As this occurred to him, Mo Han grew even more perplexed. When had such a powerful, mysterious faction arisen on the Dragon Ascent Continent? Before their appearance, this shadowy force had never even been whispered about. Furthermore, considering the influence of the Church of Light and its intelligence network spanning the entire continent, it would have been utterly impossible for them not to have detected such a power if it had existed previously. To cultivate such a force while remaining entirely hidden from the Church of Light seemed impossible.

Could this mysterious power have materialized out of thin air? Mo Han mused, perhaps grasping a faint thread of a clue, yet unable to form a conclusion. With a shake of his head, Mo Han cast aside these vexing thoughts, preparing to continue his journey. After today’s commotion, it seemed he wouldn't reach the next city, Ka Yi City, until deep into the night. Still, that was better than sleeping rough in the wilderness. Thinking this, Mo Han quickly cast a Flying Spell upon himself and soared towards Ka Yi City.

Just as he neared Ka Yi City, Mo Han suddenly sensed two intense magical fluctuations emanating from the west of the city: one of Fire elemental magic and the other of Water elemental magic.

Clearly, someone was engaged in a fierce battle using advanced magic. A flicker of interest sparked in Mo Han’s mind, and he veered westward, flying toward the source of the sensation.

Not long after, Mo Han followed the magical trail to the bank of a river on the west side.

He found two figures standing separately on opposite banks of the river, the source of the Fire and Water fluctuations radiating from them. It appeared they were competing in a magical display rather than a duel, as Mo Han observed both men chanting complex incantations for high-level Water and Fire spells. As their chants concluded, streams of Fire and Water magic materialized, immediately engaging one another until the magical energies dissipated.

Then, the two would prepare new spells, resuming their exchange. From the look of it, they were certainly not trying to kill each other.

Moreover, the strength of these two individuals was considerable, and they seemed evenly matched—at least at the level of Archmage. However, due to their near-equal power and the mutually restrictive nature of their elemental magic, neither could overcome the other.

Seeing this, Mo Han guessed that these two elders must be among the continent’s few Archmages. He recalled how Deli had briefed him on the continent’s notable figures and roughly discerned their identities: they were likely Elifer, the Fire Archmage of the Fire Cloud Empire, and Adonis, the Water Archmage of the Kanya Empire.

Finding nothing particularly extraordinary, Mo Han felt a touch of boredom. Although their magical proficiency ranked among the pinnacle experts on the continent, in the eyes of Mo Han, whose own mastery had reached the level of Saint Magus, there was nothing particularly remarkable. He could replicate their feats with ease. Just as Mo Han was about to depart,

his expression suddenly shifted. He hastily cast a spell of concealment, and his entire form vanished without a trace.

Below, the two Archmages seemed to sense something simultaneously, halting their exchange. They quickly moved closer together. Then, Fire Archmage Elifer coldly addressed the distant darkness, "Who goes there? Since you have arrived, why hide your form? Are you afraid of the light?" With that, he abruptly cast a Fireball Spell forward, illuminating the immediate vicinity around them.

As Elifer finished speaking, a chilling voice echoed back, "A joke. Do I need to hide from two clumsy mages like you two?" Following the words, two figures slowly materialized within Elifer and Adonis's sight.

These two middle-aged men were clad as warriors. Both were tall and powerfully built, and their eyes shone with an eerie, faint light in the darkness, sending a shiver down one’s spine. They exuded an innate, dominant aura of power. Upon their appearance, the atmosphere instantly grew heavy. Even masters as formidable as Elifer and Adonis felt a primal fear spreading from their core when facing the might radiating from these two large men.

They exchanged startled glances simultaneously. It was the Water Archmage, Adonis, who spoke next, his voice calm and deeply insightful: "Gentlemen, you are surely not ordinary people? Why visit this place so late at night, and for what purpose?" Hearing this, one of the large men coldly retorted, "Of course, it's for you. Did you think we’d come out this late just to stand here and feel the night breeze? But Yarmann’s intelligence was correct; it seems he didn't lie. You two old men are quite punctual, holding your annual display here by the Andy River. That saves us the trouble of hunting you down everywhere. Considering that, we’ll make sure your deaths are swift later on."

After speaking, the two middle-aged warriors laughed triumphantly, as if Elifer and Adonis were already captured prey. Slaying these two continentally renowned mages would be as simple as crushing an ant to them.

Hearing the arrogant tone of the two men, the more fiery-tempered Elifer’s face darkened. He was about to strike but was stopped by Adonis, who gently shook his head. Elifer forced himself to restrain his anger and hold back, though internally he vowed that no matter who these intruders were, they would pay dearly for insulting him and Adonis.

At this moment, the calm Adonis gracefully addressed the two warriors again: "If I am not mistaken, you two are not Human, are you?" Hearing Adonis’s question, the left-side warrior’s eyes flashed, and he chuckled: "They say Water Archmage Adonis is always composed, calm, and quick-witted. The rumors seem true. Even now, you have the leisure to investigate our species."

The warrior on the right then spoke up smugly: "So what if you guessed right? You won't see tomorrow’s sun anyway. I might as well let you die with a clear mind. Yes, we are certainly not comparable to you lowly humans. As for our identities, I’ll tell you after you’re dead, hehe."

Adonis showed no surprise and continued, "If I am not mistaken, your objective tonight is connected to the great war involving the Heaven Dragon Empire and the two empires of Aoyue and Shuilan?" The left-side warrior displayed a flicker of surprise, though his voice remained cold as he asked, "Oh? How do you know our objective involves this conflict between the three great empires?"

"It’s simple," Adonis explained without haste. "The continental situation is chaotic. Three of the Five Great Empires are at war, while only the Kanya Empire and the Fire Cloud Empire remain officially neutral, though the tension is extremely high. We are the chief Royal Magisters for Kanya and Fire Cloud, respectively. If we were to die now, it would breed mutual suspicion between our empires, potentially even leading them to suspect the other three warring states. You could then easily fabricate evidence, ensuring Kanya and Fire Cloud are dragged into this conflict. Isn't that your purpose for being here?" Hearing Adonis's explanation, the left-side warrior exclaimed in surprise, "It seems you know quite a bit. Then you certainly won't be leaving alive today."

Just then, Adonis spoke with a note of confusion, "There is one matter I cannot fully grasp, which I hope you two can clarify. I suspect your identities are not linked to the Nether Race (). Creating this chaos and weakening human strength benefits the impending Nether Race invasion a year from now, but it doesn't seem to offer you any significant advantage. I don't understand why you would instigate a war among the continent's nations?" The right-side warrior snorted in response: "Nonsense! You humans are always looking at the world from the bottom of a well. You must understand that on the Dragon Ascent Continent, besides the Nether Race, there are many powerful entities you do not know of. Do not measure our intentions with your short-sighted vision."

After saying this, the warrior coldly stated, "We’ve wasted enough time talking. We don't want to waste any more of my breath. Will you kill yourselves, or shall we do it? But don't blame me if I take action—it won't be as comfortable for you then."

Evidently, this warrior had grown impatient with Adonis's stalling tactics and was preparing to attack.

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