"It's so dry here; I think there's a good chance there's a Fire Seed!" said a man with a cowboy-style haircut among the group.
"We gave up a high-reward mission for this Fire Seed. If there's no Fire Seed, you'd better have an explanation!" another complained.
"Don't worry, there's definitely a Fire Seed here. Otherwise, how could Xishui Town be in such a state?" Pan Xiong said confidently.
The group walked forward, their hearts full of anticipation.
A Fire Seed was worth at least twenty million!
For Intermediate Mages like them, that was a fortune.
Once the group left, Tang Yue let out a soft sigh of relief—only to look down and suddenly freeze. Her expression shifted, and she quickly stood up, glaring resentfully at Song Jie.
"Teacher Tang Yue, I really didn't mean for that to happen. You know, just now… any man would naturally…" Song Jie's voice trailed off awkwardly.
"What happened?" Mo Fan's voice came from behind the tree as he stepped out.
"Nothing!" Tang Yue snapped, shooting Song Jie a sharp glance. Her eyes, however, involuntarily flicked toward his lower body before turning away.
"Teacher Tang Yue, what's this Fire Seed they were talking about?" Mo Fan asked curiously.
"These are elemental essences nurtured by heaven and earth," Tang Yue explained. "They come in different levels. The lowest is a Spirit Seed, followed by a higher-tier Spirit Seed, and then the Heavenly Seed."
She continued, "A good Spirit Seed can double—or even more than double—the power of your magic. For example, a high-quality Spirit Seed can increase your magic power by 2.5 times."
"Holy crap! That much?" Mo Fan exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Tang Yue nodded. "But Spirit Seeds are extremely rare. Their prices at auctions are always in the tens of millions. Aside from Noble Families, few people can afford them."
"Right… with prices like that, only those Noble Families can be that extravagant," Mo Fan muttered in realization.
"It looks like there's going to be a fight over there. Let's go watch." Song Jie's eyes were already fixed ahead, observing the two groups.
Tang Yue and Mo Fan followed his gaze. Pan Xiong's team had run into another group of Mages—and tensions were quickly rising.
The three of them hid in the shadows, watching quietly.
Before long, the battle broke out.
"Holy crap, they're all Intermediate Mages!" Mo Fan said in shock.
Although he had reached the Intermediate level himself, he couldn't imagine taking on so many opponents at once.
"Good. You two can learn from this," Tang Yue said calmly, her sharp eyes scanning the area for any sign of Chao He.
"He was here just now," Song Jie murmured. "He's probably waiting for the right moment to make his move."
Tang Yue nodded. "He'll let both sides weaken each other first. We'll be the mantis stalking the cicada."
Song Jie smiled faintly. He knew exactly how this would play out.
Although he could easily handle Chao He, he decided to stay cautious to avoid drawing attention.
"This is my first time seeing an Intermediate-level battle," Mo Fan whispered, utterly fascinated.
"That hunter team's finished," Tang Yue said softly. "Ordinary hunters can't match Noble Family Mages."
"Are they trying to get the Fire Seed?" Mo Fan guessed. His eyes burned with longing.
If he could obtain that Fire Seed, his Fire Element would advance by leaps and bounds!
But with so many powerful Mages around, it was impossible for him alone.
He turned toward Song Jie and whispered, "Brother Jie, can you help me get that Fire Seed? I'll owe you one!"
Song Jie froze for a moment, then smiled inwardly.
He already knew how this story would unfold—and that he couldn't use this Fire Seed himself.
If Mo Fan got it, everything would progress naturally.
And earning Mo Fan's favor in the process? Perfect.
"We'll see. If there's a chance, I'll grab it for you," Song Jie replied, feigning uncertainty.
"Alright!" Mo Fan said, relieved. He knew Song Jie didn't want to reveal too much strength.
"Chao He's making his move!" Tang Yue said suddenly.
They all turned. Mo Fan's eyes widened. "Holy crap! What kind of magic is that?!"
"That's Curse Element magic," Tang Yue explained gravely. "It attacks the soul directly."
A giant spider web of black energy spread from Chao He's hands, trapping everyone in its range.
His Curse Element had reached the third level of Intermediate—strong enough to unleash Evil Spider's Trap and Soul Extinguisher in succession!
The trapped Mages screamed as their souls were ripped apart, dying on the spot.
"They're finished," Tang Yue said coldly. "Now we wait for Chao He to collect the Fire Seed… then we strike."
She turned to Song Jie. "Song Jie, the Light Element counters the Curse Element. You'll take the lead later."
"Understood," Song Jie said with a nod.
Mo Fan asked nervously, "What about me?"
"You'll provide backup. If we can't handle him, you'll move," Tang Yue said.
Mo Fan let out a quiet breath. If Brother Jie's taking the lead, they've already won.
"Song Jie, I'll engage him first. Watch for an opening," Tang Yue instructed.
Song Jie nodded silently.
A moment later, Tang Yue dashed out.
A dark hexagram appeared beneath her feet as her Shadow Element flared to life.
Dozens of Giant Shadow Spikes materialized and shot forward at lightning speed!
The spikes pierced into Chao He's shadow, locking him in place.
Tang Yue didn't hesitate—her second hexagram glowed bright red beneath her.
Fiery Fist: Nine Palaces!
Flames erupted beneath her feet as she leapt into the air, slamming her blazing fist toward the ground.
Nine fiery pillars exploded outward, engulfing Chao He in a raging inferno.
The entire area within a hundred meters turned into a sea of fire!
Song Jie, watching from the shadows, didn't move. He knew Chao He wasn't dead yet.
When the flames finally subsided, Chao He stepped out from the smoke—charred but alive.
"I almost died there… good thing I had my life-saving treasure," he sneered.
Tang Yue frowned. "A Magic Tool?"
"Surprised?" Chao He grinned. "Didn't expect me to have an Armor Magic Tool, did you? But it's been destroyed now… you'll have to repay me—with your body!"
His eyes glimmered with twisted desire.
Tang Yue's expression darkened. "You disgust me."
Chao He licked his lips, his gaze turning wicked. "You'll find out soon enough… how insatiable your body really is."
...
Author's Note:
The first half (completed version) of Versatile Mage: My Magic Has Gone Beyond Limits! is now available on Patreon!
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