Chapter 410: Di Mu Zou

What rang out together with the metal‑clashing sound was the bone‑shattering sound from bearing huge force.

The violent force condensed from the Demon Emperor's power made the White Mage's body jerk, and the bursting sound on his body kept exploding.

Amidst the thick firelight, the whole person was like being struck by a speeding truck, his body slammed hard into the wall and punched through it without losing momentum.

He rolled several times on the ground before finally stopping against a large tree.

Looking out through the hole the White Mage had blasted, he saw what seemed to be a forest, the grassy ground thick with trees, cicadas and birdsong incessant.

But this tranquility was now completely shrouded by the explosion.

Jiang Xia flung off his cloak and leisurely stepped through the hole in the wall.

The crimson dark armor emerged from the hole, like a devil walking out of darkness, suddenly descending upon the human world.

The White Mage's face turned pale, and he quickly scrambled up from the grass; if he hadn't blocked the crimson blood blade with his flute sword at the last moment, he would have been sliced open by it now.

Although he still had ample magic power, his body had suffered a serious blow from that strike.

He gazed at the Dark Kiva exuding a dark aura; though its steps were unhurried, the bone‑piercing killing intent it radiated was utterly pure, as if the next second it would turn this world into endless slaughter.

This armor is certainly not a product of the human world; it seems to have crawled out of hell, and only someone non‑human, a monster stronger than a phantom, is worthy to wear it.

The White Mage was right: in another world, the Dark Kiva is often seen as a walking death god, the ultimate darkness looming over all races.

If he stayed here to keep fighting, that terrifying monster would surely devour him, and his plan to reopen the Magic Banquet, sacrificing many to gain magic power, would go bankrupt—he still could not die.

Thinking this, the White Mage already felt a urge to retreat.

He possessed many retreat, teleport, and invisibility magic rings; as long as he truly wanted to flee, hardly anyone could trap him in a death ground, let alone when his magic power was plentiful.

The White Mage watched Jiang Xia approach slowly, gripping his flute sword tightly, his right hand slightly reaching for the magic ring at his back; all he needed was to find a chance to slip away unseen during the attack.

And just as he was about to act, Jiang Xia likewise turned his gaze to the White Mage's right hand.

In this world, a mage's spellcasting wind‑up isn't very long, but it is definitely noticeable.

For battles between mages, it's not just about magic power; the speed of casting also matters greatly.

"If you want to flee now, I can only change targets and seek the one who holds the Philosopher's Stone, Xiao Li. Are you really sure you want to do that? Di Mu Zou."

Jiang Xia looked at the White Mage, who had already snatched the invisibility and teleportation magic rings into his palm, and without trying to stop him, he said lightly.

This was not a conversation between enemies, but a friendly reminder between good friends.

"Who exactly are you, and how do you know Xiao Li has the Philosopher's Stone inside him?"

The White Mage—no, it should be Di Mu Zou—his voice suddenly changed upon hearing Jiang Xia's words, becoming devoid of any warmth.

He had no intention of hiding his identity leak, for although few knew he was a mage, those who did were in this city.

He was referring to none other than the boss Lun Dao Fan, who could craft various magic gems into magic rings—a fat, kind‑hearted boss with no magical ability, who made many of his magic rings.

His daughter and his lover Cao Zhen lived in his Face Shadow Hall, so it's no surprise that a discerning person could uncover this information.

But concerning the Philosopher's Stone, people in the magic world only know that such a thing still exists in modern times.

According to the rumors he spread, the Philosopher's Stone should be in the hands of the Philosopher's Phantom, yet the person before him actually knows the true stone resides in Xiao Li's body—now he can only silence him.

The Philosopher's Stone is a special gem called the perfect magical material; a mage who possesses it has near‑omnipotent power, even able to resurrect the dead.

However, reviving the dead via the Philosopher's Stone demands near‑harsh conditions: one must possess magic power strong enough to overturn the rules.

The dead cannot return to life—that is the rule; mages may seem miraculous, but they act according to world rules, or rather, they borrow the rules.

For example, using a belt to transmute magic power, or invoking the appropriate magic via a magic ring, with the spells pre‑etched.

You cannot use a teleportation magic ring to achieve invisibility.

That is the rule.

But the Philosopher's Stone is different; it can reset the world's rules, rewriting the dead as alive and directly altering the rules.

Resurrecting the dead is a miracle, and miracles require a price.

Last time he painstakingly opened the Magic Banquet, using the lives of over a hundred people with potential to become mages as a sacrifice during a solar eclipse, he managed to carry the resurrection ritual only halfway.

Although he succeeded in reviving his deceased daughter, the revived Xiao Li had no memory, and once the Philosopher's Stone's magic within her was exhausted, she would die again—so the half‑revived Xiao Li is essentially a doll.

If no one replenishes Xiao Li's magic power, she will cease activity, like a wind‑up doll whose spring has run down.

Thus the White Mage wanted to use mages as human pillars, reopen the Magic Banquet, take Tokyo as the price, and gain magic power—truly the wordless act of a great father.

But this great father's method of reviving his daughter is too cruel for others.

Jiang Xia himself is also a father; if Xiao Hui came to harm, he would surely tear the perpetrator apart, extract his soul, use it to light a lamp, and afterward he might choose to directly reset the timeline, reversing the death's outcome.

Fortunately, he actually possesses the ability to reverse the timeline, so he won't be trapped by such a choice.

"If you want to stay unknown, don't do it—I'm merely interested in powerful things; one of my purposes here is the Philosopher's Stone, so I kindly warn you: if you're preparing to flee now, my next target will be the Philosopher's Stone." Jiang Xia said blandly.

This is not a threat but a reminder; he dislikes Xiao Li's final fate, so he will change it, whether or not the White Mage is present—he rarely lies and scorns to do so.

Hearing this, Di Mu Zou slowly put back the ring he had prepared to flee, replacing it with a ring engraved with a dragon‑pattern that could unleash all his magic power in one burst.

Jiang Xia's words ignited all his inner fury; he would never allow the Philosopher's Stone to be taken from Xiao Li's body.

Because once the Philosopher's Stone is extracted from a living body, Xiao Li will face true death.

He would allow no one to try to harm his daughter—not even a death god from hell—he would fight to the death! "Finally ready to fight to the death?" Jiang Xia paused, then said, "Well then, let me see your true magic." (End of chapter)