Green was clearly completely unharmed. Although he had previously been stabbed through the shoulder by a longsword and the wound had looked grave and terrifying, after Ye Chui rescued him and healed him with light magic, he was already perfectly fine. For anyone proficient in light magic or possessing healing abilities, such a physical injury posed no real danger at all. Green had only passed out from excessive blood loss.
When Boothly first arrived at the Random Name Magic Guild, she had seen Green lying on the ground and had immediately felt deep concern for him. When she mistakenly believed he had died, her heart had naturally been filled with indescribable rage. She herself was not even sure whether that anger stemmed from losing the chance to seduce Green again and then dump him spectacularly, or simply from the fact that this man had been killed.
The moment she saw Green reappear before her safe and sound, her heart first surged with joy, the kind of joy that comes from being snatched from the jaws of death. Then, amidst that joy, blazing fury ignited once more. Her eyes turned icy cold as they fixed on Ye Chui, who stood nearby wearing an innocent expression.
She was a Prince-level Mage. Yet Ye Chui had actually used such a cheap trick to deceive her…
If she had not retained even a sliver of rationality just now, she might very well have killed Criann outright. What on earth was Ye Chui trying to do? Make her enemies with the other Prince-level Mages?
Thinking of Criann, Boothly hurriedly turned to look at him.
At that moment, Black Priest rushed over in a dishevelled state and was helping Criann to his feet, performing some basic treatment on his wounds. Criann looked utterly pitiful. Half his body was soaked in blood, he was extremely weak, several shoe prints were stamped on his face, a few teeth had been knocked out, blood dripped from his nose, his body twitched uncontrollably from fear or pain, and tears streamed endlessly from his eyes. The son of a Prince-level Mage, someone who could hold his head high even before the Empire’s Emperor and expect respect from everyone, had first been beaten and gravely wounded by Ye Chui, then punched and kicked by Boothly. The once handsome golden-haired young noble now looked even more wretched than a beggar on the street…
Life had simply become unbearable.
“Miss Boothly, this matter cannot end like this!” Black Priest said darkly. He remained on guard against Ye Chui, hoping Boothly would break with him completely. Now that hope carried an added urgency.
For Boothly’s own sake, after Criann had been beaten so badly, she ought to sever all ties with Ye Chui. Otherwise, within the Magic Guild, the faction led by Prince Mingzhong would never let her off lightly.
Although Boothly had successfully inherited a Prince-level Magic Grimoire, she had not yet fully matured. The power structure inside the Magic Guild was complex. If the other Prince-level Mages disliked her, they could absolutely cripple her and select a new inheritor for the Grimoire. Such things had happened in history before.
Black Priest had watched Boothly grow up. As the attendant of the Heavenly Maiden Prince, his own fate was closely tied to hers. He did not want her to fall before she could rise, all because of Ye Chui.
Boothly was aware of this too. Previously, Ye Chui’s actions had only drawn attention from the Magic Guild and the Church. Although they wanted to eliminate the problem that was Ye Chui, it had not been an especially urgent matter worthy of the true heavyweights’ personal attention. However, Criann’s arrival had completely escalated the conflict. As the son of a Prince-level Mage, his status forced Boothly to make a choice now. If she wanted sufficient authority within the Magic Guild, she had to do something on its behalf.
Boothly’s delicate brows knitted tightly. Her originally irritable mood quickly calmed after hearing Black Priest’s words. Then, as if suddenly realising something, she turned to Ye Chui. A strange glint of amusement flashed in her eyes.
Ye Chui responded with an almost imperceptible smile.
They seemed to exchange some unspoken understanding.
Prince Gayler, Jacob, and several other important figures who had the standing to intervene all entered the castle of the Random Name Magic Guild. Looking at the pitiful state of Criann, everyone’s feelings were exceedingly complicated. Several Church believers hurriedly approached Criann to heal him. Then, surrounded by the crowd, an old man in a blood-red robe arrived.
Gaunt and covered in wrinkles, this was Elisha, the highest authority of the Church in the Star Empire, the Red-Robed Archbishop. His status was exalted. He had not even appeared at the end of the Crown War, yet now he had rushed here because of Criann. He glanced at Criann, then looked at Boothly with a complex expression. His aged voice carried a doting yet reproachful tone. “Little Boothly, you have been far too naughty.”
When Ye Chui first met Elisha, Boothly had been supporting him. He seemed to treat her with the affection of an elder. As he spoke, he even patted her head fondly. A Prince-level Mage’s status was actually far higher than a Red-Robed Archbishop’s, yet no one found this gesture inappropriate.
Boothly looked at Elisha with some apology. She respected this old man deeply.
“You lot have really been too reckless,” Prince Gayler said to Ye Chui in similar words. He could only admire their talent for causing trouble. It had been less than a day since returning from the secret realm, and they had already stirred up two major incidents in a row!
He too glanced at Criann, who was slowly regaining his spirits under [Healing Holy Word], and lowered his voice. “Beating a Prince-level Mage’s son into this state, how are you going to quell the Magic Guild’s anger?”
“Prince Gayler, do not worry. I have everything under control,” Ye Chui quietly reassured him.
Archbishop Elisha appeared even older than Prince Gayler, and his status was more exalted, so he naturally became the focus of everyone present. He walked to Criann’s side and inquired about his injuries with the concern an ordinary elder shows a junior. From beginning to end, he did not glance at Ye Chui once. This deliberate ignoring was a form of pressure on Ye Chui. Only after confirming Criann was out of danger did he finally turn his gaze toward him.
His aged, cloudy eyes held a magic that seemed capable of seeing through every corner of a person’s heart. He spoke with faint amusement. “Guild Master Ye Chui, greetings. Your power has at least doubled since I last saw you. Heh heh, what an interesting young fellow.”
Hearing this, those unfamiliar with Ye Chui were secretly shocked. No one doubted Elisha’s judgement. Yet only a few months had passed since he last saw Ye Chui. His strength had doubled?
Ye Chui felt somewhat uncomfortable under Elisha’s scrutiny. He was now powerful enough himself, but figures like the Red-Robed Archbishop still towered above him. He smiled humbly and said, “I am still far inferior to Miss Boothly.”
Boothly was a Prince-level Mage. Saying he was far inferior carried humility, yet deep down it radiated immense pride. He was comparing himself to those who stood at the pinnacle of magic.
Elisha let out a hearty laugh, unclear whether it was mockery or genuine amusement. Last night, the dark altar summoning the Original Sin of Lust in Mole Forest, built over five years by the Church and the Kulin family, had been destroyed by Ye Chui. Logically, he should hate Ye Chui bitterly, yet his words revealed only calm emotion.
“Criann was gravely wounded here and nearly lost his life. Guild Master Ye Chui, you should give an explanation for this matter,” Elisha continued in the same neutral tone, neither aggressive nor lenient, yet impossible to evade.
“He came to my place causing trouble and gravely injured my man. What is wrong with me injuring him?” Ye Chui replied earnestly. “This is my territory. According to imperial law, even if I had killed him, what crime would that be?”
“Imperial law is of course beyond question, but in this world there is also honour besides law,” Elisha said with a smile. “Someone must always do something for the honour of the Magic Guild?”
As he finished, his eyes suddenly turned to Boothly.
This seemingly mild old man revealed his true intent like a cunning fox. After all that talk, his real meaning was simply to have Boothly step forward and seek justice for Criann.
The fact that Boothly herself had just beaten Criann seemed utterly unimportant. That was an internal Magic Guild affair. Ye Chui injuring Criann, however, concerned the Guild’s honour.
The surroundings fell silent for a moment.
Then Boothly suddenly declared loudly, “Guild Master Ye Chui, on behalf of the Magic Guild, I formally request a duel with you.”
Without hesitation, Ye Chui nodded. “I accept.”
After a few seconds of stunned silence, the crowd erupted.
“Ye Chui, what are you doing?” Prince Gayler hurriedly whispered. “If Fourth Brother mediates, there might still be room to resolve this…”
Ye Chui was now one of the foremost young experts in the Star Empire. He did not want anything to happen to him. Boothly was, after all, a Prince-level Mage.
“Prince Gayler, Miss Boothly has issued a duel request to Guild Master Ye Chui, and he has accepted. With Archbishop Elisha as witness, this is now an undeniable fact. Your words will change nothing,” the patriarch of the Magical Beast Jores family interrupted. He was naturally delighted to see a duel between Ye Chui and Boothly.
Prince Gayler shot the Jores patriarch an unhappy glance. “A duel at this level will cause massive collateral damage. I do not wish to see unnecessary casualties in the Empire…”
Ye Chui seized the opportunity. “Exactly. Patriarch Jores, we need an open space for the duel. Your beast garden would be perfect.”
Boothly immediately added, “Then let us hold the duel in the Jores family’s beast garden!”
“This…” A bad premonition suddenly rose in the Jores patriarch’s heart. He hesitated.
Ye Chui pressed, “All my spells are wide-area destructive. Fighting in the outside world could cause a lot of unnecessary destruction!”
“Indeed. Patriarch Jores, I have always appreciated your care for me. I have long wanted to duel Ye Chui. It will surely be a terrifying battle, so please allow us to use the beast garden!” Boothly declared with fierce battle intent. “Only the beast garden can contain our fight!”
Hearing this passionate proclamation, the Jores patriarch pondered for a moment before finally deciding. “Of course that is acceptable…”
“Then it is happily settled,” Ye Chui said at once with a smile. “With Archbishop Elisha as witness, Patriarch Jores, you cannot go back on your word.”
Boothly chimed in like a perfect double act. “Grandpa Elisha, please bear witness to our duel.”
“…”
Archbishop Elisha’s previously serene expression suddenly faltered. He sensed the unmistakable scent of a scheme…
…
And indeed, it was a scheme.
Ye Chui and Boothly had already planned everything back in the secret realm. Once the Crown Battlefield ended and Jacob secured the right of succession, the only remaining threats to him would be the Kulin family, the Magical Beast Jores family, and the Church. To clear the path for Jacob, Ye Chui and Boothly had devised several strategies. Destroying the dark altar in Mole Forest last night had been one. Next, they needed to strike at the Jores family.
The most terrifying asset of the Magical Beast Jores family was their army of magical beasts. The family controlled a beast garden where vast numbers of magical beasts were raised. The garden itself was said to be an enormous magical turtle beast, with the entire garden situated on its back. The desert giant turtle from the secret realm was merely a descendant of this turtle.
The beast garden was the Jores family’s most important asset, supplying magical beasts across the entire continent. Within the Star Empire, the Jores ranked only third among great families, but their overall prestige across the Castro Continent far exceeded the others. If they opposed Jacob’s rule, defected from the Empire, or launched rebellion, it would gravely harm the Empire’s prosperity.
Therefore, to cripple the Jores family, the beast garden had to be destroyed!
The beast garden was a separate spatial world filled with countless free-roaming magical beasts. It was vast. The Jores family treated it as forbidden ground, off-limits to outsiders. Yet history contained precedents of outsiders entering, namely for duels. As an independent space teeming with savage beasts, it was the perfect venue for great figures and experts to fight.
Ye Chui and Boothly’s plan was to find an excuse for a duel, set in the beast garden, then “accidentally” destroy it while pretending to battle. For people of their level, accidentally razing a city during combat was perfectly normal. This way, Boothly could maintain her stance for the Magic Guild to see, while also doing Ye Chui a huge favour. It killed two birds with one stone.
Ye Chui had still been wondering how to provoke a duel with Boothly. Criann’s arrival could not have been more perfect! Boothly was now ostensibly avenging the Jores family as well. Proposing the beast garden as the venue, how could the Jores patriarch possibly refuse?
