Chapter 100

On the other side, Morse escaped with the help of a divine messenger. However, after escaping, the divine messenger's energy was depleted, and it returned to its original plane.

Summoning spells come in many forms, and Morse's type clearly had a time limit.

"Ha ha ha, what does it matter if you're the vice-dean of Azure Wind or a ninth-level powerhouse? You still couldn't stop me from escaping!" Morse, covered in burns and extremely weak, laughed triumphantly.

"And you two, little bugs of Azure Wind... If it weren't for your interference, my decryption work might have been completed..." Morse looked at Ji Ran and Anya, who were dizzy and unable to stand due to being brought out by the divine messenger.

Morse's eyes glinted with malice as he raised his staff. As a Gold Rank powerhouse, even after being beaten by Galante, he still had enough strength to kill these two kids!

"If I were you, I wouldn't do that," Ji Ran, still in a dazed state, clearly understood Morse's intentions and raised his hand to stop him, despite the discomfort.

"Oh? Why? Do you think I'll be cursed if I kill you?" Morse sneered.

"Don't pretend. I believe you understand. Although you escaped when Vice-Dean Galante appeared, your companions might not have. Keeping us alive gives you leverage to negotiate with Galante. If you kill us, it will be a war to the death between you and Azure Wind," Ji Ran felt a bit better but didn't dare to move recklessly.

Facing a seventh-level Gold Rank powerhouse! Even though he was just a priest, he had enough means to kill Ji Ran and Anya. A priest of an evil god would likely have many ways to torture his enemies...

"…You're a smart kid, and what you say makes sense. But I warn you, don't try anything funny. If you do, I'll kill you immediately! As for my companions… in the worst case, they will dedicate themselves to the true god, and their souls will enter the paradise of my god, enjoying eternity!" Morse looked at Ji Ran and slowly lowered his staff.

Ji Ran felt relieved, glad that Morse still had some sense. Otherwise, these religious fanatics might go crazy and take everyone down with them...

Fortunately, a Gold Rank powerhouse was significant to the cult, and it wasn't worth sacrificing two lives for. If they were ordinary believers... Ji Ran glanced at Morse—this guy would definitely be merciless.

"Get up and follow me!" Morse, leaning on his staff, ordered Ji Ran and Anya.

"Don't think you can escape just because I'm injured. I still have enough strength to kill you!" Morse looked at the two, muttered a spell, and a dark red light suddenly appeared from the top of his staff, binding Ji Ran and Anya.

"If you try anything, I'll make you wish you were dead!" Morse sneered.

Ji Ran tried to break free but found the dark red light tightly binding his body, making it impossible to move freely. Although he could walk, fighting was out of the question.

Ji Ran remained calm. He had a way to break free from the light, but in this situation, even if he did, he couldn't retaliate against Morse. Morse wasn't lying; killing the two of them wouldn't be difficult for him.

Ji Ran glanced at Anya and slowly stood up. Anya had also recovered from her dizziness and, seeing the light around her, realized their situation and stood up with Ji Ran.

"Move! In front! Hurry, don't try to delay!" Morse, breathing heavily, cast a healing spell to improve his condition. However, the injuries inflicted by a ninth-level Gold Rank archmage were severe, and he couldn't fully recover. The healing spell only gave him enough strength to walk.

"Where are we going?" Ji Ran pretended to be clueless. Clearly, Morse wanted him to lead him out of Azure Wind, but once outside, his life would no longer be in his control...

"Stop talking. Head towards where there are more people!" Morse waved his staff, and the light rings around the two tightened, making them both groan.

"How can we walk if you bind us so tightly?" Ji Ran understood Morse's intention. He thought that the two of them weren't enough leverage, so he planned to take more hostages!

Azure Wind might ignore the fate of two students, but if it were a group, the impact would be too great. The higher-ups of Azure Wind couldn't afford to ignore such a situation.

"Don't play games! Head to the nearest crowded area! Don't stop!" Morse, realizing the tight binding affected their movement, loosened the divine spell slightly. This allowed Ji Ran and Anya to move slowly forward.

"So unlucky... Just watching from the sidelines got us into this mess..." Although Anya knew the situation was dangerous, after adapting, she wasn't as worried.

"There's nothing we can do. Participating in a Gold Rank battle was never a good idea. Being alive now is already a miracle. What more can we expect?" Ji Ran shrugged.

"We're so lucky, maybe someone will fly over to save us soon? Any Gold Rank powerhouse from the academy could easily defeat Morse..." Anya's tone was light.

"You two, shut up! Even if someone comes to save you, I have enough time to kill you first!" Ji Ran and Anya's calmness in the face of death unnerved Morse...

"They're right. What can you do in your current state?" Suddenly, a figure flew over from the nearby forest.

"Vakano!" Morse's eyes narrowed, and with a wave of his hand, the two dark red light rings tightened, lifting Ji Ran and Anya into the air and floating them to Morse's side!

"Hey, be gentle! They are precious students of Azure Wind, not cannon fodder like your believers!" Vakano stopped in mid-air, not getting too close, fearing Morse might use extreme measures.

"Hmph. Since you know they are precious, step aside! Otherwise, I'll make them my companions in death!"

Morse had no intention of being gentle. Controlling these two students was his only chance to save his life! Although he wasn't entirely confident that the other side would let him go for two students...

"Don't get excited... Even if you don't care about yourself, think about Garcia and Malo. They are being chased by Galante and Lawrence. If they are caught, what will you use to negotiate for their lives?" Vakano smiled, but his eyes were serious.

Morse hesitated, then seemed to be listening to something. After a moment, he smiled, "Garcia and Malo haven't been caught yet! If they enter a crowded area, things will get more complicated, won't they?"

Vakano also smiled, "What good does that do you? Besides, chasing Garcia and Malo are Galante and Lawrence. Even without Lawrence, Galante alone is enough to stop them."

The two stared at each other in silence. Now was a test of patience. Both sides wanted to use the current situation to their advantage... Compared to the True God Cult, Azure Wind had more leverage. The cult only had three people, all Gold Rank, but Azure Wind's Gold Rank powerhouses were stronger!

But Azure Wind also had concerns. If the cultists killed students inside the academy, the consequences would be severe. Not only would the students' parents be outraged, but the academy's reputation and safety would be questioned!

"Cough, can I say something?" Being lifted by the dark red light, Ji Ran and Anya were clearly uncomfortable. Ji Ran didn't want this to continue... putting his life in others' hands was too unreliable.

Who knew if these Gold Rank powerhouses cared about their lives? Anya was fine, being Lawrence's granddaughter. But what about him? Just a new student with slightly better sword skills. Could he compare to the lives of three Gold Rank powerhouses?

The True God Cult was still a target for elimination across the continent. Eliminating three Gold Rank members would be a great achievement for Azure Wind. In this situation, sacrificing a new student with no background might not be out of the question...

Although Ji Ran believed Professor Lawrence and others wouldn't do that, the current stalemate needed to be broken. Otherwise, it wouldn't benefit him.

"What do you have to say? As a captive, you should know your place!" Morse glanced at Ji Ran and snorted.

"Look, the situation is such that no one dares to act rashly, right? The conflict is simple: the Eye of Wisdom wasn't taken, so Azure Wind didn't suffer much. Even if there was a commotion, killing so many True God Cultists was worth it..." Ji Ran ignored Morse, feeling relatively safe with Vakano present.

Vakano looked at Ji Ran with interest, "What you say isn't without reason. But who can guarantee the True God Cult won't cause more trouble? We need to have them firmly in our control to ensure Azure Wind's safety!"

Ji Ran, struggling in the air, shrugged, "In fact, the academy doesn't want to push the True God Cult too hard, right? How about this: tell Vice-Dean Galante to let the two go, keep Morse here, and I'll be the hostage to ensure Morse leaves the academy without disturbing other students. What do you think?"

Both Morse and Vakano frowned at his suggestion.

"Let them go just like that? They caused so much trouble at Azure Wind, shouldn't they be held accountable?" Vakano looked at Morse, his eyes cold.

"Hmph, held accountable? So many of our followers died here, Azure Wind should be held accountable!" Morse retorted.

"If you hadn't come to steal, why would anyone die here? Ha, a group of thieves demanding accountability from the victims, how absurd is that?"

"Are our followers' deaths meaningless? Don't push us, or we'll all go down together!"

Ji Ran, annoyed by their argument, shouted, "Stop, stop, arguing won't solve anything... Professor Vakano, if the True God Cult causes more trouble at the academy, it will be hard to explain, right? Why not let them leave first?"

Vakano looked at Ji Ran, then at Morse, "Whether to let them go needs Vice-Dean Galante's approval. I can't decide that!"

Ji Ran turned to Morse, "Morse... Priest, since your mission has failed, preserving your forces is the most important. There's no need to damage your cult's elite for a moment's impulse, right?"

Morse snorted, "If Azure Wind insists on not letting them go, I don't mind sacrificing myself for my god's glory!"

Ji Ran shrugged again, "See, Professor Vakano. To avoid greater losses for Azure Wind, why don't you contact Vice-Dean Galante?"

Vakano looked at Ji Ran and suddenly smiled.

"You're a strange kid, able to analyze the situation like this... Fine, you make a good point. I'll contact Galante."

Vakano took out a device similar to a student ID but more advanced. After focusing on it for a moment, he looked up, "The vice-dean agrees."

Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. The current situation was a headache for everyone. The True God Cult's mission failed, and they risked losing more. Azure Wind wanted to eliminate the intruders but feared causing irreparable damage to the academy—both sides were cautious.

Now, Ji Ran's proposal was the best solution for both sides.

"Then, let Garcia and Malo go first. Once they are safe, these two will escort me to the academy gates, and I'll release them," Morse stated his demands.

"No, no, no, only I will go with you. Leave the girl behind," Ji Ran shook his head.