Comprehensive network wizard, magic emperor.

Chapter 364 A Heartfelt Reward

A palm strike delivered from a blind spot travels faster than sound waves, leaving no trace and no warning.

The moment Lin Bo made his move, his weapon landed on the back of the Grand Mage's neck.

Even though it couldn't see or hear, the sudden attack still failed to take effect, instead hitting a thin, crystalline force field skin and unable to advance an inch.

The Grand Mage never believed in the so-called battle line theory. Rather, he said that with Lin Bo's current strength, as long as the opponent was still within the universe, he would not escape being attacked. The battle line was so deep and vast that it encompassed the entire region and the entire battlefield.

Sensing the precarious situation, the Grand Mage silently recited the true name of his power, concealing himself within a sealed spacetime bubble. Only in this way could he gain a safe foothold deep within Lin Bo's terrifying battle lines.

With his palm strike blocked, even though he suddenly unleashed a gravitational wave that tore through the spacetime barrier, he didn't have time to perform another feat. The Grand Mage had already turned around and struck back with his palm.

Sword duels are like two armies clashing, but now even the commander-in-chief is personally leading the charge. Lin Bo hasn't practiced his Double-Blade Whirlwind Technique very diligently, but he has already broken through to Lv4, unlocking the trait "Mindless Steps," making this close-combat skill ingrained in his bones, ready to meet any enemy without needing to think.

Since his surprise attack failed, he had no choice but to face the archmage's counterattack.

Although the two used their palms instead of knives, the repulsive force condensed at their fingertips was extremely sharp, tearing through matter and ripping spacetime, making it one of the most terrifying attack methods in the universe.

Lin Bo hadn't used close combat in a long time. For his enemies, getting close to a mage was already incredibly difficult, let alone forcing him to deal with attacks in the most primitive and unsophisticated way.

But this doesn't mean he's not good at close combat; he's just not as good as those legendary fighters who specialize in it. His moves are flawless, his on-the-spot decisions are impeccable, and his confidence and will are icy and resolute.

Strictly speaking, he wasn't unleashing techniques, nor was he expressing his soul through moves with the burst of passion and inspiration of a martial artist. He was merely using his body as a weapon, like a bombarding iron ball.

Upon their first exchange, their palms and blades clashed more than ten times. Their movements, treading on clear water, were graceful and fluid, devoid of any wild or gentle beauty. Instead, they fought for every single detail, using the most precise movements to seize both tactical space and combat opportunities.

Like two raging flames clashing, their attacks were swift as the wind, their postures and spirits resembled towering mountain peaks, while their ever-changing afterimages resembled dense forests.

While engaging in close combat, they also maintained the clash of flying weapons. The archmage recalled his soldiers and generals to bombard his opponent, while Lin Bo's military force followed closely behind. Dozens of iron and star steel, and two balls of dark mercury, circled around the mage's body like planets orbiting the sun, darting and colliding within a small space.

Their mirror-like, colorless pupils reflected the sparks of stars bursting forth like silver trees. The massive amount of information overlapping on their retinas could no longer be simply described as dazzling, but rather as a raging torrent, washing away the computational power of their spirits.

In order to withstand the opponent's offensive, one must make all the right judgments in a split second. In addition, one must also have hidden tricks to break the deadlock and guard against the enemy's secret schemes.

Their highly focused minds stretched out the subjective flow of time, making each second feel like an hour. Each thought became increasingly short and efficient, and their growth in such a close contest was obvious.

The sculptor by the sea gazed at the scene, recording the battle with his eyes. He felt both awe and fear as a spectator, as well as pride and satisfaction as a recorder.

The frequency and intensity of the battle between the two archmages had exceeded his mental capacity. His brain's analytical speed was like a galloping horse being pulled along by an airplane, instantly exceeding its processing capacity and causing his mind to go blank and become confused. If this happened in the arena, it would mean defeat.

Even though his brain was exhausted, [Flying Sword Apprentice] still forced himself to watch. He couldn't possibly miss this battle; he would rather die in the audience.

His magically enhanced eyes were like telescopes, allowing him to clearly see the figures of the two archmages. One wielded a colorless, whistling blade, while the other wielded a pitch-black, silent blade. This was the difference between using repulsive force and attraction, respectively. The one using repulsive force was intentionally dodging, unwilling to get entangled in a prolonged fight, which made him even more passive.

Why avoid it? Clearly, the two attack methods can cancel each other out and remain balanced. What is that archmage who used the colorless blade afraid of?
The answer was quickly revealed. In the forty-seventh second of his observation, which was two days and two nights of continuous calculation and fierce battle for Lin Bo and the Archmage, Lin Bo finally curled his fingers into claws and grabbed the Archmage's wrist. The power armor and the gravity blade canceled each other out, allowing his fingertips to truly touch the other's skin.

In an instant, following the tactile sensation, the archmage's physical structure was perceived in his mind, and images of his skin and internal organs clearly appeared in his field of vision.

Even if the archmage broke free immediately, it was too late.

Lin Bo smiled, not out of unconscious emotion, but because he had already anticipated this moment.

A celestial gravity construct formed within the archmage's body, enveloping his heart and transporting it out.

A vibrant heart without a pulse appeared in Lin Bo's hand, from which bright red blood, imbued with magical energy, slowly flowed, meandering and dripping into the sea, causing a scramble among the fish.

The Flying Sword Apprentice was horrified and speechless.

He hadn't expected this scene. Just skin-to-skin contact could rip out a person's heart and soul. What a terrifying move.

"I have lost." The archmage sighed softly. This was not a matter of losing by a single move, because their battle had actually lasted a long time. It was the result of being forced into a corner step by step through cruel mental calculations. The outcome was not due to this mere superficial injury, but to a complete defeat. There was no point in struggling any further.

Admittedly, this wasn't the result of going all out; they both intentionally controlled the situation, exchanging blows with delicate skill, preventing the aftershocks from spreading unchecked, and refraining from using powerful moves. However, a tactical superiority had already been established. Lin Bo casually pressed his heart back into place, and the injury immediately healed.

For immortal beings, let alone having their hearts ripped out and their heads severed, even if they are reduced to dust, as long as their spirit remains intact, and with the blessing of the Absolute Control Technique, they can easily recover completely.

Even if the body is shattered to pieces, as long as one chromosome escapes annihilation and absorbs substances from the natural environment, it can differentiate from a primitive cell and evolve into a complete human body over time. Of course, at that time, there will be no immortal body, and it will need to be rebuilt.

The night wind howled as before, the clamor of metal subsided, and the waves surged once more.

The Grand Master and Lin Bo returned to the beach side by side. The Flying Sword Apprentice ran towards the adults like a lost child, but then stopped in fear, looking left and right, hesitant and uncertain.

"Come here." It was unclear which ancient sage spoke, but the [Flying Sword Apprentice] obediently stepped forward, his eyebrows drooping, remaining silent.

"You saw everything?"

"Mmm." [Flying Sword Apprentice] nodded vigorously, clearly a dignified and imposing man, yet his expression was quite shy.

"Sit down. Let's talk." Lin Bo concealed his true name with a truth-telling illusion, transforming into an ordinary young man. [Flying Sword Apprentice] watched in disbelief, but for a moment he couldn't recall his original appearance. Even the video recording stored on the network was blurred and modified.

Fortunately, he remembered that the young man in white was one of the great masters himself...

The rubbings were made of sand and gravel, forming three soft cushions on which they sat cross-legged by the sea.

"As you can see, I have many students who follow me to learn the four major subjects: alchemy, runes, rituals, and enchanting. However, my professional skills have no successors. You are very thoughtful, insightful, and capable, but spellcasting based on magic networks is ultimately limited."

Lin Bo spoke softly, while the [Flying Sword Apprentice] sat upright, holding his breath and clenching his fists, his hair standing on end.

"So I can teach you some principles about manipulating things, but I can't guarantee you'll learn them. You don't have to blindly follow my path, but rather see your own strengths in our differences and forge your own legendary path."

"is teacher!"

Lin Bo smiled, then suddenly turned his head and saw a figure lingering in the distance. He patted the Grand Master beside him, signaling to hand the student over to him.

The Grand Master readily agreed and began to recount his insights and experiences in practicing mantra magic: "All things in the world operate in five states, corresponding to the five experiences and beliefs within your heart..."

Lin Bo got up from the cushion and walked into the distance. The astrologer had just arrived from the online player camp and was looking for him.

"Are the guests discussing wisdom with the Archmage?" the astrologer asked calmly.

"I have benefited greatly," Lin Bo replied with a smile.

[Network notification: Mission - The Archmage's Approval (Purgatory) has been completed]

Quest Rewards: "Gudorei Language", "Animal Star Language", "Dragon Language", and the Archmage's Graduation Gift Chest

[Network notification: Please continue the story and wait to deliver the dungeon drops. The rewards for this quest have reached their limit and cannot be increased.]

The astrologer nodded and said, "I have completed the design you revised during the day, and the finished product far exceeded my expectations. It is indeed only right that the Grand Master chose you as his assistant. Therefore, I must apologize for my jealousy. I hope this has not affected the client's study over the next two days."

"I can't seem to forgive you."

"why?"

"Because you have never wronged me. Doing your duty is perhaps more important than apologizing to someone who doesn't need an apology. You are the Archmage's first apprentice, and as a role model, you are qualified."

The astrologer seemed genuinely relieved, smiling as he bowed and said goodbye: "Farewell, stranger, master."

Lin Bo watched him leave.

The night ended quickly, and after dawn, the players of the online game platform faced their graduation exam at Lighthouse Academy.

(End of this chapter)