The Carrendar Basin is located in the southwest of the Empire, to the west of which are vast deep mountains, and to the north is Brakada, the border between the Empire and the Barbarian Highlands.

  The mountain range surrounding the basin was actually an open-air part of the Dwarf Empire's Stone Castle since ancient times. Over 300 years ago, some humans fled to this place to escape war and settled here. In recent decades, with the development of commerce, a mountain road was opened, and it nominally became part of the Aynfrost Empire. However, strictly speaking, this is the territory of the dwarves, so the humans in the Kalendo Basin are actually completely autonomous. The long-term isolated life has maintained a dull and rigid atmosphere and way of life inside. Like the perpetual cloud layer formed by coal ash and smoke in the sky, it's gloomy and stagnant.

  However, the situation here has improved greatly over the past year. After the establishment of the beastman city of Oufu on the barren highlands, a road was immediately opened in the mountains to the northwest of the basin. The best quality minerals and the dwarves' refined weapons and tools can now be traded directly from Oufu to the entire continent, no longer limited to exporting only to the empire. Trade has made the basin prosperous and bustling. With an additional shortcut leading to Oufu, merchant caravans heading into the basin from within the empire are seen every day, and several small towns at the entrance of the outer mountain ranges surrounding the basin have also prospered.

  At noon, the town at the foot of the mountain welcomed another merchant caravan. The merchants and their bodyguards were either riding horses or sitting in horse-drawn carriages, enthusiastically discussing their upcoming trip to the Beastman City. Only the last carriage had two people wrapped in tattered cloaks, leaning against each other with a tired look on their faces. They were two vagrants that the caravan had encountered halfway through their journey, who seemed to have been injured quite badly when they met them. It was said that they had encountered bandits and were being pursued. At their request and for several silver coins, the caravan agreed to take them to Oufu.

  When the merchant caravan arrived at the entrance of the town, a loud call echoed through the clouds and mountains. In the distance, a black shadow flapped its wings and flew out from the depths of the basin. The huge black shadow landed on the platform in front of the cave on the mountain opposite the village, which was one of the entrances to the dwarves' underground city. There seemed to be two or three human figures on the black shadow.

  Most people in the caravan also saw this thing for the first time and exclaimed. A merchant who had been to Oufu explained to everyone that this giant creature was a strange beast tamed by the beastman. The caravan slowly entered the small town, where they would rest before entering the Kalindo Basin and heading north through the mountain road to Oufu.

  The merchant team stopped as soon as they entered the small town. Because the road was blocked.

  The thing blocking the road was strange, or rather it wasn't a thing but a tea table with two people drinking tea.

  These two people, one an old man and the other a middle-aged man, were dressed in ordinary attire, but both wore exquisitely crafted silver skull masks that completely covered their upper faces, leaving only their mouths exposed.

  These two strange people have been sitting here since morning. The town's security officer came to ask and intervene, but the old man just waved his hand, and he was immediately thrown high like a rubber ball, inexplicably smashing half to death. So no one dared to ask again. The townspeople also kept a distance from this place.

  The caravan hesitated for a moment in front of the two strange people. The leader, an old merchant who didn't want to stir up trouble, looked at the eerie masks and their posture, and decided to take a detour.

  Just as the merchant group was about to turn around, the old man sighed and said in a strange voice: "Now that it's come to this, don't you want to come out yourself? Do you want to implicate more people? Unfortunately, even if everyone in this town is willing to be your human shield, you will not be able to escape."

  The old man's cold voice was not loud, but it clearly reached every person's ears.

  Responding to him was a clear female voice from the merchant group loudly reciting: "Great God of all things, bestow upon me Your blessing of life to drive away evil and darkness."

  Three green rays of light shot out from the merchant group and shone on three trees by the roadside. The trees emitted a strange creaking sound, and actually thickened at a speed visible to the naked eye, then trembled. The transformed sturdy roots and branches protruded from the ground, and the three trees stood up like humans and walked towards the two people.

  However, the two of them remained seated. A thick white lightning bolt flashed from the old man's hand and instantly extended to the three transformed trees, a burst of crackling sounds merged with electric currents and the explosion of shattered tree trunks, and the three trees immediately turned into a pile of wood shavings.

  But just as the old man raised his hand, a slender figure suddenly sprang out from the merchant's horse carriage. His left hand held a short bow, while his right hand grasped not an arrow, but what seemed to be a long wooden stick randomly broken off from the carriage. In mid-air, he had already drawn the bow and fitted the stick onto it. As soon as his foot touched the ground, the stick shot out like an arrow. The entire movement was smooth as silk, like a fish in water flipping its body, completed in one swift motion without any hindrance or delay.

  The bow was not strong, and the plain wooden arrow shot out with no momentum, even twisting in mid-air. But as it twisted more violently, several branches sprouted from it at high speed, along with a few green leaves and sharp thorns all over its body. In an instant, it transformed into a snake-like vine that twisted and turned, baring its teeth and claws as it pounced on the old man.

  No arrow can be more deadly than this poisonous Man-Eating Creeper. It doesn't even need to hit, just let the creeper sense the flesh and blood of its surroundings and it will rush towards it, desperately trying to burrow into the body and squeeze into the internal organs, while the paralyzing poison on its surface can even make a strong-bodied ghouls unable to resist.

  A middle-aged man let out a strange sigh, the teacup in his hand tilted, and the tea water spilled out, then quickly transformed into a small blue fireball flying towards the half-air Man-Eating Vine.

  This small fireball wasn't even the size of a fist, but just approaching without touching, the Flame Emperor's flames hadn't even had time to form before turning into a ball of black ash. The fireball flew over the ashes left in the air by the Flame Emperor and continued flying towards the person who shot this arrow.

  At the moment when that man shot out an extremely strange arrow, another person jumped down from the merchant's carriage. After the middle-aged man splashed out a ball of flames from his wine cup, he immediately stretched out his hand, and a fireball with a diameter as large as a person flew out in front of him, furiously carrying a momentum that matched its size, roaring towards the small, pitiful blue flame.

  A deafening crash echoed through the surrounding mountains. The two fireballs, vastly different in size and momentum, collided with equal force. A large area of houses on the street collapsed, and flames splashed everywhere. However, the two people sitting at the table remained seated, without even knocking over the teacups on the table.

  The merchant caravan had long since been overturned. The merchants and mercenaries scrambled to their feet, turned around hastily and ran away, cursing the two unlucky devils they had picked up on the road. Who would have thought that they were actually people being hunted down by a great magician?

  Two people jumped out of the merchant group, not running. The turbulent airflow blew away the tattered cloaks on their bodies, revealing their true faces. A young human man and a stunningly beautiful elf girl. The elf girl tightly grasped a piece of emerald green leaves in her hand, the green light emitted by the leaves slowly seeped into her body, wrapping her inside.

  "It turns out that the leaves of the World Tree have such a great effect in the hands of the elves. The natural magic used by borrowing has such a high standard. No wonder Master Aiden, you alone can't handle them." The middle-aged man nodded at the scattered wood shavings and looked at the man who had released the fireball. His voice also sounded strange, with a feeling of being choked in his throat, just like Master Aiden. "Is this that kid? It turns out he's just an idiot who can't use magic. What a waste of the effect of Sunlight Baptism and the World Tree leaves."

  Ten days ago, Master Aiden finally found Asa and his companion, who were secretly heading to Eufo. Without saying a word, he directly attacked them with the intention of killing them. Without the amplification of the Sun Spring's magic, Asa and his combat power were completely outmatched by Master Aiden's extraordinary air magic. However, what neither of them expected was that the elf girl Luya, who was standing aside, used the leaves of the World Tree to cast many unbelievable natural magics. Master Aiden, caught off guard, severely injured the two but was also bitten by a poisonous spider that had been transformed by magic. Asa took advantage of this opportunity and used the tactic of "two defeats" to repel him, then retreated into the forest with Luya. Master Aiden, who had been poisoned, did not dare to chase after them and could only temporarily retreat while calling out to his companion, Eisley, who was searching for them in another direction.

  The target has now been found, Master Ayden slowly stood up.

  "Wait a minute." Asa suddenly shouted.

  Aiden didn't wait. His hands already shone with electric light. He was here to kill, not to talk. The two top magicians of the two continents joined forces, and even if the opponent had a divine object in hand, there would be no room for struggle, let alone talking about conditions.

  "If you don't stop, I'll tear this thing up." Asa suddenly snatched the World Tree Leaf from Rua's hand. "I heard that if this thing is torn apart, it becomes useless."

  Master Aiden's movements stopped abruptly. The eyes behind the mask burst out with a sharp light, just like lightning, but his tone remained as calm as ever. "If you dare to tear this thing up, I'll definitely make you regret it."

  "It doesn't matter anyway, I'm probably going to die soon, what's there to regret?" The veins on Asa's hand bulged slightly.

  "No, you won't die." The veins on Master Aiden's face behind the mask bulged. But Asa couldn't see it. "I'll bring all your acquaintances, familiar relatives and friends to your face, let you watch as their flesh is stripped off piece by piece, and finally I'll turn you into a living corpse."

  "How about a bet?" Asa's eyes stared straight at the pair of eyes behind the silver mask, his tone equally flat. "You bet I won't tear it off?"

  After a long time, Master Aden said faintly: "What are you waiting for?" His strange voice sounded like he was sniffling.

  Aza could tell that the two necromancers had voice-changing magical tools in their mouths. These members of the Necromancer's Guild were all famous figures in human society, and not only did they need to wear masks, but they also needed to change their voices. He asked leisurely: "I just have a few questions to ask. After I'm done asking, we can discuss everything."

  "Go ahead and ask."

  "Didn't you invite me to join your Death Spirit Guild?"

  "So Vedrina has already told you?" Master Aiden sneered. "But it's not us, just Miss Vedrina herself being willing."

  He let out a long sigh. Although he had thought of this after confronting the Death Spirit in the Whispering Woods, it wasn't until now that he dared to confirm his suspicions. He secretly congratulated himself for not using that teleportation scroll earlier, which would have led him into a trap. At the same time, he felt a pang of disappointment, realizing that the escape route he had imagined was just an illusion after all. He paused for a moment before asking again, "How did you know we'd come this way and were waiting for us here?"

  "How dare you still run around with the World Tree Leaf? If you're not going back to the Magic Academy to find Ronis, then it must be to go to the Tulalion Forest in the west. And this is the closest road leading to the west, we've been waiting here all along. With the divine object of the World Tree Leaf, as long as it's within ten miles, I'll sense it, so just sit back and enjoy your tea while you deliver it right to my doorstep."

  "You want to kill me, does Vednina know?"

  "It doesn't matter whether you know or not, this is a joint decision made by all members except her."

  Asha took a deep breath. His expression was slightly distorted. He still looked at the silver skull mask under Master Aiden's eyes and asked, "What do you want to take this thing to..."

  "Enough of the nonsense. He must be stalling for time." Another Death Spirit Master, who had been silent until now, slowly stood up. "His breathing is steady, his heartbeat is normal. He's not flustered at all, as if he has everything under control. But the gap in our powers is obvious. So the only explanation is that he seems to be waiting for reinforcements."

  "Reinforcements?" Master Eiden seemed to have heard a joke, even his mask twitched with the smile beneath. He raised his head and swept the town with a condescending gaze, as if it were nothing but an anthill at his feet. "Respected Aisley friend, what reinforcements could this place possibly provide? Are the dwarves sending troops? What kind of army or mages could possibly stand against two necromancers like us?"

  But Aisley didn't respond, instead looking at Asa and saying: "If you want to tear it, then go ahead. The leaves of the World Tree will shatter and turn into the source of life, returning to the Sun Well. We can just wait a few more years to get it, it's all the same." Along with his words, the magical fluctuations around him grew more intense.

  Asa's face sank. He returned the World Tree Leaf to Rua, then faced the two and lowered his body. The light of Dou Qi began to flash on him.

  Master Aiden's eyes under his mask regained their electrifying sharpness.

  Aisley thrust his fingers into his own hand and bit them, a drop of blood dripping from the worm-like curved fingertips onto the bluestone floor, automatically forming a magic array. Then he chanted an incantation: "The destructive flames hidden in the depths of hell..."

  Asa suddenly stood up and rushed towards the two dead spirit masters, with a faint light shadow pulled out behind him by the aura of his fighting energy.

  Luya's hands converged on the leaves of the World Tree, and a green glow instantly covered her entire body. Countless tiny branches began to surge out from the ground at the feet of the two undead mages.

  A ring-shaped flash of light spread out from Master Aiden's body, and the small branches that had not yet grown were torn to shreds by the light. However, he didn't mind these things, his eyes fixed on Asa who was rushing over. But at the same time, he suddenly heard a very clear voice coming from beside him, and his eyes flickered to the figure of his companion who had fallen down.

  His worm-like lips were still moving, still reciting the powerful spell, but no sound came out. Because his neck had already turned completely around. When he was concentrating on casting magic, he suddenly found that he could see his own back, and his mouth opened wide, but the scream was also blocked in his throat like the spell, and then he fell down like a snake with its spine removed.

  Master Aiden's surprise only lasted for half a blink of an eye, and he immediately converted the magical force he had originally used to defend against Asa into flight magic with a reaction that was extremely inconsistent with his age and appearance, taking off like a startled vulture. Asa's incoming punch merely grazed his pant leg.

  He had just rushed halfway into the air when he lowered his head to look down. But he didn't see anything, only the table where he was drinking tea on top still getting bigger at a very fast speed in front of him.

  That's not magic, no magic can turn a table into a cannonball like that, it's pure power. The real wind sound emitted by the table is more shocking to Master Aiden than any magical fluctuation. At such speed and momentum, even if it's not very hard wood, hitting oneself would be enough to scatter all the old bones. He hastily waved his hand, a vacuum-cut wind blade slashed towards the table.

  The table shattered at the sound, and wooden fragments burst into the air like fireworks.

  But the crashing and shattering sounds couldn't mask another, even sharper sound. Not even the fastest crossbow bolt could make such a fierce whizzing noise. Only after the tabletop burst open did Master Aiden see that there was a table leg underneath, this smaller piece of wood charging towards him with an intensity ten times greater than the previous table, and it turned out that the obstructive table was originally meant for him to shatter.

  The momentum of the Instant Flight Technique could no longer be changed, and even a higher-level magician couldn't condense a third spell in such a short instant. Looking at the small wooden board that was about to pierce through him, Master Aiden used his life's work, air magic, to barely move his body to the side by a tiny bit in this brief moment.

  With a soft "whoosh", Master Aiden's entire arm scattered into the air like paper scraps. He let out a pained cry, but his body didn't pause for a moment as he continued to fly upwards at an angle, leaving behind a trail of blood flowers before disappearing into the dark and gloomy cloud layer.

  But in the blink of an eye, these two top-notch magicians were one seriously injured and escaped, and the other became a corpse lying there.

  "Wow, you're still so amazing."