End of the Magic Era

 But then, Lin Yun knew that this didn’t come from a magic beast or the ghost of an ancestor, but from a real person, and a very powerful one at that.

A gust of wind swirled past, carrying a foul smell. The mysterious runes flickered and, in a flash, over a dozen lifelike pythons pounced towards Lin Yun.

That was the 4th Rank Spell, Wind Python. Back then in Thousand Sails City, the Head of the Magic Department of the Cloud Tower, High Mage Hoen, had once tried to use that spell to deal with him. But the person who attacked now was a lot more skillful in his use of the Wind Python than Hoen was. Hoen could make nine Pythons appear out of the Wind Python spell, while this person could create almost twice as many. These seventeen pythons were equivalent to an Ultimate Wind Python spell in terms of power.

As the wind whistled by, the seventeen Wind Pythons charged at Lin Yun with impressive momentum. At that moment, Lin Yun’s Doom Staff flickered and Ice Armor quickly spread around his body as a cold aura rose up. Immediately, a loud sound echoed. Countless stones flew out and a white silhouette flashed through the ruins. It was Lin Yun holding his Doom Staff. As mana was poured into it, the Doom Staff shone with a dazzling light, it was followed by Flame Bursts blazing towards a certain shadow.

“What?” An amazed voiced echoed.

The dense fog retreated like a tide and revealed the outline of an old and fat silhouette wearing a gray robe, a simple staff in his hands. That person seemed to be over seventy years old and was looking at Lin Yun in disbelief and shock. After all, Wind Python was the spell that he was the most proficient with and was close to an Ultimate Spell in terms of power when he used it. It wasn’t any weaker than a 7th Tier Spell.

But…

The young mage before his eyes only used a Frost Armor to block his Wind Python…

From that point on, he no longer dared to look down on that young mage. He gently waved his staff, bursting with shocking power as he instant-cast seven Ice Walls to block. The five Flame Bursts exploded on the Ice Walls, melting them while penetrating through at the same time, before exploding on that ash-gray silhouette.

‘To hell with it…’

The ashen-robed old man looked as if he had seen a ghost, but he quickly calmed down. Countless runes rose in front of his body, forming a huge shield. Then, those five Flame Bursts exploded on the man’s Runic Shield. A loud sound could be heard as a crack appeared on the shield.

“That’s…”

The ashen-robed old man no longer hesitated. He Hasted himself and quickly fell back. But just as he wanted to say something, he noticed that the staff in the young mage’s hands was once again shining with dazzling lights as the aura of several Flame Bursts was once again directed towards him. The old man was shivering from fear. It reached the point where he didn’t care what it was; as long as it was a defensive spell, he would use it.

The might of these Flame Bursts wasn’t to be trifled with. His bones might fall apart under the impact of these explosions.

That battle continued for over ten minutes, and although that old man tried to say something several times, he was continuously interrupted and could only defend himself helplessly.

‘Damn…’

The old man had a grim look on his face. His robe had traces of burns, and there were as many as twenty holes of various sizes. He was in an extremely awkward situation, and the worst part was that this young mage’s attacks were extremely fierce, giving him no choice but to focus completely on his defensive spells. During those ten minutes, he hadn’t successfully cast a spell to counterattack after the first Wind Python.

Moreover, his mana was slowly getting drained. He would at most be able to cast a few more defensive spells before his mana was exhausted.

He was getting worried.

He no longer cared about being humiliated. After defending against a few more fierce spells, he mustered the remaining mana within his body and cast an Elemental Shield to guard himself, and took this opportunity to yell, “Mafa Merlin, stay your hand! Quick, stop! This is a misunderstanding, I’m someone from the Ancestral Land of the Merlin Family…”

Rio Merlin really felt depressed.

He was one of the ancestors of the Merlin Family and had learnt several months ago that a youth named Mafa would become one of the Planar Legion Commanders of the Merlin Family.

To be honest, he admired that youth, and after asking Ofran about him, he was a bit startled. Having such power in his early twenties… At that age, Rio was still striving to become a High Mage.

Then, he heard that this young mage had used the power of two True Spirit Magic Tools to contend against Thorne, one of the three Sword Saints of the Merlin Family, while he himself was only a 1st Rank High Mage. That kind of power was around that of a 4th Rank Archmage, only a step away from the 5th Rank. This kind of powerhouse was certainly qualified to be a Planar Legion Commander.

It was because he admired that youth that Rio decided to test him. He had been waiting in the canyon earlier, and when Lin Yun appeared, he used his Wind Python spell. He had been hesitating about it… He had become a 5th Rank Archmage this year, would he injure this youth?

After all, that youth had boundless potential, he was very valuable to the entire Merlin Family. If something unexpected happened, he wouldn’t be able to bear the blame, even as an ancestor. After all, that youth was called to the Ancestral Land by “that person”.

But Rio then thought about it. Since it was a test, restraining himself would prove nothing. Moreover, that youth even had True Spirit Magic Tools, two of them. Moreover, he should still have some cards he hadn’t used yet. Thinking about this, Rio made his move.

Any 5th Rank Archmage would have to be cautious when facing a Wind Python spell with might close to that of an Ultimate Spell.

But…

The shocking part was that the young mage only used a Frost Armor and completely blocked the Wind Python spell. This young mage was too powerful…

Rio wasn’t an ordinary 5th Rank Archmage. He had spent most of his time studying magic in the few decades he spent in the Ancestral Land. Even if he was a 5th Rank Archmage like Patriarch Ofran, the latter would only be able to last minutes against him.

But what made his heart sink when fighting the young mage was that he couldn’t be described as merely being at a disadvantage. He had been completely crushed. With his insight, he could naturally tell that the young mage hadn’t made any ruthless moves, and after the first round of attacks, he even let up a bit to give him the opportunity to breathe.

‘Damnit, Ofran, you dared to trick me…” Rio was feeling resentful of Patriarch Ofran. This wasn’t like Ofran’s description. ‘He only has the power of a 4th Rank Archmage? Even I am getting suppressed. If he used another True Spirit Magic Tool, he would definitely be able to contend against 6th Rank Archmages!’

He couldn’t help feeling bitter, because this was a huge humiliation. He was an ancestor of the Ancestral Land testing a youth of the Family, yet he ended up in such a state.

If this spread through the Ancestral Land, he would become a laughing stock. How would he be able to face the others if that happened?

But humiliation was better than death…

Who could have ever thought that someone so young would be so fierce? Even he, a 5th Rank Archmage, was pressured.

“Don’t talk nonsense, the ancestors in the Ancestral Land wouldn’t try to kill me…” A smirk appeared at the corner of Lin Yun’s mouth as shocking mana fluctuations rose up. The Doom Staff burst with a dazzling light as the incantations finished.

“I, I… I wasn’t planning to kill you, it’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! I only wanted to test you! Mafa Merlin, I am Rio Merlin and I come from the Ancestral Land, you must believe me…” Seeing Lin Yun’s movement, Rio was almost scared to death. Cold sweat steadily flowed down his forehead while his gray robe was drenched. He looked nervously at Lin Yun. He had exhausted his mana, so if another wave of spells arrived, he would be shedding a layer of skin.

To an old guy like Rio who lived for close to a hundred years, how could fail to realize that Mafa knew he was an ancestor? But the youth seemed to be holding a grudge. ‘Damn, I should never provoke that guy in the future.’

“Eh? Turns out it’s Sir Rio…”

Lin Yun scattered the gathered mana, finally allowing Rio to relax. But the latter didn’t even have time to wipe his sweat before Lin Yun’s voice echoed once again. “But Sir Rio, if there is a next time, please greet me in advance so I have time to make preparations…”

“Okay, okay… No problem!”

Rio smiled unnaturally as he looked at Lin Yun with a strange expression.

‘Next time? Hell, how could there be a next time!? I’m not the kind of person that likes being abused…

‘I already brought trouble to myself once, how could there be a second time?’

“Well, Mafa, we have delayed for quite a bit, and there are still a few guys waiting to meet you. It would be best if I take you there…” Rio took a deep breath and forced himself to say those words as gently as possible. “I truly didn’t expect you to be far more outstanding than we had expected. You aren’t inferior to Santon Merlin back in his days. If those old geezers learn about that, they will definitely be very happy…”