Chapter 323: Step Back! Don

The council chamber.

The spacious hall was unusually quiet.

Lin Mo lowered his head, examining the piece of wind element fragment glowing with a faint blue light in his hand.

Thin strands of wind spiraled visibly around the fragment.

At that moment.

The council chamber's door was flung open from outside.

Accompanied by the sound of the door opening.

A boisterous laugh echoed in from beyond.

"Hahaha!"

"I thought I arrived just in time!"

"Didn't expect it to be over already?"

As his words faded.

Lin Mo looked up.

An elderly man in a gray robe, his hair streaked white but his spirit vibrant, was walking toward them.

Seeing the newcomer.

Yan Lie immediately stood and stepped forward to greet him.

"Wind Old Man."

Yan Lie bowed slightly in respect.

Lin Mo also closed his hand around the wind element fragment, rose, and walked over.

"Wind Old Man."

Lin Mo greeted him.

Wind Cangqiong halted, his gaze sweeping over the massive crater in the center of the ground.

Then his eyes settled on Lin Mo.

"Good lad, did you really break the pride of those arrogant guys from the Wind Association?"

Wind Cangqiong asked with a grin.

Before Lin Mo could answer.

Yan Lie let out a wry chuckle and replied:

"Wind Old Man, don't tease us."

"With Lin Mo's strength, beating them into submission is only natural."

"Once he activates his Four-Element Body and unleashes those high-tier skills like a machine gun—who dares not submit?"

Hearing Yan Lie's words.

Wind Cangqiong's smile deepened.

"Hahaha!"

"True enough!"

Wind Cangqiong looked at Lin Mo, growing more and more satisfied.

Then.

His gaze dropped to the object in Lin Mo's hand, glowing with a soft blue light.

Wind Cangqiong blinked in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Wind element fragment?"

Wind Cangqiong raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback.

"This is a rare item—where did you get it?"

Hearing the question.

Yan Lie smiled and volunteered an explanation:

"Wind Old Man, I gave it to Lin Mo."

"Someone sent me this exact fragment yesterday."

"I figured Lin Mo's already level 40—he'd likely be learning wind skills soon, and this was the perfect time to pass it on."

Upon hearing Yan Lie's explanation.

Wind Cangqiong suddenly understood.

He looked at Yan Lie, a flicker of approval in his eyes.

"You kid, you know how to handle people well."

Wind Cangqiong nodded in agreement:

"This wind element fragment, if kept by you, would most likely never be fully absorbed in one go—wasting it would be a shame."

"Giving it to this lad is truly the best choice."

Wind Cangqiong made no effort to hide his favoritism.

"You've made a very worthwhile gift."

Hearing this, Yan Lie said seriously:

"Wind Old Man is right."

"Lin Mo is now a treasure of Dragon Nation—good things must be used where they matter most."

"Besides,"

"Every bit stronger Lin Mo becomes, the more confidence Dragon Nation gains."

"I, Yan Lie, have that much awareness."

Listening to their conversation.

Lin Mo smiled helplessly beside them.

You two big shots, praising me so openly to my face—is that really wise?

I'm so embarrassed I want to dig a hole and bury my toes.

Wind Cangqiong turned his head toward Lin Mo.

His eyes sparkled with intense curiosity.

"Lin Mo."

"I heard from Old Nie."

"Every time you absorb an element fragment, you trigger celestial phenomena and absorb every last bit of energy perfectly."

"In my decades of life, I've never seen anyone absorb an element fragment so cleanly on their first try."

"How about…"

"Let this old man witness it?"

Yan Lie, after hearing this, also lit up with excitement.

"Yes, Lin Mo!"

"I want to see too!"

"I've never even seen a perfect absorption before… let alone one on the first try."

Seeing their expressions—like wide-eyed children.

Lin Mo smiled.

"Alright."

"Since you both want to see, I'll use it right here."

Lin Mo had no reason to refuse.

Better to use it sooner than later.

He had long looked forward to the Wind Element Body.

Then.

Under the watchful eyes of Wind Cangqiong and Yan Lie.

Lin Mo took a deep breath.

【Wind Element Fragment (Special)】

【Description: A fragment of the Wind Dao, crystallized from the essence of wind's ultimate principles.】

【Use immediately?】

"Use."

Lin Mo willed it.

In an instant.

A faint, delicate crack echoed.

The blue wind element fragment in his hand shattered instantly.

A swirl of blue light surged up his arm and into his body.

In his skill bar,

【Earth Shield Technique】 bounced wildly.

【"Brother Five! Brother Five!"】

【"Hurry up and get ready!"】

【"Coming, coming!"】

Xiao Tu, in the manner of someone who had been through it, shouted orders loudly.

【"Remember what Second Brother taught you!"】

【"Don't let a single drop leak!"】

【"Suck up all this energy—leave not a trace!"】

Hearing Second Brother's call.

The Wind Blade Technique immediately perked up!

That soft voice carried a hint of nervousness and excitement.

【"Got it, Second Brother!"】

【"Don't worry, Second Brother!"】

【"Little Wind won't waste a single drop!"】

In Little Wind's perception,

the emerald energy surging into his body was lethally alluring.

It was the same origin!

Huh—!

Little Wind swallowed it like a whale drinking water.

Frantically devouring the emerald wind-element energy flooding into his body!

The Fireball Technique snorted coldly.

【"Pfft, overreacting."】

【"It's just a broken shard. When I absorbed mine back then, I didn't make such a fuss."】

Hearing this, Xiao Tu firmly stood protectively beside Little Wind.

【"Big Brother, how long has Little Five been awake? How long have you been awake? How can you compare?"】

Then,

Xiao Tu instructed Little Wind.

【"Little Five, ignore Big Brother. Don't let him unsettle your mind—suck it all dry!"】

Little Wind, while frantically absorbing the energy, nodded heavily.

【"Mm-hmm!"】

【"Little Wind listens to Second Brother!"】

……

Outside,

Lin Mo stood in place.

At this moment, visible changes began occurring around him.

The previously calm council chamber,

stirred with a gentle breeze.

This wind, centered on Lin Mo, began to slowly rotate.

Dust on the ground was lifted.

In the air, emerald light particles began to appear.

They were wind elements drifting through heaven and earth, drawn by the energy within Lin Mo, rushing together in frenzy.

Yan Lie stood frozen to the side.

He watched the increasingly powerful air currents swirling around Lin Mo.

"This..."

"Is this the disturbance of perfect absorption?"

Yan Lie was startled.

He had seen senior magicians in the association absorb wind-element shards before.

Though there had been energy fluctuations,

first-time absorptions rarely produced such a strong reaction.

Beside him, Feng Cangqiong smirked slightly.

"Perfect absorption?"

"This is nothing."

Saying this,

Feng Cangqiong raised his arm, solemnly saying:

"Yan Lie, step back. Don't disturb Lin Mo."

"Understood."

Hearing this, Yan Lie nodded.

Then, both quickly stepped back several paces, held their breath, and stared fixedly at Lin Mo at the center of the chamber.