As the magic was about to descend,
Evelyn's blood surged uncontrollably within her body. Layers of crimson thorns rose, blotting out the sky. After such an excessive use of magic, her face turned pale in an instant.
A massive curtain of light enveloped the two of them in the sky. Luo Wei and Evelyn vanished from their spot in the blink of an eye, using every ounce of their strength to dash toward the other side of the town, desperately trying to escape the impending saturation attack.
However, the spectacular magic in the sky did not immediately unleash its power. The air grew eerily quiet for a moment.
By now, Luo Wei and Evelyn had reached the main road of the town. Seeing that nothing had happened, they exchanged puzzled glances before turning their heads to look back.
What they saw next was even more astonishing.
A mage clad in a deep brown cloak, with a slender figure, floated high in the sky. Facing the overwhelming barrage of magical beams, this mage showed no sign of tension. Instead, she simply stood still, gazing calmly at the caster, leaving behind an unshakable silhouette.
After the mysterious mage appeared, the two sides faced off. The previous mage, who had been casting the spells, suddenly displayed what could only be described as fear. He hastily redirected all his magic, unleashing it without reservation toward the figure before him.
Luo Wei didn’t even see what the mysterious mage did. Most of the beams, which had been falling like a meteor shower, extinguished midway, as if they had suddenly fizzled out.
A roar of anger and frustration echoed in the sky. The remaining beams came to an abrupt halt mid-air. Then, as if they were the mysterious mage’s obedient pets, the spells turned around and shot back toward their original caster...
The roar of anger instantly vanished. A blinding blue light erupted in the sky. Being hit by such a massive number of spells, the caster was not only obliterated but also reduced to ashes, leaving no trace of his existence.
Witnessing this scene, Evelyn was left utterly speechless.
“This... this...”
The sneaky mage who had been trying to leave the town was already a formidable opponent. Luo Wei and she had struggled to hold their own against him...
Yet, when faced with this newly arrived mage, he didn’t even get a chance to fight back before being instantly annihilated...
Evelyn’s expression gradually darkened. If this mage intended to harm them, their chances of survival would be slim...
Meanwhile, Luo Wei’s expression was even darker than hers.
Because he had already recognized who this mage in the sky was...
After the battle ended, a wave of panic began to spread through the town. Luo Wei saw Helena running toward them from the direction of the inn.
“Brother! What’s going on?!”
She had only been asleep for a while, and yet the sky had changed. What on earth had happened?
“Huh? Is that Helena?” A pleasant female voice suddenly rang out from mid-air. “You’ve grown so much that I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Who are you?!” Helena, now standing beside her brother, cast a wary and guarded look at the figure slowly descending from the sky.
The mysterious mage landed and began walking steadily toward Luo Wei.
“You...?” Helena was momentarily stunned.
Evelyn kept a close eye on her movements, a crimson blade already summoned in her hand.
The mysterious mage stopped a few meters away from Luo Wei.
From within the wide sleeves of her robe, a pale and slender wrist emerged. She reached up and removed the hood covering her head.
The cold sunlight fell upon her, revealing a delicate face that had been hidden in the shadows of the cloak. Her deep, mysterious purple eyes gazed intently at Luo Wei, as if she had a thousand things she wanted to say.
But in the end, she simply uttered softly,
“It’s been a long time.”
Luo Wei also gazed at her and nodded.
“Tilis, it’s been a long time.”
Helena instinctively tightened her grip on Luo Wei’s hand, while Evelyn narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the witch before her. The crimson blade in her hand remained unsheathed.
Sensing the tension in the air, Luo Wei suddenly smiled at her.
“It’s been four years. Your magic has become even more refined. That move earlier—it was a combination of two counter-spells, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was a combination of Spell Disruption and Magic Return,” Tilis replied, smiling with a hint of nostalgia as she looked at Luo Wei.
“Impressive. You could actually tell. If only your magical aptitude weren’t so weak, you would’ve already earned a place in the Magus Enclave.”
Luo Wei shrugged with a laugh. “I have no desire to work with that bunch of lunatics. If it weren’t for you being part of the Enclave, I’d probably have no goodwill toward that organization at all...”
Tilis chuckled softly. “I feel the same way. That wretched organization truly has no value in existing.”
Luo Wei couldn’t help but recall how the two of them had often complained about the Magus Enclave in the past. Tilis had even joked that once she became the leader, her first order of business would be to lock up all the elders and fill the room with six hundred mana crystal bombs...
The two of them looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh, easing the previously tense atmosphere.
Evelyn silently put away her crimson blade, thinking to herself that Luo Wei had deliberately brought up magic to break the ice. After all, this witch seemed like the type who was deeply passionate about studying magic.
Still, she couldn’t help but mutter internally, feeling that Luo Wei’s social skills had truly leveled up...
Once the atmosphere had relaxed, Luo Wei couldn’t help but ask Tilis with curiosity,
“That mage earlier—what was his deal? Was he a traitor from your organization?”
At this question, Tilis sighed. “It’s a good thing I was worried about you and came to pick you up. That mage was Riel, one of the leader’s lackeys. He’s incredibly powerful. I didn’t expect you to run into him...”
Seeing Luo Wei’s still-confused expression, she smiled and continued to explain, “The leader’s forces have been trapped on a small island not far from the coast. I set up a magical barrier to block their communication, which is why they risked sending someone out to contact the outside world.”
“So, has the Enclave officially split now?” Luo Wei asked.
Tilis nodded. “It’s a long story. Come with me. I’ve prepared accommodations and food for you. You’ve had a long journey, so let me treat you to a proper welcome.”
Hearing this, Luo Wei decided not to press further and quietly followed her.
At that moment, Evelyn, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
“Miss Mage, if I may be so bold, I might not join the feast.”
Tilis stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Evelyn with a hint of confusion.
Evelyn smiled and said, “As you probably already know, I’m a vampire. I don’t care for the sunlight by the coast, and this place isn’t conducive to my cultivation.”
“Besides, you and Luo Wei are old friends catching up. I wouldn’t want to intrude. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves. I’ll find a cemetery nearby to rest for a few nights. Once he’s done, we’ll head back to Saint Callen.”
Evelyn’s request was perfectly reasonable, but to her surprise, Tilis’s smile faded.
“None of you are allowed to leave this place.”
Hearing this, the three of them—Luo Wei, Helena, and Evelyn—were taken aback.
Helena nervously tightened her grip on Luo Wei’s hand, her gaze toward Tilis now tinged with hostility.
Evelyn feigned confusion and asked, “Why? Is it because of the town’s curse?”
She let out a light chuckle. “The so-called curse must be your doing, right? Since that dead mage earlier was trying to escape, it proves that the curse doesn’t actually exist. It’s probably just some kind of magical barrier you’ve set up, isn’t it?”
Tilis’s smile disappeared completely. She looked at Evelyn with a calm expression. “The leader’s supporters, along with many members of the Elder Council, have surrounded the town. If you leave, you’ll be in danger. You’re no match for them.”
"Is that so?" Evelyn chuckled. She hadn’t seen any so-called mages from the Elder Council on her way here. This was clearly just an excuse.
"You..."
Just as she was about to say more,
Tilis seemed determined not to give Evelyn any chance to argue back.
She tilted her head slightly, a mischievous glint in her purple eyes.
"You don’t like sunlight, do you?"
Evelyn was momentarily stunned. Seeing Tilis’s smile, a sudden sense of foreboding washed over her.
"Wait..."
Before she could finish, Tilis waved her hand with a playful grin.
In an instant, the areas of Evelyn’s skin exposed to sunlight darkened significantly.
Everyone gasped in surprise as a small, thundercloud appeared above her head, complete with flashes of lightning.
"Ah! What is that?"
"The sunlight! Hey, hey, hey! Why is it raining now??"
"Luo Wei! I’m all wet! Do something about her!!"