Chapter 270: The Saint Tier Mage

Ansu sprinted at high speed through the tunnel.

A strange, rustling sound followed him like a shadow as countless undead pursued him through the darkness.

But for him, the trouble was more than just the pursuers behind him.

The passages of the karst caves had suddenly become like a labyrinth; no matter if he turned left or right, he would eventually wind back to his original position.

Ansu stopped, panting for breath, and stared at the familiar path ahead by the dim light of the torches on either side.

He had clearly run a long distance, yet he was met with the same rock walls and the same flickering firelight...

It was as if he were caught in a ghost wall.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward once more.

The scene before him suddenly distorted, and the familiar plaza reappeared.

Gulzan stood on the high platform, wearing a sinister smile.

"Do you really think you can escape?"

The corners of his mouth slowly curled up, his smile becoming increasingly arrogant.

"Did you truly believe... you could flee from my divine realm?"

Ansu's heart sank.

He immediately activated Shadow Stealth, his body melting into the shadows as he bolted in another direction.

The slight ripple in the darkness did not escape the necromancer's eyes; one of them pointed sharply toward a specific spot.

"He's there!"

The relentless sound of pursuit echoed behind him once again.

"Hurry, after him!"

Two necromancers controlled their undead creatures, sending a black tide surging forward once more.

Because Ansu's previous saturated high-tier magic bombardment had killed two of their peers, the remaining two had learned their lesson.

They didn't dare step forward, instead continuously summoning undead to wear Ansu down while they hid in the distance, waiting for an opportunity.

As Ansu found the situation increasingly difficult, the necromancers behind him were equally frustrated.

"That damn Morris... his level clearly isn't high, so why does he have so many high-tier magic items?"

And he seemed to have an endless supply...

"Is he some descendant of a mysterious magic family come out into the world?"

Otherwise, how could he show no sign of distress while using such precious magic scrolls and items?

No matter how rich someone was, no one squandered resources like this!

Under the continuous magical bombardment, the number of undead creatures visibly dwindled, but the two necromancers still had to grit their teeth and keep up the chase.

...

After an unknown number of battles, Ansu finally reached his limit.

Though the skeleton warriors were mere fodder, they were endless; as soon as one batch was killed, another took its place.

Not to mention those elite monsters—the Underworld Bone Puppets—which were fast and highly resistant, requiring a massive amount of energy to deal with every time they appeared.

Mana could be replenished using magic beads, but the depletion of mental energy was irreparable.

Ansu pressed his hand against his throbbing forehead, feeling his condition rapidly deteriorating.

Fatigue washed over him like a tide, eroding his willpower; he could no longer focus enough to cast magic consecutively.

It seemed it was truly going to be game over.

Ansu felt a hint of regret, as he still hadn't uncovered the most critical information.

However, this simulation had already been worth it.

The appearance of High Priest Gulzan had finally cleared the fog surrounding the mysteries of the Talin region.

Just as he was thinking...

Gulzan once again activated his ability to warp reality.

A surreal scene unfolded as the rock walls on both sides seemed to be instantly pulled away, and the space ahead suddenly drew closer, bringing the hunched figure to the front of the tunnel.

Gulzan blocked his path.

"How interesting." He observed Ansu with an inquisitive gaze. "You... actually possess magic inheritance from the previous era?"

He had seen everything that had just transpired.

The magic items the boy had used were each extremely precious, and many were obscure magics that were almost lost in this age.

Gulzan had considered many possibilities and finally concluded that this young man must have stumbled upon some great opportunity.

Those things did not belong to this era, and certainly not to an ordinary mid-tier mage like him.

"Could it be..." He narrowed his eyes, immediately connecting the dots to a major event from some time ago. "Back in Solan Province, in the ancient demon ruins beneath the Eastern Wasteland... did you obtain the treasure there?"

The more Gulzan thought about it, the more he felt it was the case.

"That would explain it..." He chuckled sinisterly, his smile full of amusement. "I see. No wonder Barcas was so furious afterward. It turns out you're the one who snatched that treasure! Hahaha!"

As an ally of Barcas, Gulzan was indeed gloating.

He had heard that since the incident at the ancient demon ruins, the commander of the demon resistance army had become increasingly ill-tempered and volatile, and nothing he did seemed to go right...

It was all because of the fellow standing before him.

"What an unexpected harvest." Gulzan took a step forward, a glint of anticipation in his eyes. "Speak! Where did you hide the ancient demon treasure?"

A massive surge of mana erupted, pressing down on Ansu like an invisible mountain, the pressure nearly suffocating.

"If you confess honestly, I can grant you a more dignified death." Gulzan smiled with a tone of bestowed mercy. "Perhaps... if I get what I want, I might even let you go?"

Ansu naturally didn't believe a word of it. After exposing the high priest's conspiracy, Gulzan would never leave him alive regardless of the outcome.

But after only a moment's thought, the expression on his face shifted instantly.

"You... are you truly willing to let me go?"

Ansu spoke tentatively, his tone carrying a perfectly measured hint of hope.

"Of course. I, Gulzan, have always been a man of my word." Gulzan smiled like a benevolent elder.

Ansu showed hesitation, appearing to be in the midst of a fierce psychological struggle, before finally letting out a helpless sigh.

"Fine..."

"I don't think I can escape from the hands of a powerful high-tier mage anyway," he said with difficulty. "Master Gulzan, if... if you let me live, I am willing to tell you everything..."

"A man who understands the situation. Excellent." Gulzan nodded in satisfaction, then slowly corrected him, "However, I am no mere high-tier mage. High-tier is only fit to be my apprentice!"

"What! You're not high-tier?" Ansu's eyes widened in shock. "Could it be... could your rank be..."

He wore an expression of disbelief as he repeatedly looked Gulzan up and down.

"In this age... in this era of magic decay, does that legendary level still exist?"

Gulzan was very satisfied with his shocked reaction.

He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable arrogance:

"I am Saint Tier."

"In the previous era, I was also known as a Saint Archmage—one who has transcended the mundane to approach the level of a god."

Ansu was indeed genuinely surprised.

Saint Tier.

One capable of casting 9th Circle magic, or even the theoretically existing super-tier magic that surpassed the ninth rank...

At least in terms of rank, he was on the same level as Celia. There should only be a handful of such experts in the entire world.

He was indeed a rare and formidable enemy.