Chapter Forty-Eight: Three Consecutive Victories

Qi Xiao was not known for his speed, nor did he intend to give chase; instead, he chose to remain where he was and quietly prepared his spell. As the bald wizard unleashed the fire element, gathering it into a serpent of flames that lunged toward Qi Xiao with bared fangs, Qi Xiao timely cast a mist of water. Though primarily a field-type spell, it proved a perfect counter to the fire serpent. Before the flaming snake could reach Qi Xiao, it was entirely scattered by the water mist, vapor rising thickly into the air.

In the mist-laden air, minute droplets shimmered like countless crystals in the glow of the fire—a scene of breathtaking beauty. Although the fire serpent had thinned the mist considerably, a heaviness settled in the bald wizard’s heart. When two elemental wizards of similar strength faced off, elemental attributes became all the more significant. Clearly, as a fire wizard, he was at a disadvantage against Qi Xiao’s water spells.

With a swift change of tactics, the bald wizard launched a volley of fireballs as cover, charging toward Qi Xiao himself. His left hand, clenched into a fist, began to glow with fire as his stride quickened. Evidently, the bald wizard had also trained in bloodline arts and now sought close combat.

Qi Xiao, though not afraid of close quarters, preferred a steady victory. Thus, he sent a surging tide across the wizard’s path to hinder him. As waves crashed forward, the bald wizard, seemingly anticipating such an obstruction, gritted his teeth and rushed into the deluge. The instant he touched the water, his body transformed into a scattering of sparks that dispersed in all directions.

Qi Xiao recognized the spell—a rare life-saving second-tier fire spell called “Flickering Flame.” The sparks scattered, making it impossible to spot his figure amidst the mist.

A few seconds later, Qi Xiao abruptly sensed intense heat to his left. Turning, he saw a fierce blaze gathering anew on the battlefield, flames swirling and dancing around the bald wizard like fire sprites. As his form coalesced, the flames seemed to shape themselves into an enraged dragon centered on the wizard. The fiery dragon swung its massive claws with terrifying might, its flames evaporating the mist entirely, even distorting the very air with heat.

Cries of astonishment rose from the audience as the dragon’s claw struck at Qi Xiao. But in the instant before it landed, Qi Xiao vanished.

“What?!”

The bald wizard reeled in shock as his most fearsome technique was deftly evaded. There was no time to react, for in the next instant, Qi Xiao appeared above him, bringing down a sculpted hand of magical force.

While the Shaping Hand was often used by alchemists for crafting, as a second-tier spell of the shaping school, its power was not to be underestimated, though its utility often overshadowed its force. The massive hand of condensed magic rivaled the dragon’s claw in might—perhaps even surpassing it in reach. The wizard, never the most agile, now hung helpless in midair, forced to watch as the enormous hand drew closer, its surface etched with swirling magical patterns like fingerprints.

Just as it was about to crush him, a figure suddenly appeared before the bald wizard—a referee, clad in shining armor and wielding a staff crowned with a lightning totem.

The bald wizard, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, realized the referee had intervened for only one reason: the blow would have been fatal or at least caused irreparable harm.

At the same moment, the referee’s intervention declared the match’s outcome.

“Th-thank you… My name is Tronde Ornsen. Thank you for sparing me.”

As a seasoned wizard, Tronde could tell Qi Xiao had restrained his final strike; otherwise, not even the referee might have arrived in time to save him.

Qi Xiao clasped his fists and bowed slightly with a smile. “The pleasure is mine. My name is Qi Xiao.”

The audience was thoroughly delighted, having watched Qi Xiao’s third match. Yet, the youth remained an enigma to them—he seemed to dabble in every school of magic, but specialized in none.

Regardless, they had all firmly committed this name to memory.

Since it was the last match, the two exchanged only brief courtesies before a wave of magic transported them back to the main hall.

The hall was already filling up as the matches ended, and the orderly lines for the exit meant a twenty-minute wait to leave. Fortunately, Qi Xiao could teleport. Shutting out the surrounding noise, he quickly constructed a spell model and vanished.

The wizards behind him looked on with envy at the spot where Qi Xiao had stood, marveling at the convenience of spatial magic—only to be swiftly cut in line by a sharp-eyed bystander.

“Hey! You—!”

Qi Xiao, of course, was unaware of the dispute that broke out in his wake. Like the wizard before him, he felt grateful for the convenience of spatial spells.

On his way home, Qi Xiao reflected on the three battles of the day. The experience had been invaluable, not only honing his combat skills, but more importantly, revealing his weaknesses.

It was not his attack, but his defense.

Though he possessed a couple of defensive spells, their level was too low to be of much use. Had the bald wizard possessed a short-range spatial movement spell, Qi Xiao might truly have been injured.

He resolved to prioritize the creation of a defensive alchemical item. Chanting softly, he teleported back to the island at the heart of the lake.

A filigree bracelet would suit his current needs well enough, but Qi Xiao preferred to craft something new, using the opportunity to further his alchemical skill.

He already had a rough design in mind. Heavy armor was out of the question—much too cumbersome for his taste and skill level, and notoriously difficult to craft. It was simply not worth the effort.

Taking up his drafting brush, Qi Xiao seated himself at his worktable, unrolled a sheet of parchment, and began to sketch his design for a defensive piece of alchemical equipment.

He needed something that could provide instant protection, yet remain lightweight and effective. Thus, he settled on creating a bracer—he had only recently made one and gained experience from it, so the process would now be far more familiar.