After rousing the Origin Chapter, Lin Yun could feel everything in his surroundings through the darkness.
The darkness covered less than two kilometers, shrouding Xiuban within its grasp. The latter ran wild after a few seconds and started recklessly swinging Carnage.
Xiuban was stunned when the power of the Origin Chapter scattered, he looked pale, as if he had encountered something terrifying.
“Sir… Sir Merlin, what happened? Why couldn’t I feel anything around me, I couldn’t even enjoy a nap, my heartbeats were too loud, it felt like my heart was about to explode…”
Lin Yun threw a few Health Potions at Xiuban and sent him on his way before pensively looking at the Origin Chapter.
That ability was similar to a Curtain of Darkness, and not only did it provide perfect cover, it also had the power to instill fear.
Aside from this, Lin Yun also discovered that the Origin Chapter increased the power of darkness spells and assisted in the comprehension of the Law of Darkness.
That darkness was the most perfect place to comprehend the Law of Darkness, even the Demiplane couldn’t compare. With both the Origin Chapter and the Demiplane, Lin Yun’s comprehension of the Law of Darkness would be easier than a darkness mage, many times easier.
While Lin Yun studied the Origin Chapter within the Demiplane, the outside world was going crazy.
The Rodney Family had turned into a laughingstock. After taking over the position of Patriarch, Wilder tried to deal with the Gilded Rose, but he not only kept suffering defeat after defeat, he was even humiliated during the Starry Sky Auction. He used 90,000,000 purple golds to buy a mana reactor… Which had been made by the Gilded Rose, it was a prototype created by Mafa Merlin.
Even if it could be researched, they couldn’t use the techniques, not to mention directly using it. Everyone knew that the mana reactor had been created by Mafa Merlin, and they also knew who Wilder had been planning on using it against.
It could be said that Wilder spent 90,000,000 purple golds to buy a piece of scrap iron from his enemy.
The Rodney Family instantly became a laughing stock.
“Idiots, morons, who managed the information? F*ck, that damned mana reactor was actually made by that Mafa Merlin… Why do I only know that now? Who can tell me why!?”
Wilder ruthlessly threw the mana reactor on the ground, his eyes burning with flames and his appearance somewhat distorted.
Wilder’s humiliation had spread through Neverwinter City. Once it reached the Rodney Family, they checked multiple times before confirming that this mana reactor indeed came from the Gilded Rose. And only Mafa Merlin could make something like that.
Wilder threw the mana reactor worth 90,000,000 on the ground, leaving a crack in it. He didn’t even feel regret when he looked at the crack, he instead flew into a rage before fiercely dismantling the mana reactor. He discovered Lin Yun’s unique magic signature within its core, this was something all alchemists would leave in their own works, so that no one could impersonate them.
Wilder lost reason when he saw that magic signature. His mana burst out and his right side turned to steel. The large amount of mana surged forth and formed countless thick steel spikes which destroyed the building.
A few people couldn’t dodge and were sent flying by Wilder.
Wilder punched his way out of the ruins, the layer of steel covering his right side slowly fading away.
He stood above the ruins with a blazing gaze, his mana burning up like flames.
“In my name, send an invitation to fight to that damned Mafa Merlin. Use the title of Count of the Odin Kingdom to challenge Mafa Merlin, and make it a life or death duel.
“If he doesn’t accept, we will start an all-out war against Mafa Merlin, regardless of what the other forces think. I’ll get rid of that damned guy, I want him dead!” Wilder roared angrily, having lost all rationality.
The Great Elder looked shocked and wanted to say something, but ended up remaining silent. Looking at the furious Wilder, the Great Elder actually felt that this was actually a correct decision.
It was said that this Mafa Merlin was only a 2nd Rank Heaven Mage. Although he was stronger than the average Heaven Mage, he definitely couldn’t compare to Wilder.
‘Yes, that’s it, Mafa Merlin wouldn’t dare to refuse a duel initiated through the kingdom’s most ancient duel law.
‘Even though it’s a very old law, it’s only used by the younger generation to settle disputes since they usually have similar strength. It’s the best way to do it since there wouldn’t be too much damage to the forces regardless of who won.
‘Even if Mafa Merlin and his Gilded Rose come from the Andlusa Kingdom, Wilder plans to use the kingdom’s most ancient tradition which all families and forces of the Odin Kingdom have to follow.
‘No duel between leaders of forces has happened in over a thousand years since all forces are related in some way or another. Such a situation would have a large impact on the Odin Kingdom.
‘But the Gilded Rose is from the Andlusa Kingdom. To assimilate in the Odin Kingdom without a long time and a lot of effort is impossible. The other forces would definitely watch that duel and no one would stand on the side of the Gilded Rose, nor would they care what Wilder does…
‘Everything else will be easy as long as Sir Wilder gets rid of Mafa Merlin in that duel. Even if we can’t annex the Gilded Rose, we can drive the Gilded Rose out of the Odin Kingdom…
‘Moreover, the winner would inevitably profit greatly…’
As his thoughts reached this point, the Great Elder stopped thinking of persuading the irrational Wilder.
The next day, the Great Elder personally carried the Rodney Family’s duel invitation to the Gilded Rose. They even invited a Heaven Rank powerhouse with the title of Marquis as a witness.
After giving the duel invitation to Faleau, the Great Elder and his entourage left.
The decisive battle was scheduled three days later, this was part of the ancient law. Only the two people concerned could show up and no one could help them. Regardless of the methods used, the one coming out alive was the victor. Whoever violated the law was bound to be disdained by everyone. Not to mention, most of the Odin Kingdom’s major forces stemmed from titles of nobility.
Even now, there were still nobles among the most powerful forces. In fact, 90% of the major forces had titles of nobility. In the case of the Rodney Family, they had developed late, but they still became a Count Family due to their power.
It was already the 3rd day when Lin Yun came out of the Demiplane. He frowned upon reading the duel invitation, but after hearing the information Faleau gathered on the ancient tradition, he accepted the duel. He opened a Spatial Door and appeared at the location of the duel.
During the past few days, he had been sorting out the insights he gained and the spells of the Book of Mantras. Some of the powerful spells he remembered could now be used to their full potential and he was now ready to see Agalon for more training.
But he hadn’t expected Wilder to use that ancient law to ask for a duel, he even wondered if the latter had brain damage.
However, Lin Yun was also happy to directly settle the matter of the duel. The Rodney Family would stop looking for problems once he took care of Wilder.
As Lin Yun walked out of the Spatial Door, he noticed a half-transformed Wilder floating in the air several kilometers away, coldly looking at his location.
Lin Yun glanced at the desolate area they were in. It was devoid of people, only some wild beasts could be seen within twenty to thirty kilometers, but these beasts were fleeing in panic.
“Mafa Merlin, the humiliation you inflicted upon me will be washed clean with your blood. I can’t wait to see your head skewered on my steel. I’ll tear your soul into pieces!” Wilder angrily roared.
A terrifying amount of mana surged from his body and countless silver metal balls floated at his sides.
Following Lin Yun’s arrival, the silver metal balls started changing shape and turned into thick steel spikes. Several hundred steel spikes instantly disappeared, rippling the space in their path and forming a huge shockwave fiercely rushing towards Lin Yun.
Lin Yun swiftly cast a spell and two hand-like large shields appeared on both sides, covering him. Dense flames were flowing atop the hands, this was a branch of the Law of Fire.
Fire spells could only be tangible when the majority of the Fire Law’s foundation was comprehended.
The sound emitted by those fiercely flying steel spikes was still lagging behind when they hit Lin Yun’s Fire Protection. The two flaming large hands looked like an incorporeal fire spell protecting Lin Yun, continuously revolving around him as they blocked all the steel spikes.
The steel spikes were forcibly melted when they came in contact with the Fire Protection and the molten steel went through it, dripping on the surface of Lin Yun’s Fusion Shield.
The drops of molten steel slowly trickled down the Fusion Shield and fell to the ground. The temperature of that shiny liquid molten steel was so hot that it would burn everything within ten meters of ground to a blazing red state upon falling down.
Trees were set ablaze one after another as the molten steel dripped onto the forest below.
After igniting the trees, the molten steel would transform back into small silver balls and fly back to Wilder.
Countless steel spikes kept appearing in the air, flying towards Lin Yun at a speed exceeding the speed of sound. It felt like several thousand Divine Archers were continuously shooting magic piercing arrows at Lin Yun.
Lin Yun frowned and raised the big Draconic Staff in his right hand while opening the Book of Death in his left hand. The shadow of a huge wheel appeared behind him as countless perfect law runes appeared on the wheel.
The countless law runes of the four elements surged and condensed into Four-Element Bombs. Those Four-Element Bombs left white trails as they flew towards Wilder.
The torrent of steel spikes assaulting Lin Yun suddenly lost half its power as countless steel spikes coalesced around Wilder’s body to form a huge steel hedgehog.
Then, all those steel spikes burst out, flying at different angles, and forcibly intercepted Lin Yun’s Four-Element Bombs.
Explosions kept echoing in the sky as Four-Element Bombs exploded one after another, the shockwaves transforming into huge spheres of destruction.
Although the shockwaves weren’t weak, they couldn’t do much to Wilder. He was hiding inside a huge metal sphere.
As the shockwaves reached his steel sphere, steel fragments were shaved off layer by layer, but more and more silver metal balls flew over to replenish his defenses, effectively keeping the steel sphere in good condition.
As the shockwaves were still raging, a gap appeared inside the steel sphere, from which Wilder sneered, “Mafa Merlin, you are an idiot. Is this the extent of your strength? What a disappointment. Have you not figured out the difference between your power and the power of a 4th Rank Heaven Mage yet?
“The 4th Rank isn’t like the first three ranks, it’s a brand new beginning. Idiot, I shall teach you why the steel magic of the Rodney Family is feared in the Odin Kingdom!”
A silvery sandstorm instantly appeared around Lin Yun. The dust particles then transformed into steel spikes which completely encircled him, turning Lin Yun’s Fire Protection into a hedgehog.
After reaching the Fire Protection, the steel spikes turned into a torrent of molten steel which passed through the Fire Protection.
The molten steel was like a river washing over Lin Yun’s Fusion Shield, its terrifying heat greatly increasing the mana consumption of the Fusion Shield. But mana consumption wasn’t a problem, the problem was that the molten steel was rapidly solidifying.
It took an instant for the molten steel to form a steel sphere around Lin Yun’s Fusion Shield. The steel sphere, filled with Wilder’s power, was completely isolating Lin Yun from the outside.
Having lost Lin Yun’s control, the Fire Protection was still independently blocking the steel spikes, pouring even more molten steel onto the four-meter-tall sphere.
Some of the steel that fell to the ground rapidly flew up to merge with the sphere surrounding Lin Yun.
After a few seconds, the four-meter-tall sphere reached over eight meters in diameter, and the thickness kept increasing.
Wilder raised the steel magic staff in his right hand and kept watching the thickening steel sphere with a smile.
“Mafa Merlin, my steel magic has close to no opponent within the same rank. Letting you die in that sea of steel is a show of respect.”
After saying those words, Wilder quickly started casting a spell and law runes quickly fell onto the 10-meter-tall steel sphere. The steel sphere started revolving and teeth-grinding sounds akin to metal being squeezed started echoing as a spiral pattern appeared on the surface of the sphere.
The steel followed these patterns as it kept squeezing inward. This spell was based upon the Burial spell of the earth element which consisted of swallowing the opponent within a swamp before burying them in the depths of the earth to be crushed to death once the spell dissipated.
With steel as its base, that spell lost a lot of restrictions, and the pressure of steel was far stronger than the earth.
Under Wilder’s control, the ten-meter-big sphere emitted far stronger pressure than the earth several hundred meters below the surface.
The steel sphere was still slowly shrinking when Wilder suddenly frowned. He felt like he was losing control over the steel’s power. The originally inactive metal elements in the deepest part of the steel sphere were suddenly roused and couldn’t be controlled.
The surface of the steel sphere turned red within a few seconds. Alarmed, Wilder roused more steel to fuse with the sphere and kept strengthening the pressure of the steel sphere, but it was becoming harder and harder to control and the surface of the steel sphere was already starting to melt.
An explosion echoed.
Following that explosion, countless blazing red fragments of steel flew out as Lin Yun emerged with a layer of red light and a fire rune imprint on his forehead.
The burst of flames turned everything within several hundred meters into a sea of flames centered around Lin Yun. With the Fire Elemental Spirit Incarnation, this kind of ordinary flames could be layered and controlled infinitely, and no matter how high the temperature reached, it still wouldn’t be able to harm Lin Yun.
Unfortunately for Wilder, his steel couldn’t bear such a high temperature.
Most of it was turned into molten steel, but a lot of it was directly vaporized.
Floating in the air, Lin Yun looked at Wilder’s unsightly expression and said, “Is this your family’s renowned steel magic? It’s truly disappointing, it’s only ordinary steel and magic iron. It’s indeed a bit harder and has greater piercing power than earth magic, but that’s all…
“Unfortunately, the steel you control will be burnt into molten steel or vaporized as long as the temperature is high enough, reducing the activity of metal elements by a few hundred times and crippling your steel magic.”
Wilder had an unsightly expression. This was the flaw of the Rodney Family’s magic, steel would become hard to control if the temperature was too high. The higher the temperature, the more difficult controlling it would be. They would completely lose control when it reached a certain extent, as vaporized steel simply couldn’t be controlled.
