Chapter 144: Is There Really a Treasure?

Chapter 144: A True Treasure?

The shadow servant controlled the black bear magical beast's body.

Every morning, it ventured out as usual to find food for Levi.

Just as it reached the cave entrance, the black bear's physical senses transmitted a wave of alarm.

The beast's instinctual dread made the shadow servant realize something was amiss, and its steps slowed.

However, its reaction was still a heartbeat too late.

"Vine Bind!"

"Quagmire!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Several thick vines sprouted rapidly, coiling tightly around the black bear's form.

The shadow servant struggled fiercely, snapping the vines apart.

Yet with its frantic thrashing, the black bear's heavy body sank deeper and deeper into the mire.

In the blink of an eye, half its frame was submerged in the mud, rendering escape nearly impossible.

"Wind Shear!"

"Ice Spike!"

As the magical assaults battered the black bear, the beast instinctively let out a deafening roar.

A violent urge to survive allowed the black bear to reclaim dominance over its own body.

With bloodshot eyes, the black bear thrashed with desperate fury.

By the time it dragged itself out of the swamp, it was already covered in grievous wounds.

Inside the cave, Levi was immersed in his cultivation.

[Crystal Meditation Method (Tier 1)] 6402/10000

[Fireball Spell (Tier 1 Grandmaster)] 3100/10000

[Invisible Armor Spell (Tier 1 Grandmaster)] 600/10000

[Object Control Spell (Tier 1 Master)] 5213/10000

[Great Dream Astral Travel (Tier 1)] 1200/10000

[Shape-shifting Spell (Tier 1)] 1326/10000

......

"Is there something unique about this secret realm? Practicing fire spells feels significantly easier here."

Levi mused to himself.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, the black bear's roar echoed from outside the cavern.

A dark silhouette darted in at a breakneck speed.

The shadow servant materialized before him.

"The black bear has lost control; there are four mages outside."

A look of astonishment crossed Levi's face.

"What happened?"

How had he been ambushed so utterly out of the blue?

Levi knew that his days of peaceful tranquility had come to an end.

Rising to his feet, he activated his invisibility cloak and walked toward the exit.

Reaching the mouth of the cave, he witnessed the four mages launching a coordinated assault on the black bear.

In a final, desperate surge of life, the black bear unleashed an astonishing burst of latent power, sending one man flying.

Ultimately, however, it was overwhelmed and collapsed heavily to the ground.

"A Tier 2 magical beast, truly a stubborn one to deal with."

One of them kicked the black bear's corpse, sighing with a mix of exhaustion and relief.

"There is a Tier 2 magic core here. Who gets it?"

The mage who discovered the core looked toward the other three.

Another replied, "Let's head into the cave first to see what treasures lie within, then we can allocate the core based on the treasure's worth."

"Makes sense. Let us move quickly and take a look."

Hearing this, Levi stood frozen in astonishment for a brief moment.

"Treasure? What treasure?"

"I have been living in this cave for three days and haven't seen a single piece of treasure!"

Somewhat lacking in confidence, he glanced back into the depths, his heart filled with doubt.

"Could there really be a hidden treasure that escaped my notice?"

The fire mage stopped in his tracks and declared, "The treasure goes to you all. I only want this magic core."

Hearing his words, the other three exchanged glances, remaining silent.

The value of a Tier 2 magic core was neither exceptionally high nor trivial.

It was something none of them could easily disregard.

After all, not every mage enjoyed the backing of a lavish, wealth-squandering clan.

The vast majority had to find their own ways to earn coins to purchase magic materials, potions, spell models, and cultivation techniques...

"Hunter, do you mean to say you have no desire to know what treasure is hidden inside?" the plant mage, Larna, questioned.

Hunter seemed to have sensed something amiss and insisted firmly, "Give me the magic core, and you three can divide whatever treasure is inside."

The four of them remained deadlocked where they stood.

"What treasure are you all speaking of?"

A voice drifted out from the depths of the cave, leaving the group frozen in their tracks.

Had someone already beaten them to the treasure?

They all turned their gazes toward Levi in unison.

Levi stepped out of the cavern, exposing himself to their view.

Upon seeing his attire, astonishment washed over every single one of their faces.

Up in the spectator stands, Gu Ze set down his wine glass and spoke in a hurried rush, "Look quickly, the armored man who vanished for three days has finally shown himself."

"Haha! I knew he was hiding inside that cave."

Rota asked, filled with doubt, "But what about that black bear?"

"The armored man has been staying in the cave, so why didn't the black bear attack him?" Gu Ze was equally perplexed.

He looked toward Levi and inquired, "What do you think?"

The phantom Levi spoke, "Perhaps the armored man knows charm spells."

"Charm spells?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Ze and Rota exchanged a glance, thinking it might just be possible.

Otherwise, there was no way to explain this anomaly.

Levi distracted himself to answer Gu Ze's question.

The four individuals in front of him finally reacted.

Staring at Levi, they spoke in unison, "Hand over the treasure."

Levi looked utterly bewildered, what treasure?

"What treasure?" Levi asked.

Rama looked at him and said, "Aren't you clear about what treasure it is?"

Levi was full of question marks.

"There are four of us and only one of you, so hand over the treasure honestly, or don't blame us for getting rough," the ice mage Sami said.

Levi felt helpless, seeing that it was impossible to have a proper conversation.

Since that was the case, he would not be polite either.

"Shadow Servant, move!"

Levi raised his hand, slinging a succession of minor fireballs straight at the faces of the four.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The minor fireballs streaked through the air, striking the four, only to be blocked by magic shields.

Levi's casting speed was simply too fast.

The four failed to react in the slightest.

Only when the magic shields erupted with magical radiance before them did they realize they were under attack.

The group hurriedly cast spells, intending to counterattack.

"Shadow Claw!"

Crack!

With a single claw, the Shadow Servant shattered a magic shield.

The magic shields of the others, enduring the bombardment of Levi's fireballs, quickly burst apart.

Pop, pop, pop!

The group was left completely exposed before Levi.

Levi ceased fire, a fireball hovering above his palm.

Scanning the four, he asked, "Do you still want to fight?"

The four stared at Levi, utterly shocked, looking as though they had seen a ghost.

They had never witnessed such a fast mage.

Hunter could not help but ask, "How do you achieve instantaneous casting?"

"No comment."

"If you are not fighting, hand over all the magic cards on your bodies," Levi said.

Hearing this, the four exchanged glances and helplessly surrendered their magic cards.

They knew they had run into a tough character.

Even joining forces, the four were completely no match.

Looking at the six magic cards in his hand, Levi eyed the four suspiciously.

"Just this little?"

Upon hearing this, Rama instantly felt ridiculed.

Straining his neck, he retorted, "Magic cards are very difficult to obtain!"

Levi stowed away the magic cards, noncommittal, "Is that so?"

The four felt they had lost face, experiencing a sense of being despised.

"Can we leave now?" Sara asked.

Levi glanced at the carcass of the black bear and said, "Wait a moment, hand over the magic core."

The four clenched their fists in unison.

"This magical beast was originally my pet, and since it was killed by you, it is already generous enough that I am not seeking compensation!"

Outmatched by power, the four could only helplessly surrender the magic core.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed from behind Levi, followed immediately by a massive flare of fire erupting within the cave.

Filled with surprise and doubt, he turned his gaze backward.

"Holy crap, could there really be a treasure?"

Hunter stared at the cave and murmured softly, "Such intense fluctuations of the fire element, what happened inside?"

Paying no mind to the people behind him, Levi beckoned the Shadow Servant with a wave of his hand and walked into the cave.

Seeing this, the four exchanged glances.

Sara asked, "Are we still going in?"

Hunter replied, "Go, why wouldn't we go?"

"At worst, once we grab the treasure, we can just exit the secret realm directly and abandon this exchange tournament, since there is no hope of winning prizes anyway."

The others, hearing this, immediately found it reasonable.

They could not come all this way for nothing; at the very least, they had to make a fortune before leaving.

(End of Chapter)