Chapter 265 - The Nascent Soul Realm (1/2)
Mu Shao’ai and Qin Xinyan both attacked Wan Gufeng from the flanks. Mu Shao’ai attacked with his telekinesis magic, trying his best to distract Wan Gufeng. His flying sword weaved dangerously around Wan Gufeng like a deadly arrow, its blade gleaming dangerously as it prodded his defenses for any chance to attack. From the other side, Qin Xinyan, the pyromancer of the School of the Savage Flames skillful in fire-based magic, was busy pelting one fireball after another at Wan Gufeng, helping to harass him as well.
Qingluan and Ziyun’er were the most skillful in close-quarters combat out of the most of them. But with the rest of their squadmates unavailable, they could only remain beside Xiao Chen to ensure his safety by parrying any blows that Wan Gufeng threw his way.
Luo Shangyan and Li Muxue held up the rear, helping to support the makeshift formation by providing healing magic to upkeep the True Energies of those unleashing their attacks. With the restoration effects of their magic, everyone could spare no expense and sustain the barrage of their retaliation without fearing their stores of energy would be depleted.
But alas, even in the face of the powerful barrage against him, Wan Gufeng was able to defend himself adequately, while disqualifying a few more contestants.
But the unified front of the contestants held on. No one would have dared to challenge a conjurer of the Nascent Soul Realm to a fight in real life. But this was the Forest of Illusory Moon. No one was at the risk of dying. What was more, was the experience and prestige of having battled a conjurer of the Nascent Soul Realm before.
It did not take long for the unified front of contestants to suffer more losses. But Wan Gufeng was barely looking well. The attacks that everyone cast at him had barely grazed him, but they were enough to reduce his clothing to nothing more than tattered rags that he looked like a haggard beggar and the disciples that had infiltrated the tournament with him were all injured as well.
As the battle held on, more and more contestants were removed from the Forest. Eventually, there were many lone contestants whose teammates had been disqualified. Knowing that they would stand no chance in sufficient Hearts of Illusory Moon in time, they diverted their hopes to another more realistic goal: removing Wan Gufeng from the tournament. Some began mocking and jeering at him, “You’ve been fighting for so long, Senior Wan! Did you not pledge to bury all of us here?!”
“Senior Wan is getting old! He has no more strength!” Another quipped.
Then another yelled at him angrily, “Just because you possess the levels of the Nascent Soul Realm, that doesn’t mean the world revolves around you! Have a taste of our fury!”
But Xiao Chen’s expression was tense and troubled. There was something wrong with his Nine Heaven-scorching Flames magic. He could not use it, although he wished to, fearing that the force of the magic might not only wound his allies, it could rebound and seriously injure him as well. “Is this because of the enchantments here in this Forest?”
Wan Gufeng was furious. At any other time and location, he would have long butchered everyone here rather than to endure the insults hurled at him. But this was the Forest of Illusory Moon and there were numerous enchantments in place to restrict him from using his full power.
“I SEE! HOW DARE YOU! MONGREL PUPS! LET ME TEACH YOU ALL SOME MANNERS!”
He roared with all his wrath and threw his arms up and channeled his powers. The tattered sleeves of his robes fluttered in the winds as his energies churned, resonating with the vital force of Nature that everyone could feel the ripples in the air. Two huge fireballs came alive in the air above him and he cast them at the few contestants who had mocked and derided him!
With a quick look, Xiao Chen could see that the strength of the fireballs was too great for them to withstand! Anyone being hit by the fireballs would surely be seriously wounded despite the enchantment to ensure their safety. He hurriedly summoned his True Energy; the Unsullied he carried shook in response to his call and shot into the air like a flash of blazing lightning, piercing straight at the two fireballs with ardent tenacity!
Xiao Chen watched the white bolt of light that was the Unsullied collided with the fireballs. First came an onrushing tide of blinding, white light, and then a shockwave from the explosion swept across the whole battlefield, throwing many of the contestants off-balanced. Xiao Chen had destroyed the fireballs, but there were still many of his allies who were hurt by the explosion.
Yu Yifeng looked at Xiao Chen and noticed that something was wrong with his expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked hastily.
Xiao Chen shook his head quickly. He peered at the nine miniature fireballs still dancing around his palm. They were barely flaming, hardly more than glowing embers now. But this did not escape Wan Gufeng’s eye; seeing an opening, he threw a bolt of magic at Xiao Chen. Fortunately, Yu Yifeng tossed his sword into its way before it could hit Xiao Chen. The sword deflected the fatal blow, although it too was hit away by the powerful blow.
“The Dance of the Arcing Rainbow!”