Chapter 330: The Oasis in the Desert
As Helena issued her warning, the black crystal atop the distant Magic Light Tower began to glow.
A black beam of light shot through the air, heading straight for the group.
Just as the beam flashed, a surge of white ice mist erupted from Li ng’s body, rolling forward in a wave.
A massive ice wall rose from the ground with a thunderous roar.
The mont the wall ford, the black beam struck it. The light refracted off the wall and blasted into the desert.
“This is... ice magic?”
The sight of the towering ice wall startled everyone.
Though ice and water elents share a common origin, they cannot coexist in a single mage due to their elental spirits’ competitive nature.
Everyone knew that Silver Mask was a water-elent mage. Yet, here he was, using ice magic.
“Silver Mask, we need to conserve our magic until we reach the target location. Please, lend us your aid!” Helena asked him earnestly.
The Magic Light Tower was a significant challenge, even for divine-level adventurers. Though rare, encountering one was always perilous.
The tower continuously bombarded the ice wall with black beams, which refracted away, but cracks began to spiderweb across the ice.
Sitting atop his dodo bird, Li ng gazed at the distant tower.
Water-blue magical energy surged from his body. Without a staff or chant, a colossal phantom of a centaur gradually materialized above the group.
The overwhelming magic caused the grand mages and sages to pale. They could even feel their own magical energy being drawn toward him.
At that mont, they realized why Helena hadn’t even been able to join the fight during their earlier clash with Silver Mask. Such an imnse power—it was hard to believe a human could possess it.
Li ng extended his right hand, pointing toward the Magic Light Tower. The centaur phantom mirrored his motion, drawing back its bowstring.
An arrow of concentrated magical energy ford on the bow, glowing water-blue.
With a sharp whistle, the arrow streaked through the air, leaving a shockwave in its wake.
In an instant, it struck the tower.
“Boom!”
A burst of water-blue magic erupted, slicing the tower in half.
Its remains crumbled into the desert, creating a rolling cloud of dust and sand.
This was a smaller-scale version of the “Margarita Arrow,” less powerful than the one Li ng had used at the Garrison Fort but still devastating.
“Is Silver Mask so kind of hero chosen by a divine race?” Helena murmured, awed by the sheer power of his attack.
Though not as grand in scale as the Cumulus Thunderstorm, it was far deadlier against a single target. Even a divine-level being would struggle to withstand such an attack.
The ntion of heroes caught the attention of the others.
Heroes were rare and revered figures, chosen by divine beings to lead their races to glory.
“I’m not a hero. Let’s move on,” Li ng replied curtly.
He hadn’t forgotten Helena’s earlier warning—defeating a Magic Light Tower could attract others.
Though the odds of encountering another one were slim, any non-zero chance warranted caution.
Realizing the urgency, Helena straightened her posture. “Everyone, let’s keep moving!”
The team sped across the desert on their mounts, covering tens of kiloters before finally stopping among a cluster of sand dunes.
“We’ll rest here for the night,” Helena declared.
Surrounded by dunes, the spot was well-hidden and safe from the towers, which couldn’t attack what they couldn’t see.
As for Wraith Knights, the team was more than capable of handling them.
---
“Silver Mask, we have a long way to go before reaching the teleportation circle. We need to eat well to keep up our strength.”
The group sat cross-legged in the makeshift camp, eating dried at.
Helena handed Li ng a strip of jerky, but he declined.
“You eat. I can go months without food or drink and be fine.”
“Months without eating or drinking?” Helena stared at him, baffled.
She couldn’t hide her curiosity about Silver Mask’s true nature. Aside from monsters or dragons, no race could survive that long without sustenance.
In this world, there were no spatial storage rings, so everything the team carried was stored in backpacks strapped to their dodo birds.
After eating their fill, the group retreated to their tents for rest.
---
Though Li ng carried no provisions, Helena had prepared everything for him.
The next morning, the team resud their journey.
Over the following days, they continued their trek through the desert. Their supplies dwindled visibly as they traveled.
Occasionally, they encountered scattered Wraith Knights, but these posed no real threat. When possible, they avoided conflict; otherwise, they dealt with the knights quickly.
After five days of travel, the group finally stopped atop a sand dune.
“We’ve arrived!”
Before them lay a lush, green forest—a desert oasis.
In the center of the greenery sparkled a shimring lake.
“This oasis is the only supply point before the teleportation circle,” Helena explained, turning to Li ng.
“Though sunlight doesn’t reach this area, the oasis is full of strange fruits. They look odd, but they’re edible and filling. So even taste like at. These fruits are called Mirage Fruits.”
“The na doesn’t an they cause hallucinations but refers to the fact that they vanish like labyrinth creatures if removed from the maze, turning to ash. The fruits co in bizarre shapes and colors, so containing mild toxins that make you feel euphoric without harm.”
“Interestingly, the effects of the sa fruit vary from person to person.”
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