Versatile Mage

Building a path along the sand in the river bed would require a huge amount of energy, since the team was still a long journey away from reaching the end.

After the team traveled ten kilometers, Mu Nujiao was running low on energy. She switched to her Plant Element instead, as the energy consumption using the Plant Element was lower compared to the Ice Element. If she kept using the same plants to build a path in front of her, she would not need to Summon new plants.

However, she only lasted for another twenty kilometers before the energy in Mu Nujiao’s Plant Element was depleted too.

It was Xu Pingdong’s turn to lay down the path. He had the Earth Element and the Ice Element. He did not have as much energy as Mu Nujiao. He only lasted for twenty kilometers…

Both Mu Nujiao and Xu Pingdong had used up all their energy to help the team travel another fifty kilometers, but it felt like they were still in the same spot in the meandering sand river.

—

The others took turns constructing the path, but when everyone used up all their energy of the Earth Element, Ice Element, and Plant Element, they realized they had at least another seventy kilometers left!

“Let’s convert the energy of other Elements. It’s the only option we have. I have an Energy Conversion Bracelet here. It’s not as effective, but it’s better than nothing,” Ge Ming said.

“If we convert our energy to the energy of their Wind Element, Earth Element, and Plant Element, the conversion rate is only around thirty percent. How are we going to protect ourselves when we reach the end later? Leader, that’s too risky!” Lu Fang strongly disagreed with the suggestion.

“We have to overcome the situation before us first. Otherwise, we won’t even make it to the end,” Ge Ming replied.

The others began to convert their energy with Ge Ming’s bracelet and transferred the energy to Mu Nujiao, Xu Pingdong, Zhang Xiaohou, and the others with the suitable Elements to construct the path ahead.

The conversion rate was only thirty percent, meaning that the rate of consumption of the team’s energy had tripled. Most people on the team soon ran out of energy for two of their Elements.

Losing the energy for two Elements was basically the same as losing their arms. They completely lost any sense of security in this desert that was full of danger. Even though they could see the end of the sand river now, none of them seemed relieved.

The rate of recovery of a Mage’s energy was incredibly slow. Hunters usually treated their energy as their life, but they had already paid such a huge price just to follow the sand river!

“We should be able to rest up once we reach the relay station. Cheer up, everyone, the sand river is indeed a lot scarier than we expected,” Ge Ming comforted the members of the team.

Mo Fan was a fighter on the team, thus he did not transfer his energy to the others. There were only four people with full energy on the team: Mo Fan, Zheng Tong, Ge Ming, and a man called Tong Zhuang.

—

“There are still Sandstorm Demon Locusts in the area still. Let’s leave this place quickly,” Ge Ming told them.

“We’ll have to use the device after another kilometer. Otherwise, we might accidentally stumble into a horde. There are three hordes in this area,” Wang Jiuming said.

“Are you kidding me? Using the device now is suicide! It’s going to attract the demon creatures nearby. We can’t possibly hold them off!” Tong Zhuang was the first to disagree.

“Going forward blindly or staying here is going to get us killed too! We have to take the risks and stand our ground for an hour and ten minutes, at least it will allow us to keep going!” Wang Jiuming snapped back.

“Captain, the whole team is worn out just making it out of the sand river. Setting up the device is suicide now!” Tong Zhuang said.

Ge Ming frowned. He was struggling to make up his mind.

It was extremely dangerous if a battle broke out now. Only a few people on the team had energy. If they ended up aggravating Commander-level creatures or a horde of demon creatures, they would be done for.

They heard a distant howling, and the wind suddenly grew stronger. Mo Fan glanced in the direction of the wind and saw the clear, blue sky was shrouded by a yellow cloud of dust. He thought the cloud of dust was still at first glance, but he eventually realized it was slowly moving toward them.

“A sandstorm?” Jiang Shaoxu felt uneasy after witnessing the cloud of dust. She subconsciously recalled the Sandstorm Vengeful Spirit that the team encountered before, the ghastly figure that stood imperiously at the top of the sandstorm!

“No, something worse!” Lingling shook her head.

Ge Ming’s eyes widened. His face was gradually filled with fear.

“It’s the Sandstorm Demon Locusts!”

“My Heavens, didn’t we already leave their territory?”

“The Sandstorm Demon Locusts are highly invasive. They will occasionally invade the areas nearby. Even though they aren’t heading right toward us, we’re going to die if we stay here!” Mo Fan said.

The Sandstorm Demon Locusts were the scariest existence in the Taklamakan Desert that people were aware of. They would sweep across an area like a sandstorm, yet in comparison, a sandstorm would actually be considered a kind-hearted spirit. The photographs taken after a place was attacked by the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were utterly terrifying. The whole place would be barren, with skeletons scattered for five hundred kilometers!

“We have to move forward!” Ge Ming did not even need to make a choice. He immediately gave the order.

The members stopped arguing instantly and started moving forward. The demon creatures approaching them like a cloud of dust were not something their magic could possibly handle!

“It’s going to take them at least two hours to reach here,” Zhang Xiaohou looked into the sky and roughly estimated the speed of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts.

“Which means we still have enough time to scan the area,” Wang Jiuming said.

“Damn it, I’ve never visited a place like this. If I manage to make it back alive, I can boast about it for the rest of my life!” Lu Fang cursed. He was trying to embolden himself.

“Yeah, it feels like only one in ten is going to make it out alive…I’m starting to regret my decision coming here.”

The desert full of unknown dangers was a lot scarier than the team had thought. They had encountered so many different kinds of problems when they had just set foot into the desert. It felt like the whole team was going to be wiped out if they were being too careless.

—

“What do we do now? Either way, I’m already out of energy,” Xu Pingdong had a grim look.

“Yeah, so did we!”

“Say, if the Sandstorm Demon Locusts is approaching, does that mean the demon creatures nearby will not bother us?” someone on the team asked in a soft voice.

The eyes of the rest of the team flickered. It did make sense. Wouldn’t the Sandstorm Demon Locusts drive the other demon creatures away?

“Basically…” Mo Fan immediately interrupted, pouring a bucket of cold water on the team, “The demon creatures residing close to the territories of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts is because either the Sandstorm Demon Locusts aren’t interested in them, because they were picky eaters, or the demon creatures aren’t really afraid of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts! So, I’m afraid we aren’t safe either.”

“Humph, you sound like it’s none of your concern. You haven’t done anything since we came into the desert. You weren’t even willing to share your energy,” Zheng Tong snapped.

“Xiao Zheng, don’t say that. If it wasn’t for his Space Element, Li Sichong would have died in the sand river,” Lu Fang intervened.

“I know someone who was lucky enough to Awaken the Space Element, but it turns out to be a useless Element. It’s only a supportive Element in a battle,” Zheng Tong said.

A skinny man on the team had an awkward face when Zheng Tong was speaking.

“It’s because I haven’t really mastered it. I learned that I have to improve my mental strength if I want to improve the Space Element. I thought I just needed to familiarize myself with it…” the man said in a soft voice.

“I seriously don’t understand; why did a person like you end up Awakening the Space Element?” Zheng Tong sighed.

“Well, I have no idea either. I’m actually regretting it a little,” the man replied.

The man had awakened the Space Element as his tertiary Element. The Space Element would normally only be Awakened after a person had reached the Advanced Level. It was rare and mysterious. When Yang Bao first Awakened the Space Element, he thought he was going to rise and surpass his comrades. The Golden Battle Hunters had high hopes in him, too. To his surprise, the Space Element was extremely hard to master, not to mention that it was a lot weaker than the other Elements, be it Telekinesis or Space Rhythm…

Yang Bao was still looking forward to achieving the Advanced Level of the Space Element, since he believed Blink would come in handy for sure!

“It turns out that this Zheng Tong isn’t just jealous of you, but everyone else too…” Jiang Shaoxu whispered into Mo Fan’s ear.

“Indeed, it’s like he doesn’t want anything good to happen to others,” Mo Fan agreed.

“Why haven’t you taught him a lesson? I’ve never seen you so forgiving on the national team,” Jiang Shaoxu asked in confusion.

It was not Zheng Tong’s first time uttering scornful comments at Mo Fan, yet Mo Fan did not seem bothered at all. Jiang Shaoxu was actually quite surprised.

“It’s not the same this time. We’re like grasshoppers on the same boat. Infighting isn’t ideal right now,” Mo Fan said. He had only come to resurrect Little Flame Belle. He was fully focused at the moment, and too lazy to waste his time elsewhere. Besides, Ge Ming had informed Mo Fan of Zheng Tong’s personality before he joined the team.

“It should be grasshoppers tied to the same rope!” Jiang Shaoxu corrected him. “Ah, damn it, now is definitely not the time to mention grasshoppers!”

Jiang Shaoxu immediately glanced at the yellow cloud of dust in the distance and shuddered.

——

Wang Jiuming had planted the device into the sand. The team was currently in a valley surrounded by three hills. Any demon creatures were most likely going to come from the entrance to the valley. If they came down the hills, it would take them some time to cross, which would buy the team more time to handle them.

“I’m starting the device!” Wang Jiuming warned everyone.

The team immediately prepared themselves for battle. The demon creatures would show up soon after the device started working!