Beridanti nodded heavily, then continued, "Two extremely, extremely powerful ones!"

Mercedes couldn't help but laugh out loud. "What's so strange about that? There are plenty of masters in this world!"

She hadn't taken Beridanti's words seriously because she knew that even mountains have mountains beyond them. There were countless formidable figures in the world! Even on this very trip, she had encountered several mages far more skilled than herself. So, the appearance of powerful individuals here was perfectly understandable!

"Sister, it's not what you think!" Beridanti explained.

"Oh? Then tell me what kind of masters they are!" Mercedes smiled faintly. To outsiders, her sister often seemed more mature, but in front of her, that composure completely vanished.

"They are two people who know everything!" Beridanti paused, then added, "Sister, you absolutely cannot imagine how old these two are!"

"Don't tell me they're younger than you!" Mercedes rolled her eyes at Beridanti.

"Sister, you're so smart—they are two children much younger than me!"

"What?" Mercedes was stunned for a moment, then asked, "You aren't joking with your sister, are you?"

"No, I'm truly not joking this time! Sister, once you meet them later, you'll understand why I said that. Oh, and Sister, I even learned a very powerful spell from them!" Beridanti adopted a mysterious look again.

"What kind of spell?" Mercedes asked casually.

"It's a technique that overturns the conventional rules of magic!" Beridanti finished, then stretched one of her arms out straight, saying, "Look, Sister!"

As the words left her lips, her arm was enveloped in wind elements, the high-speed airflow making her limb resemble a sword!

"This... this is?" Mercedes, who hadn't been paying much attention moments before, froze upon seeing this.

As someone deeply dedicated to researching the arcane arts, she instantly recognized the extraordinary nature of this move. Although the magical fluctuation wasn't massive, the destructive power contained within was astonishing, conveying a feeling of absolute impenetrability!

Just as Beridanti had claimed, this truly defied magical convention; no true magic technique had ever been utilized this way, giving the impression of dual cultivation in both magic and martial arts!

But Mercedes knew perfectly well that her sister was a pure mage, and even a dual cultivator couldn't integrate magical elements with themselves so flawlessly. This should have remained a theoretical ideal, yet here Beridanti was manifesting it, leaving Mercedes utterly shocked!

"Sister, how did you learn this technique?" Mercedes asked, forcefully suppressing the excitement rising within her.

At that moment, the blood in her veins began to boil—this was the fervor of magical inquiry.

Originally, she had only intended to glance at Beridanti and leave, as she had numerous research projects demanding her limited spare time. However, after witnessing this single move, she changed her mind. She felt compelled to thoroughly dissect this convention-breaking spell; it could potentially unlock an entirely new domain of magic for her! The mere thought of it made her ecstatic!

Beridanti knew her sister's old obsession had flared up again; once her interest was piqued, she wouldn't let go easily!

"Sister, let’s go to my place first. I'll tell you everything later!" Beridanti suggested. This was a reception hall, far less convenient than her own small courtyard.

When the two arrived at the courtyard, they hadn't even stepped inside before Mercedes began pestering Beridanti to demonstrate the technique once more.

After Beridanti performed it several times, Mercedes gained some insights but still couldn't grasp the underlying principle!

This technique couldn't be learned merely by watching; the key lay in comprehension, which was precisely why Zhong Shenxiu had told Diya and Beridanti to close their eyes earlier! If the level of comprehension wasn't met, watching it a thousand times over would be futile!

"Sister, you can't learn it this way," Mercedes finally couldn't help but ask, feeling utterly baffled. In terms of talent and magical element sensitivity, she was far superior to Beridanti, yet after all this time, she hadn't found a single clue.

Had she been surpassed by Beridanti?

As she was lost in these thoughts, Beridanti explained with a slight smile, "Sister, you won't learn it by studying it like this. I was just like you; I couldn't grasp it either at first!"

"Then how did you finally learn it?" Mercedes inquired, astonished.

"The little boy named Xiao Xiu taught me personally. He gently placed one hand on my forehead, and then I felt an indescribably profound sensation. When I fully woke up, I knew the move," Beridanti murmured.

To be honest, she still found the event incredible! Sometimes she even wondered if the boy was a celestial being descended to earth; otherwise, how could merely a touch enable her to learn such an advanced technique?

"There was such a thing?" Mercedes fell into deep contemplation.

"Sister, I really think you should meet that little boy. He’s also someone who loves to conduct research, and the things he studies are truly..." truly..." Beridanti struggled to find the most fitting adjective, but after racking her brain, she couldn't find one.

"What does he study? Does he only research magic?" Mercedes asked. To be frank, she genuinely enjoyed researching with like-minded individuals; it not only brought her joy but also helped her resolve many problems, which was why she traveled so extensively!

"He doesn't just study magic; he studies everything!" Beridanti recalled a line Robin had once spoken and quoted it.

"He studies everything? Doesn't that consume an enormous amount of energy?"

Mercedes was quite surprised. She dedicated nearly all her spare time just to researching magic; if he studied everything, he'd never get any rest, and likely wouldn't achieve much in the end anyway.

"I don't know about that, but Sister, you know, a few days ago I saw a weapon he developed; it was so incredibly powerful. I don't even have the words to describe it!" Thinking of the "Hundred Arms" she had seen that day, Beridanti’s eyes shone with excitement, especially the feeling of wearing the armor—it gave her a lingering sense of wonder!

Subsequently, Beridanti recounted the scene she witnessed that day to Mercedes, leaving her sister in a daze once more!

That afternoon, as Beridanti and Mercedes were chatting in the room, Diya's clear voice sounded from outside: "Teacher, my sister and I are here!"

Hearing the voice, Beridanti immediately brightened and said to Mercedes beside her, "Sister, one of them has arrived. I'll introduce you in a moment."

Saying this, she took Mercedes's hand and led her out of the room.

"Oh?" Diya stopped short, looking at Mercedes with surprise, and asked, "Teacher, who is this beautiful older sister?"

As Diya appraised Mercedes, Mercedes was appraising Diya and Robin.

"Diya, this is my sister, Mercedes, whom I mentioned to you before. Didn't you always want to meet her? She's here now," Beridanti said with a light laugh. As she spoke, her eyes kept darting towards Robin, wondering what she was thinking!

"Sister, you are so beautiful!" Diya smiled sweetly, showing no trace of shyness.

"You are Diya, correct?" Mercedes returned a smile.

"Mm-hmm!" Diya nodded, then continued, "Sister Mercedes, this is my sister. Her name is Robin; she doesn't talk much, please don't mind her!"

Mercedes smiled again, thinking how articulate this little princess was. However, her gaze settled on Robin, as Beridanti had just told her that this little girl named Robin was an ultimate master hiding her true power!

"Your name is Robin? Beridanti told me you are very formidable!" Mercedes said with a smile.

Before Robin could reply, Diya couldn't help but interject, "Yes, my sister is amazing! Sister Mercedes, would you like to spar with my sister?"

Diya even displayed an expression suggesting she wished for nothing more than chaos—such is the delight children take in excitement!

"That's a good idea. Sister, there's a training ground right here!" Beridanti surprisingly chimed in. Sigh, women also possess a powerful enthusiasm for spectating!

And so, orchestrated by the two, Mercedes and Robin stood facing each other in the center of the training ground.

Mercedes couldn't believe it even now. She had agreed to such a request—to spar with a girl who looked about ten years old!

"Are you ready?" Beridanti asked, a smile playing on her lips.

She genuinely wanted her sister to personally experience Robin's monstrous strength, thus proving that every word she had spoken was true! And there was another reason: she was eager to see the look of shock on her sister's face, wondering if it would be as expressive as her own had been initially!

Both Mercedes and Robin nodded, indicating they were prepared.

"This is just a spar, so we must stop before things get serious," Beridanti reminded them before the start. This instruction was mainly directed at Robin!

Diya chimed in beside her, "Sister, you just need to be a little serious; don't hurt Sister Mercedes!"

This came from a place of kindness, but it made Mercedes's heart sweat. Good grief, she thought, I am a 'Saint Archmage.' No matter how powerful this little girl is, she couldn't possibly hurt me. If nothing else, there's the sheer magnitude of my mana!

But she soon realized how wrong that assumption was; Robin's first move made her jump!

The water dragon that appeared out of thin air was Robin's creation. She didn't attack Mercedes immediately but stood still, watching, her expression clearly indicating she was waiting for Mercedes to prepare her defenses!

Heavens! Instant casting of a 'Seventh-Tier Spell'?

Staring at the spontaneously generated water dragon, Mercedes's brain nearly short-circuited.

She understood perfectly what instant casting of a 'Seventh-Tier Spell' implied: it was the hallmark of a genius among geniuses. According to historical records, Beatrice, hailed as the "Daughter of God" thousands of years ago, could only instantly cast an 'Eighth-Tier Spell,' and that was during her peak strength!

Yet this little girl before her—how old was she?—could instantly cast a 'Seventh-Tier Spell' at such a young age? Her innate talent absolutely surpassed that of Beatrice!

A prodigy rarely seen in a millennium was right before her eyes; Mercedes was so excited she felt like she was suffocating!

"Are you ready?" Robin asked calmly.

"Ah!" Mercedes gasped, finally realizing her lapse in composure. But as she moved to prepare, she unexpectedly noticed something different about the water dragon.

This... what is this?

This water dragon was clearly different from the 'Seventh-Tier Spell' she knew. She hadn't noticed earlier due to shock, but now she saw the dragon wasn't attacking immediately, nor was it dissipating; instead, it was circling gracefully above Robin's head with a clear sense of sentience!

Its eyes, which should have been transparent, were now emitting a faint purple light, and with every movement, the surrounding wind elements were affected.

Wh-What kind of magic is this? Is it truly a Seventh-Tier Spell??

Time did not allow Mercedes to ponder further; the only way to ascertain the spell's rank was to test it personally!

She no longer dared to be complacent. She pulled out the magic staff that had been with her for many years and began chanting the incantation:

"Endless earth, lift your boundless breast, sever the world, City of Earthen Bastions!"

Instantly, a towering wall-shield materialized before Mercedes—this was an Eighth-Tier Earth Magic, perfect for testing the rank of the water dragon.

"We can begin," Mercedes said cautiously.

As her words faded, the water dragon hurtled toward the shield, its speed breathtaking!

Then, a tremendous BOOM echoed, followed by a swirling cloud of dust!

Once the dust settled, Mercedes inhaled sharply upon closer inspection: her Eighth-Tier spell was completely gone, yet the water dragon hovered above her without the slightest change!

This... this is too monstrous!

However, the truly monstrous part was yet to come!