440 A Long Trip

In the beginning, that was what Lin Li thought. One really shouldn't be so bothered by a level-15 magical crystal…

But shortly after, Lin Li realized something was amiss. If it was a level-15 magical crystal, how would it deserve to be placed together with the Book of Eternity? It was even one of the items included in the bet for Tutankhamun to help protect for 1300 years!

Who was Geresco? He was the most invincible mage in the entire history of Anril. How could such a powerful man face any challenge in finding any magical crystal? Why would he care to put in so much effort for a level-15 crystal?

This magical crystal is really strange…

At this moment, Hutton and Stephen had their gazes fixed on the Book of Eternity. Only Lin Li had the mood to direct all his focus on the strange magical crystal.

"Goddammit, I know it now!"Lin Li exclaimed out loud. His voice startled the two men beside him.

Hutton was less affected. He glanced at Lin Li and gave him an awkward smile. Stephen, on the other hand, had his brewing fury towards Lin Li surge over the limits. He shot up from his seat and hollered at Lin Li, "Are you crazy??"

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just excited…" Stephen's reaction allowed Lin Li to realize that the crystal had made him forget himself.

Frankly speaking, Lin Li was not a man that would apologize. Anybody who was familiar with him would know that Lin Li's apologies were the calm before the storm. If he were to do that, you'd have to be cautious about him suddenly falling out with you…

However, Lin Li was really sincere in his apology this time. Firstly, he recognized his inappropriate reaction. Secondly, his mind was still full of the crystal. If he guessed it right, the value of the magical crystal would be greater than that of the Book of Eternity.

Normally, Stephen would have calmed down when things reached this point. Since it was a trivial matter, and the apology had been given, it would not make sense to make things difficult.

However, Stephen probably ate the wrong medicine today. Despite the fact that Lin Li said the word "sorry" twice, Stephen continued to lash out at him like a wretch. He lost the demeanor he prided himself for.

"I say, Mage Stephen, do you think you have said enough?" snapped Lin Li after he collected himself, only to realize that Stephen was still lashing out at him. Stephen's words were very unkind. He called Lin Li a moron and retard, and even cussed at Lin Li's parents…

At the start, Lin Li could still treat those words like an annoying house fly buzzing around. Now that his parents were brought up, though, anybody with a good temperament would have been affected. What was more… Lin Li was not a person with good temperament to begin with…

Lin Li naturally was very eloquent. While he still decided not to stoop to Stephen's level at the start, the anger within him let him unleash all his coarse and harsh words…

"Before coming to the Breezy Plains, I've heard many people say that Master Borg was an incredibly amiable elder. As a Legendary-mage, he'd never once put on any air before others. Mage Stephen, as Master Borg's son, don't you think it is too much to sulk over such a trivial matter? To be honest, I would like to suggest that you ask your mother if Master Borg went for a long trip when she had you…"

"Pfft…"

Hutton and Tutankhamun nearly spat their saliva when they tried to hold back their laughter. Especially Hutton, who came from the Malfa Family—the two great forces of Aminya had been fighting each other for over a century, and their relationship was like that between fire and water. Hutton naturally had to show some support to the person who had the guts to criticize Stephen so harshly…

"What long trip are you talking about…?" Stephen had a slower processing time. He thought about that phrase for quite a while before bursting in rage. His glare towards Lin Li nearly shot out flames.

If Lin Li said that his father left for a long trip when his mother was having him, did that mean he was calling him a bastard?

"Are you calling me a bastard?" Stephen's face turned from red to white, and then from white to green. His fists were clenched so tightly that the sound of his knuckles cracking could be heard. He would not have dreamt that he would be called a bastard once in his entire life…

"You said that yourself, not me…" Lin Li replied as he pursed his lips indifferently.

Ordinary people would not have dared to offend Stephen because of the three Legendary powerhouses behind him, and the fact that the Dark Blade was the most powerful bandit organization in the Breezy Plains. However, who was Lin Li? Lin Li was a man who had the guts to touch the buttocks of every tiger. How could he be afraid of the Dark Blade? Furthermore, his character had always been open to persuasion, but not to coercion. Even if he feared the Dark Blade, it would not be a reason to bend his back to them. On the contrary, if it reached that stage, the only thing Lin Li would do was to get rid of Stephen without a word…

"No one dares to insult me like this in the Breezy Plains. You are the first…" Stephen's gaze turned colder, and his hand was clutching his magic staff very tightly. A massive magical wave made the surrounding air seethe. Stephen completed this sentence in blocks, and his gaze resting on Lin Li was as though he was looking at a dead man. "You will pay dearly for what you said…"

"BOOM!"

A muffled sound could be heard.

Stephen flew off like a bullet, slamming into the wooden wall behind him. Thankfully for Tutankhamun, although the wooden house looked very simple and crude, the walls he built were as firm as those in a fortress. Stephen's "landing" did not break Tutankhamum's hut's walls, but just made the entire wooden house greatly vibrate…

However, that was the problem. The firmer the wooden house, the greater the impact of Stephen's crash. Stephen spat a mouth of blood the moment that dull sound reverberated in the room…

"Moron…" Lin Li said as he patted the dust off from his robe, and put the oil lamp away into his pocket.

Stephen's state was miserable…

Stephen had thought he could vent his anger with his own strength. He did not expect his opponent to be shameless enough to employ such powerful magical equipment. When he felt that his efforts were in vain, he realized that it was as though he was beaten up by an inflatable doll.

Lin Li had a lot of such inflatable dolls. One of the most powerful ones was that oil lamp he just put back in his pocket. Within it was the owner of the 20th level of the Abyss, the legendary Lord of Nightmares. Lin Li had been summoning the Lord of Nightmares every day. Results had shown ever since he started to follow Connoris's instructions. Lin Li's Lord of Nightmares was at level-19 currently, and he thought that it was a waste to use it the to bully a level-17 or level-18 Archmage.

"…" Hutton witnessed the confrontation that started and ended swiftly. The expression on his face was very complicated. It looked as if he wanted to burst out laughing, but was trying very hard to hold in that laughter at the same time. Frankly speaking, Hutton was feeling extremely delighted at Stephen's plight. The sight of Stephen crashing into the thick wooden wall and spitting big mouths of blood was really satisfying. The lives of 300 bandits and the possibility of aid from Sendros had all stopped bothering Hutton at this moment…

To a heir of the Malfa Family, what would be more satisfying than to watch the son of the leader of the Dark Blade be punched like a sandbag?

Even Hutton, who had suffered bitterly and nursed deep hatred, would think that Lin Li should withdraw from the confrontation now. After all, Stephan was the son of the leader of the Dark Blade. The organization would not have dared to challenge the Supreme Council to seek trouble with the Guild of Magic over a minute matter. However, if Stephen were to die, the Dark Blade would certainly declare war against the Guild of Magic even if all the Arbitrators begged them not to.

Unfortunately, Hutton guessed it wrongly again…

After putting the oil lamp into his pocket, Lin Li immediately walked over to Stephen and stepped on his chest. "Mage Stephen, I told you that you should stop…"

"You… Don't think you can get away with this for long…" Stephen said with clenched teeth. Although he was under Lin Li's foot, the sense of toxic hatred in Stephen's eyes did not decrease. He gave Lin Li an intense and piercing stare. "You will pay for what you have done. Not just you, but your friends, kin, and everyone related to you will be hunted down by the Dark Blade eternally…"

"Hmm…" Lin Li rubbed his nose. "Mage Stephen, is that a threat?" asked Lin Li as he looked at him with a serious gaze.

"Moron…" Stephen gave a dry laughter on the ground. "Do you think you can do whatever you want in the Breezy Plains with just a single piece of powerful magical equipment? Fat hope! If not for my carelessness, do you think you'd have the opportunity to defeat me? We have much of the similar magical equipment in the Dark Blade. You should go back to wash your neck while you wait for us. You will be hunted down by the Dark Blade the moment I leave the Blackstone Mountains. No matter where you hide, the assassins will have their ways to dig you out. They would not kill you immediately when they catch you. Instead, they will torture you slowly until the last drop of your blood is drained. Then, you will die in suffering…"In China, such insults seem to be much more serious than in the West.