326: Chapter 319 April, Desert, Ice

The Ice Cone, as massive as a mountain, crashed toward Dumbledore, making everyone worry.

The most nervous were naturally the Queen and Toby's group.

Ying Country's status in the world remained significant in recent years, but compared to decades ago, it had truly declined quite a bit.

Infiltrated by other nations internally, its military and economy had plummeted sharply, to the point where even its position as one of the Big Five was in jeopardy.

Now, a revival had finally arrived; Hogwarts was providing full support, the Queen had regained her youth, and Ying Country was racing toward a bright future.

If Dumbledore were to die in a duel at this time, there was no doubt that everything would come to a grinding halt.

In the hearts of the Queen and the vast majority of the public, the reason Dumbledore was willing to allocate resources was inevitably related to Rowling.

If Hogwarts were to change its headmaster, no one could predict what his attitude toward Ying Country would be.

Also clenching his fists and swallowing hard was Neo, far away in America.

Although America wasn't on a downward slope like Ying Country, life in recent years had been equally difficult.

Especially with the appearance of the extraordinary, America was constantly terrified of being left far behind by Ying Country and China on the path of the new era.

The upper echelons were very self-aware about their own national history, knowing full well that America likely had no extraordinary beings; otherwise, the YDA people wouldn't be kept in reservations.

In other words, if a "domestic extraordinary" really appeared in America, they wouldn't be excited at all; they would only feel fear.

Fortunately and unfortunately, America had seen no sign of the extraordinary.

The top families led by Neo were caught in the torment of both hoping for an extraordinary to appear and fearing it.

They thought there would be no way to have it both ways, but then Mr. Gao emerged out of nowhere, perfectly resolving their contradictory psychology.

America had an extraordinary now, and it wasn't a "domestic" one.

Compared to China and Ying Country, America's only weakness was that Mr. Gao was alone, rather than part of a complete and massive organization.

This meant that if Mr. Gao were to meet with an accident, America would fall back into its previous predicament.

After Mr. Gao's high-profile battle against the Mountain Rock Giant, no one from Hogwarts had come knocking, so Neo wasn't too worried about it.

Who would have known that while he was busy building a school back home, Mr. Gao would quietly run off to London and start fighting Dumbledore.

As the news spread, the happiest were the Russians, as they didn't get along with America.

When they first heard that America had an extraordinary, they felt a bit uneasy because they didn't have one of their own.

As it turned out, not only did they have their own now, but there was also a possibility that America's extraordinary might die, which was truly something to be happy about.

These complex circumstances could be glimpsed from the expressions of the filming reporters.

The Russian reporters didn't care about potentially being caught in the crossfire; they grinned as they carried their cameras for the live broadcast, intending to send the good news back home immediately so everyone could celebrate together.

The reporters from Ying Country and America looked solemn; the host responsible for the live description couldn't even stay focused, their eyes frequently glancing toward the sky while facing the camera.

Normally, this would be a serious dereliction of duty and a sign of lacking professional quality.

But the citizens of both countries didn't care; they were just as restless, staring tensely at their Mobile Phones and televisions.

Suspended in the air, Mr. Gao had already made his move. The Ice Cone crashed toward the opposite side with a momentum that could destroy the world, making the old man's hunched figure look incredibly small in front of the giant Ice Cone.

"What's wrong with the Headmaster?" Seeing the distance between the two sides closing in while Dumbledore just held his staff without moving, Toby, watching from the ground, couldn't help but ask.

The teachers and students of the three Magic Schools were on the other side of the battlefield; on this side, there was only the Mountain Gate and the Queen's group. Obviously, no one could provide an answer.

Toby also understood that he wasn't expecting an answer; it was mainly to relieve the pressure.

Strangely, however, someone spoke up in Chinese.

"He is waiting."

Toby didn't know Chinese, so he naturally didn't understand and instinctively turned his head toward the source of the sound. The seven people from Mountain Gate and the Queen, who could understand, also looked over and asked, "Waiting for what?"

Upon seeing the speaker's face, Luo Xiling instantly jumped up: "Master, you're here!"

The remaining four disciples hurriedly paid their respects: "Grand-Uncle Master!"

"No need for formalities."

While they were exchanging greetings, the Queen stared intently at Immortal Xu.

She had learned about Immortal Xu long ago through videos and written materials; she had even met him once during last year's magic performance.

The strength of this immortal from China's Mountain Gate was beyond doubt. Since he was here, nothing would happen to the Headmaster.

The Queen's heart, which had been in her throat, settled slightly. She stepped closer, first curtsying slightly, and then said in fluent Chinese, "Hello, Immortal Xu."

"Hmm?" Immortal Xu seemed to have just noticed her. He moved his gaze to her face and gave a nod of acknowledgment.

It seemed a bit cold, but the Queen didn't mind. In the collected videos, Immortal Xu treated everyone this way except for Luo Xiling, his personal disciple.

"You said the Headmaster is waiting. What is he waiting for?"

"Hmm..." Immortal Xu pondered for two seconds before explaining, "The magic he practices requires gathering mana when cast. The more powerful the magic, the longer it takes."

The Queen understood: "The Headmaster is brewing a spell?"

"Yes."

"Eh—" Luo Xiling seemed to remember something and scratched her head, asking, "Mr. Gao is also a magician. How did he release his so quickly?"

"Gao had planned this long ago when he suddenly proposed the duel, so he was already preparing when the event was about to end. Just a small trick."

"I see. Then can Dumbledore win?"

"He will definitely win; the only difference is how long it takes."

Hearing this, the Queen relaxed completely. She turned and whispered the explanation to Toby and the others who had hurriedly gathered around, then shifted her gaze back to Immortal Xu.

An immortal of the Mountain Gate...

She was curious and wanted to strike up a conversation to learn more about the extraordinary from across the ocean, but Immortal Xu always had such a cold and aloof air, so she dropped the idea.

Toby and the others, knowing the Headmaster would be fine, also paid attention to Immortal Xu.

They had flipped through relevant books in the Hogwarts library, which claimed that the Mountain Gate was the undisputed number one in the extraordinary world and that their lifespans far exceeded those of other extraordinary beings.

For instance, regarding this Immortal Xu, Toby remembered the Headmaster occasionally mentioning in passing that he was at least ten thousand years old.

*Boom—*

The explosion high in the sky interrupted everyone's thoughts, and they all quickly looked up.

From a low angle, the Ice Cone, which looked like a towering mountain peak, was already incredibly close to Dumbledore, but it could no longer advance an inch.

The old man finally made his move.

Flying sand emerged around him. At first, it wasn't obvious; everyone just felt like there were grains of sand floating about. Soon, the sand gathered, forming an apocalyptic scene that looked like a sandstorm.

"This is... what the Headmaster used on the coast with..." Halfway through, Lyon suddenly paused, quietly glancing at Immortal Xu, who was standing nearby with his hands behind his back. Seeing no reaction, he continued, "...the magic he used on the coast."

Wino wiped the sweat from his palms on the hem of his jacket: "If I remember correctly, the battlefield turned into a desert back then."

"Uh... so does that mean London is going to turn into a desert too?"

"Huh?" Klaisi was shocked. "I just bought a house in London using a year's salary plus a loan I applied for!"

"Work hard for another year." Wino pressed his shoulder heavily.

"But..." He said with a long face, "Working hard for another year isn't enough; I have to pay back the loan!"

It's too painful.

Lyon felt his pain and tried his best to suppress his sadness, but he still almost burst out laughing.

"I think... the house is the last thing you should be worrying about right now." Toby raised his hand and pointed toward the sky, his pupils reflecting the shattering Ice Cone and the sandstorm pouring down like a torrential rain.

The two sides seemed evenly matched. The sharp point of the Ice Cone collided with the sandstorm; the former shattered into countless tiny ice shards that scattered, while the latter lost control, no longer circling Dumbledore, and fell along with the ice shards.

The sand that could bury everyone and the ice shards that could easily pierce through bodies mixed together, falling rapidly like a storm. Toby didn't think he could survive by luck.

"Get back." They were preparing to protect the Queen and retreat, but were stopped by Immortal Xu taking a step forward.

"Hehe." Luo Xiling noticed the moon bright sword behind her unsheathing itself. She nudged Zhao Qi with her elbow: "Master is going to make a move."

"Nonsense, I'm not blind."

Hearing the two talking, the Queen pushed away the people who were about to support her and gazed at Immortal Xu, who was holding the moon bright sword.

She was a bit puzzled. In the Chinese books she had read, it said that "Sword Controlling" was more powerful than holding the sword, yet he seemed to choose to hold the sword every time he used it.

Before the Queen could figure it out, the sandstorm and ice shards, like a dam breaking, spread out as they fell, already obscuring the sky over this area.

"Rumble—" Even though it was just grains of sand, a sound like roaring thunder came from within.

Immortal Xu's body soared off the ground, charging straight into the tumbling cloud of dust.

In the next second, an incomparable light shot out from the dust. Everyone squinted instinctively, unwilling to close their eyes even as they teared up from the strain.

The sand was dissipating, and a white-clothed figure holding a sword slowly emerged.

He looked around at the ice shards that hadn't completely melted and the slight dust, raising his sword to strike again.

But he paused with a thoughtful look. After a moment, he seemed to make a decision, threw the moon bright sword toward the ground, and flew toward the group.

"Master!" The moon bright sword flew back into its sheath first. Luo Xiling waved her hands and jumped up and down, saying to the people beside her, "Well? Isn't my Master awesome?"

Toby looked at her blankly. What did "niu bi" mean?

Luo Xiling spoke casually in her excitement, not caring at all if they could understand, only focused on expressing her admiration for her Master.

However, Immortal Xu didn't land. He flew directly over everyone's heads, leaving behind the words, "It is settled," and quickly vanished into the horizon.

"What's going on?" Luo Xiling lowered her hands gloomily. She had planned to have her Master scare that bald guy.

"Look!" Someone exclaimed, pointing at the arena. They all looked over together.

Not much sand was left, and it was now drifting down like snowflakes, piling up into a sandy ground. The remaining ice shards, like sharp arrows, fell to the ground one after another, piercing halfway into the sand in a haphazard manner.

"So... so beautiful!" Misha was the first to snap out of it, her eyes lighting up.

The Queen was also observing.

Immortal Xu's strength was perfectly gauged. The sand didn't cover a wide area; it was exactly the size of the entire arena.

A small desert had already formed on top of it. If it were just that, everyone would marvel at the great power, but they wouldn't marvel at it being "beautiful."

The finishing touch was the ice shards.

The ice shards, having lost their lethality, were stuck all over the sand. They were scattered randomly, each in a different pose.

Some were inserted straight, while others were tilted.

The Kunpeng had ascended into the clouds and disappeared at some point. Sunlight fell on the ice shards, reflecting cold light that intertwined and created dappled patterns of light and shadow on the sand, looking like a dreamlike fairyland on earth.

"Hehe." Dumbledore appeared quietly, smiling at everyone. "This is a gift he gave to you. Well... consider it a gift for being invited to watch the competition."

The Queen blinked like a young girl and walked over to Luo Xiling and the others: "Please convey my thanks to Immortal Xu. This gift is very precious."

"We certainly will."

Toby stepped out of the crowd and cupped his hands toward Dumbledore: "Mr. Dumbledore, where is he?"

He didn't mention a name, but the old man understood who he meant: "He suffered some injuries and has already left."

"Will he come back?"

"No."

Then there's nothing more for me to do.

"Thanks." Zhao Qi nodded and turned to Yue Ruo, "Mr. Gao is gone, so let's head back too."

"Uh, why did Master take Uncle Kunpeng away?" Luo Xiling raised her hand to her forehead and looked at the sky. "Is he going to make us fly back on our swords ourselves?"

That's not impossible.

Taking a straight line would pass through the airspace of several countries. Although they hadn't coordinated with them, Zhao Qi believed they wouldn't have the guts to shoot them down.

After thinking for a while, he approached Luo Xiling and lowered his voice: "Can you fly all the way back?"

"I brought a Power Bank."

"Then let's fly back."

Knowing that the "power wouldn't run out" halfway, Zhao Qi felt relieved and bid farewell to the Queen and Dumbledore.

Then several people summoned their Flying Swords. Luo Xiling took Yue Ruo, while one of the male disciples rode with Zhao Qi, and they soared away.

The Queen looked up and watched until they vanished as black dots: "Mr. Headmaster, the competition..."

The venue had turned into a desert filled with ice shards. It was beautiful, but how could the competition proceed? The arena was completely buried.

Glancing at the arena, Dumbledore said, "I'll handle it."

"Everyone, it's getting dark. Get some rest early; the competition will continue tomorrow."

The royal family had already arranged hotels. The professors and Magic Apprentices flying in from afar on broomsticks bid farewell to Dumbledore and set off for the hotels.

The Queen and her group also left by car.

Once everyone had left, the audience didn't panic at all. They all took out camping tools like tents from their cars parked by the roadside and set up camp around the arena.

An extraordinary competition was so popular that if they dared to leave today, they shouldn't even think about squeezing back in tomorrow.

Latecomers had tried to fly drones, but they were soon shot down by the Guards responsible for security.

The reporters from various countries were the same. Worried they wouldn't be able to grab a spot with an excellent view tomorrow, they simply didn't leave either, setting up tents alongside the audience to look out for one another.

About half an hour passed, and night fell.

The vast wilderness was enveloped in darkness. A spring breeze with a hint of lingering chill blew across the land, making people instinctively tuck in their necks.

The audience's enthusiasm was still overflowing. They set up barbecue grills in the open space in the middle of the camp and lit the charcoal. While turning the meat skewers by their iron handles, they cheerfully discussed going to admire the beautiful scenery gifted by the Chinese immortal once they were full.

The camera operators were free for the moment and happily joined in. The reporters, wrapped in warm blankets, peeked through the gaps in the curtains, looking enviously at the laughter and cheers outside before turning back to continue tapping on their laptop keyboards.