Chapter 285: Lifetime Ban

Chapter 285: Lifetime Ban

Cold sweat poured down Mu Le’s forehead as his trembling hands carefully fused the final droplet of Lightning Essence with Burning Essence.

The merging of these two extreme mana types was like stirring a storm upon a calm lake—the unpredictable energy fluctuations almost slipped beyond control.

Referee Morris’s voice carried concern:

“This extreme fusion of lightning and fire elements could theoretically generate a special oscillation field, but the risks are as immense as the potential rewards.”

On the Vip benches, the Mentors wore varied expressions.

“Has he lost his mind? Attempting such an unstable combination in a competition setting?”

Nuo Yi Man frowned, his tone laced with scorn. “A typical Zhenyin Tower-style spectacle—flamboyant and shallow.”

Valen remained silent, his eyes narrowing slightly. The usually unshakable calm in his eyes now flickered with vigilance.

“Mu Le is renowned for precision. Clearly, something has unsettled him today.”

He subtly glanced at Luo En, who remained focused on his own creation, and reached an answer.

“Someone’s pride has been bruised.”

Eliot murmured, his ears twitching faintly as they detected the unstable energy waves in the air. “He’s rushing to prove himself.”

The Chimera Substance had barely touched the autophagic slime mold when violent reactions erupted.

The slime mold’s surface first shimmered with a dazzling pale gold, nearly reaching top-tier quality.

But soon, irregular flickers disrupted the glow—unstable waves of purple and red mana rippling through the gold.

"This is bad!” Eliot’s ears shot upright, tension sharpening his voice. “I can hear micro thunderclaps within the Chimera Substance—it’s completely uncontrolled!"

Mu Le sensed the instability too, his face paling instantly.

In a panic, he tried adding a stabilizer, but his trembling hands overturned the vial of crystal powder. Despair crashed over him like a tidal wave.

In truth, disaster had become inevitable the moment he injected the unstable Chimera Substance into the slime mold.

At first, there was only a faint tremor—then, in an instant, it escalated into violent shaking.

The slime mold began emitting blinding crimson-purple light, like a miniature star on the verge of explosion.

“I’m completely ruined…” Mu Le whispered in despair, scrambling to construct an emergency quarantine magic array.

But the chaotic mana field had already disrupted his Spiritual Energy Control. The spell collapsed at his fingertips, followed by a suffocating backlash.

“Everyone, fall back!”

Referee Morris roared as he hastily erected a protective barrier.

As he prepared to intervene, a refined soundwave pierced from the side, forming a perfect mana containment ring around the uncontrolled slime mold.

It was Luo En.

His actions were instinctive, without hesitation.

The moment danger was detected, his “Sound Wave Oscillation” had already launched from his fingertips—enhanced by his “Micro-Construction Adaptation” trait.

The energy fluctuations didn’t simply wrap around the explosion source. Instead, they pulsed at precise frequencies, neutralizing the chaotic mana layer by layer.

The process was surgical in its precision—no mana wasted or leaked.

The mana storm within the slime mold was completely extinguished. The violent glow softened, and the tremors gradually ceased. The rampaging crimson-purple mana decomposed and dispersed until nothing remained.

The plaza fell into a brief, stunned silence before erupting into thunderous applause and gasps.

“Incredible mana control!”

“I’ve never seen such mastery of mana intervention!”

“He didn’t use a single tool—just one spell to avert catastrophe!”

Mu Le collapsed onto the ground, drenched in cold sweat, his heart pounding violently as if it might burst from his chest.

When reality returned, the gravity of what had nearly occurred chilled him to the bone.

Had that mana detonation fully released, it wouldn’t just destroy his workstation—most competitors would’ve been caught in the blast.

Though everyone present was a Full Mage unlikely to suffer serious harm, the chaos would inevitably disrupt all bloodline formulation progress.

And triggering such a public disaster…

His position as lecturer would be revoked, his reputation ruined, perhaps even resulting in permanent exile from the Central Lands.

Such an incident could destroy a Full Mage’s entire life’s work.

The Zhenyin Tower lecturer title he’d spent half his life earning would vanish in an instant due to a moment of ignorant rage and jealousy.

“Damn my pride,” Mu Le bitterly reflected. “Losing rationality to a youngling’s performance—how utterly foolish.”

What complicated matters was that his savior was precisely the one he’d envied.

The “peripheral school newcomer” he’d once mocked had not only displayed unimaginable bloodline formulation skill but had also rescued his professional career in a crisis.

Referee Morris approached the scene, his expression gravely stern.

“Lecturer Mu Le, given the serious safety threat posed by your dangerous attempt, I must disqualify you from the competition.

According to regulations, the organizing committee will discuss further penalties, which may include—permanently.”

Mu Le offered no defense, simply bowing his head in acceptance.

Compared to the potential consequences, this punishment was merciful.

As staff escorted him away, he cast one last glance at Luo En, who had returned to focused work.

Complex emotions flickered in his eyes—reverence, gratitude, and deep shame.

“He fully deserves the ‘Treasure Grade’ evaluation,” Mu Le silently admitted. “Yet I, blinded by jealousy, nearly caused a catastrophe. How utterly foolish.”

With Mu Le’s departure, the competition resumed.

The earlier incident was merely a brief interlude. Luo En immediately refocused on his creation.

His Crystal Lizard had completed bloodline formulation and rested quietly in its custom crystal container. Its scales shimmered with a crystalline glow under sunlight, while its rare purple-gold eyes radiated wisdom.

Other competitors were shaken by Mu Le’s incident—some became overly cautious, others completely lost rhythm, making repeated mistakes.

Only Jenny maintained steady progress.

Her Crystal Lizard, though less impressive than Luo En’s, still met an excellent standard. Its autophagic slime mold glowed a stable, pure silver.

“Time’s up!” Morris announced across the plaza. “Competitors, please cease operations. We now proceed to the presentation round.”

The presentation round was the competition’s climax. Each competitor must showcase their Crystal Lizard before the crowd, proving its special abilities and stability.

This was both a technical evaluation and a test of psychological resilience.

“First to present is Lecturer Andrews from the Shadowed Hut.” Morris announced.

Andrews was a fifty-something mage with a broad frame and meticulously groomed silver-white beard. His Crystal Lizard was robust, its scales a profound blue as if holding the ocean’s mysteries.

“My creation enhances perception ability, particularly sensitivity to soundwave vibrations.”

His voice boomed with confidence. “It can pinpoint sound sources thousands of meters away and distinguish unique vibration frequencies of different materials.”

To demonstrate, assistants activated hidden micro-vibration devices around the arena.

As the devices activated, the lizard reacted instantly—its head precisely turned toward each sound source while its tail struck the ground the exact number of times, showcasing its auditory precision.

The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause—the practical applications for exploration were obvious.

Next was Sophia, a young witch from the Element Garden. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall to her waist, her eyes glowing with the focused intensity of a dedicated herbalist.

Her Crystal Lizard bore vivid green patterns, its eyes resembling two gleaming emeralds.

“My creation emphasizes regenerative capacity and plant perception,” Sophia explained with a gentle smile, her voice like a spring breeze.

“This is invaluable for wilderness survival and medicinal herb collection.”

She gently pierced the tip of the lizard’s tail, a single drop of blood welling up.

But the wound began healing almost instantly, the process astonishingly swift—leaving no scars whatsoever.

Meanwhile, when presented with over a dozen plant samples, the lizard could precisely discern their toxicity and medicinal properties, displaying heightened vigilance toward poisonous specimens.

One after another, competitors showcased their creations.

Some Crystal Lizards could briefly breathe underwater;
others endured extreme temperatures;
a few possessed specialized camouflage or combat techniques.

Yet some creations encountered issues during demonstration.
A competitor from Emerald leafschool had barely begun when their lizard started convulsing unstably, its scales rapidly dulling into a lifeless corpse.
Another competitor’s creation suddenly rampaged, attacking its own master before being forcibly quarantined.

Jenny’s demonstration proved highly successful.
Her Crystal Lizard displayed exceptional environmental adaptation capabilities, rapidly adjusting its body temperature and metabolic levels to survive various extreme conditions.
The autophagic slime mold remained steadily silver-colored, showcasing the creation’s high quality and durability.

“Finally, the last presenter—Luo En, Lalfassistant professor from Crystal Spire.”
Morris’s voice carried an almost imperceptible note of anticipation.

Luo En strode steadily onto the stage, cradling the crystalline Crystal Lizard.
Bathed in golden sunlight, the lizard’s scales shimmered with an ethereal luster, as if each were a meticulously crafted artwork.

“My creation represents comprehensive enhancement of the Crystal Lizard’s innate traits, particularly its early warning capabilities and perceptual keenness.”
Luo En’s voice was steady yet penetrating:
“While maintaining its fundamental essence, I’ve elevated its natural advantages to their pinnacle.”

He first demonstrated the lizard’s intuitive perception of danger.
When several concealed energy fluctuations were released, the Crystal Lizard reacted instantly—
not only pinpointing the direction and distance of threats but also using distinct color transformations to precisely indicate danger types and intensities.

“Most remarkably, this lizard can perceive spiritual energy disturbances.”
Luo En continued, his calm tone laced with quiet authority:
“This is an extension and refinement of its innate abilities, not an artificially imposed skill.”

To prove his claim, he invited a randomly selected mage to perform a faint spiritual energy probe.
To everyone’s astonishment, the lizard detected the probe immediately, accurately identifying its source.
Simultaneously, the scales along its spine flashed a special purple hue signaling spiritual energy intrusion.

“In wilderness exploration or enemy encounters, this ability grants the carrier comprehensive protection, thwarting all forms of ambush or concealed surveillance.”
Luo En concluded succinctly, his logic crystalline.

Next, the validation entered its most critical phase—stability testing.
The lizard was placed in a specially designed mana field simulating complex environmental disturbances.
No matter how the mana field transformed, the lizard maintained perfect stability, showing no mana leakage or functional degradation.
For a full ten minutes, while other competitors’ creations displayed various signs of fatigue or instability, Luo En’s Crystal Lizard remained vibrant and unchanged.

The audience erupted into thunderous applause and cheers.
Even ordinary spectators ignorant of bloodlineformulation could sense the exquisite quality of this creation.

“Absolutely perfect!” Eve whispered in awe from the Vip section, her amethyst eyes gleaming.
“Mentor’s work has no flaws whatsoever!”

The Vip mentors exchanged evaluations.
“This meticulous attention to detail is breathtaking,” William remarked, his gaze professional.
“Every mana node’s placement is flawless—neither redundant nor deficient. Such precise control is rare even among veteran modifiers.”

Eliot nodded in agreement.
“Beyond technical mastery, his respect for biological instincts is exceptional.
His enhancements build naturally on the lizard’s innate traits rather than forcibly imposing foreign modifications.”

“This is true bloodlineformulation artistry,” Valen mused, his expression clearing.
“Not mere mana stacking, but insight into and reshaping of life essence.
His philosophy closely aligns with ancient alchemy’s core—harmonizing with nature, not twisting it.”

Even Nuo Yi Man, previously reserved, inwardly admitted:
“To achieve this mastery at such a young age—perhaps that ‘Treasure Grade’ appraisal wasn’t unfounded after all.”

After thoroughly inspecting all creations, the three senior modifier judges began final scoring.
They examined not only performance and stability but also used specialized alchemy apparatuses for microscopic analysis of each mana node and bloodline pathway.
Eventually, each judge activated a golden lamp before them—unanimously signaling their champion.

“The judging panel has reached a unanimous decision,” Morris declared solemnly.
“The gold award at this year’s Rainbow Ring Competition goes to—Luo En, Lalfassistant professor from Crystal Spire!”

The hall erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
Maintaining his usual composure, Luo En gave a slight nod and ascended the podium.

“The silver award goes to Jenny Hain, lecturer from Zhenyin Tower!”
Jenny smiled elegantly, her eyes reflecting both disappointment and sincere admiration for her superior, as she gracefully stepped forward to receive her prize.

“The bronze award goes to Andrews Wilson, Mentor from Dark Cottage!”
Andrews nodded, accepting the audience’s applause and congratulations.

The three laureates stood on stage, basking in the crowd’s acclaim.

“The gold medalist will receive the original replica of the ‘Lance Experiment Notes’ and twenty mana stones.”
Morris continued, “By regulation, winning creations become property of the organizers.
Participation requires no fees, but winning creations belong to the organizers—effectively exchanging prizes for the creators’ bloodlineformulation services.”

“The silver and bronze recipients will receive twelve and five mana stones respectively,
alongside limited editions of ‘Lance Theoretical Selections’ and rare material kits.”

As Luo En accepted the exquisitely bound ‘Lance Experiment Notes,’ satisfaction finally softened his expression.
For a seeker of truth, these notes—condensing an ancient master’s wisdom—were far more valuable than any material reward.

After the ceremony, competitors began exchanging insights and experiences.
Jenny approached Luo En, her warm brown eyes shining with genuine admiration.
“Lalfassistant professor, your creation is truly breathtaking.
That reinforcement of the Crystal Lizard’s spiritual perception ability—such precision is unprecedented.”

“You flatter me, Lecturer Hain,” Luo En humbly replied.
“Your creation’s environmental adaptability was equally impressive.
That seamless metabolic adjustment mechanism must have required extraordinary mana control skills.”

Andrews, Sophia, and other competitors joined the circle, discussing technical details and philosophical approaches.
The earlier competitive tension dissolved into the fervor of academic exchange.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared at the crowd’s edge—
Mu Le, the disqualified competitor.
Though still pale, his expression had regained its composure.

The atmosphere grew heavy.
Mu Le took a deep breath and stepped forward.
“Esteemed colleagues, I deeply regret today’s rash actions.
My recklessness endangered not only myself but potentially all present. As a modifier, such a professional failure is unforgivable.”

He turned to Luo En, his eyes filled with gratitude.
“Especially to you, Lalfassistant professor—had you not intervened promptly, the consequences would have been catastrophic.
I owe you a heartfelt debt of gratitude.”
(End of Chapter)

Chapter end