"So it really is those guys from the Holy Temple! Damn it!" The unicorn rhino moved with incredible speed and formidable strength, carrying Kael and the other two to the front of the Undead Castle in the blink of an eye. Ethan narrowed his eyes and frowned as he spoke.
"It's not just the Holy Temple—there are people from Heru Academy too!" Amelia observed more carefully than Ethan and noticed others among the group. They had all gathered together, jointly attacking the undead beasts.
Among the four great academies, Yanhua Academy was represented by Kael and his two companions, while the members of Nanka Academy had been killed by them. Then there was Heru Academy—both Ethan and Amelia recognized their people.
As for the last one, the Saint Academy, none of its members were seen in the crowd. Their whereabouts were unknown.
"They've actually teamed up to fight the undead beasts together. That's one way to do it, but unfortunately, there's no way these undead beasts are the only ones here. Even if the Holy Temple and Heru Academy join forces, they won't be able to hold out." Kael shook his head.
He could see hundreds upon thousands of undead beasts surging out from the Undead Castle, baring their fangs, exuding endless deathly aura, their grotesque forms twisted with malice.
"Heh, kill these damned humans!" Among these undead beasts, some still retained their intelligence from when they were alive. They sneered coldly as they encircled the members of the Holy Temple and Heru Academy.
"With such a huge commotion, Leif and the others will probably find out soon. They might even be drawn here!" Amelia frowned slightly as she spoke.
"That's almost certain. But that's fine—once Leif shows up, we can wipe them all out in one go!" Kael smiled. For now, every bit of the undead forces weakened would increase their chances of victory.
Kael had his own plans. With the help of the unicorn rhino herd, the members of the Sacred Council were no longer a match for him. The only one he saw as a true threat was Leif!
Of course, there were still some within the Holy Temple who warranted Kael's attention.
Kael narrowed his eyes and noticed that among the Holy Temple's forces, all twelve members were present. Each was a light-attribute mage, with power levels all above Rank 7. Their coordination was seamless—countless undead creatures were completely purified and dissipated under their holy magic.
The Holy Temple's members were far more united than those of the Sacred Council.
The Holy Temple's leaders were two individuals.
One was Stellan, whom Kael had briefly encountered before—a man of extraordinary strength, already at the mid-tier of Rank 7, now showing signs of further progress, teetering on the edge of a breakthrough. His face was as gentle as jade, his demeanor calm, exuding a soothing aura like a spring breeze. A truly formidable presence.
The other, however, was someone Kael had never seen before—a strikingly handsome young man who appeared even younger than Stellan, likely not much older than Kael himself. His strength was terrifying, already at the peak of Rank 7! If Stellan was like tranquil water, this man was a drawn blade, his sharp eyes occasionally flashing with a chilling edge. He was no easy opponent—perhaps even more dangerous than Stellan.
"That's Magnus," Ethan said, standing beside Kael. "At least top three among the Holy Temple's younger generation. Most of their members follow his lead. His strength is only slightly inferior to their so-called 'Saint Child'!"
"Magnus." Kael nodded slightly, committing the name to memory. Peak Rank 7—undeniably a genius among the youth. Of course, Magnus had started cultivating earlier than Kael and the others. In terms of innate talent, he was likely on par with Ethan and Amelia.
"We can't just stand by and watch. Let's use these undead beasts for some practice!" Kael said with a smile.
The moment he finished speaking, Kael shot forward, his Star Step technique carrying him in a blur. With a swift motion of his Sacred Flame Staff, he unleashed:
"Hellfire Wall!"
In an instant, raging flames erupted, exploding amidst the undead beasts. A wave of frostfiresurged forth, so intense that everyone on the battlefield turned their heads in shock.
"Kael!"
"That's… Kael!"
Stellan's gaze snapped toward him, sweeping over Kael's figure before his expression abruptly darkened. His eyes widened slightly, as if he had witnessed something terrifying.
"This Kael… truly monstrous. In such a short time, he's advanced yet again. Last time I saw him, he was only mid-tier Rank 7—now he's already at the peak!" Stellan murmured under his breath, his voice tinged with awe.
Magnus, too, fixed Kael with a deep, assessing stare. "I've heard of him—the champion of Yanhua Academy's Magic-Martial Grand Tournament this year. But I never expected his strength to reach such heights…"
"Such strength, such power! His foundation is rock-solid—he'll likely break through to the Arcane Magus realm the moment he leaves these ancient ruins. Truly remarkable, Kael!"Magnus's gaze swept over Kael, his voice tinged with awe.
As a fellow peak Rank 7 powerhouse, Magnus could clearly sense Kael's overwhelming presence. Not only was Kael at the pinnacle of Rank 7, but his body also thrummed with a mysterious energy Magnus couldn't decipher.
Of course, Magnus had no way of knowing—that was Kael's Lightning Force.
"And it's not just Kael… Look behind him—" Magnus's eyes suddenly sharpened like daggers as he noticed the Unicorn Rhinos trailing Kael. Previously, all attention had been fixated on Kael himself, but now the terrifying truth dawned on everyone.
"Eighth-rank magical beasts… So many eighth-rank beasts?!" Even the usually serene Stellan couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock. The others stood frozen, their faces slack with disbelief as they stared at Kael.
"How did he tame this many eighth-rank beasts? Damn it all!"
"What in the hells… How are these monsters obeying him? Even if he's peak Rank 7, this is just—"
Confusion and fear rippled through the crowd as they grappled with Kael's unfathomable methods.
Their momentary daze proved costly. The undead beasts seized the opportunity, howling savagely as they lunged forward, snapping everyone back to reality.
"Quit gawking and fight!" Kael sneered, well aware of their stunned thoughts. Without hesitation, he dashed backward, first enveloping himself in a Flame Shield before unleashing his next spell:
"Vacuum Inferno!"
Instantly, fire erupted like a ravenous beast, surging in all directions and growing fiercer with the wind. The undead shrieked upon contact—Kael's frostfire proved just as lethal against them as holy magic.
"Incredible… Absolutely incredible!" The three from Heru Academy recoiled, their pupils contracting. Their strongest member had only just reached Rank 7 and could barely hold their own against the undead tide.
The moment Kael appeared, he casually unleashed a spell that incinerated and purified over a dozen undead beasts. Such power was on par with Magnus, the strongest of the Holy Temple!
Everyone watched in astonishment. Most of them were aware of Kael's abilities, having seen him in action during the Magic-Martial Tournament. Yet no one could have imagined that, in such a short time, his strength had surged again—now reaching the peak of the seventh level.
Under Kael's onslaught, the undead were swiftly cleared, leaving a vast empty space in their wake.
The undead beasts stared at Kael with fear in their eyes. Though their gazes still burned with ferocity, none dared to approach.
"Kael, truly impressive!" At that moment, Magnus stepped forward from the crowd, with Stellan behind him. Clad in white robes, Magnus fixed his gaze intently on Kael—and also on Ethan and Amelia behind him. Even disregarding Kael, Amelia and Ethan were among the most formidable in the group.
"Magnus, you're no less remarkable," Kael replied with a smile, though his grip on his staff remained firm.
The two locked eyes, each seeing caution in the other's gaze.
Suddenly, all the undead in the castle let out eerie howls, roaring in unison. The undead beasts regrouped, their fear of Kael seemingly forgotten as they surged forward once more.
"What's happening?" Kael swiftly retreated. With his Star Steps and teleportation magic, he had no trouble creating distance, but his brow furrowed in concern.
"Kael, it's the undead—a massive horde! An undead army!" Standing atop the massive back of his unicorn rhino, Ethan had a clearer view of the distance. His eyes widened in alarm as he shouted the warning.
"A massive undead horde? An undead army! It's Leif!" Kael snorted coldly, his gaze fixed ahead.
The earth trembled violently.
Along the dark horizon, countless undead figures emerged.
Thousands of undead beasts! Among them, seated atop three colossal undead creatures, were three figures cloaked in black—Leif and his companions!