course, and my Shadow Element has evolved again. I feel like it's on par with my Lightning Element," Mo Fan said.
"You've claimed the Dark Moon Crystal from Jimei University, which is said to be of the finest quality. It's not surprising that your Shadow Element has evolved again," Lingling told him.
"I'll need some time to stabilize my cultivation when we are back. That way, it will be easier for us to achieve our goals," Mo Fan smiled.
"The duel between you and the guy from the Zu Clan is just around the corner too," Lingling reminded him.
"Mm, I bet he didn't expect my Lightning Element to break through to the Super Level in such a short time. My Shadow Element is now at the Super Level too." Mo Fan was now looking forward to the duel!
Zu Xiangtian had purposely hired people to impersonate him and ruin his reputation to gather more attention before the duel. Mo Fan had been given no choice but to keep a low profile since then. Zu Xiangtian had done everything to secure the limelight for himself. He had even sent out invitations for people to watch the duel a long time ago, so he could claim the title as the strongest young Mage in front of the whole country.
It was true that Mo Fan was no match against Zu Xiangtian when they were still in Greece, as he had only been an Advanced Mage. However, that was no longer the case now. Zu Xiangtian did not have much time left to be full of himself, as Mo Fan would soon beat the crap out of him when the time came!
"By the way, where's Old Zhao?" Mo Fan remembered Zhao Manyan and his Totem Beast, Baxia.
It was a relief that Old Zhao had managed to bring the old turtle to their aid in time. If the Jimei Bridge had collapsed, Xinglin Bridge would have been the only escape route left. They would have had no chance of evacuating the city within eight hours.
Baxia had played a very important role during the battle!
He now understood why Shao Zheng insisted that they find the Totem Beasts. Most Mages did not stand a chance against the powerful and ancient sea monsters. Only the Totem Beasts were strong enough to face them!
"He left quietly," Lingling said.
"Really? That's not like him. He would normally stay here for some time after contributing so much, so he could enjoy the fame and admiration from the people. The ladies would fall into his arms. He wouldn't leave until he had enough!" Mo Fan was amazed.
"People might link Baxia's appearance to the incident in Venice. Zhao Manyan might want to enjoy the benefits like you mentioned, but he still needs to keep an eye on his brother, and the Zhao Family who's currently under his brother's control. Let's just say he has grown a lot. It was best if he left quietly," Lingling said.
"That's true. Zhao Youqian is vicious. If he knows Old Zhao is still alive, who knows what crazy acts he would try to pull off," Mo Fan agreed.
The Zhao Family was able to match the Mu Clan in terms of influence. Money could do a lot of things. They would never be short of tricks if they wanted someone dead. Zhao Manyan wanted to improve his strength in peace, so he should avoid the public eye as much as possible.
"There's something I need to tell you." Lingling sat down on the edge of the bed. She tossed back the cup of milk tea and straightened her face.
"What's wrong?" Mo Fan could not figure out any reason why Lingling would be so serious all of a sudden, as if something was bothering her.
"I've asked many people, and even asked the people of the Donghai Magic Association for help. I also asked Sister Ningxue to investigate the Dali Clan, but we haven't learned anything useful..." Lingling said.
"What do you mean?" Mo Fan was puzzled.
"Mu Bai," Lingling paused briefly, as if she was having a hard time believing it. "Mu Bai is missing."
Chapter 1933 - Charging into the Dali Clan
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
The Dali Clan...
Leaves were falling to the ground in the delicate front yard after a gust of wind blew by. Li Dong was sitting on a recliner with a grim face.
The Nanxi Mountain Enforcement Union had still ended up in Tangyue's hands. He was supposed to be promoted as the Vice Elder's assistant, but unfortunately, he had picked the wrong side, so he had to find another position to fill. He wondered if the clan was going to help him again.
BANG!
Li Dong fell from his chair after hearing the loud crash. When he rose to his feet, he saw a man flying into the front yard from the other side of the fence. He landed in the middle of the court and destroyed the delicate hedges that the gardeners had put in a lot of effort to trim.
The man was still engulfed in flames, and was badly burned.
Li Dong immediately recognized his cousin. He asked with a puzzled face, "Li Kai, what's going on?!"
Li Kai was now a member of the South Wing Platoon. His position was much better than a nominal member of the Enforcement Union like him, so Li Dong did not understand why Li Kai was badly beaten up on such a fine afternoon. Who was he fighting with?
With another huge blast, the beautiful fences of the courtyard were smashed to pieces. A strong wave of heat surged into the courtyard, together with blazing flames. It spread across the outer circle of the courtyard like a rug.
A man walked out of the flames menacingly. The flames erupting from him were about to set the whole place on fire!
Many servants had gathered in the courtyard. Their strength varied, and many of them were Advanced Mages. However, not a single person dared to step forward to stop the man in raging flames, standing quickly to the side.
"Who do you think you are? I might not stay in Fanxue Mountain and Feiniao City too often, but it doesn't mean any Tom, D.i.c.k, or Harry can point their fingers at us!" the man snarled.
The people who were having a clan meeting came out after hearing the loud noises.
The Dali Clan had been around since Feiniao City was designated a headquarters city. The clan had grown and become one of the top three clans in the southeast of the country, yet someone had dared to force their way in. That person was seriously going to screw himself up for this!
"Mo Fan!" The cunning old fox Li Kuang recognized the man in the flames instantly.
The person who was walking out of the flames was none other than Mo Fan!
Li Kuang's eyes were starting to blur with anger. Li Kuang had been competing with Mu Ningxue and Mu Zhuoyun for a long time, since he was the person-in-charge of the Dali Clan. He had never taken Mo Fan seriously, yet this infamous scoundrel had broken into their territory during their first encounter!
He had gone too far!
"I'm only going to ask once: did your clan set Mu Bai up?" Mo Fan did not show any mercy. They were already enemies in the first place. The Dali Clan had been troubling Fanxue Mountain a lot. He would not be Mo Fan if he still went easy on them!
"What Mu Bai? Don't you dare act recklessly just because Great Councilman Shao Zheng has your back! This is private land that belongs to the Dali Clan! If you dare trespass into our territory and use magic, we can execute you right on the spot without the Magic Association's permission! We won't be afraid to bring it up to the Great Councilman either!" Li Kuang pointed at Mo Fan and snarled, like he had just been slapped in the face.
To think that someone like him had broken into a renowned clan's courtyard! It would be a disgrace if they allowed Mo Fan to leave in one piece.
"The fact that I'm here means your petty tricks simply aren't a threat to me!" Mo Fan continued forward while glaring at Li Kuang.
Li Kuang was startled by Mo Fan's Aura. He did not expect the young man's cultivation to be so strong!
"Do you really think our clan has no one else? Go, I'll make whoever kills him an honorable elder!" Li Kuang told his men.
There were some experts among the henchmen, but they were not even comparable to Mo Fan's little finger. There were also one or two Super Mages watching over the clan, but they would not make their moves recklessly before understanding what was going on. A battle between Super Mages was not playing house. The whole clan would be caught up in it!
"Calm down, calm down, master, please calm down first. Let me ask him why he's here first..." Li Dong noticed the tension between both sides. He knew starting a fight now would not bring any benefits to either side.
Li Dong did not wait for Li Kuang's response. He quickly ran up to Mo Fan with a smile.
Mo Fan glanced at the opportunist. His face was not friendly in the slightest.
"Brother Mo Fan, even though there were some conflicts between us, it's only because we are on different sides. However, there's no reason for you to break into our territory today. We still have the elderly and some young children with us. Even if you want to settle the dispute between us, we should find another place and time to do so… That being said, we don't have to go so far. There must be some sort of misunderstanding. Can you please put out your flames and withdraw your lightning first. There's nothing we can't settle peacefully!" Li Dong said.
"Go ahead and ask Li Kai what he did!" Mo Fan said impatiently.
Li Dong knew Li Kai was the reason why Mo Fan was here. He quickly helped Li Kai up and gave him a probing look. "I've witnessed this Mo Fan's strength in person. We'll need a few Super Mages just to stop him. You should bear with him and tell us everything. Otherwise, this madman might actually kill you on the spot and leave right away. We won't be able to stop him."
"I...I didn't do it!" Li Kai protested as he struggled to his feet. He no longer dared to act arrogantly after he was beaten up, and started spilling the beans. "I admit that I wasn't paying attention to Mu Bai's back when we were defending the Xingling Route. A sea monster ended up ambushing him from behind, but I wasn't the one who killed him. I didn't kill him. I was just jealous of him, but there's no way I would dare to kill him in the middle of an operation!"
"You killed Mu Bai? The Chief of the South Wing Platoon?!" Li Dong blurted out.
"No, I didn't do it! He was only injured because of my carelessness. He did say he was fine, but he suddenly disappeared after that. The South Wing Platoon has been looking for him in Xiamen ever since, but we just couldn't find him… you have to believe me, I didn't set him up!" Li Kai was seriously afraid. He finally recalled that this Mo Fan was someone who would do anything just to get his revenge!
Chapter 1934 - Targeted
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"Li Kai, tell me the exact details of what happened. Our Dali Clan is strict when it comes to serving justice, too. If you really killed the Chief of the South Wing Platoon out of jealousy, we won't forgive your wrongdoings," Li Dong stated grimly.
"I really didn't kill him! We were short on numbers when so many Viscera Hunters showed up! Besides, Bai Hongfei of Fanxue Mountain was with me all the time. He can bear witness for me. I didn't kill him!" Li Kai blurted out in a panic.
"I want more details!" Mo Fan exclaimed.
"The Viscera Hunters ambushed us all of a sudden. The Chief quickly asked us to split into two groups on each side of the highway. I saw a Viscera Hunter approaching the chief, but I wasn't sure what it was. I assumed the Chief would notice it considering his strength, so I just focused on the enemy in front of me. To everyone's surprise, his back was injured. When I went over to help, he had already killed the Viscera Hunter. He told me it was nothing serious, and Bai Hongfei stayed close to me thereafter. I didn't even have a chance to do anything to him. Besides, aren't they still looking for him? Perhaps he's not dead yet!" Li Kai exclaimed quickly.
