155: The Game of the Big Brothers (I)

Outside the Elven Secret Realm.

Above the many competing teams, in a place imperceptible to them, a fierce argument was unfolding.

A group of great figures, all Formal Wizards, whose names, if spoken aloud, would be legendary tales of the Mist Coast.

However.

In today's meeting, concerning the distribution of their actual interests, these Formal Wizards were bickering and contending loudly like market vendors... especially Wizard Wizard Yadisi, the "Blood Eagle Lord" of Blood Fortress, who was the most boisterous.

This young Formal Wizard, barely two hundred years old, was at the age of a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger. As a rising star of the Mist Coast, his courage was considerable, and he showed no deference to the many elders present.

"I disagree with this lottery result."

"You absolutely cheated..."

"Hmph, how could it be such a coincidence that our Blood Fortress and Heart of Plants teams both drew the Mist Forest terrain card? Isn't this deliberately targeting us?"

"Don't think you can bully me because I'm young and inexperienced. There's no need to trot out such petty tricks. Redraw the lots!"

..."Wizard Yadisi..."

"You're just being unreasonable. The entire drawing process was open and transparent. You drew your own lots. If your luck is bad, don't try to blame others."

Presiding over this Elven Secret Realm fruit of life competition was an old Wizard from Radiant Fire Academy, the leading elder of the Seven Towers Alliance. This was a contemporary of Joyce, Wizard Malthus, over four hundred years old, and also a peak First-tier Formal Wizard.

Radiant Fire Wizard Academy had always been the leader of the Mist Coast's Seven Towers Alliance. Furthermore, since they did not send a team to participate in this competition, everyone unanimously elected Radiant Fire Academy to be the chief referee and main organizer.

"Have some dignity, Wizard Yadisi. We are White Wizards, not those Black Wizards from the gutters. I think you should seriously reflect on your own problems."

"See if you've gotten too entangled with Black Wizards, affecting your academy's destiny. Heh heh, young man, if you stray from the righteous path, you won't come to a good end."

...Wizard Wizard Yadisi, with his blood-red cloak and hooked blue eyes, had a dark expression.

He cursed inwardly:

"To so blatantly accuse my Blood Fortress of colluding with Black Wizards, this is not putting Blood Fortress in their eyes at all. And they keep harping on these old, rotten matters, repeating them over and over."

"Hmph, isn't it just that your Radiant Fire suffered a bit at the hands of Black Wizards? And you're taking it out on me. These old fogies are just jealous and ostracizing the young."

"Why don't these old farts die sooner? They're hogging the latrine and not doing their business, and they still want to suppress me? No way."

Wizard Wizard Yadisi cursed silently, but his face showed no emotion. He even thought of something and smiled warmly at Joyce, the "Heart of Plants" who had been silently observing, and asked with a genial smile:

"Joyce, I grew up hearing your legends. At your advanced age, you wouldn't bully a junior like me, would you?"

"I heard that your Plant Heart Academy went all out this time, putting together such a luxurious lineup. I heard you produced a large number of Bio-armors that are invincible at the apprentice stage. You're really rich."

"In comparison, our Blood Fortress is much poorer. We can only pitifully command some low-grade demonic beasts. Our combat power is far inferior to yours. And yet, you still want to seize advantageous terrain?"

"How about, for fairness' sake, we swap terrain cards? I think that Dark Swamp looks quite good. It would allow our two families to have a good spar and friendly exchange."

...Joyce, with his white hair and white robe, held a grayish-white staff.

He expressionlessly scrutinized this prominent rising star, then chuckled softly:

"Young man, don't let your little schemes be too obvious."

"Our Heart of Plants respects the lottery results and acknowledges Wizard Malthus's arrangements. Let's proceed as planned."

"If you have objections, you can have your blood bat, who hides in underground caves and dares not come out, find me. I'll have a good chat with him."

"Hmph, that won't be necessary. Our dean is currently in seclusion. I can make decisions for anything."

Wizard Wizard Yadisi was very displeased with the white-haired elder's condescending attitude. He was just an old man about to be buried; why was he still putting on airs? Then Wizard Wizard Yadisi feigned concern:

"Oh dear, your Plant Heart Academy caused quite a stir before, collecting resources everywhere to break through to Formal Wizard."

"What, you still haven't cultivated a new successor? And it's still burdening you at your age, preventing you from enjoying your golden years, making you run around like a nanny taking care of a bunch of good-for-nothings."

"If you ask me, those good-for-nothings are fine for farming and making potions, but to become a Formal Wizard, I'm afraid they don't have that destiny's favor."

"Heh heh..."

..."That's none of your junior's concern."

"Young man, don't be too impetuous. Managing your own affairs is the truth."

"Wizard Yadisi, your Blood Fortress can't even manage its own mess, yet you have the nerve to care about others."

At this moment, Wizard Malthus also interjected, strongly supporting Plant Heart Wizard Academy and Joyce.

"Seeing how idle you are, it seems I need to find something for you to do. At this year's Alliance Supreme Council, I'll propose that your Blood Fortress increase its share of anti-crime and evil-eradication missions."

"You..."

"You all..."

Wizard Wizard Yadisi's eyes glowed with anger, flickering incessantly. He looked at the two old fogies ganging up on him, wishing he could just kill these two old immortals. But then, seeing the representatives of the other four academies watching the show, his eyes darted, and a plan came to Wizard Wizard Yadisi's mind.

"Heh heh..."

"Wizard Malthus, you've misunderstood my intentions. I'm also concerned about my old neighbor. After all, Heart of Plants has been our neighbor for hundreds of years. Although there were some minor frictions before, they were harmless, weren't they?"

"Both seniors are highly respected and venerable elders of our Seven Towers Alliance. Surely, you wouldn't quibble over verbal sparring with a junior like me, a latecomer to the path?"

As he spoke, Wizard Wizard Yadisi even put on a strange expression, like "No way, no way..." attempting to use moral and public opinion to bind everyone... The two old Wizards, who had lived for over 400 years, had seen it all.

Mere moral blackmail and sowing discord, such petty tricks, dared to show off before them?

Wizard Malthus completely ignored Wizard Wizard Yadisi's provocative words and remained silent, treating it as a show.

"Young man, when you're out in the world, you must walk the righteous path. This is the grand path for White Wizards in this era."

Joyce slightly opened his eyes, glanced at the jumping Wizard Wizard Yadisi, and said faintly:

"If you don't listen to the elders, you'll suffer losses. Always playing small tricks will never get you anywhere."