As soon as Moco finished speaking, the magical attacks descended precisely over the Aoyue Empire's main encampment. Then, a burst of yellow light illuminated the area above the camp. When the magical assaults struck this yellow light, it was as if they were merely scratching an itch; they had absolutely no effect. The yellow light shield stood firm and motionless, utterly undisturbed.

Seeing this, Gamaki finally breathed a profound sigh of relief. It seemed the enemy mages posed no real threat to him. As long as the mage issue was resolved, Gamaki was confident he could hold out for a few more days, hoping to last until the Imperial reinforcements arrived, at which point the counterattack would begin.

The mages of the Huoyun Empire in the sky were astonished that their attacks were so easily repelled by the opposing magical barrier. Although their first assault was largely a probing move, witnessing the barrier remain utterly steady under their combined magical force made it clear to these mages that this shield would not be easily breached—the odds of success were slim.

But being mages of the Huoyun Empire, even knowing the chances were slim, they dutifully began casting their next spells. This time, the incantation time was noticeably longer than before, indicating that these Huoyun Empire mages were deciding to unleash their ultimate skills.

They commenced casting those high-level spells.

Finally, the Huoyun Empire mages concluded their incantations. The range of this magical attack was distinctly smaller than the previous one, but the magical radiance seemed much brighter, hinting at formidable power. Moco, observing this, permitted himself a slight smirk before speaking, "You're finally catching on, but trying to shatter my barrier with those pathetic spells? You're still worlds away."

The outcome unfolded exactly as Moco predicted. When the advanced magic struck the barrier, it merely shuddered a few more times than before, then instantly returned to normal, showing no sign of fracture. Witnessing this, the Huoyun mages grew disheartened. They now understood that their current abilities were insufficient to break the enemy's magical defenses.

"It seems the one maintaining the barrier has a bit of skill," Mo Han remarked with a smile to Bai Ling beside him on the corner of the battlements.

Mo Han and Bai Ling had cast an invisibility spell long ago and slipped onto the wall to observe the situation undetected. Given their strength, the novice mages of the Huoyun Empire couldn't possibly notice them.

They had also witnessed the Huoyun infantry resorting to a scorched-earth approach against the Aoyue Empire's Black Guard heavy cavalry. Mo Han, however, was deeply shaken by the horrific spectacle. Seeing so many people burned alive brought home the true brutality of war, a reality he still found difficult to process.

In Mo Han's estimation, dealing with the Aoyue Empire's elite cavalry didn't necessarily require such a devastating tactic; it would simply carry a greater risk. But he wasn't the Huoyun commander, so naturally, he wouldn't interfere with their strategy.

Mo Han took the opportunity to ask Bai Ling how she would handle the Black Guard heavy cavalry if she were commanding. Bai Ling's answer left Mo Han speechless.

Her reply was simple: once those brutes reached the center, she'd have a dozen ways to wipe them out. A single Forbidden Spell from her would completely annihilate the charging cavalry; no matter how formidable they were, they couldn't escape the sheer might of a Forbidden Spell. Of course, only a mage as monstrously powerful as Bai Ling could treat casting a Forbidden Spell as routine housekeeping.

Mo Han: "...Never mind, I didn't ask."

Seeing their magical onslaught prove futile, the Huoyun mages reluctantly prepared to fly back the way they came to devise another plan.

Just then, Moco, the court mage who had been standing steadfastly by Gamaki's side, shot into the air. His speed far outpaced the other mages, and he intercepted them within moments.

"What's the hurry, gentlemen? Attacked and ready to leave without even a word?" Moco fixed them with a cold stare, a flicker of disdain crossing his eyes.

Though he merely hovered there casually, the Huoyun mages immediately felt immense pressure radiating from Moco, causing them severe mental discomfort, as if an obstruction was choking the breath from their chests.

The faces of the Huoyun mages instantly changed. They realized that this court mage's power level was leagues beyond their own. With this understanding, the mages exchanged a glance, and then simultaneously began casting spells.

These mages seemed to have collaborated for a long time; their synchronization was excellent. Two mages focused on executing high-level offensive magic, while the other two began harassing Moco, rapidly launching low-power spells like Fireballs, Water Orbs, or Wind Slashes—spells that were quick to cast but weak—to prevent Moco from completing his own incantations.

This coordination among the Huoyun mages was impeccable. While such tactics might prove effective, perhaps even overwhelming, against an unprepared mage, they were nearly useless against a seasoned master like Moco who was already prepared.

Indeed, Moco let out a cold snort, dismissing them with contemptuous words: "Do the mages of your Huoyun Empire only know how to gang up on one?" He clearly disregarded their barrage. Then, a crimson magical barrier instantly materialized before him—one of the few recognized defensive spells in the Fire element: the Flame Aegis. Since Fire magic is inherently ill-suited for defense, this Flame Aegis ranked merely as an intermediate defensive spell, not exceptionally sturdy. However, against low-level spells like Fireballs and Wind Slashes, it was more than sufficient. The incoming spells failed to disrupt Moco; they merely created tiny ripples on the surface of the shield before vanishing without a trace.

Moco, shielded within his flame barrier, rapidly chanted his own spell. Even though he was a Grand Magus, facing four reasonably strong mages simultaneously left no room for carelessness. At that very moment, the two offensive mages opposite him completed their preparations.

A thick water dragon and a gleaming, cross-shaped Wind Blade appeared from thin air, striking toward Moco in quick succession. Just as they moved, Moco finished his own casting. A gigantic fire bird erupted from in front of him, soaring directly toward the oncoming water dragon and wind blade.

The clash of three spells, each of a different element, immediately detonated in several sharp, resounding explosions.

The sky above the battlefield flared brilliantly, and the disparity in power between the sides became starkly evident as the spells collided. The water dragon met the massive fire bird, instantly dissolving into a cloud of white mist that vanished in a blink.

The red light covering the fire bird dimmed considerably after neutralizing the water dragon, and its massive form shrank, but it continued hurtling toward the cross-shaped Wind Blade. The Huoyun mage who cast the Wind Blade was clearly more skilled than his companions. The glittering Wind Blade sliced swiftly through the fire bird's body, and the tremendous power of the fire element was canceled out, causing the blade to vanish. However, the fire bird was immediately rent into several pieces by the Wind Blade and swiftly dissipated into the air.

At first glance, the exchange seemed to be a draw. Yet, the Huoyun mages experienced a collective internal shock. They had used superior numbers, perfect coordination, and the element of surprise, and yet they had only managed to fight Moco to a standstill. Therefore, they understood: this engagement was a loss.

When Moco saw his magic nullified, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Oh, not bad. To manage to break my Fire Bird—it seems you possess some capability. Since that's the case, I won't hold back. I hope you don't disappoint me too much."

"Rest assured, I won't resort to sneak attacks like people from your Huoyun Empire. Bring out all your best tricks; I'm keen to see the true level of the Huoyun Empire's mages." Moco seized the opportunity to mock them further upon seeing the shock on their faces.

Hearing Moco's words, the Huoyun mages were struck with even greater alarm. Judging by his tone, Moco hadn't even exerted his full strength, yet he achieved a draw. If he truly fought seriously, they realized that combined, they wouldn't stand a chance against him.

Under normal circumstances, relying on their comrades' cover, a few of these Huoyun mages might have managed to escape. But they all knew this battle had to be fought, even knowing defeat was likely. Over a hundred thousand eyes were fixed upon them; fleeing now would deliver a catastrophic blow to morale—a cost they absolutely could not bear. The Huoyun mages understood this reality completely.

With this thought, they exchanged glances, finding confirmation in their comrades' eyes. Immediately, the Huoyun mages nodded in unison and began to chant softly. They even skipped the most basic preparatory step for a mage—casting a protective barrier—knowing that a powerful expert like Moco, having given his word not to attack sneakily, would honor it. They had no need to fear his sudden assault.

These Huoyun mages also knew this would be their final magical exchange; victory or defeat hinged on this moment. Without further hesitation, they unleashed their most formidable high-level spells. Instantly, magical elements of various types gathered rapidly around them in the air, each shining with a distinct light.

Moco, despite his outwardly nonchalant demeanor, was far from relaxed internally. He reached into his robe and pulled out a magic scroll, channeling a trace of his power into it. The scroll flashed brightly, followed by a burst of yellow light, and a dirt-yellow Earth element barrier instantly enveloped Moco. This was the Earth element barrier, renowned for its defensive capabilities. This yellow shield appeared identical to the one protecting the Aoyue camp below, merely a miniature version. Given that the larger barrier had shrugged off the Huoyun mages' previous attacks without a tremor, this one was undoubtedly a high-grade Earth defense barrier.

After establishing his defense, Moco began chanting rapidly: "In the name of the Covenant, I summon my Patron Deity—the Flame God King! Oh, sovereign of flame, grant me infinite power, reveal your wrath... Borrowing your world-destroying magic to obliterate my mortal enemy, at this moment, let your rage and mine merge as one, to manifest the ultimate divine power—The Fury of the Fire God!" Moco was casting God of Fire's Wrath, a high-level, Tier Nine Fire offensive spell. Apart from a Tier Ten Forbidden Spell, this was the most devastating spell in the high-level Fire repertoire. Suddenly, a colossal, giant flame figure materialized behind Moco, radiating blinding crimson light.