"Shadow Lurk!"
Leilin immediately cast this spell upon standing — a First-level Dark System spell with the most outstanding concealment among its peers.
Bolstered by the Spiritual Power of a Second-rank Wizard made substantive, the First-level spell Shadow Lurk unleashed terrifying might.
Leilin's figure vanished from the VIP chamber in an instant, so completely that even the several Second-rank Wizards outside failed to detect his presence.
"That Arist — he actually defected directly to the Dark Wizards, and because of him as the spark, it ignited the prelude to the Third Great War of the Wizard World…"
Leilin couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion, even as his phantom body continued rushing onward.
"But whatever happens to him is none of my concern. As long as I can confirm he has what I need, that's enough!"
The essence sap of the Ancient Wisdom Tree — if it was so highly revered by so many ancient Wizards, it must possess extraordinary effects.
Though Leilin already possessed a high-grade Meditation Method, he certainly wouldn't mind giving himself a bit more assurance for future breakthroughs!
*Boom!*
Arist lunged outward, his two powerful hind legs driving deep indentations into the ground.
Riding the enormous force, he vaulted out of the underground lair and began sprinting wildly across the plain.
"There he is!"
Close on his heels were the White Wizard Alliance's Second-rank Wizards. Upon seeing this, the leading one immediately swept his sleeve!
*Bzzzz!*
Dense insect buzzing erupted from his sleeve, and then a vast grey cloud drifted out from within his voluminous wizard robe.
Drawing closer, one could see the grey cloud was composed of countless tightly packed insects.
These creatures had two pairs of compound eyes, grotesque and razor-sharp mouthparts, and transparent wings vibrating at extreme frequency, emitting wave upon wave of piercing sound that subtly stoked one's irritation.
"Go!" The White Wizard pointed at Arist.
The swarm let out an earth-shaking roar, vaguely forming the image of an eyeless human face, and surged after the werewolf Arist had become.
The enormous face tore through the air, trailing a black current in its wake. It quickly caught up with the fleeing werewolf, opened its massive maw, and roared at him.
"Awooo!" The werewolf howled skyward. Two massive clusters of Wind Energy Particles condensed into wind blades — one horizontal, one vertical — forming a colossal cross-shaped slash aimed at the airborne face.
The wind blades swept through the face. The face trembled slightly, seeming to scatter and reconverge in the span of an instant, leaving the entire swarm unscathed.
*"Chirp-chirp…"* Amid the thunderous buzzing of the swarm, a massive grey "flood" spewed from the mouth of the face, instantly engulfing the werewolf.
Looking closely, the grey flood was made up of even tinier worms, their razor-sharp mouthparts glinting with cold light.
*Skreeee!*
The grey worms enveloped the entire werewolf in an instant, and a bone-chilling gnawing sound rose without cease.
*"Rrrgh…"* From within the grey swarm, the werewolf's pained howls soon emerged.
"Done! He's been caught by the Death Borers — there's no escape now!"
The face of the White Wizard commanding the swarm lit up with delight. "Go! Seize him! Recover the treasure and the Ancient Tree essence!"
"As expected of Yochona, the 'Corpse Worm Controller'!" The other Second-rank Wizards alongside him cried out in admiration, pursuing with even greater ferocity.
Just then, a melodious flute melody drifted from nearby.
Invisible soundwaves swept across the surroundings in all directions, and vast swaths of grey insects began falling from the sky.
*Crack!* The ground split open, and two Second-rank Wizards in Dark Wizard attire burst forth. Two massive white fireballs streaked upward and slammed into the flying insect-face in the sky.
*"Aaaah…"* The face let out a cry resembling a woman's wail, its features twisting and distorting wildly.
In mere seconds, the entire face was engulfed in white flames, and huge numbers of Death Borers rained down.
"You really did defect to the Dark Wizards long ago!"
The giant insect face from before had seemed to share some unseen spiritual connection with the leading White Wizard. The moment the face was consumed and destroyed by the flames, the White Wizard's face went immediately pale.
But he ignored his own injuries, turning his gaze instead to the werewolf Arist, who had already broken free from the worms' gnawing.
The werewolf's appearance was now rather wretched — more than half of his beautiful coat was ruined, and large portions of his body were bare, exposing pinkish skin and muscle.
Moreover, several massive gashes marred his body, the muscle tissue completely destroyed, with white bone faintly visible beneath.
*Sssss!* The blood vessels and muscles around the werewolf's wounds writhed ceaselessly, layer after layer of membrane spreading over the injuries, quickly halting the flow of blood. Fine fur began sprouting over the formerly bare patches.
The werewolf's monstrous regenerative ability was on full display.
"Move!" One of the Second-rank Dark Wizards waved his hand, and an endless array of white ribs and bone spurs erupted from the ground before the White Wizard, forming an enormous wall.