Chapter 416: Mask Shadow Hall

Damn it!

Guleimlin, scarred and battered, hides in the forest, pounding the trees with all his strength; now all the Phantoms are hunting him, the city has become completely uninhabitable, and even his own home now has Phantoms waiting for him.

Every Phantom was once human; they know Torii Slope intimately, and some were even police, making it effortless to obtain his information and whereabouts.

The only place where he can evade those surveillances and hide with some peace is the forest he knows better; using the forest's barrier, he can stay hidden a bit longer, dragging this period out.

Moreover, as far as he knows, there is a Phantom that did not take part in the hunting ritual, a Phantom the Sage despises greatly.

Because it seeks indiscriminate killing, and its special ability can directly cleave the human spirit world, slaying the Phantoms that reside in the soul realm.

Thus, the Sage locked it away, and coincidentally, he knows where this special Phantom is.

If he exploits this, letting it go on a killing spree in the human world, it will draw all the Phantoms' attention; now he needs to release it, hoping it is still there.

……

Qingren, a Phantom has appeared, right at Torii Slope; you must be careful and return safely.

Inside Mask Shadow Hall there is a transparent crystal sphere that allows Di Mu Li to view Cao Zhenqingren's battle scene from afar, and it also serves as an emergency communication device.

Through the magic on the crystal sphere, Di Mu Li saw a Phantom wandering the street.

She promptly warned Qingren, while she stayed in Mask Shadow Hall, since her body is now even more frail than an ordinary human's.

I understand, Li, I am their last hope.

Cao Zhenqingren shut off the magical communication with Li and sped toward the place where the Phantom appeared.

Qingren, you're here! Gong Teng Rensuke shouted excitedly at the arriving Cao Zhenqingren. "Truly my eternal rival, you're almost as fast as me."

Hmm, we can't let the Phantom continue its rampage. Cao Zhenqingren raised his right hand, and the red gem on his middle finger glittered in the sunlight.

Oh, so you're a magician. I sense your protective intent; very nice.

The speaker was a Phantom wielding a life‑size double‑headed naginata, its body covered in yellow‑white scales, its face bearing a single huge red eye, hunched like a lobster.

Its name is Thunder Regent.

Let me see what that beautiful heart of yours that protects humanity looks like. Thunder Regent raised the double‑headed naginata and charged at Cao Zhenqingren and Gong Teng Rensuke.

Flame! Please! HiHiHiHiHi!

Set! Open! L·I·O·N! Lion!

Bright red and golden magical circles swiftly enveloped their bodies, transforming them into Kamen Rider Wizard and Kamen Rider Beast.

The battle was about to erupt.

Lord Sage, that Phantom wasn't— Medusa, walking down the street, said in surprise as she watched Thunder Regent pressing the two magicians.

It seems Guleimlin still has some ability, managing to release it despite being hunted by so many Phantoms, Jiang Xia said.

Thunder Regent is the one who slashed the magical dragon inside Cao Zhenqingren, stripping him of his magician status and nearly causing Di Mu Li to cease activity from depleted mana.

Fortunately, in the end Cao Zhenqingren turned his tears into hope, awakened the Infinite Ring, and eradicated that special Phantom.

Lord Sage, shall I intervene? Medusa asked.

Let's go, for now leave it to those two; we have more important matters, Jiang Xia said.

Alright.

After walking for a while, Jiang Xia suddenly stopped at the entrance of a shop.

Mask Shadow Hall—does it make masks? Medusa looked up at the wooden sign above.

You'll know once you go inside.

It isn't a mask shop at all, but an antique store; however, its owner has deep ties to the magical world, much like the father in Jackie Chan Adventures, using an antique shop to conceal his identity.

Only, the owner here isn't as versed in magic as the father; he's a craftsman with superb magical ring‑making skills. He's also not slender but chubby, named Lun Dao Fan.

Of course Jiang Xia isn't here for rings; he's here because Di Mu Li is.

Welcome. What would you like, gentlemen?

The plump owner shifted his gaze away from the crystal sphere.

Inside the shop, besides the owner and Di Mu Li, there was a man and a woman seated on the sofa, the crystal sphere on the coffee table in front of them streaming Cao Zhenqingren's battle footage.

The man wore slightly cute attire; despite his height, he gave the impression of a child who never grew up.

The woman watching the sphere with him had a pretty face, shoulder‑length short hair, and wore a light‑gray ladies' suit.

The only commonality between them, aside from being in Mask Shadow Hall, was that both wore magical rings on the middle finger of their right hands.

Nara Shunpei and Daimon Rinko, Jiang Xia raised an eyebrow.

Both were saved from despair by Cao Zhenqingren.

Of course, only these two can be counted as members of the main party.

I'm here looking for someone, Jiang Xia said softly.

Looking for someone?

Lun Dao Fan looked at Jiang Xia with puzzlement; a person so strikingly handsome, if he'd seen him before he'd surely remember, so is he looking for Rinko?

The reason for this thought was simply Jiang Xia's high looks; his subconscious was seeking similarities.

Di Mu Li, I'm looking for her.

Looking for little Li, wait!

Jiang Xia gave Lun Dao Fan no time to think and simply stepped past him into Mask Shadow Hall.

And, amid Nara Shunpei's and Daimon Rinko's astonished gazes, Jiang Xia sat beside Di Mu Li and directly grasped her hand.

Only after Jiang Xia held her hand did Di Mu Li look at Jiang Xia, bewildered.

Because Jiang Xia's action was so natural, as if he had lived in Mask Shadow Hall with Di Mu Li for a long, long time, so long that they couldn't even sense the unfamiliarity.

That naturally expected occurrence left Nara Shunpei and Daimon Rinko, seated opposite Di Mu Li, unable to react.

It was as if everything were simply inevitable.

Excuse me, who are you? Di Mu Li blinked, tilting her head.

This action, with the princess-like skirt she wore, is utterly adorable.

Jiang Xia finally understood why Di Mu Li was called Meng Li; it's really quite adorable.

"I am your last hope, the hope of becoming a normal person and living on." Jiang Xia grabbed her hand and placed it on their waist.

"Hey hey hey, what are you doing?!" Nara Shunping immediately reached out upon seeing this action, wanting to separate the two.

"No matter how you say it, this action is a bit too intimate, right? This stranger isn't a mage; are you trying to transfer magic to Xiao Li?"

"The people of Appearance Hall are not unfamiliar with this action, because Qing Ren's magic transfer is done by placing Di Mu Li's hand on the waist."

"However, it's not placed on the actual waist, but on the waist belt of the magic core."

"But to have this stranger do it, Nara Shunping absolutely cannot allow it."

"Medusa." Jiang Xia didn't even turn back, just said it lightly.

"Yes, Wise One." (End of chapter)