Challenge

For these Magi, mediating the conflicting views from before was merely a small matter. However, the evaluation of guilds could directly affect their interests!

Hence, the atmosphere turned solemn very quickly.

*Cough cough!* The council member in the middle coughed lightly, and only after it quietened down did he begin to speak, “The evaluation process will go the same way as before. We will first announce the results before the evaluations are open to challenges. Each guild has, at most, three chances. Lower rated guilds can challenge higher rated guilds, but higher rated guilds are not to interfere with the lower rated guilds. Guilds of the same evaluation can challenge each other to settle any conflicts, and those who are defeated have to wait until the next time…”

Leylin found Celine stiffen from worry after hearing the council member’s words.

“Even if you don’t have enough strength, those resources are all given out to you by the joint conference. They’re not yours in the first place, so why are you so worried?”

Leylin was a little speechless.

From his perspective, one would be able to obtain territory that was proportional to one’s own strength. While Celine’s mentor had still been around, there had been nothing to fear, but once Celine took over Nature’s Alliance, she should have reduced the scale of the guild and given out the resources she had. That was the most sensible course of action.

This time, if not for Leylin sticking his head into the matter, things would not end well for Celine.

Of course, the situation would be vastly different with Leylin around. Furthermore, the icy caves were something Leylin needed to have, by hook or by crook.

Next, after the declaration from the council members of the start of the event, the site began to get livelier.

Many Magi exchanged glances. Though they had many thoughts, none of them made their move right away, as if they were waiting for something.

After a long silence, a Magus in ashen robes stood out from a corner.

“We from Gulde wishes to challenge the Seaflower Society!”

“En! Gulde is an unrated guild, while the Seaflower Society is a small-scale guild. The challenge is permitted; may the Magi of both guilds enter the stage!”

A Magus wearing presbyopic glasses flipped through a thick book and nodded.

The Seaflower Society sent out an old geezer with blue hair and some strange runes on his face. His guild had been pointed out and challenged, so naturally, he was not in a good mood.

Didn’t this imply that their Seaflower Society had already fallen this low?

At this thought, killing intent flashed in his eyes as he made up his mind to make this an unforgettable lesson for his opponent.

Meanwhile, the Magus in ashen robes was stupefied.

Upon waiting for the confirmation from the council member once more, two fluctuations from spells exploded at the site.

At the same time, a light-yellow dome of energy shot out from all corners, protecting the audience and council members from any stray attacks from the battle.

Leylin watched on with interest.

He wasn’t very clear about the strength of the official Magi in Twilight Zone, and this was a good opportunity for him to find out.

Through the few mediations from before as well as what was currently happening, he was able to understand many things.

As subterranean Magi were faced with powerful enemy forces, there were no scholars who solely focused on just research.

These Magi were quite formidable, and they were fast in setting up their spell models. They had also grasped the technique of the instantaneous and silent release of spells, and on average, their battle power was one level higher than that of Magi from the south coast.

In addition, most of them had grasped one or two spells with immense killing power, and they had no apprehensions about using them.

This was another characteristic of theirs that allowed them to surpass the Magi of the south coast by a large margin.

*Bang!*

All of a sudden, the scene of the battlefield changed.

The ashen-robed Magus waved his arm, and two large black crosses appeared, which criss crossed and pierced towards the Magus from the Seaflower Society.

“The Cross of Anginus!” The Magus from the Seaflower Society yelled out the name of this spell in fear, continuously adding a few more protective layers in front of him and evaded at a flying speed.

“Serator! You can’t escape!”

The ashen-robed Magus hissed for a long while, and his clothes split open at the back, revealing a pair of giant wings.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!* The black feathers on the wings were like steel, the tip revealing a luster seen on sharp objects. With the impetus from the wings, he soared into the sky.

Two grey crosses of light flew to his feet, forming something like two sets of eagle claws.

*Sou! Sou! Sou!*

The grey figure constantly flashed, and after producing his wings, his speed increased until he almost became a shadow.

The grey figure constantly collided with the defensive layers.

*Ka-cha!*

The defensive layers of the Magus from the Seaflower Society seemed to produce a tearing sound before it was being completely ripped apart.

*Pu!* Large claws mercilessly tore at the chest of the Magus from the Seaflower Society, and the man let out a miserable cry.

Meanwhile, one could see with their naked eyes, the withering of flesh spanning out from the Magus of the Seaflower Society’s wounds.

“I admit defeat!”

Before the other claw reached his body, this Magus immediately yelled.

However, a cold glint appeared in the gaze of this ashen-robed Magus, and the grey claw increased its speed by thirty percent

“That’s enough!” A council member holding a scale shouted coldly, and the powerful spiritual force of a peak rank 1 Magus swept across. A brownish-yellow hand rose from the earth and protected the injured Magus from the Seaflower Society, protecting him from the attack of the ashen-robed Magus.

“My apologies, my lord! I was unable to hold back in time!”

The ashen-robed Magus descended onto the ground and removed the effects from his spells regaining his appearance as a regular human. He bowed, looking respectful.

“Hmph! Gulde’s challenge was successful, so it is now promoted to be a small-scaled guild. The Seaflower Society will now be demoted a ranking and is now in the unrated category. All the resources that have been allocated to the Seaflower Group guild by the joint conference will be transferred over right away, and our council members will supervise this process.”

This council member furrowed his brow and snorted, but still announced loudly.

“Many thanks, my lord!” The ashen-robed Magus bowed once more.

Meanwhile, the Magus from the Seaflower Society became deathly pale and fainted.

Leylin, who watched on, was not too surprised. After all, since the ashen-robed Magus had taken the initiative to challenge the Seaflower Society, it was natural that he must have been confident.

After that, a few unrated guilds chose to challenge some other guilds.

Most of the challenged guilds were small-scale guilds that were declining, and almost all of the challenges were successful. Only one small-scale guild won, protecting what belonged to them.

This contest mostly happened between small-scale and unrated guilds. The medium-scale guilds rarely went onstage, and as for large-scale guilds, they were remote existences that only served as witnesses and judges.

“Dear council members, we of the Eight-Clawed Spider wish to challenge the Nature’s Alliance guild!”

Suddenly, Skrill’s voice sounded out.

“Hm?” The Magi present shifted their gazes towards him.

Usually, challenges between similarly ranked guilds rarely happened unless there was enmity between them.

As the Eight Clawed Spider Guild was already a small-scale guild, they would only cause Nature’s Alliance to lose their resources if they were victorious. What they would obtain would be meagre.

“Skrill! If you had any conflicts with Nature’s Alliance, why did you not mention it during the mediation period and instead wait until now?”

The council member holding the scale furrowed his brows.

“My apologies, my lord! The animosity between us and Nature’s Alliance is not appropriate to be declared here, but please approve my request!” Skrill bowed, sounding resolute.

The lines on the council member’s forehead became deeper.

Honestly speaking, he did not want there to be internal friction between two small-scale guilds. However, Eight-Clawed Spider was not a medium-scale guild, and challenges between guilds of the same ranking were allowed.

The moment Nature’s Alliance was defeated, not only would they lose their spot, but they would also have to hand over all their resources to be re-distributed by the joint conference. Skrill could only, at most, obtain a portion of these resources.

As there were no benefits to it, few Magi chose to do this.

However, Leylin knew that they would definitely choose to take the icy caves! Knowing the situation, the abyss in his pupils grew darker, and a sneer appeared on his lips.

“Alright! Guild leader of Nature’s Alliance, Celine, who will you send onstage?”

The council member looked towards Celine.

“I invite our famed professor, Mister Leylin, to represent my Nature’s Alliance guild and battle!” Celine gave a slight bow.

Leylin sighed and stood up.

“I am also sending out our famed professor to represent we of the Eight-Clawed Spider onstage!” At the other side, Skrill immediately bowed and moved aside to reveal the figure behind him.

It was a human figure completely wrapped in black mist. There were also numerous black tendrils fluctuating around it.

“Hm? They both sent out famed professors!”

The surrounding Magi broke out into a discussion.

Though small-scaled guilds could invite famed professors to act as external support, only one professor was allowed to act. Since there were very few Magi working alone, such situations rarely appeared.

Now, with two suddenly appearing, it was no wonder that the Magi were surprised.

There were a few Magi who could somewhat see through part of the strength of Leylin and the person wrapped in mist, and they shrunk back in fear, their eyes showing their terror.

“En! You have both chosen famed professors to battle?”

The council member holding a thick book looked at Leylin, and some probing spells even flashed, before he flipped through his book.

“Professor Leylin of Nature’s Alliance guild does not belong to any other guild, and can thus represent Nature’s Alliance!”

“Magus Skrill, please get the Magus behind you to reveal his face for inspection!”

The council members spoke to Skrill.

Seeing this, Skrill could only speak to the person wrapped in the mist in a low voice.

The black mist then dissipated, revealing a face that was foreign to all the Magi here.

“Xerxes greets all of you!”

What appeared in front of the audience was a very androgynous face. Even the voice was neither male nor female; one could not tell this person’s gender.

The Magus called Xerxes seemed to want to provoke Leylin, shooting him a glance from the corner of his eyes.

“En! The famed professor from the Eight-Clawed Spider meets the requirements as well. I hereby announce…”

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