Chapter 53

Chapter 53

These people actually dared to attempt to take Li Qingzhi away right under his nose!

Gazing at the two figures in black robes, whose elusive behavior clearly indicated their intention to take Li Qingzhi away, Ludwig's heart was engulfed in a rage that could hardly be quelled, especially after realizing that Qingzhi had been rendered unconscious.

With gritted teeth, the frustrated Ludwig launched a swift assault on the duo before him while desperately yearning to bring Li Qingzhi back to safety at his side.

The high-order flame element magic, which can be described as terrifying and carrying Ludwig's anger, was continuously attacking the two people in front while consciously avoiding the position of the black-haired teenager, without causing any harm to Li Qingzhi.

At this moment, Li Qingzhi, though he had just succumbed to the paralytic neurotoxin secretly released by Justus, gradually regained consciousness as Noah carried him away from Leo's castle amidst the sounds and vibrations of their journey.

He slowly opened his eyes, initially feeling a pounding headache and numbness throughout his body. Instinctively, he tried to raise his hand, only to find himself completely immobile.

As Li Qingzhi's awareness returned, he realized that he was being held captive by the very person who had ambushed him. He lifted his gaze, but the thick black robes of his captor obscured any glimpse of their face. Attempting to break free, he found himself powerless due to the overwhelming amount of paralytic toxin he had inhaled.

Just as Li Qingzhi felt a surge of helplessness, he suddenly heard Ludwig's voice not far away, and swiftly sensed the familiar, scorching flame elemental energy.

Realizing that Ludwig had pursued them, a spark ignited in Li Qingzhi's heart. He instinctively forced his eyes open wider to cling to this moment of clarity, looking ahead in search of Ludwig's figure.

However, it seemed that Justus had noticed Li Qingzhi's unexpected awakening. To avoid any unforeseen complications, he swiftly extended his finger and tapped on Li Qingzhi's forehead. The black-haired youth, who had just fallen prey to the slumber spell once more, lost consciousness uncontrollably once again.

Before darkness entirely engulfed him, Li Qingzhi's heart grew heavy with solemnity.

As he witnessed Ludwig's realization that Li Qingzhi was being held hostage and the prince's immediate rush to rescue him, the unconscious Li Qingzhi did not find comfort in this. Instead, an overwhelming sense of worry consumed him.

The two black-clothed individuals before them were clearly not to be underestimated. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to infiltrate Leo's castle undetected amidst its numerous defenses. Furthermore, the poison magic they wielded was so potent that resistance seemed futile – a feat not achievable by mere low-level spells.

Ludwig, who had come to rescue him, would have to face this alone later. Realizing this, Li Qingzhi's mind was now consumed by a single thought:

Is Ludwig in danger? !

Yet, the venom spell took effect swiftly. Despite Li Qingzhi's anxiety and unwillingness, he was forced back into an agonizing unconsciousness under the barrage of neural toxins.

On the other side, Ludwig, who had been slightly reassured by Li Qingzhi's awakening, felt his heart contract in an instant when he saw one of the black-clad figures push him back into unconsciousness. A limitless fury ignited in his eyes.

The two men in black before him, however, were clearly not interested in prolonging the fight.

One of them swiftly cast a potent spell, but not at Ludwig. The immense magical force was promptly channeled into the ground, causing a defensive barrier to rise from the once-flat earth. Simultaneously repelling Ludwig's assault, the ground cracked, revealing two pitch-black rifts akin to spatial tears.

With no intention to engage in a prolonged battle, the duo, after exerting their full strength to repel the assault, promptly leaped into the spatial rift that had formed on the surface.

By the time the perceptive Ludwig hurried to the Earthen Rampart, which was withstanding the flames, the two figures in black had vanished without a trace.

Only, due to Ludwig's hasty arrival, the two spatial rifts that should have closed up didn't have the chance to do so.

The cold-faced blonde teenager made a decision almost instantly.

Just like the two black-garbed individuals before him, he leaped into the spatial formation that led to an unknown destination, without a moment's hesitation.

Perhaps it was due to his confidence in his own abilities, or perhaps it was out of concern for the black-haired youth's safety, Ludwig plunged without hesitation into the dark chasm.

To Ludwig's surprise, the place he found himself in the very next moment after entering the spatial rift was eerily familiar.

...

After a brief plunge into darkness and weightlessness, Ludwig found himself almost instantaneously transported to another realm. As he lifted his gaze, he was met with a landscape that was anything but unfamiliar.

Vast expanses of withered vegetation, damp air heavy with the scent of mud and water, a sticky ground saturated with bogs...

Ludwig soon realized that he had unwittingly ventured into the marshlands not far behind Almont, though not along the route of the exchange tournament. Instead, he found himself significantly deeper within the swamp, where the light was dimmer and an eerie silence reigned, suggesting that this place was untouched by living creatures.

At this moment, the two black-clad individuals who had taken away Li Qingzhi had also just traversed a spatial rift to arrive at this location.

It was clear that the two individuals had not anticipated Ludwig's pursuit to this location. Upon catching sight of the golden-haired youth, and locking eyes with his stern gaze, both were taken aback.

Justus's astonishment was plain on his face. "How did you find me here..."

Unbeknownst to them, Ludwig, though merely a student of Almont, had long since attained the peak Fifth Rank, and with remarkable agility. Coupled with his calm decisiveness, he had promptly followed the spatial tear before it vanished without a second thought.

"Not good." Justice appeared flustered, clearly weighing his words carefully. He quickly turned to the silent Noah beside him and whispered,

"What should we do now? If we engage in battle here, Lord Ai Mo..."

Noah, who had been silent until then, suddenly wore a smile, though it was laced with profound coldness.

"At this point, we have no choice but to act."

"Get rid of Ludwig completely before Lord Ai Mo realizes an intruder is present."

As soon as Noah finished speaking, Justice, understanding his intention, promptly retrieved a potion infused with various poisons, clearly intent on ensuring Ludwig's demise.

In that instant, Noah also swiftly extended his hand, condensing a formidable earth elemental spell in his palm.

The damp and decaying ground of the wetland marsh began to crack rapidly. At Ludwig's position, a devouring abyssal bog emerged, threatening to swallow anyone whole.

Perceiving the danger, Ludwig swiftly flew aside while launching an attack on the two black-clad men who aimed to take Li Qingzhi away without hesitation.

Ludwig's Flame Specter Beast instantly materialized by its master's side, simultaneously accumulating flame energy as it fiercely assaulted the two adversaries before them.

In no time, Justus was caught off guard, his arm seared by Ludwig's fiery assault. The intense pain made him involuntarily kneel, but his reluctance to accept defeat prevented him from surrendering. Ultimately, he gritted his teeth, hurled the potion in his other hand towards Ludwig, and used his magic to swiftly evaporate its contents, directing the vapor towards his opponent.

As the deadly poison coursed through, Noah was concurrently employing his Earth Element magic on the other side, utilizing every lethal aspect of the wetland in an attempt to strike down Ludwig directly.

Faced with the onslaught of hostility, Ludwig remained composed and unyielding. Instead, he gradually perceived something within Noah's spells.

Observing the ground before him rapidly expand and fracture, Ludwig, recognizing this as the work of a high-ranking Earth Element practitioner, felt a sense of familiarity. The blond youth raised his cold gaze, realization dawning upon him:

"Are you that mentor?"

The dark figure paused at Ludwig's words, then, still cradling Li Qingzhi, began to relentlessly assault Ludwig in a frenzied manner, clearly intent on silencing him. Believing that Li Qingzhi wouldn't awaken at that moment, the figure no longer held any precautions towards her and focused solely on eliminating Ludwig.

As the two engaged in a fierce clash, Li Qingzhi's consciousness flickered back into clarity for a brief moment.

Having been forced to inhale a paralyzing toxin, he had sunk into a deep, powerless slumber. However, now, Li Qingzhi felt as if a blazing fire was burning within him, a warmth that was both comforting and familiar. The excruciating headache that had tormented him also lessened, suggesting that the poison's effects were waning.

As Li Qingzhi gradually regained consciousness, he began circulating his true qi and magical energy around his body, striving to fully awaken.

On the other side, Noah swiftly perceived Li Qingzhi's stirring: "Justus."

Noah, who was usually jovial, wore a grim expression. "Is your potion that ineffective?"

Upon realizing that Li Qingzhi had awoken, Justice couldn't help but be utterly astonished. "How is this possible... I clearly administered enough dosage to knock him out for an entire day!"

As the two conversed, Li Qingzhi, who had just regained consciousness, almost immediately noticed the blond youth before him.

As he gradually regained his strength, he subconsciously called out the name of the blond-haired youth in front of him:

"Ludwig!"

In response, the other party swiftly turned their gaze toward him. As their eyes met, Ludwig's expression clearly revealed his emotions, and he promptly leaned in Ludwig's direction.

At this moment, Ludwig unleashed an even more potent surge of magical energy. As he rapidly closed in, he cast a scorching shower of flames, a lava-like downpour that swiftly descended towards Justus and Noah. The magma spell still cleverly avoided Li Qingzhi's position, but its intense, fiery elemental power, characteristic of Ludwig, still reached him. Rather than instilling fear, it brought a sense of reassurance to Qingzhi.

As Justus and Noah scrambled to activate their defensive magic arrays, Ludwig, desperate to save Li Qingzhi, could no longer wait. He unleashed his most aggressive flame spell without holding back, completely shattering Noah's muddy barrier while engulfing both of them in searing flames.

"Ahhhh—!"

The weaker Justus, with insufficient magic to withstand the fierce blaze, let out a pained cry.

On the other side, although Noah managed to deflect some of the damage with his magic, the burn left him pale and in excruciating pain. The agony caused him to momentarily loosen his grip on Li Qingzhi's hand, which he had been holding tightly until then.

The moment Noah released his grip, Li Qingzhi, who had partially regained his strength, promptly activated the magic around him. He summoned flaming giant vines to forcefully push Noah away from behind, managing to stabilize himself just as he was about to fall to the ground.

The two black-clad individuals, who were previously frantically attacking Ludwig, had also collapsed by now.

However, before Ludwig, who was somewhat dizzy, could regain his balance entirely, he found himself supported from behind. Ludwig had rushed over and caught him, sheltering him within his embrace.