325: Chapter 318 is brilliant!

Mr. Gao said he also had a match. The audience looked at the silent professors and students from the three academies and roughly understood.

His opponent was undoubtedly Dumbledore; at this point, it seemed only he was qualified.

The audience watched the two facing each other from a distance. It felt as if invisible currents were crackling in the air, and they instinctively backed away, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

However, after a moment, they realized Mr. Gao showed no sign of starting; instead, they began to chat.

"Headmaster, when do you think would be a good time for this match?"

The little old man with white hair and a white beard smiled slightly. "Let's wait for him to arrive."

Dumbledore used the pronoun "him." The audience didn't know who he meant, but Mr. Gao clearly did, as he looked surprised. "He doesn't seem like the type to meddle in others' business."

"After staying in the mountains for so long, one eventually gets bored."

"Hmm..." Mr. Gao stroked his chin in thought for a moment, then laughed for some reason. "You invited him? To intimidate me?

Heh, although I don't like it, I have to admit it's quite effective."

"I'm not that bored, and to intimidate you, I am enough." A glint reflected off Dumbledore's round glasses.

Seeing that they weren't fighting, the panic in the audience's hearts eased slightly, and they began to whisper among themselves.

"Who is he? Someone from Russia, or an immortal from China?"

"Maybe it's a transcendent who hasn't appeared yet. I think Blue Star must have some hidden ones."

"I agree, but you didn't answer my question."

"Uh, maybe..."

"Wooo—" A melodious and ethereal fish-like cry from the sky interrupted them.

Everyone, including Mr. Gao and those who had traveled far from Hogwarts, looked up.

Above the sky, the head of the Kunpeng slowly emerged from the clouds.

The audience on the ground witnessed this ancient giant beast with their own eyes for the first time.

Its vast head looked like an aerial carrier, and the shadow it cast covered the vast land. Everyone felt the light suddenly dim, as if they had instantly jumped from day to dusk.

The pressure brought by the massive creature was suffocating.

Even though they knew it wouldn't hurt them, when the Kunpeng's entire enormous body flew out of the clouds and all they could see was the dull blue skin of its belly, fear still welled up from deep within their hearts.

They instinctively wanted to flee, only to realize upon turning in panic that the light not blocked by the Kunpeng was so very far away.

"Don't be afraid," Dumbledore's kind voice reached everyone's ears. "Its temperament is very gentle."

The Kunpeng seemed to sense the crowd's fear; it didn't descend further, but simply hovered in the high sky, slightly waving its fins.

The people, breathing a slight sigh of relief, soon noticed five figures flying down from the Kunpeng's back on long swords, landing in the open space in the middle of the crowd.

Then, two more people descended beside the five without anything under their feet.

The seven walked up to Dumbledore and cupped their fists. "Hello, Headmaster."

"Please, everyone, take a seat." The old man smiled and gestured with his palm upward toward the nearby spectator stands.

"After you."

The group walked over together. A woman carrying a long sword of a different style from the others said, "Headmaster, you can just call me Xiao Luo. Is that Mr. Gao?"

"You should have seen the photos already."

"Just confirming." Luo Xiling turned her head slightly, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Mr. Gao, who was slowly following behind. "He wants to fight you?"

"It's a match."

"Oh.

Will there be blood?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Of course."

Of course?

Yes or no?

Why does this old man like to speak in riddles just like Master?

Luo Xiling almost couldn't help but curl her lip in complaint, but fortunately, she restrained herself.

The group walked to the wooden platform and sat in the neatly arranged individual wooden chairs. Mr. Gao, who was a step behind, didn't care that no one was paying him any attention and found a seat for himself.

Yue Ruo, beside Luo Xiling, whispered, "Xiao Luo, any gains?"

"What gains?" She looked confused.

"Intelligence." Knowing that transcendent hearing was extremely sharp, Yue Ruo lowered her voice and spoke unclearly.

"We just got here, what intelligence could there be?" Luo Xiling waved her hand. "I suspect Master might have arrived. I'll ask after the match."

Thinking that made sense, Yue Ruo said no more.

The audience and contestants had all arrived, but Dumbledore didn't immediately announce the start of the competition. Instead, he closed his eyes to rest, seemingly waiting for something.

The Queen sitting beside him wasn't in a hurry either.

To build momentum, she had brought in all the media belonging to the royal family and relaxed the censorship to let as many foreign journalists as possible gather.

This group was also the first to snap out of the Kunpeng's oppressive presence; they were already holding up their cameras, clicking away incessantly.

If the start of the match was delayed a bit, they could take a few more photos, which the Queen was happy with.

To be honest, if it weren't for the concern that the noise would interfere with the match, she probably would have even brought in helicopters.

The journalists pulled their cameramen as close to the spectator stands as possible, only stopping in their tracks with a shudder when Mr. Gao's indifferent gaze swept over them.

After a few seconds, seeing him look away, they immediately got pumped up again. "Quick, quick, take detailed shots!"

They couldn't help but be excited.

Usually mysterious transcendents were gathered here by the dozens, plus the recently high-profile Mr. Gao and the Chinese Mountain Gate. They couldn't wait to take as many photos as possible.

As time passed, the crowd became even denser.

The space inside was limited, but it didn't stop the audience's enthusiasm at all; they set up wooden ladders and peered over the top of the walls.

Fortunately, Toby had anticipated this and specifically reinforced the walls; otherwise, they would have surely collapsed under the weight.

The sun slowly moved west. Toby looked at his watch and asked Dumbledore, who was sitting in front, "Headmaster, what are you waiting for?"

"For someone."

"Immortal Xu?"

"No."

"Then who?"

"He's here."

"Hahaha..." A bold and boisterous laugh came from the gate. Everyone looked over to see a burly man carrying an iron rod walking toward the spectator stands with an arrogant stride.

He was about forty, with a sturdy build, wearing trousers. His exposed upper body was hairy, yet his head was strangely shiny and bald, without a single hair.

Thanks to his bald head, he could barely be identified as a human from a distance, rather than being mistaken for a brown bear standing on its hind legs.

"Yo, old man." He sat down casually in the empty seat to Dumbledore's left. "My student went to Seventeen a few months ago. When he graduates, I'll have him spar with your students."

After saying that, without waiting for Dumbledore's reply, he turned to look at Mr. Gao sitting in the back row. "Little Gao, how've you been lately?"

"Hmph." Mr. Gao's response was cold.

Dumbledore didn't seem very enthusiastic about him either. He stood up and announced, "The competition begins!

First match: Aisha from Durmstrang versus Toby from Hogwarts!"

Toby was looking down, pondering something, when he suddenly heard his name. He instinctively looked up, found everyone staring at him, and then realized with a start, "I'm in the first match?"

"What are you dazing for?

Get up there!"

Hurrying up, he saw a girl wearing a sea-blue robe already standing on the arena.

The arena was surrounded by a crowd; the girl must have flown up on a broomstick.

Toby scanned the packed crowd and felt a bit embarrassed.

Ask them to make way?

But that little girl rode a broom; if I walk over, will I look less impressive?

Fly? I don't know how!

He hesitated on the spot, the audience watching in confusion.

Dumbledore smiled and shook his head, his fingers twitching slightly. Toby felt a force envelop him, and then his feet left the ground, and he floated onto the arena.

Which was stronger: using magic items or one's own power?

Without a doubt, it was the latter.

After a simple analysis, the audience quickly reached a conclusion and clapped excitedly, chanting his name rhythmically: "Toby! Toby! Toby!"

Toby landed on the wooden floor and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

"Can we start?" the little girl asked, waving her teaching rod staff.

"Yes." Toby's face was solemn as he raised his staff.

Both sides bowed to each other according to the procedure. As they straightened up, they shouted simultaneously, "Expelliarmus!"

At the stands, Luo Xiling watched the back-and-forth battle between the two, her eyes full of curiosity. "Sister Yue, I feel like magic is quite interesting."

"How so?" Yue Ruo replied without moving her gaze, adhering to her duties as a Special Investigation Bureau employee.

"Look at them, throwing fireballs one moment and lightning the next. I can't do that; I can only control flying swords."

"Hahaha..." The burly man laughed again upon hearing this. "Doesn't the Mountain Gate have spells? Didn't Professor Xu teach you?"

Hearing the name "Professor Xu," Luo Xiling didn't immediately realize he was referring to her master. She turned her head in confusion and asked, "Professor Xu is... Oh, you mean my Master."

Nodding in realization, she said, "Of course the Mountain Gate has spells, it's just that I... Hey, I remember now. You said your student went to Seventeen. Are you a transcendent from Russia?"

"Transcendent?" The burly man's face turned strange. "Hmm... I'd prefer you call me a warlock."

The journalists below had long been curious about this suddenly appearing burly man, but unfortunately, clues were scarce, and Dumbledore hadn't introduced him. They could only guess his origin in their minds.

Hearing the two mention it now, they immediately pricked up their ears.

"China has warlocks too." Luo Xiling looked at the burly man's upper body, which looked like it was covered in a sweater. "Are you and ours..."

"Different." He shook his head and spoke after a moment of silence. "Although we can both stir up the wind, the essence is completely different. Hmm... it's complicated to explain.

Ask your teacher when you get back."

Luo Xiling really wanted to curse.

Are you for real? Huh? Are you really for real?

You bring up the topic and then don't explain; I'll strangle you!

Of course, she only fantasized about it in her mind and wouldn't actually do it.

First, he hadn't offended her, and second, judging from his attitude toward Mr. Gao and Dumbledore, he was a transcendent who "had something."

She couldn't beat him.

Luo Xiling was very angry and didn't want to talk to him anymore. She straightened her head and looked at the two fighting fiercely on the arena.

Dumbledore seemed to be casting magic; the fireballs and lightning they released were flying everywhere, but not a single one flew out of the fence.

She looked at the old man but couldn't see the trick, so she temporarily set it aside and continued to watch the match.

The battle between the two was nearing its end.

The little girl's magical strength wasn't weak, but she seemed to lack experience. Toby caught an opening in her skill's recovery time and hit her with a Petrification Spell, and she unfortunately lost.

Dumbledore stood up to announce the result and also the contestants for the next match.

The pace of the battles was exceptionally tight, one match after another. The winners and losers among the twenty people were quickly decided.

"That's all for today's matches. The second round will take place tomorrow morning at eight o'clock." After Dumbledore finished speaking, he prepared to leave with the Queen.

However, Mr. Gao, who had been silent since sitting down, suddenly spoke up.

He said in a teasing tone, "I'm in a hurry. Let's have our match today."

The audience, who still hadn't had enough after watching all day, couldn't help but get excited. They even ignored the risk of being accidentally injured and instinctively moved toward the spectator stands.

Something big is coming!

The old man didn't back down and turned around slowly. "Perhaps I shouldn't have let you leave back then."

"That was a long time ago." Mr. Gao stood up, pressing his hands on his knees. "I want to know, Headmaster, have you grown old?"

"Then, as you wish." Dumbledore's right hand closed slightly, and a teaching rod staff materialized in a glow. He waved it gently.

Everyone at the scene except for the burly man felt themselves being lifted and floating into the distance until they were placed on the ground several kilometers away from the arena.

"Holy crap, they're really going to fight?" Zhao Qi was more excited than anyone. He loosened his tie and pulled out... a pair of binoculars from behind his waist.

Luo Xiling was shocked. "Brother Zhao, why do you have binoculars?"

"I brought them myself."

"I know you brought them yourself, I'm saying why did you bring binoculars?!"

"Aiya." Yue Ruo waved her hand dismissively and pulled out a matching pair of binoculars from behind her waist. "We're not like you guys; our eyesight isn't as sharp as an eagle's. Of course we have to bring binoculars."

One of the girls among the four disciples complained, "So, you've had binoculars tucked behind your waists this whole way?"

The two tossed their hair dashingly. "You bet."

Heh, they're actually proud of it.

Luo Xiling was a bit speechless. She shifted her attention to the two floating high in the sky. "They're weaker than Master, but the commotion they cause won't be small either. Should we disperse the crowd?

Look, look, look, those journalists are being reckless, they're running back."

Zhao Qi looked at the journalists and cameramen who were like hungry tigers out of a cage. "It's fine, the Kunpeng Immortal is here."

"Then I'll ask, in case Senior Brother isn't willing to bother." Luo Xiling closed her eyes and gripped the sword hilt behind her shoulder.

Senior Brother, Senior Brother, can you look after those ordinary people?

No matter.

A deep voice that seemed to come from ancient times sounded in her mind. Her whole body relaxed, and she also looked up with great interest.

The distance was far, and only two human silhouettes could be seen.

The two didn't waste time building up the atmosphere and started fighting immediately.

Mr. Gao didn't seem as reckless as suspected; he didn't immediately release the "Solar Storm" that had dried up the waves in America, but instead condensed an Ice Cone.

Toby was very short of people, but he would never mistake it; that was the Ice Cone Spell he practiced.

However, compared to his palm-length Ice Cone, Mr. Gao's was a bit excessively large.

In fact, rather than an Ice Cone, it would be more appropriate to call it an "ice mountain."

The crowd estimated that if the Ice Cone lying across the sky were stood upright, it would be a peak towering into the clouds.

Even though she had been shocked countless times, the Queen was still in a daze.

The two figures floating in the sky were no different from normal humans, yet they could control an Ice Cone countless times larger than their own bodies. What kind of great power was that? It made one's heart yearn.

Under their gaze, Mr. Gao raised his arm and let it fall forward.