As Bai Ling’s magic attack unfolded, the great man in red, caught precisely in the center of the assault, instantly sensed danger. A dazzling burst of crimson light erupted around his body, tightly enveloping him.

Following this, the man in red lunged violently to the side. Yet, although his speed was great, Bai Ling’s magic was faster. Having hastily thrown up a protective layer of Dou Qi, the man in red still failed to escape the range of Bai Ling’s spell and was promptly frozen solid by her magic.

One must remember that this man in red was, after all, a God-level powerhouse. He clearly had not anticipated that a mere Saint Magister like Bai Ling could unleash such potent magic. Furthermore, Bai Ling’s casting speed vastly exceeded his estimations. After all, she wasn't a Magic God; deploying a Forbidden Curse still required some time. He never imagined that Bai Ling’s casting speed was nearly on par with that of a Magic God.

Consequently, although the man in red had noticed Bai Ling initiating the spell from the very beginning, he hadn't paid it any mind. Only when he realized the magic’s power surpassed his projections did he react, but by then it was too late to flee; he was caught square in the magical trap.

After this brief clash, the man in red had first suffered a minor setback from a sneak attack by Mo Han—who possessed only Sword Saint strength—wielding the Holy Sword of Light. Now, he was frozen by a mage of only Saint Magister rank. To the man in red, this was

an absolute humiliation, explaining the sheer rage contorting his features.

However, while Bai Ling’s magic had successfully encased the man in red, it simultaneously blocked Mo Han from seizing any chance for a follow-up strike. Mo Han paused awkwardly, unsure of his next move.

“Hurry and search for Jack’s whereabouts.”

Bai Ling urged urgently from the side, “I can hold him here, but not for too long. While this magic can injure him, it certainly won't kill him. Things are likely to get even more dangerous ahead. Find Jack, and then we can figure out how to escape.”

Mo Han knew Bai Ling’s suggestion was the best plan they could conceive right now. With that thought, he didn't hesitate, charging toward the valley behind the man in red.

The man in red, trapped within the crystalline ice, showed no sign of panic upon seeing Mo Han rush toward his stronghold. Instead, a hint of sinister satisfaction flickered across his face. Mo Han, having departed,

naturally missed this expression, but Bai Ling did not.

Seeing that look, a sudden, intense wave of unease washed over Bai Ling. With her sharp intellect,

she vaguely suspected that the man in red remained so calm and untroubled for only one of two reasons.

One possibility was that within the palace, some other formidable power remained to stop Mo Han.

But Bai Ling knew that for a force to Mo Han, now elevated to the strength of a Magic God, that force would have to be at least God-level. God-level experts were exceedingly rare across the continent. Moreover, creatures like the Divine Beasts residing where the man in red did, despite possessing God-level might, retained an inherent animalistic trait: an absolute intolerance for any other strong power existing alongside them. Thus, the probability of this first scenario was almost negligible.

The other outcome was that Latin and the others had already met with disaster, rendering Mo Han’s entry useless for any rescue. This explained the man in red’s composure, and Bai Ling already felt the second possibility was highly likely. Though unwilling to accept this conclusion, a wave of sorrow still gripped her.

Just then, a faint sound of cracking ice emanated from the gigantic crystal encasing the man in red. Startled, Bai Ling snapped back to attention. A half-meter-long fissure had appeared precisely at the center of the massive ice structure, and the crack was visibly widening.

Immediately following this, several more sounds of fracturing ice echoed, and new fissures sprouted around the first one, expanding rapidly. At this rate, the ice would soon fail, releasing the man in red.

Seeing this, Bai Ling was utterly astonished. By her estimation, her spell should have at least kept him restrained for a significant period, even if it failed to gravely wound him. Yet, after such a short time, her magic was already beginning to succumb to the counter-force, showing signs of failure.

Despite her surprise, Bai Ling showed no hesitation, pouring her magical power ceaselessly into the ice structure to buy more time. With the support of her magic, the cracks slowed their expansion but stubbornly continued to grow, accompanied by persistent cracking sounds from within the ice.

This continued for a good while until Bai Ling’s face turned visibly pale—a clear sign of massive magical depletion. Finally, with a deafening BOOM, the entire massive ice block shattered into countless fragments, scattering violently in all directions. These shards, imbued with the man in red’s Dou Qi power, struck the surrounding ground like cannonballs, causing loud impacts.

After the flurry of destruction, the nearby black trees were deeply scarred, testament to the immense power contained within the ice fragments. Bai Ling, shielded by her magical barrier, suffered no physical harm, but her complexion was frightfully ashen, indicative of extreme magical exhaustion.

For a Saint Magister to successfully imprison a peak God-level expert for a full quarter of an hour was a result shocking enough to potentially overturn the widely accepted, vast gulf in power between Saint-level and God-level fighters. Even though she was defeated now, this achievement alone was cause for immense pride.

“Little girl, you are far stronger than I imagined.”

The man in red stared at the pale-faced Bai Ling, speaking with surprise. “Fortunately, you haven't reached the realm of a Magic God; otherwise, even I would have to treat you with extreme caution. Holding me for that long is enough to make me take you seriously, even if you are only a Saint Magister.”

As he spoke, the man in red allowed undiluted killing intent to emanate from his eyes, a stark contrast to his earlier lustful demeanor.

This shift occurred because Bai Ling’s strength had registered as a genuine threat to him. Previously, her rank as a Saint Magister made her insignificant in his eyes, which allowed his wicked thoughts to surface upon seeing her beauty. But after witnessing her true power, the man in red understood that with her astonishing control over magic,

it would be only a matter of time before Bai Ling crossed the threshold into the God realm. A God-level Bai Ling, he realized, could absolutely threaten his life.

Although he reasoned that a newly ascended God-level expert wouldn't surpass his own established strength, the man in red trusted his years of instinct,

which warned him of Bai Ling’s potential danger, even if his intuition couldn't explain why.

This is why, once she displayed her true ability, the impulse to kill solidified. The feud with Bai Ling and her companions was sealed today, and despite his lust, the man in red refused to leave a ticking time bomb near him.

Simultaneously, Bai Ling recognized the fatal intent in his gaze, yet felt utterly helpless. She had nearly expended three-quarters of her magical reserves to confront him earlier. Now, she was almost empty. Even at full strength, she was no match for the man in red; in her current, exhausted state, the situation was hopeless.

With no news from Mo Han, Bai Ling's anxiety intensified. She wondered what exactly was holding him back, realizing she could only rely on herself now—the question was how long she could last.

A bitter smile touched her lips as she considered this. Suddenly, she felt a strange surge of power fluctuating from the space ring on her finger. Her eyes lit up; how could she have forgotten? Before leaving, Mo Han had secretly pressed his own space ring into her hand for her safety.

Within Mo Han’s ring resided a Half-Divine Beast, Dick, whom they had subdued only after immense effort. Dick, immune to all Dou Qi, was a crucial asset. Previously, it had taken Mo Han’s combined, ferocious application of both magic and Dou Qi to even stand a chance against him.

Now, facing a clearly warrior-type God-level expert, Dick’s Dou Qi immunity, coupled with her own support, would significantly boost her power. While she still couldn't defeat him outright, she might buy enough time for Mo Han to return.

After all, Dick was only a Half-Divine Beast and stood no chance against a true Divine Beast; otherwise, Dick wouldn't have hidden away in the White Mist Forest for so long until he encountered Mo Han and the others.

With renewed resolve, Bai Ling recited the incantation. A flash of golden light appeared before her, and when it subsided, a round, adorable little grub materialized—the Half-Divine Beast, Dick.

The man in red frowned upon seeing Dick appear, murmuring suspiciously, “What kind of monster is this? I’ve never seen one before.”

“I am not a monster; I am Dick!”

Insulted by being called a monster, Dick immediately retorted, having entirely forgotten the terror he once felt toward Divine Beasts.

Seeing Dick speak human words, the man in red seemed to grasp something. Drawing on his vast experience, he guessed Dick’s identity, stating with surprise, “There are creatures that can speak without reaching the God level? You must be one of those legendary mutated Half-Divine Beasts who devoured the core of a Divine Beast’s mirror.”

He then abruptly shifted his tone, mocking Bai Ling. “What, are you trying to defeat me relying on this strange bug? Truly wishful thinking. Ha… ha… ha…”

“Whether I can defeat you, you’ll know soon enough,” Bai Ling responded coolly, completely unmoved by his mockery. She quickly cast several supportive spells onto Dick. The man in red merely watched coldly, making no move to intervene, convinced that no matter how powerful a Half-Divine Beast was, it couldn't possibly be his match.

It was like a rabbit attempting to defeat a lion—an absolute impossibility. Thus, the man in red merely displayed a trace of disdain in his eyes, paying no heed to Dick, and coldly stated, “In a moment, I will show you how weak a Half-Divine Beast is before a true Divine Beast. Feel free to help him.”

Hearing this, Bai Ling ignored him. Once all supportive magic was layered onto Dick, she spoke slowly, “I hope you won’t be as pathetic as you were the last two times.”

At Bai Ling’s words, the man in red’s expression instantly darkened. Having been bested first by Mo Han and then by Bai Ling had already severely wounded his pride. Bai Ling dredging up the past now stung his self-esteem further. Without another word, he roared and lunged toward Bai Ling, abandoning all pretense of composure.

He leaped forward.