Austin stared blankly at the collapsing palace, silent for a moment, before saying, “I think we should hurry up and collect the energy crystals piled on the ground. Let’s move on.”
While energy crystals were single-use items, they shouldn't be completely depleted by providing power for such a small magic array. Collecting them was naturally for reuse.
If the most peculiar warriors on the continent were hermits, then the most mysterious mages were probably the Channeling Mages! These mages differed from Divination Mages; they often exhibited extraordinary special abilities, such as speaking with plants or causing stones to move inexplicably on their own…
In short, they could utilize everything around them and commune with it spiritually.
Their ranking was no different from ordinary mages; the higher the rank, the greater their channeling ability and the more powerful their strength.
The tracking magic Rodriguez was using could only be considered a relatively simple form of Channeling Magic.
However, Channeling Mages were exceedingly rare; the entire Finlay Empire boasted only two.
Seeing the two walk further away, Chen Feng leaped out, using the shadows of the broken walls to quietly follow them.
After casting the array three times consecutively, Rodriguez finally led them out of the ruins.
Beyond the ruins lay a level lake, spanning four to five hundred meters, bottomless, emitting wisps of cold air!
“It looks like it should be at the bottom of this lake!” Rodriguez stated.
“The bottom of the lake?” Austin sounded genuinely surprised.
Rodriguez elaborated, “This Qilin is of the Profound Ice attribute and naturally favors water. If I’m not mistaken, it must have been born in this lake, so the Qilin Jade that grew with it should also be down there.”
“A Qilin born in water?” Austin inquired.
Rodriguez nodded. “Perhaps there is another world beneath the lake. Let’s go look!”
With that, Rodriguez chanted a few low incantations, shook his staff, and a vibrant green shield instantly enveloped both of them!
Then, the two leaped in.
Just as Chen Feng was about to follow, a sudden turn of events forced him to retreat back to his hiding spot.
A massive explosion—BOOM—erupted from the lake surface, throwing Rodriguez and Austin backward. Their magic shields had shattered, and both were soaked, looking utterly wretched.
Austin shivered uncontrollably, seemingly frozen to the bone!
Yet, Rodriguez didn't fare much better. His earlier composure and calm had vanished, replaced by a look of sheer panic and astonishment.
“This is bad… Let’s go!”
But when Rodriguez and Austin tried to stand, they found themselves immobilized, as if shackled by some enchantment!
Rodriguez stammered, “Seventh-level spell… Imprisonment!”
Before his words fully faded, the waters in the middle of the deep lake began to churn violently, and abruptly, a massive platform emerged from the depths!
The platform was seventy or eighty meters wide and long, smooth as a mirror, and chilling to the bone—it was made entirely of profound ice!
Thick vapor swirled around it, rising in a dense fog, making the icy platform look like a celestial palace from a distance.
“I didn’t expect that without my power maintaining it, all sorts of miscellaneous things would creep in!” A cold, utterly eerie voice drifted down from the ice platform.
“With only that little bit of ability, you dare to boast in front of me! I didn’t realize your talent for posturing was this top-tier!” A somewhat roguish, mocking voice retorted.
Chen Feng cautiously peered out from his cover; two figures were seated on the enormous ice platform!
They faced each other, separated by twenty or thirty meters. The one on the left was clad in brilliant crimson robes, while the one on the right wore a black robe; both appeared to be around twenty years old.
The crimson-robed figure, with a cold demeanor, ignored the preceding comment and spoke, “I truly did not expect your Dragon Clan to produce a brute like you! Capable of fighting me for six days and six nights!”
“Dragon Clan?” Chen Feng, Rodriguez, and Austin all jolted at the word!
If the black-robed figure was from the Dragon Clan, the identity of the crimson-robed man was immediately apparent! Who else but one of the Four Great Divine Beasts could battle a Dragon Clan member for six days and six nights?
Since all three were currently in the Nine Nether Canyon—the Qilin’s domain—the crimson-robed figure could only be the Qilin itself.
“If it weren’t for relying on this canyon, you’d have been dead long ago!” the black-robed figure sneered dismissively.
The crimson-robed man’s cold face flushed slightly—a rare sight. “Hmph! I modified this entire place. Relying on favorable terrain still proves my strength!”
The black-robed man scoffed, “Damn it, I’ve always heard from the elders that you dogs are shameless! Seeing you today, you’re even worse than I imagined!”
“You…” The crimson-robed man’s face darkened. After a moment, he spat out fiercely, “Hmph! If you took a direct hit from my innate combat skill, you probably wouldn't have much time left either, yet you still cling to petty verbal victories!”
The black-robed man smiled nonchalantly. “Heh heh, if I die, so be it. What’s the big deal? If it means welcoming the return of the Dragon God, I wouldn't mind dying ten or eight times! Besides, you were hit by my innate magic too; your injuries are far more severe than mine. It’s still uncertain if you’ll make it through today!”
The crimson-robed man insisted, “I’ve told you! I don’t know who your Dragon God is, nor do I know his whereabouts!”
“You don’t know?” The black-robed man scoffed. “Then tell me, where did you get the magic core from that Iron-Backed Silver Tiger in your dog den?”
ps: I had a terrible headache yesterday, likely due to a worsening cold. After seeing the doctor, it was almost 11 PM. I rushed back to write a chapter, damn, past 1 AM. Please show some pity and throw me a recommendation ticket~~~~