The opponent's double disappearance, coupled with the loss of two of their own men, meant they must be hiding somewhere for another ambush!

Bill immediately slowed his pace, carefully allowing his mental perception to expand. The woods ahead were somber, devoid of life, and seemed chillingly unpredictable beneath the heavy, overcast sky.

"No one?"

After several more fruitless attempts, a knot of dread began to tighten in Bill's stomach. How could a Second-Tier Fighter evade the mental probing of a Fourth-Tier peak Magician?

The minimum requirement to evade one's mental search was to possess a higher cultivation level, or superior mental acuity! A Fighter having greater mental strength than a Magician? Impossible! Especially when the opponent was just a fourteen-year-old boy!

With extreme caution, he drew a Second-Tier Magic Scroll from his robes. This scroll was his greatest reliance; he had paid a considerable sum for it from the Borr family, another magic lineage in Dragon Mountain Town. It sealed a Second-Tier Fire spell—Sea of Fire!

The moment the scroll’s seal was broken, a wall of flame would instantly erupt around the caster. This was an area-of-effect spell, not highly effective against Fighters above Seventh Tier, but it was more than sufficient for a Second-Tier opponent.

Bill entered the woods step by step, the scroll held tight in his left hand, his magic staff raised in the right.

The first things to meet his gaze were sharp, piercing thorns. These things covered the entire forest floor, rendering entry impossible.

But this obstacle meant little to a Fourth-Tier peak Magician. A flash of light sparked from his staff, and earth-yellow luminescence instantly flowed over the thicket, carving out a narrow path through the thorns.

Walking the freshly made path, Bill’s mind was hyper-focused, daring not to relax for an instant. The opponent’s composure and cunning had already earned his respect—the respect owed to a true adversary! In terrain this treacherous, one misstep meant his own demise.

“Whoosh…” A rapid sound of movement came from not far to his left.

Bill’s body spun abruptly to the left, his staff pointing forward, causing a magic shield to immediately form before him.

This shield only protected the front; a spell capable of shielding the entire body from harm would need to be at least Third Tier—Earth's Aegis! Bill was merely at the peak of a Fourth-Tier formal Magician, barely capable of producing weak pseudo-Second Tier spells, let alone Third Tier. Thus, he had to rely on this First-Tier spell, which only guarded his front, to alleviate the pressure building within him.

A flock of unknown sparrows fluttered upward into the gloomy sky; the previous sound had originated from them.

A false alarm. Just as Bill prepared to breathe a sigh of relief, a sudden realization struck him, causing his face to instantly turn ashen. He spun rapidly backward while simultaneously bending low.

"No one?"

Bill finally completed his turn, only to find the area behind him vast and empty, with not a single figure in sight. Huang Banyia and Guangtou had been killed by utilizing distractions to create a single, instantaneous strike. His attention had just been diverted by the sound of birds—that should have been the opponent's optimal window for attack. Yet, why hadn't they struck?

Could it be that his sudden awareness of the opportunity made the opponent realize a killing blow wasn't guaranteed, causing them to retreat? If so, this opponent was terrifyingly skilled!

Cold sweat began to trickle down his neck, soaking the wide fabric of his magic robe. The thought of an assassin lurking in the darkness, ready to plunge a blade into his throat at any moment, was dreadful!

"Crack." A faint sound seemed to come from behind him again!

Bill spun around instantly, eyes wide open, but again saw nothing unusual.

"Show yourself!" Bill could no longer bear the pressure and yelled wildly at his surroundings.

"Boom…"

Just then, the cloud-covered sky seemed unable to contain the tension and erupted with a deafening clap of thunder. The sudden noise made Bill’s ears ring painfully. In that split second of terror, a faint grey silhouette flashed past his eyes…

…………

Chen Feng clung to a tree branch, rigid with stillness. The meager vortex of energy in his Dantian was the result of his most recent absorption; truthfully, his current condition was entirely unsuitable for combat—a long sleep was what he needed most.

However, the figure pursuing him entered the woods less than a minute after he had climbed the tree, instantly leveling the thorns on the ground to carve out a path. Magicians are indeed powerful! Their technique is masterful!

Chen Feng felt cold sweat bead on his palms. His success in killing the other two men earlier must have been pure luck. Never mind initiating an offensive spell; even enduring several of the path-clearing spells this man cast might break his body.

He had to be cautious, exceedingly cautious, this time!

As he rapidly formulated a plan for a sniper attack against this powerful Magician, the man below did something that utterly shocked him. He began roaring madly, constantly turning, as if an unseen shadow were stalking him from behind.

What is wrong with this guy?

Then he heard the man’s frantic cries: "Come out, come out!"

Did he spot me? Chen Feng’s heart lurched, but he quickly realized the truth: the Magician was terrified of an ambush and was cracking under the pressure!

A perfect opportunity!

A surge of joy flooded Chen Feng. His previously numb limbs seemed to refill with strength. His eyes fixed on the frantic Magician diagonally below him, his legs coiled like drawn bowstrings, ready to spring.

A clap of thunder sounded directly overhead. Chen Feng pushed off his perch, instantly dropping down like an arrow.

…………

Seeing the figure appear before him, Bill actually broke into a smile.

His earlier shouting and frantic behavior were actually intended to give the opponent a false impression: that Bill was losing control and verging on madness! This tactic was feigning weakness!

The enemy’s ability to silently kill his two comrades demonstrated a level of endurance beyond ordinary comprehension. If Bill rushed in recklessly now, wouldn't he simply be killed? After all, the opponent was hidden while he was exposed—as the saying goes, a well-aimed arrow is harder to dodge than an open spear. Unless he could force the enemy into the open, killing him was impossible!

In truth, Bill had smelled the opponent’s scent the moment he entered the woods, immediately identifying his hiding spot. The reason he hadn't attacked right away was the fear that the agile opponent would escape. Recalling the enemy’s strange movements, Bill felt a chill; if the first strike failed and the opponent fled again, the consequences would be endless!

Now, the opponent had finally sprung out at the exact moment the thunder cracked, falling right into Bill’s meticulously laid trap!

…………

As Chen Feng descended, his right hand extended steadily toward the opponent's exposed, pale throat, holding a sharp thorn.

Suddenly, an earth-yellow light flared before his eyes, and his body stiffened with an invisible rigidity.

First-Tier Spell: Earth Wall of Restraint!

Chen Feng had seen Gu Bo use this spell to immobilize Filia, so he was instantly alert the moment the magic touched him!

"Damn, I've been tricked," Chen Feng thought, trying to break the restraint, when a sea of fire suddenly ignited before him!

Bill had ripped open the Second-Tier Fire Spell Scroll—Sea of Fire!

Chen Feng, bound and unable to even cry out, was instantly engulfed in the roaring flames!

ps: Readers, please send some tickets to comfort Old Ya; only about a hundred recommendations, it's too desolate!!