Chapter 7: Transformation (5)
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The verbal duel between Bel and Lin Nan was technically their first proper clash.
Ever since Lin Nan entered the Imperial Capital, she had been patiently waiting for the right moment and hadn’t crossed paths with the Empire’s top leader.
That was until the Emperor fled the Asking Dao Continent after a disastrous defeat on the Southern Line, throwing all caution to the wind.
At that moment, Lin Nan emerged dramatically, swooping in to hijack the show and bringing the Mage Corps into the modern Small World.
Of course, the offshoots from the Flowerless Palace were keenly aware of Frost North Snow’s illustrious reputation.
Thus, when Bel heard the Cold Moon Witch referencing her, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of dread. She was the Demon Empress who had wreaked havoc across the continent four hundred years ago alongside the Monster King!
Considering that the Demon Race’s territory lay at the far west of the entire continent—with a vast desert separating them from the Monster Race—information was not exactly zipping across; most of the time, the Empire was blissfully unaware, amusing themselves while disregarding the squabbles of what they deemed inferior races.
Bel also recalled how Frost North Snow, since arriving in the Imperial Capital, had been revered as a dual messenger of the Goddess of Destiny and the God of Harmony, worshipped and adored by the cultists of the divine factions. Did she truly have some connection with the Four Warriors who crafted a development model for the Empire thousands of years ago?
No… that couldn’t be! How could a mere Demon Race existence stick around for so long?
This was stretching his imagination to impossible lengths.
His top priority was to eliminate the pesky Demoness opposing him. Whatever her original intentions were didn’t matter anymore. Since he had plotted for so long to escape his original world, he had to ensure he could continue ruling as Emperor here. What was the point otherwise?
“Well then, let me see the true skill of Demon Empress Frost North Snow!”
Bel didn’t want to waste words and immediately spread his arms wide. A golden light enveloped him, from a distance resembling a giant light bulb magically appearing in the night sky, drawing everyone’s attention and increasing their worries about whether Director Lin could handle this craziness.
“Ha! Let me show you the despair straight from hell!”
The Small Town was off the beaten path, about a hundred kilometers from Ocean City.
Surrounded by fields and hilly woodlands, ever since the Mage Corps took over the Small Town, nearby villages were hastily evacuated, leaving it completely devoid of civilians within a fifty-kilometer radius—except for the action team, of course.
After taking control of Director Lin’s body, the memories came flooding in for the Cold Moon.
Moving strategically, she led Bel toward the outskirts of the Small Town, ensuring their brawl wouldn’t harm innocents.
In the sweltering summer, even at night, no one felt a hint of coolness. Instead, the rising tension turned every survivor’s clothes soaking-wet with sweat.
At this moment, ambulances, making their way to the defensive position, were closer than ever, rescuing those lucky enough to survive the recent rain of arrows.
And just then, a young soldier lying on the ground, gasping for breath, suddenly spotted glimmering objects zooming across the sky.
In the flickering light from the ambulances, those floating crystals became denser.
People began to realize: it was snow! In the peak of summer! How on earth was this even happening?
Was this some sort of superpower manifestation?
Snowflakes began to drift not just above the Small Town, but across a twenty to thirty-kilometer radius.
Soon enough, they understood the purpose of those crystal-like flakes. They surrounded Director Lin like a protective shield, twirling and gathering more snowflakes with every turn.
From a distance, it looked like the golden glow from Bel and the shimmering snow barrier were locked in a dance of magic, creating a stunning visual straight out of an animated CG fantasy.
Even though the two hadn’t formally clashed yet, the vast aura radiating from them left everyone dumbfounded.
At that moment, Bel decided to make the first move.
He had barely survived his previous fight with Lilith and was almost thwarted before his plan even got off the ground.
Now, facing Frost North Snow, a far greater threat than Lilith, he was grateful he had accepted divine power through the bl**d of All Spirits Formation before transport. Sure, a piece went toward crossing realms, but he still retained at least forty percent of his divine power.
He had envisioned using that power to dominate in this new realm for ages, but instead, he found himself forced to use it against this irritating meddler.
That thought only fueled his anger even more.
He charged up his magic to the max, intent on delivering a lethal blow to his opponent, leaving no room for future troubles.
As long as he still held some divine energy, he hoped to re-establish the Church of Light, slowly amassing faith year by year. Maybe one day, he could genuinely ascend to godhood in this realm.
There was no way he’d let someone like Frost North Snow sabotage his dreams!
“Boom!”
Fireballs, each about a meter in diameter, shot from different angles toward his opponent.
Blessed by divine power, a dozen fireballs whirled and flew, crashing into barriers while evaporating the flurrying snowflakes in a matter of moments.
Ha! Without fresh snowflakes, how long could your tornado-like barrier really hold up?
Amidst gasps from the audience, they watched the fiery explosions and ice shield collide through their camera lenses.
Sparks flew, and ear-splitting sounds filled the air.
Survivors near the Small Town felt the ground shaking, causing them to sway unsteadily.
Never had anyone imagined that a battle between magical civilizations and superpowered beings would be so over-the-top, capable of obliterating a city at will!
At the same time, the Small Town was embroiled in intense chaos.
Several swift figures emerged, taking on the Mage Corps under the striking lights, each radiating remarkable charisma and presence.
Witnesses were left completely stunned.
Who were these divine beings? Were they part of Director Lin’s secret army?
As it turned out, they were indeed correct.
Led by Xi, the bl**d Moon Team, along with the right-hand guardian of the Ji Shen, Lady Rong Ji, were entangled in combat with the Mage Corps while Cold Moon held their enemy leader at bay.
As loyal followers of the Emperor, these fighters were a must-remove. If left unchecked, they could become far more difficult to handle in the future.
In terms of personal strength, each of them far surpassed a single Mage.
But the Mage Corps thrived on their collective power, their collective destructive capacity rivaling that of a rocket artillery squad.
Therefore, the game plan was clear: they needed to break through the chaos while cutting them apart from within, especially while the Mage Corps was lacking leadership.
On this chaotic battlefield, neither the skies nor the ground found a quick solution.
