Chapter 33: Wu De Abundant

Gao De pushed open the brown-black door once again.

“You’re here,” said Mage Seda, sitting as usual at the table, his gaze blank as he stared at Gao De.

“I’m here,” Gao De nodded, studying Mage Seda—he could plainly see the man had grown even older in the past ten days.

As Gao De observed Mage Seda, Mage Seda was likewise studying Gao De, seemingly satisfied with his obedience.

He pushed the vial on the table forward. “Drink it.”

“You have some talent for alchemy. If all goes well, I will truly take you as my apprentice.”

Perhaps because success was so near, seeking good fortune, Mage Seda now set aside his previous threats and voluntarily promised Gao De a reward.

Looking at the fluorescent blue liquid inside the conical vial, Gao De found his emotions unexpectedly calm.

He smiled, speaking to Mage Seda in an “earnest” tone: “Thank you, Mage Lord.”

Perhaps because he had prepared for this day too long, and been too tense, now that it had come, he felt nothing but stillness—no great inner turmoil.

And at this very moment, Gao De felt as if he had grown indifferent to life and death.

He did not belong here; this life was a gift he had stumbled upon.

If he walks out of here after today, it’s a fortune.

If not, he has still lived a month longer—no loss.

Since I stand to lose nothing either way, why should I fear you?

Once Gao De had fully understood this, all his tension and worry vanished.

He stirred his will—and the vial on the table levitated, floating straight into his hand.

Mage Hand.

Mage Seda was startled by Gao De’s action, but his attention was entirely fixed on whether the potion would succeed, so he temporarily ignored this seemingly “overstepping” move.

Gao De uncorked the vial, then, under Mage Seda’s watchful gaze, raised it to his lips, feigning intent to drink.

Gao De, keeping constant peripheral watch on Mage Seda, saw the old mage staring raptly at the vial in his hand, his expression rapt—his eyes flickered with mockery.

The next instant, Gao De struck!

He did not drink the potion as Mage Seda expected; instead, with resolute intent, he swung his right hand sharply.

The potion Mage Seda had spent vast sums and immense effort to brew—his greatest hope—flew through the air in an arc and smashed onto the floor before Mage Seda.

With a sharp, heavy crash, shards of glass scattered everywhere.

The fluorescent blue liquid spilled from its shattered container, pooling unevenly on the cold, hard floor—a blotchy, silent testament to an irreversible choice.

The air filled with the scent of alchemical fluid.

Everything seemed to freeze in that moment.

Then it shattered instantly.

“What are you doing!! I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you!!” A furious roar erupted through the room, echoing wildly.

The usually cold Mage Seda roared like a lion, staring at the puddle on the floor, his emotions finally exploding beyond control.

Gao De watched coldly—Mage Seda’s reaction was exactly what he wanted.

To destroy someone, first drive them mad.

Gao De knew better than anyone how much Mage Seda valued this potion.

So he had to provoke Mage Seda, make him lose his reason, and gain even the slightest edge for himself.

Puff! As Mage Seda was still roaring, a handful of flour suddenly flew straight into his face.

The old mage had never seen such an underhanded tactic—he was caught off guard and blinded.

And Gao De’s next move was already upon him.

He stepped backward several paces, widening the distance between himself and Mage Seda, then drew another vial from his waist and hurled it at Mage Seda while the old mage’s eyes were still blinded by flour—it was a pre-prepared, self-made acid vial.

“Dust in the eyes” + “Sulfuric acid splash”—classic Wei Xiangzhu’s double combo.

Gao De hadn’t wasted his childhood wuxia films.

Meanwhile, Mage Seda, though caught off guard by Gao De’s trick, was far from easy to defeat.

In the instant he was hit, Mage Seda reacted instantly.

Without any visible motion, a clear magical surge rippled through the sealed room.

The acid vial Gao De had thrown halted just inches from Mage Seda—as if striking an invisible, unbreakable glass barrier.

The glass bottle shattered instantly, its contents spraying outward with a sharp, acrid sulfur smell.

Acid splattered everywhere, much of it aimed directly at Mage Seda.

With its corrosive power, if it had struck Mage Seda, it wouldn’t have killed him outright—but it would have certainly crippled him.

But like the acid vial, every splash of acid was blocked—none reached Mage Seda’s body; all dripped harmlessly onto the floor.

“Is this your trump card?” Mage Seda finally forced his eyes open, laughing bitterly. “Using lowborn tricks, plus some acid you stole from somewhere—you think you can turn the tide?”

The moment he smelled the sulfur, Mage Seda knew the liquid’s nature.

“Dare you show me such childish tricks?” His face darkened to its most furious depth.

“You will regret this. Today, I’ll make you kneel here and beg me to kill you!”

Facing Mage Seda’s naked threat, facing the reality that Mage Seda had effortlessly and imperceptibly blocked his opening attack—

“Today, only one of us walks out of this room alive,” Gao De said, his voice icy, utterly calm.

He had not lost his courage because of Mage Seda’s power.

For the first time before Mage Seda, he unveiled his fangs without disguise.

Mage Seda paid no mind to Gao De—he thought him insane. “I don’t know where you got this acid, but do you really believe these trinkets and thug tactics can match me?”

“A mage is a mage because a mage can do anything.”

“Only a mage can kill a mage.”

“You are a mage apprentice. So am I,” Gao De said coldly, staring at Mage Seda.

Mage Seda was slightly surprised by Gao De’s “audacity,” then chuckled in disdain.

“Clearly, I’ve taught you too little, to let you entertain such absurd thoughts.”

“You must understand—there are differences even among mage apprentices.”

Gao De ignored Mage Seda’s verbal blows.

Channeling a spell model takes time.

Because magic must flow through the entire model before transforming into its miraculous effect.

This is called casting time.

The stronger the spell, the larger the model—and the longer the time required for magic to flow through it.

He spoke with Mage Seda not only to vent the month’s pent-up rage, but to buy himself precious moments to cast.

At this moment, Gao De sharply flicked his right hand.

A subtle energy gathered and solidified in his palm—a glowing green acid ball.

The acid ball flew from his hand, leaving a faintly warped trail of light, crossing the short distance between him and Mage Seda, striking his face.

[Acid Splash +]! (End of Chapter)