After leaving Mo Fan, Ye Chenfeng made his way to Mingwen Middle School. Along the way, a few servant-level demons appeared sporadically.
"Servant-level, huh?" Ye muttered. "Level 2 Fire Breath should do."
He unleashed his spell, wiping out the demons in a single fiery blast. Amid the aftermath, faint glows caught his attention. Residual souls, he noted. The white jade pendant he carried could absorb these, but this wasn't the place to waste his magic energy on experience-gathering. There was a bigger mission ahead.
"Shadow Escape, Shuttle!" Ye whispered, disappearing into darkness as he sped forward.
At the school cafeteria, two three-eyed demon wolves had emerged, their vicious fangs glinting as they sought prey. Ye Chenfeng, hidden behind a wall, realized he couldn't avoid a confrontation. His hand flashed with magic energy.
The wolves sensed him, but it was too late. "Scorching Flame, Fiery Fist, Blast the Sky!"
A massive halo of fire erupted around Ye Chenfeng, and a searing crimson fist shot forward, smashing through the wolves. Flames licked across their bodies, burning them down as their poisoned remains sizzled on the ground. As Ye watched two residual souls drift upward, he confirmed the wolves' defeat.
Moving toward the cafeteria entrance, he soon found himself surrounded by even more demon servants and generals. He retreated quickly, calculating the distance for his next attack.
"So many generals…" he whispered, unnerved. "I don't have enough magic for this."
But he couldn't turn back now. Focusing his power, he released another Fiery Fist spell with everything he had. Red flames surged beneath his feet and exploded, leaving the cafeteria in smoldering ruins, the flames casting a sinister glow.
The explosion drew more demons. Within moments, Ye Chenfeng spotted giant-eyed rats weaving between vehicles. His heart pounded—these monsters were gathering too fast.
The way was blocked, so Ye activated his pendant, collecting a wave of souls and confirming the job was done. It was time to retreat.
On the other side of the city, Mo Fan and his group had encountered Bai Yang on a bridge.
"Instructor Bai! Isn't that Instructor Bai?" one student shouted.
Relief washed over them. "We're lucky to meet military support here," Xue Musheng added.
Bai Yang, riding his ghost wolf, approached them. "Why are you here? Didn't you evacuate immediately?"
Mo Fan studied him, uneasy, but played along when Bai Yang called him over.
"Mo Fan, we've been looking for you."
"Me?" Mo Fan asked, hiding a gun behind his back.
"Oh, you probably don't know this yet," Bai Yang said, eyes serious. "The Black Church is behind this disaster. They lured the Winged Wolves here and plan to use the Holy Spring to summon even more powerful demons to destroy Bo City."
"Did Captain Liang give you the Holy Spring?" Bai Yang asked.
"No," Mo Fan replied coolly. "Ye Chenfeng took it; he's a mid-level mage after all."
Bai Yang's face twisted in fury. His voice cracked. "Then you… can all go to hell!"
Before he could strike, Mo Fan fired his magic gun, piercing Bai Yang's chest. Flames engulfed him, reducing him to ashes.
"Damn. I knew something was off," Mo Fan muttered, spitting at Bai's remains.
Meanwhile, on a distant rooftop, two men in black stood watch.
"There was a red flash over there," one said, alarmed. "A fire mage is targeting the demon entrance."
"Is it… him?" The man with a covered face stiffened.
"Who?"
"A genius, on par with Mu Ningxue—a mid-level mage with at least a spirit seed in fire magic."
The hook-nosed man nodded, eyeing the flames. "He's already sealed the entrance. Let's retreat."
But as they watched, the fiery light expanded, forming a massive crimson fist. Realizing the mage's trap, they turned to flee, commanding a pack of black beasts to attack.
"Go, and kill him!" one shouted, hoping to buy time.
Ye Chenfeng surveyed the incoming black beasts with a look of disdain. "Ugly creatures," he muttered. "Since I've been found, might as well end this."
"Scorching Flame, Fiery Fist, Blast the Sky!"
The blazing punch incinerated nearly a dozen beasts, leaving only smoldering remains.
He took a piece of an intact beast's body, contemplating a "black monster radar" prototype.
Back in the city, Mo Fan met up with Instructor Zhan Kong.
"So, what about the Holy Spring?" Zhan Kong asked, his expression grave.
Mo Fan scratched his head awkwardly. "Oh… I got thirsty, so I drank it."
Zhan Kong's eyes widened, and Mo Fan broke into laughter, enjoying the last laugh after a hard-fought night.