Chapter 112: Glory
Chapter 112: Glory
The door opened, and a tall, upright figure stepped out slowly.
An Elemental Tide swirled around him, his breaths surged like a dragon, and his demeanor was deep and lofty. Li Yi swept his gaze around, an air of natural authority rising unbidden.
The aura of a Spell Apprentice rolled like a tide, intertwined with a faint, almost imperceptible Dragon’s Aura around him, coalescing into a solitary, towering pressure.
“Zhangsun, it’s been a long time…” His gaze first landed on Zhangsun Shenji with clear delight, then shifted to Yu Qian. “Yu Qian, it’s been a long time.”
Two greetings of “it’s been a long time,” yet their tones were worlds apart.
“Spell Apprentice?” Yu Qian narrowed his eyes.
“Correct.” Li Yi’s eyes were like torches, sharp glints flashing within. “That burst of Mana just now, was that your little ‘gift’? I’m truly… grateful!”
“Don’t mention it!” Yu Qian’s tone was meaningful as he said calmly, “I apologize for not being of more help…”
“You helped immensely!” Li Yi gave a cold laugh and took a step forward, until his face was almost pressed against the other’s. “Yu Qian, back during the Martial Display, I was looking forward to fighting you very much. I was disappointed for a long time that it never happened… Why wait for another day? Now, we are both Lower-Rank Spell Disciples. How about a duel?”
The last four words boomed like thunder, overbearing and unmatched!
“Are you challenging me?” Yu Qian felt absurdity, and also the anger of being looked down upon.
He just advanced, his Magic Vortex not yet stable, his Inner Demon not yet settled, and he dares to hastily challenge me?
He doesn’t take Yu Qian seriously at all!
“Li Yi, what are you doing?” Zhangsun Shenji gave a meaningful look and whispered, “Wait until your realm is stable. There will be plenty of opportunities later, no need to rush now…”
“Don’t worry.” Li Yi gave a determined smile and said softly, “I intend to use the fight with him to subdue my Inner Demon!”
A calm smile was on his face, but in his heart, fury raged.
If not for sheer luck, he likely would have already had his Magic Vortex explode and become a cripple. Even now, lingering fear remained.
He was just an ordinary person, without the broadmindedness to wait for revenge for ten years.
“As you wish!” Yu Qian sneered.
…
The Glory Battle Stage.
Private duels were strictly forbidden at Dawn Cliff. For Mages to spar, both parties’ consent was needed, along with each paying a hefty sum of Magic Crystals, before a duel to determine victory under an overseeing Mage’s supervision.
Interestingly, Li Yi was penniless; it was Zhangsun Shenji who paid for him.
Both parties stood in place, their gazes colliding, sparks flying.
“You will regret this!” Yu Qian grinned fiercely.
“I never regret anything!” The corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk as Li Yi wore a defiant expression.
“Fool!”
No longer wasting words, Yu Qian stretched out his arms, his five fingers dancing like graceful butterflies. His Magic Ring shone with myriad rays of light as violent Mana surged, creating an earth-shaking, tumultuous, and boiling momentum!
He intended to kill his foe with one strike.
Otherwise, how could it reflect his own strength?
“Winding Stream with Floating Cups!”
With an angry shout, a long, winding, emerald-green river appeared, swirling and curving around him with nine bends and eighteen turns. Torrents roared and gleamed. With each bend, the current grew fiercer, the aura stronger, and deep Arcane Energy gathered bit by bit.
Soon, a violent Arcane Energy condensed into the shape of a wine cup, with a hint of Annihilation aura misting within it!
“Go!”
Grinning fiercely, Yu Qian pointed a finger forward. That noisy, tumultuous current, carrying the sound of furious water, surged forth.
A silver, jade-like ribbon soared through the air. It did not charge straight ahead but curved and twisted a hundred times. With each spiral, the Annihilation contained within the cup grew more dazzling and profound, as if it could shatter the Void itself!
— “Winding Stream with Floating Cups,” this secret technique, was Imperial Rank, upper grade.
It was one grade higher than Li Yi’s strongest method—”Thunderclap Strike.”
With Yu Qian’s cultivation, he still needed the aid of a Magic Ring to barely manage to cast it, and its Mana consumption was enormous.
“Wall of Stone!”
With a solemn expression, Li Yi raised his palm, his Magic Gesture meticulous. A tall, dark, mountain-like wall of stone rose from the ground.
The river wound its way, huge waves scoured against it, and one wine cup shattered. The wall of stone crumbled instantly!
His eyes sharpened. With the Thousandfold Strategy flickering at his feet, Li Yi’s figure rapidly retreated. Cold air surged between his fingers as he cast another spell!
“Frost-Condensed Snowball!”
An aura of frost swirled as a roaring snowball shot through the air, smashing head-on.
Snowflakes splattered, cold air surged, and the water flow froze. But merely moments later, another wine cup shattered. The tide-like Arcane Energy smashed the ice to pieces!
“Whip of Thunder!”
Shouting, he formed a grasping motion with his hand. Lightning took the shape of a whip, trails of electricity streaming as he swung it heavily!
A collision erupted with boiling electric light. The thunder whip disintegrated, and the emerald-green river wound its way forward.
“This secret technique can actually condense a small amount of Annihilation aura. Truly fearsome!”
With a deep expression, a sharp gleam flashed in Li Yi’s eyes as he thought rapidly.
Annihilation was one type of spell effect. Simply put, its effect was to destroy spells.
Li Yi had once used his Bloodline Ability—”Bearing the Stele”—to gather power over a long time and condense a wisp of Annihilation aura, even startling several elders.
Yet the “Annihilation” effect within this secret technique was even more potent!
“I can only rely on spells to wear down its effect!”
Li Yi’s eyes moved. He retreated several steps in succession, formed a claw with his palm, and gathered the swirling Elemental Tide, his aura flourishing.
“Corrosive Ghoultouch!”
“Ray of Enfeeblement!”
“Chain of Flames!”
Three spells were cast in quick succession. Again and again they collided, finally completely neutralizing this secret technique.
“Monsters! These two are simply…”
The overseeing Mage wore a complex expression, stunned and dumbfounded.
To prevent accidents, the overseeing Mage’s cultivation had to be two levels higher than the combatants’. In other words, this overseeing Mage was a Lower Mage.
From his perspective, this should have been another dull exchange. He hadn’t expected it to be so thrilling!
That youth named Yu Qian, his secret technique, its power was downright terrifying.
And that Li Yi, although he hadn’t used any secret technique, was similarly full of mystery!
One needed to know that due to reasons like bone structure, bloodline, and Magic Vortex, every Mage always had strengths and weaknesses. For example, Yu Qian was powerful in water-element spells, so earth-element was surely his weakness. But that Li Yi had cast a full six different elemental spells, and every spell had reached an excellent standard, flawless!
Moreover, after casting six spells in a row, he still looked calm. His Mana was simply as deep as the sea.
However, this overseeing Mage didn’t know that Li Yi wasn’t exceptionally rich in Mana; rather, each spell he cast consumed far less Mana than those of Mages of the same level.
“The Soft-Shelled Turtle is both ‘origin’ and ‘completeness’! Its meaning is — perfect harmony!” His Magic Vortex expanded and contracted like a heartbeat. Li Yi slowed his breathing, quietly comprehending the Mana within his body. “The Great Soft-Shelled Turtle Aura’s attribute is ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘perfect harmony.’ It does not reject any element, smooth and unimpeded, without flaw.”
“Yu Qian, my turn now!”
With a determined smile, the Wind-Walking Boots shone faintly. Li Yi took a flying step and threw a roaring punch, smashing it out hard.
The Stone Fist Gauntlets shimmered.
“The Great Soft-Shelled Turtle Aura, while inclusive, is too non-confrontational, lacking a sharp edge!” Li Yi felt a bit of regret inwardly. “If these Stone Fist Gauntlets were powered by Dragon-Turtle Qi, it would cost more Mana, but the power would also be more vast and formidable.”
With just a thought, the Mana on his fist transformed from a pale greenish-blue to a milky white!
White light rose. The soul of a great mountain condensed on his fist. Patterns of mountain ridges flowed over the backs of his fingers, and faint roars of a dragon-turtle echoed, howling and gusting!
The profound power emanating from it caused Yu Qian’s expression to change drastically.
“Water Wall!” He barked sharply. Water surged, forming a curtain-like wall before him.
Boom!
In a muffled sound, tremendous force erupted. Yu Qian’s body was sent flying like a kite with its string cut.
It was the “Impact” effect of the Stone Fist Gauntlets!
Li Yi’s eyes moved. He flicked his fingers lightly. The aura in his palm flowed and shifted. That pale greenish-blue Soft-Shelled Turtle Qi first turned to pitch black, then transformed into milky white, changing endlessly.
“So that’s it!”
Li Yi finally understood the meaning of the images of the Ancient Alligator and the Dragon Turtle on the Great Soft-Shelled Turtle’s shell patterns.
“The Great Soft-Shelled Turtle, it encompasses all things, but can also transform into all forms! The Mana refined by the Great Soft-Shelled Turtle Aura can then be derived into their shapes!”
In this way, he could not only use Great Soft-Shelled Turtle Aura, but also wield Dragon-Turtle Qi and Ancient Alligator Qi.
The Great Soft-Shelled Turtle Aura was harmonious and without a sharp edge, an extremely strong attribute.
However, the Dragon-Turtle’s “heaviness” and “hardness,” and the Ancient Alligator’s “gluttony” and “fierceness” also had great uses.
“Earth Binding Spell!”
Having thought it through, Li Yi smiled faintly. The Mana in his palm turned milky white. Surging earth elements rose from the ground!
“What? An Earth Binding Spell, how can it have such power?”
Yu Qian trembled. His face changed dramatically. This Earth Binding Spell seemed as heavy as a mountain, its power unfathomable!
“Damn it!”
Unable to break free, Yu Qian roared in anger and simply opted to attack as a form of defense!
“Winding Stream with Floating Cups!”
Before his voice faded, a winding river once again gathered with fierce power.
“You have a secret technique, but do you think I don’t?”