As the birds took flight.

On the shores of Crescent Lake, more than one young sorcerer had the same thought flashing through their minds—if I stood before that screaming pale blue torrent, how would I respond?

There’s no way to respond.

Many, after much contemplation, had to reluctantly admit that in such a confined space like the Magic Stage, facing such a wide-ranging attack, there was no other way but to take it head-on.

Of course, taking the initiative to control or kill Zheng Qing before the pale blue torrent erupted was also a viable solution.

Everyone could think of it.

Zheng Qing naturally thought of it too.

And he believed that Tushan Chujiu could also think of this.

Therefore, at the moment the Silent Bird Swarm burst from the wooden box, he kicked off with all his might and charged towards the witch a dozen meters away under the cover of the bird swarm. He was well aware of his capabilities, and without the aid of the Charm Gun, it was exceedingly difficult to face a charge from a registered sorcerer with extraordinary talent.

If he was not careful, the slight advantage he gained with over a hundred jade coins would vanish completely, and he might even find himself at a disadvantage due to losing control of the bird swarm.

A distance of just over ten meters was incredibly short.

Zheng Qing kept his eyes locked on the large fox tail swaying amidst the flames, mist, and heat waves, gritting his teeth as he bore the assault of the swirling magic power around him, sprinting with all his might towards his target.

He didn’t have the family backing like Zhang Ji Xin, nor did he know body techniques, but he could certainly sprint.

During this process, he could only rely on the formidable body endowed by the Copper Bean from the Raven and the little green snake still awake in his ear.

However, like a pathogen invading the immune system, the closer he got to the witch, the greater the resistance he felt. The magic of thunder and fire seemed like a series of fine, barbed whips, lashing at him with increasing frequency all over his body. The whole process lasted a very short time; Zheng Qing’s mind couldn’t process any thought, and in the next instant, he was facing Tushan Chujiu’s astonished gaze.

Pa!

The warlock’s right hand firmly grasped his target. Though it looked somewhat menacing with three tails twisted together, the feel was soft and very comfortable. He could even feel the hardness of the slender tailbone through the thick, fluffy fur, and a fleeting thought of the ’Princess Pea’ story flashed through his mind.

He couldn’t help but squeeze it.

A slightly annoyed whimper sounded in his ear, and the turbulent magic around also became a bit disordered.

Do foxes cry like this?

That was the first thought that sprang into Zheng Qing’s head upon hearing that whimper.

Does Su Shijun cry like this too?

The second troubling thought followed immediately.

Is this guy trying to escape in the confusion?

The three thoughts that flashed quickly through his mind translated into one action in his hand—Zheng Qing used his other hand to grab the middle segment of the large tail, a precaution to prevent the captive from escaping.

Bam!

Bam! Bam!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The Thunder Orbs and Fireballs floating in mid-air exploded one after another before the Silent Bird Swarm made contact with them, mirroring their owner’s state of mind.

Amidst the crackling lightning and flying sparks, the sound was akin to branding irons plunged into icy water, as clusters of white mist bloomed around the Magic Stage—especially on the side facing Crescent Lake—striving to obscure the spectators’ view.

Zheng Qing paid no mind to this scene, head down, carefully savoring the large tail in his hand, thinking, indeed, a big and fluffy tail feels really comfortable to squeeze, much more fun than his own scraggly tail!

On the Crescent Lake shore.

The young wizards gradually got noisier due to their obstructed view, with only a few exceptionally talented ones catching glimpses through the mist, each either speechless in shock or deeply impressed, acknowledging that someone had indeed surpassed common folk.

If flirting with a witch from a prestigious family was a skill, doing it with two was a technique, and managing three would belong to the realm of talent, especially when daring to be so frivolous in public; it couldn’t simply be described as ’extremely audacious’ or ’inherently gifted.’

Up on Centimeter Mountain.

The elders and guests, due to their vantage point, saw everything clearly.

Many wore strange expressions, their eyes darting back and forth between the positions of Qingqiu, Tu Mountain, and even the Zhongshan families. Those with sharp minds had already started secretly placing bets on which family elder would be unable to resist acting first, catching and tossing the brat into Crescent Lake to feed the squid.

"Let go!"

Tushan Chujiu glanced back, gritting his teeth at Zheng Qing.

Zheng Qing felt slightly fearful, yet, fearing a counterattack, he only tightened his grip, making the witch’s face even paler, with a small snort escaping their nose.

With victory and defeat undecided, Zheng Qing was naturally wary of falling for the opponent’s "feigning weakness tactic," especially because the Tu Shan Clan was as renowned as the Fox Demon Family of Qingqiu. A moment of soft-heartedness could easily turn the tide of attack and defense.

"It’s not too late to stop now," Zheng Qing coughed and repeated a sentence the witch had said earlier, realizing as soon as the words left his mouth that something seemed off—this scene didn’t match what he had envisioned, making the originally intended retort sound a bit awkward.

He paused.

Then he switched to another line the witch had used: "...Don’t be so tense, I won’t eat you."

He said this because he felt the tail in his hand had stiffened somewhat, the sensation wasn’t as delightful as when he first grasped it. He couldn’t resist squeezing it twice more to confirm his feelings.

Tushan Chujiu glared at him, her face full of shame and anger, with an expression that was both fierce and ready to bite.

"Yah!"

The witch screamed, her entire magical power surging, wanting to activate the remaining Thunder Orbs and Fire Orbs in the air to engulf the two of them, even if it meant mutual destruction.

Truly ignorant of the situation.

Zheng Qing muttered inwardly and gave the tail another squeeze, intending to remind the other party that she was now a captive and he held the upper hand, so if anyone should concede, she should say it first.

Tushan Chujiu gave another suppressed groan, the rising magical power falling apart before fully forming, together with the Thunder Orbs and Fire Orbs in mid-air losing direction after descending halfway, buzzing around aimlessly like headless flies.

"Uh, contestants, please wrap it up soon."

Below the Magic Stage, a judge finally couldn’t help but speak, reminding the two young people on stage to know when to stop.

Zheng Qing suddenly felt a sense of urgency, knowing he couldn’t wait for this stubborn young miss to admit defeat, especially given her gritted expression that didn’t seem like she would easily concede.

He took a deep breath.

Swapping the positions of his hands rapidly, he assumed a bow stance with his feet, changing to a more comfortable posture, then used his left hand as a pivot, swinging his right hand up forcefully.

Boom!

It was like a rampant giant grabbing a giant tree and smashing it onto a small mountain or like a colossal wolf stirred by a storm crashing fiercely into the shore rocks—the entire Magic Stage seemed to tremble and jump.

Whether by the lake or on the mountain.

Everyone was stunned.

Including Zheng Qing.

After the swing, he too was left standing in a daze.

He truly hadn’t anticipated that, when giving his all, he would possess such immense strength!