As night fell over the capital of the Storm Kingdom, a young sorcerer hurriedly approached the grand door at the innermost part of the royal library, his expression fraught with urgency.
"Chief! Chief!"
The thunderous knocks roused the elder within, who, with a wave of his staff, summoned a forceful wind that flung the door open.
Clad in a white robe with a mane of white hair, his face creased with deep wrinkles and white eyebrows that drooped toward his beard, it was evident how aged he truly was.
The chief sorcerer of the Storm Court—Belmou!
"What is the commotion?!"
The old man scolded, causing the young sorcerer to avert his gaze, lowering his head in fear as he timidly produced a letter and spoke softly:
"Chief, we have received news from Reverse Wind Port. The stationed personnel reported seeing a bizarre figure who plucked a massive tree trunk with his bare hands and flew upon it..."
Before he could finish, Belmou impatiently interrupted, "How many times must I remind you? Never blindly trust the Sorcerer's Eye! Only that which you witness yourself and experience with your soul is truly real!"
While speaking, Belmou's attention was fixated on a hefty tome before him, seemingly indifferent to all else.
The young sorcerer, sensing the elder's disinterest, opened his mouth but ultimately remained silent, bowing in apology before retreating and securely closing the door behind him.
Belmou's temperament was well-known among the sorcerers of the Storm Court.
When he delved into the mysteries of magic, nearly all his focus would be consumed by it.
At such times, even if the sky were to collapse, it would be difficult for him to divert his gaze!
"The peculiar individual flying atop a tree trunk appears to be heading towards the depths of the northwestern sea. I hope Lady Mag can address the situation adequately..."
The young sorcerer glanced once more at the letter in his hand, sighed deeply, and shook his head as he departed.
---
On a remote island in the deep sea, Nalan Xia had scarcely perused her report when she heard the sound of the tent flap being lifted.
Thinking it was Zuo Qiu Yue returning, she looked up only to find Wang Hui!
"Divine One..."
Nalan Xia's face lit up with surprise, and she nearly rose to pay her respects, but Wang Hui gently pressed his hand down, saying, "No need for formality."
With a flick of his finger, a stone pedestal some distance away was summoned by primal energy and brought forth.
Wang Hui settled into a relaxed position and inquired, "Why aren't you celebrating with everyone at this late hour? What keeps you occupied alone? Have the casualties been substantial today?"
"Thanks to your prior arrangements, we made ample preparations, resulting in fewer casualties than anticipated; however..."
Nalan Xia hesitated for a moment before handing over the latest report with both hands, "The escaped enemy commander is quite troublesome. He has been launching surprise attacks intermittently with his subordinates. We have already lost three patrol vessels to him, with casualties exceeding sixty!"
Wang Hui took the report and examined it closely, noting the accounts of repeated assaults by Nicholas Geiki and his cohorts.
The intervals between attacks were short, yet the distances involved were significant, suggesting that these individuals were acting separately, doing all they could to disrupt the three clans' deployments!
While sixty casualties might not seem severe at first glance, the continual occurrences could easily dampen the morale of the three clans, and those with weaker resolve likely found it difficult to sleep soundly at night.
"What about Gurumi? It is even more adept at locating submerged targets; let it assist with the patrol."
Upon hearing this, Nalan Xia could not help but smile wryly, "Gurumi is injured. I had thought to call upon it earlier, but it was reluctant to help..."
After a brief moment, the two moved to another nearby tent.
Inside, a large, flat stone slab served as a bed, covered with a soft, thick woolen blanket. Gurumi, the blue-haired girl, lay sprawled across it.
Though she clearly heard Wang Hui's voice, she squinted her eyes and feigned ignorance, making no effort to move.
"You..."
Nalan Xia was about to admonish the cheeky creature for showing disrespect to the Divine One when Wang Hui raised his hand to stop her. A translucent, immense hand of primal energy coalesced above the stone bed and then descended with a thundering clap!
"Ah—"
Gurumi could no longer pretend, letting out a shriek as she struggled beneath the weight, "Let go! I beg you!"
With a bemused smile, Wang Hui retracted his hand and crossed his arms, asking, "You seem quite energetic, but where are you injured?"
"I'm sore all over..."
Gurumi sat up, initially brimming with pride, "When they went off to fight today, their boat was nearly overturned! I was the one holding onto it underwater, ensuring they won in the end!"
However, her expression quickly fell as she raised a limp arm, indicating her fatigue.
"It took a lot of effort; many of my tentacles were snapped, injuring my main body and leaving me utterly exhausted..."
Wang Hui sat on the edge of the bed, inspecting Gurumi.
The little slime had not lied; after threading primal energy through its form, he could still sense many ruptured areas within.
It was evident that it had indeed exerted considerable effort today!
The warmth of Wang Hui's energy coursing through Gurumi's body brought a sense of comfort, causing her features to soften and her limbs to gradually lose their form, instinctively wrapping around Wang Hui.
Smack!
A swift tap jolted Gurumi awake. Wang Hui chuckled and scolded, "Sticky little creature, don't cling to me! Tonight, you must rest. Tomorrow morning, you are to accompany the patrol vessels on their rounds.
Those enemies lurking in the shadows are quite troublesome; relying solely on the warriors of the three clans and the griffins above will scarcely capture them; we need your assistance!"
Pausing for a moment, he looked at Gurumi's pouting expression and softened his tone, "If you can capture those individuals alive, I will reward you with delicious treats...
They're new dishes you've never tasted before—large and delectable!"
"...Really?!"
Gurumi's eyes lit up at the prospect, but recalling Wang Hui's enormous hands during his previous actions in the City of Divine Gifts, she hesitated, "Will I explode from overeating..."
"Ahem!"
Wang Hui noticed Nalan Xia's peculiar expression beside him and cleared his throat, "You won't burst; I can cut the food into smaller pieces beforehand."
Having reached an understanding with Gurumi, the two took their leave and headed to meet their next target—the Deputy Sorceress of the court!
Unlike ordinary captives, this esteemed witch was not confined to a damp, dark dungeon but enjoyed the privilege of her own tent.
However, the trade-off was that the divine servant Huyan Wu would always be at her side!
"Divine One, you have arrived."
Upon seeing Wang Hui lift the flap and enter, Huyan Wu immediately stood to greet him, bowing slightly and displaying utmost respect.
This scene elicited a complex reaction from the witch Mag!
Since her capture, she had continuously attempted to negotiate with Huyan Wu.
Yet, this old fellow was impervious to both threats and persuasion, remaining a statue-like figure after imprisoning her.
To her astonishment, he showed the young man the utmost reverence, even in his choice of address...
Mag silently chanted her incantations.
[Arcane Sensitivity]!
[Disguise Recognition]!
[Spiritual Vision]!
She was determined to uncover the true nature of this so-called "Divine One"!