Luo Wei looked on with a complex expression at the chaotic scene unfolding before him.
Aside from the few "bystanders" nearby, almost everyone present was no ordinary character, and each one was more powerful than the last. Even the ones at the back were the kind who could easily crush powerful mages like insects...
Even so, Luo Wei hadn't taken everything into account yet because he still held a silver key in his hand...
This one was the most significant.
According to the accounts of Usoma and his disciple, this entity was the source of cosmic wisdom and the embodiment of truth. If one were to include him, this otherwise obscure coastal town could truly be described as a battlefield and focus of divine attention...
At this thought, Luo Wei glanced at Naya, who was sitting on the other side, watching the spectacle.
Her expression grew increasingly excited, her face flushing slightly with excitement. Fully engrossed in the spectacle, she had no time to spare for him.
Taking advantage of her preoccupation with the unfolding drama, Luo Wei quickly asked Tilis in a low voice, "Can you still cast a long-distance teleportation spell with your current mana reserves?"
Tilis immediately widened her eyes. "You can't be serious! Are you saying we need to send that big black lizard back again?"
"What big black lizard?" Ophelia immediately objected, regardless of the fact that the person in question was her ancestor.
Tilis slowly turned to look at her. Ophelia harrumphed and corrected her.
"He is the most prominent figure in the history of Vigena, known as the guardian of the entire empire, the breaker of chains and shackles, and the king of dragons—my ancestor, Emperor Antius."
Tilis responded mildly, "Oh."
"But how is that relevant to me?" she retorted. "I'm not from Vigena. Why should I respect him?"
This silenced Ophelia, who furrowed her brows and asked, "Where are you from, then? You never mentioned it before."
"Why should I tell you?" Tilis shot back.
Seeing that Ophelia was about to erupt again, Luo Wei quickly intervened.
"You don't need to use that twelve-ring spell again. Just a regular teleportation spell will do."
"Where to?" Tilis asked directly.
"Back to the old mansion," Luo Wei said cautiously, keeping an eye on the hounds. "The specific address and coordinates are..."
Tilis waved a hand. "No need to be so detailed. I know where your house is."
Every year during her wanderings, she would visit it. The address was already ingrained in her memory.
However, when mentioning the old mansion, Tilis's expression grew hesitant.
On one hand:
"The previous twelve-ring spell took a massive toll, and the cost was huge... I estimate I won't be able to use any magic above nine rings for quite some time, and I'm not sure if my remaining mana is enough to teleport you back accurately..."
She glanced around at the people present and added, "But if it's only you, I think... it should just about suffice."
"What?"
Ophelia's expression immediately changed. "Only Luo Wei? What are the two of you planning to do?"
Seeing her glaring at him in anger, Luo Wei quickly pointed at the hounds.
"Only hiding in the old mansion can get us past the hound's pursuit. Those guys are really troublesome, I swear! I'm not lying!"
Ophelia eyed the spot he pointed to with suspicion.
Indeed, there was a group of indescribable lines lingering at the edge of the battlefield, and the aura around them was indeed terrifying.
But Ophelia still couldn't fully believe it. She didn't think Tilis would only be able to transport one person.
"You sly witch! Who are you trying to fool? Everyone knows your mana reserves are practically endless!"
She sneered at Tilis. "Saying you can only take Luo Wei? I bet you just want to ditch us and spend some alone time with him secretly!"
"That's right, that's right!" Evelyn chimed in, watching the drama unfold with relish. She disdainfully glanced at Luo Wei and Tilis.
"Abandoning us here, not even caring for your sister, I bet you're planning to elope!"
"Master..." Luo Wei was speechless as he looked at Evelyn. How did she manage to side against him like this?
Wait, not against him entirely...
Luo Wei rubbed his head in distress. He was starting to get a bit confused...
"Hey, wait! Who said I'm not caring for my sister?" Luo Wei wasn't willing to take the blame. "I'm just afraid she'll get dragged into this!"
As he spoke, he pointed toward the town's direction.
All the mages from the island had arrived, including a visibly worried Helena.
"Tilis!!"
"Vice-president!"
Margery and Roens arrived on the scene one after the other, and after reuniting with Tilis, both looked with astonishment at the nearby battlefield ruins.
"What... what's going on here?"
"Who is the president fighting with??"
Tilis glanced at Ophelia beside her.
"Her ancestor."
Meanwhile, Helena, having found her brother again, couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
"Sob... Sob... Brother doesn't want me anymore. Brother sent me away..."
She kept wiping her tears, but with the dust from her journey, her little face soon became a mess.
"Ah, no, that's not it..." Luo Wei quickly supported her. "Brother didn't mean to send you away. He was just worried about you getting involved..."
But Helena wouldn't listen to the explanation. Her brother had sent her away!
He thought she was useless...
Seeing Helena crying uncontrollably, Evelyn glanced at Luo Wei.
"Didn't I just say it? Hmph, you're the bad brother who doesn't care about your sister!"
With that, she sighed and gently patted Helena's little head.
"Poor thing. Don't worry about your bad brother."
Helena threw herself into Evelyn's arms and burst into tears.
"Bad brother! Bad brother..."
Luo Wei awkwardly stood rooted to the spot, feeling he was beyond clearing his name...
Tilis, uninterested in the family drama, focused solely on the unfolding battle.
Her wary eyes traced the hounds that continually prowled the edges of the battlefield, then shifted to the president and Antius.
If she were to cast a teleportation spell spanning the entire empire, with her current mana, she could indeed take Luo Wei. Perhaps even two more people wouldn't be impossible...
However, in such a chaotic situation, she wasn't sure if there would be more battles to come.
Moreover, there was another aspect that she had always been wary of.
That old mansion...
Luo Wei's gaze also fell on the center of the battlefield.
Although the heavyweights present were numerous, the fighting wasn't as chaotic as one might expect. The cunning hounds lingered at the edges, and only the president and Antius were truly engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Some had even left the scene early.
During his observation, that ancient and profound gaze had always been present.
Its eyes scanned everyone present, though it showed little interest in Luo Wei and the other humans. The president, Antius, and the hounds merely earned one or two extra glances.
The gaze lingered the longest on the figure sitting on a rock nearby, enjoying the show.
Noth's gaze was quite profound...
If one were to describe it in human terms, the sequence might go something like:
Hmm?
Ah?
Oh...
Luo Wei thought it probably went something like that.
When the ancient gaze finally departed, Naya immediately glared indignantly at the sky.
"Hey, don't leave!"
Her expression was quite disappointed, but her tone was extremely boastful.
"Old man with the white beard, what are you hiding at home for? Come out and play with me!"
"So afraid, huh? You have to hide in your old place to show off, is that it?!"
"Hmph, boring old coot..."