Versatile Mage Chapter 3162 Encountering the Divine Wood Well Again
Previously on Versatile Mage...
Winter had concluded, and fresh growth began to peak through the snow-dusted city. Vibrant green vines and the deep hues of purple-red plum blossoms started to claim the streets.
In the distant reaches of the Antarctic, the air rippled until a space resembling an oval mirror fractured open. Through this shimmering rift, a recognizable section of the Pearl Institute from the mysterious Eastern lands became visible.
"Sigh, establishing a long-distance teleportation portal is truly a gamble," Mo Fan admitted with a heavy exhale. Despite the freezing temperatures, sweat rolled down his face from the exertion.
Crossing half the globe required immense magical prowess and nerves of steel. Mages could never be entirely certain that a destination set for Pearl Institute wouldn't accidentally dump them into the treacherous forbidden lands of Kunlun.
Pang Lai, the Chief Royal Mage, exchanged hesitant looks with the other Forbidden Mages. After weighing the risks, Pang Lai decided to play it safe. He informed Mo Fan, "That travel method makes us quite nauseous. We've decided to fly back at a steady pace, so we’ll pass on the portal."
"That flight is going to take forever. Have some faith in me. One step through here and you'll be standing in Pearl Institute," Mo Fan claimed, confidently thumping his chest.
"No, thank you. Our negotiations with the Antarctic Emperor went far too smoothly. It feels suspicious, and I’m worried about my luck running out. I’d rather be careful," Pang Lai countered.
The remaining Royal Mages offered polite smiles as they also turned down the offer to use Mo Fan’s shortcut.
"Fine then. I’ll head out first. Stay safe, everyone." Mo Fan couldn't force them to follow, though Pang Lai’s lack of confidence in his skills clearly irritated him.
Standing tall, Mo Fan stepped firmly into the teleportation rift he had manifested.
He vanished from the glacial wasteland in an instant. The lingering mages felt a spark of jealousy; as practitioners of mostly Elemental Magic, they knew that while the Space Element might not always dominate a fight, its utility and style were unmatched.
…
Fourteen days passed before Pang Lai and his unit of Royal Mages finally touched down on home soil after their Antarctic expedition.
By chance, Pearl Institute and Imperial College had joined forces once more for an exchange program. Before the weary Pang Lai could even rest, he and his team were summoned to the National Institute to recount their successful mission to a group of eager, talented young mages.
"Everyone, please welcome the Chief Royal Mage, Pang Lai!"
"Please, keep it down. I was merely an advisor on this trip. The true spearhead was Mo Fan. I’ll let him be the first to describe our journey," Pang Lai said with uncharacteristic modesty.
Pang Lai was well aware that without Mo Fan—the man feared as the Evil Saint King—the Antarctic Emperor might not have shown the Royal Mages any respect at all. He knew exactly who the hero of the story was.
"Wait, didn't Mo Fan return with your group?" Feng Li, an instructor from the National Institute, asked in confusion.
"No. Mo Fan opened a teleportation portal to return on his own. He should have arrived two weeks ahead of us," Pang Lai noted.
"But there hasn't been a single word of his arrival. We even dispatched scouts to Fanxue Mountain. Dean Xiao, has Mo Fan shown up at Pearl Institute?" Feng Li turned to ask.
Dean Xiao simply shook his head, having heard nothing regarding Mo Fan’s early homecoming.
"How peculiar. Where could he have gone? Perhaps his recent burdens were too much, and he’s snuck off for a secret vacation?" Feng Li speculated.
"Well... I’m not sure I want to say it out loud," Pang Lai muttered, glancing at his fellow Royal Mages. After a brief pause, he added, "I suspect he might have been teleported into one of the world's forbidden zones."
The other Royal Mages nodded, looking visibly relieved.
They were incredibly lucky they hadn't stepped into Mo Fan’s portal two weeks ago. If they had, they might be stranded in some godforsaken wasteland or stuck outside this plane of existence!
…
In a remote region where the Sahara Desert meets the Atlantic, a man looking like a wild hermit stumbled out of the blowing grit. His lips were parched and cracked.
A titanic sandstorm howled at his heels. Within that churning wall of gold, hundreds of malicious crimson eyes glared at him, intent on driving him out of their territory.
"Give it a rest! I only took one sip of the Sacred Spring after wandering into your holy ground by accident. Is this level of hostility really necessary?" Mo Fan, looking like a savage, glanced back at the storm with exhaustion.
Teleportation portals were far too temperamental.
He was supposed to be in East Asia, right next to Pearl Institute. Instead, he had been spat out into the heart of the Sahara.
Actually, Mo Fan wasn't entirely upset to be there. In the past, he had been humiliated and chased out of this desert by an arrogant sandstorm spirit.
Now that he had achieved the rank of Forbidden Mage, Mo Fan had intended to find that spirit and prove he was no longer the weakling he used to be!
However, he had failed to account for the sheer mystery and lethality of the Sahara. As it turned out, that sandstorm spirit didn't live alone—it lived in a massive pack!
They were a vast population that ruled their territory. They dominated the northern Sahara, and even the supreme ruler of the desert gave them a wide berth.
Having recently clashed with the Antarctic Emperor, Mo Fan wasn't at peak strength, yet he had brazenly challenged the entire northern Sahara sandstorm tribe. He had nearly paid for that mistake with his life.
On the bright side, Mo Fan had secured a treasure: the Sacred Spring from the desert's depths. Its properties mirrored the Underground Holy Spring and could help replenish the Azure Dragon’s power.
Finding such a rare prize in the Sahara was a shock. He had risked everything to snatch it before making a run for it.
"Quit following me! If you don't stop, I’m going to start hitting back!" Mo Fan yelled, frustrated by the relentless wall of sand and the glare of those angry eyes.
"Roar!" the sandstorm spirits bellowed in response. They were prepared to sacrifice an army of their kind just to bury this insolent human in the dunes.
Not in millennia had they suffered such an insult; Mo Fan had completely ruined their sacred rite!
Even while shouting threats, Mo Fan didn't slow his pace.
The most exciting—and terrifying—thing about this world was that no matter how high your Cultivation reached, there was always something out there capable of humbing you.
Mo Fan could kill these spirits, but they were effectively immortal here. The infinite sand allowed them to reform and recharge without end.
"Wait, is that an oasis up ahead? Or am I hallucinating?" Mo Fan whispered.
"Doesn't matter. I need water and a place to gather other elements to fight them properly."
The desert was saturated with the Rock Element. Even as a Rock Element Mage, Mo Fan found his magic was less effective against creatures made of the same desert sand.
Without a variety of elemental energies to draw from, his combat potential was stifled.
That oasis represented a chance to balance the scales and unleash his full power.
Perfect!
He would make his stand at the oasis!
He was going to show these mindless sand spirits who the real boss was!
The desert heat was oppressive, but as Mo Fan closed the distance to the oasis, a sudden shiver ran down his spine.
Having spent two weeks in the scorching sun, a breeze should have been a relief. Yet, he realized instantly that this chill was wrong.
It wasn't a natural cooling of the air.
It was a freezing sensation that pierced his very soul!
Mo Fan’s divine-level perception, his enhanced Dragon Sense, began screaming at him to turn back!
The warning was a bone-deep dread that spread through his veins and muscles. Every inch of his skin crawled, urging him to stay as far away as possible!
Mo Fan was usually a skeptic, but he lived by his gut feelings.
He swerved immediately. He would rather take his chances with the infinite sandstorms than enter that unsettling oasis.
Unfortunately, he had underestimated how fast the danger could move.
As he attempted to flee, the oasis began to expand at an impossible speed. Massive, ancient trees erupted from the sand, their branches clawing at the sky, while thick vines slithered across the dunes like snakes. Eerie, spectral flowers bloomed in the parched earth, creating a haunting sea of petals.
The canopy quickly blotted out the sun. In the blink of an eye, a primordial, terrifying rainforest had materialized. It didn't look like a conjured illusion; it felt as though it had been buried under the sand for eons, waiting for a dark spark to make it consume the horizon.
It was a nightmare—this ancient woods grew like a hungry vortex, swallowing the desert whole.
Mo Fan was trapped. Even with his speed, the divine trees grew faster.
Neither Mo Fan nor his pursuers could get away. The once-dominant sandstorm spirits began to wither as the forest took over. The sun disappeared, and the spirits were left defenseless as the greenery consumed them.
"T-The Divine Wood Well!"
Mo Fan was paralyzed with shock. Beneath his terror was a cold sense of recognition.
During his pursuit of Zhao Jing, the man had utilized a single sprout from the Divine Wood Well. That tiny fragment had given Mo Fan a brief look at the source, and that one glance had nearly ended his life!
He never imagined the actual Divine Wood Well was hidden under the Sahara. Today, he had walked right into its trap!
There was no known link between the Sahara Desert and the Divine Wood Well, yet here they were. Even Mo Fan, who felt he had reached the pinnacle of power, felt his heart sink.
Was this the end of the line for him?
Was he truly in over his head this time?