A mage's journey begins with a battle mage.

Chapter 335 Goddess of the Magic Network

"Tell me, who are you planning to target?"

Heim asked.

"That little mouse, if it weren't for him..."

Mystra looked resentful; Jiang Shuzhou reminded her of Roland.

"Tell me what he looks like, or what his mental energy fluctuations are."

Heim was unconcerned about Mystra's personal grudges.

Upon hearing this, Mystra waved his hand, and Jiang Shuzhou's appearance and mental energy fluctuations appeared.

"It's him."

"Okay, I'll help you."

"I need you to help me trap him and me in one place. I'll take care of him myself."

Heim frowned upon hearing this, but said nothing. Whether Mystra lived or died, it was merely a distraction for the mages. For the gods, it was better for Mystra to live, but it didn't matter if she didn't.

Anyway, the mages have long since learned to cast spells offline. If it weren't for the ease with which they could deal with and respond to believers using the magic network, probably no one would give Mystra face.

"As you wish."

Heim nodded.

Then, He transformed into endless golden light and scattered in all directions.

He left.

Only Mystra remained, standing there with a cold gaze looking down from the high palace, her eyes piercing through the endless splendor and ruins as she looked at the distant mages.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Standing before the palace gates, Jiang Shuzhou felt a chill run down his spine, as if some filthy thing was watching him.

In this kind of place and situation, it's obvious who it could be.

It must be Mystra. That woman is petty. Jiang Shuzhou offended her, and she definitely won't let him get away with it.

"Is everyone ready?"

Ralf's face was grave. He knew that once the door was opened, it meant the start of a battle, and with it, inevitable death.

"We're all ready. Why are you so nervous? Everyone can be resurrected. Since we're all here, let's accept the consequences. At worst, it's just one life."

A monk said.

Upon hearing this, Ralph nodded silently, and at the same time, he began to exert force with his feet.

With a loud bang, the door was kicked down by Ralf.

If the door weren't less solid than the wall, Ralph might have simply made a hole in the wall and gone in.

After all, everyone was playing their cards openly. Mystra already knew their movements, so why pretend?

Forget about infiltration; just kick the door down and go in.

Despite this, Alger, Ralf, and the other mages were all extremely cautious and dared not take another step forward.

They're so slow and indecisive, they have absolutely no spirit of exploration.

Seeing that the other mages showed no intention of going in, Jiang Shuzhou shook his head, looking quite disappointed.

Modern mages have absolutely no sense of adventure.

Anyway, it was certain that Jiang Shuzhou would be targeted, so he couldn't care less about whether there were traps or not. Wherever he went, there would definitely be traps, even if he was in last place.

That's why, since it wasn't his real body, Jiang Shuzhou simply walked away; he couldn't afford to lose face.

"Be careful!"

Alger's expression changed, as if he had sensed something, and he spoke to Jiang Shuzhou, but it was to no avail.

With a violent spatial fluctuation, Jiang Shuzhou disappeared from the mages' sight.

"Shall we go in?"

One of the monks swallowed hard and said he didn't really want to go in.

"We have no choice but to go in; otherwise, why would we be here?"

Ralph's words were full of determination.

"I'll take the lead. You can follow if you want, or not if you don't."

After saying that, Ralf went straight inside. However, nothing happened to him. There were no spatial fluctuations as he had imagined, nor any ambushes.

Everything seemed normal, as if this were just an ordinary place, but everyone knew that this place was anything but ordinary.

Now that someone had already scouted the way, all the mages passed through the gate and began exploring the palace.

Deep within the palace, Jiang Shuzhou stared at the woman not far away, his face showing a knowing look.

"Are you secretly in love with me? What, you brought me all this way just to see you?"

Jiang Shuzhou's words were utterly devoid of politeness.

"Being quick-witted is meaningless."

Mystra gave a cold laugh, then prepared to unleash her spell.

Magic gathered in his hand, but it quickly dissipated.

This wasn't because Mystra intended to spare Jiang Shuzhou, but because Jiang Shuzhou had used magic to counter her, preventing her from casting spells.

"What, are you pretending I don't exist?"

Jiang Shuzhou was speechless. This guy was really daring, just leaving him hanging like that. How could he dare to do that?

"Why bother?"

Mystra prepared to cast a spell again, and Jiang Shuzhou used Counterspell once more.

Thus, a stalemate ensued, with Mystra casting a spell and Jiang Shuzhou countering with one.

They countered each other's moves, and for a time neither of them could unleash a spell.

"Very well, I didn't expect your magical skills to be so strong. However, don't forget, I am Mystra, the creator of the Magic Web!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuzhou couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark.

"Come on, you call yourself the creator of the Magic Network? Do you think I don't know the truth?"

"You're nothing but a thief, yet you look down on mages. Wasn't it a mage who killed you? Wasn't the magic net you stole created by a mage? How dare you look down on others and still steal their things?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuzhou could clearly feel that Mystra's face instantly turned red; the guy was flushed.

Immediately afterwards, he sensed that the other party seemed to be using magic through the magic network.

An ordinary mage would be helpless against Mystra, but Jiang Shuzhou is different; he has an administrator account and is also a creator.

What else is there to say? I nullify your spell!

Without a second thought, Jiang Shuzhou used his authority to forcibly reject Mystra's spellcasting request.

She sent one, and Jiang Shuzhou rejected it.

"You... how is this possible? I clearly deleted him!"

Mystra's words were met with silence and shock. The account in Jiang Shuzhou's possession was something she had never imagined. She had thought that even if Jiang Shuzhou had knowledge of the magic network, it wouldn't be of any use to him in the short term. Who could have imagined...

"You don't understand, he still had a backup plan."

Mistra, who stole others' work, naturally couldn't figure out all the backdoors left by Matt Crofts, which were hidden in secret corners and difficult to find.

Some are even integrated with the runes; if they are modified, the entire system is ruined.

Many of Jiang Shuzhou's works are like this; many of his hidden techniques are essential for achieving the desired function, and no one can change them.

"Good, very good, Jiang Shuzhou, you are indeed extraordinary."

WC, box!

"It's truly remarkable that you, a visitor from another world, were able to climb to such a position in such a short time."

"I just wonder what the other monks will think of you when they find out?"

"Why not submit to me?"

Seeing that the two sides were deadlocked, Mistra actually planned to bring Jiang Shuzhou under his command.