Chapter 10 - 1

Published serial novels, constrained by the oversight of editorial committees and the Ministry of Culture, could never depict certain things too explicitly. Only underground series of forbidden books—truly unrestricted in every sense—would describe such matters in excruciating detail.

Simply glancing at them would fill one’s mind with blush-inducing vocabulary, instantly plunging the reader into an atmosphere from which it was hard to escape. Those forbidden books contained lifelike illustrations, ranging from entire scenes to minute, intimate close-ups. Lady Aldous had naturally seen them, which was why she recognized the drawings at a glance. Through those books, she knew that noble lords and ladies had rather perverse tastes, and even ordinary townspeople were far more open; thus, those ladies were often depicted just as the mage had drawn them.

But heavens! Lady Aldous swore to the sky that in a place like Red Hazel Town, where on earth would one find a woman so indulgent and stained with the colors of the night!

"I think you have misunderstood," Zohan said, opting for a substitute. He drew a river mussel. To make it easier for her to identify, Zohan drew the mussel with its shell tightly closed, then with the shell pried open to reveal the mantle and internal organs, and even the pearl formed by the grit trapped inside.

Lady Aldous shook her head vigorously. She could no longer bear to look. This mage was far too crude; if he wanted to flirt with her, he should have been subtle, like an attendant wooing a noble lady in a serial novel—suggestive, yet not explicit!

"I mean the type of bivalve that produces pearls," Zohan laughed heartily. Given his decent artistic skill, a normal person should have been able to identify it at a glance. But what exactly was going on in Lady Aldous’s head? Indeed, the more dignified and proper a woman appeared on the outside, the more untamed and wild her inner heart seemed to be.

Lady Aldous understood, yet she felt no shame for her misinterpretation, as she could not be certain he hadn't intentionally led her astray.

"There are many at the confluence of the hot springs and the mountain stream," Lady Aldous said, raising a hand to shield her crimson cheeks. Her gaze rippled like the water in those springs, flowing with a faint, shimmering light.

"Good. Please send someone to salvage some; I need them for a magical experiment," Zohan said, glancing toward the door.

Bang!

The door was kicked open. Cold wind and snowflakes whistled inside. Lord Aldous’s furious voice followed: "I knew you two were colluding!"

"Gwen, that little bitch, found a mage, and Linde, that ungrateful old dog, immediately notified you, you slut!"

"Are you that impatient? You couldn't wait to find out what good news your old lover has brought you, could you?"

Lord Aldous strode in. In one hand, he held Gwen; in the other, he held the old steward, Linde. The young girl and the old man looked like chicks with their necks broken. He tossed them both into Celiade’s bedroom. Gwen was in such pain she couldn't make a sound, only gasping violently in her throat; curled into a ball, she looked even more fragile and tiny. The old steward coughed up blood, casting a look of despair at Lady Aldous—it was he who had told her of the mage’s arrival, only for Lord Aldous to find out immediately.

"Uncle Linde—" Lady Aldous rushed to check on the old steward.

Waves of mana surged around Zohan. He calmly stacked defensive buffs on himself, especially the barrier he had just lowered, before beginning to assess Gwen’s condition. He felt a pang of pity for the innocent girl, but ultimately, his own safety came first.

"You’re all in this together!" Lord Aldous raged.

Just then, another gust of cold wind blew in, sending the two drawings Zohan had made fluttering to the floor at Lord Aldous’s feet. Picking them up for a look, Lord Aldous’s eyes ignited with a fire that seemed capable of driving the winter from all of Red Hazel Town. His chest heaved like a bellows, consumed by fury:

"You—you wretch! It seems it’s not just Mahait; even a mage you’ve only just met can make you spread your legs and let him draw these things for you!"

Lord Aldous knew that it was impossible to make his wife allow him such intimate liberties, yet a stranger could toy with her so wantonly! He recalled years ago, when, at his wife’s desperate pleading, he had agreed to take her to Rainfall City. She had done something incredibly foolish there: standing motionless on the street for a full hour just to have a painter capture her likeness. Thinking back now, if she had agreed to go to that painter’s studio, she would surely have stripped bare!

"Go to hell!" Lord Aldous pulled a magic-bullet pistol from his waist and aimed it at Zohan.

[Radiant Bastion]
[Blue Rock Barrier]
[Magic Barrier: Weaponry—Long-range Comprehensive]
[Magic Barrier: Mana]
[Magic Barrier: Divine]
[Magic Barrier: Dark Soul]
[Magic Barrier: Sky]
[Magic Barrier: Otherworld]
[Blooming Life]
[High-Tier Surface Skin Hardening]
[Super-Tier Internal Organ Hemorrhage Resistance]
[Muscle Tear Resistance]
[Simulated: Divine Power Healing]

Seeing the gun in Lord Aldous’s hand, Zohan felt a chill run down his spine—in his past life, he had been held at gunpoint during a medical dispute, and the memory still made his blood run cold. He hurriedly checked his defensive status, feeling slightly relieved, then focused his surging mental energy on Lord Aldous’s trigger finger. Enchanting his boots, he rolled to the side in an instant.

"My god, what are you doing!" Lady Aldous screamed. Was he insane?

Lord Aldous had already pulled the trigger repeatedly. Blue orbs of light, brimming with explosive energy, detonated around Zohan! Zohan rolled and dodged, knowing full well that the accuracy of such weapons at close range was mediocre, and with so many defensive spells active, even a direct hit wouldn't be fatal. He collected himself—constant dodging was pointless. He only needed to cast one offensive spell, and Lord Aldous, relying solely on his firearm, would be unable to withstand it unless he had some unforeseen defensive measures.

Just then, he was struck by a shot.

"Bang—"

Sparks flew, followed by ripples of azure light that washed over the room, accompanied by a crisp, rhythmic sound, as if it were not a gunshot but a piece of elegant music.

[Radiant Bastion defensive effect -1]
[Since Radiant Bastion was not breached, Blue Rock Barrier remains unconsumed]
[Magic Barrier... defensive effect unconsumed]

Zohan checked his status with trepidation, only to find that even the outermost "Radiant Bastion" had only lost a negligible amount of effectiveness, described simply as "-1."

-1
-1
-1
...

Lord Aldous fired frantically. Zohan gradually realized that this enchanted firearm was nothing like the guns he knew from his past life!

"You nearly scared the magic out of me!" Realizing the truth, Zohan felt a surge of spirit. Feeling slightly embarrassed for rolling around in a panic earlier, he decided he had to regain his dignity. Braving the hail of bullets, mana surged onto his staff, and the beautiful gemstone atop it burst into a brilliant glow.

Zohan pushed off the ground, leaning forward. Protected by his sturdy defensive spells, he ignored Lord Aldous’s attacks, dashing forward with calm determination. He pressed his staff against Lord Aldous’s taut belly and chanted: "Dash—Tempest Blade!"

The original name of this spell, [Basic Wind-Element Offensive Magic], was among the most rudimentary destructive incantations. It was not impressive in the slightest. The Tempest Blade struck Lord Aldous’s stomach, tearing through his clothing and revealing a belly as tight as a drum. A long gash ripped across his skin; it was as if Lord Aldous had been sliced open by an incredibly sharp blade, his internal organs clearly visible.

Splat—

A flood of excess fat poured out, forming a pool that blocked the exposed organs. This was a common sight in the past; many surgeons, when faced with an endless layer of fat, found it incredibly difficult to reach the diseased organs of obese patients. Honestly, it was a bit nauseating... one really must manage their physique; otherwise, if they ever need to enter an operating room, even the most divine surgeon would find it impossible to know where to begin!