Chapter 131: The French Bulldog Championship

“Teacher Yunlan, the hotpot is ready. Please come and eat with us.” Hei Yu kept picking up dishes eagerly, savoring every bite. Suddenly, his chopsticks and Yixin’s clutched the same piece of meat, and they exchanged a sharp glance. Yixin said, “Hmph, little brother is still growing; eat more. I’ll give this piece to you.” With that, he loosened his grip and turned away.

“Then give them all to me. I won’t be polite!” Yunlan watched the two brothers devour their food like a whirlwind and smiled knowingly.

After everyone was full, they changed into their clothes and headed to the outdoor hot springs behind the inn. Ling Xiaolei and Shenzai Guo finished changing first. Hand in hand, they walked to a secluded corner of the spring pool.

“I heard these hot springs can heal wounds and even boost magical power,” Shenzai Guo said.

“Really?” Ling Xiaolei exclaimed, then plunged her face and body fully into the warm water.

Hei Yu and Bai Shengye appeared after changing, each wearing only a towel around their waists and walking barefoot on the stone floor beside the spring. Lingmeng passed by them, a thin scarf tied across her chest, her figure curvaceous and skin radiant with a floral scent. Her long hair swayed lightly to the ground. Both men were mesmerized, nearly slipping into the water.

After entering the spring, Hei Yu looked for a place to sit along the edge. Suddenly, he noticed three streams of bubbles rising from beneath the water some distance away, but no one was visible.

“Who’s down there?” he called out.

Ling Xiaolei surfaced, gasping for breath, her hair dripping wet over her shoulders. Beside her, a small dog’s head popped up, followed by Shenzai Guo.

“Why did you bring your familiar to soak in the hot springs…” Hei Yu whispered.

“Shh! The springs heal wounds. My dog was hurt in a fierce battle with crows, so I’m letting it recover here.”

“Does it really heal?” Hei Yu leaned back comfortably. After a while, the bruises on his body began to fade. “It really does.”

Lingmeng moved far away from Bai Shengye, frowning with disdain as she warned, “Don’t come any closer!”

Bai Shengye blinked innocently, settling by the poolside but not daring to approach. He poured a potion from a vial into the surrounding water, then floated two more bottles over to Lingmeng with the current.

“Goddess Lingmeng, this is a special potion. If you sprinkle it into the bathwater while soaking, it can increase your magical power.”

“Really?” Ling Xiaolei grabbed one of the bottles floating on the surface and poured it around herself and Shenzai Guo. Instantly, she felt her magic surge. She submerged her head again, unwilling to miss a single trace of power.

Yixin and Yunlan joined them, with Yunlan sitting on the edge of the pool and relaxing. “Ah, these hot springs are indeed comfortable. From now on, after training, we should come here to soak, right?”

“Really? Great!” Everyone’s enthusiasm soared, making the hardships endured during the day seem trivial.

“Hot spring therapy is part of our special training. Injuries and fatigue from daytime drills can be relieved here, making our efforts twice as effective. Bai Shengye, prepare more medicinal potions suitable for baths recently. I’ll cover all the expenses!”

“Understood, teacher.”

“Teacher Yunlan, you’re truly wonderful!” Ling Xiaolei said excitedly.

“Teacher, rest assured we will train hard,” Yixin added. “We won’t let anyone down at the Magic Duel Tournament!”

“Yes, we will represent Saint City Magic Academy and claim victory!” everyone echoed.

In the following days, the attack speed and power of Yunlan’s “puppets” steadily increased. The students gradually adapted to the intensity, no longer passively taking hits but responding skillfully. When the puppets reached their top speed, Yunlan ceased further enhancement. Yet the students felt the puppets’ movements slowing, indicating their own close combat skills were improving bit by bit.

Besides that, they practiced group battles, team hunts against monsters, and other real combat drills, with their strength advancing rapidly day by day. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they would gather laughing and chatting to soak in the hot springs at the village at the foot of North Mountain. Sometimes, they strolled the bustling night market, sampling street food and browsing the dazzling array of goods.

During this period, Hei Yu often lay in his dorm bed at night, repeatedly studying the “Dark Curse Space-Time Technique.” As his understanding deepened, he marveled all the more at the genius who created the spell.

“Such a profound technique… was it really created by Yifeng? Back then, he was only a student at the Magic Academy, the same age as me, yet he had already crafted such a spell…”

He muttered to himself, rolling around on the bed, flipping through the book’s pages, only to find he had reached the end.

Staring at the torn edge on the left side of the last page, he felt both frustrated and regretful. That night, Yifeng had torn the book in half before handing it to him.

“Ah! The essence of the spell is in the missing part! Why tear it off?”

He had thoroughly understood the space-time magic in the front but had no idea what the latter half contained.

Checking the table of contents, he saw the names of the final spells. Judging by their order, the missing chapters must cover even more powerful techniques. He quietly read aloud: “Space-Time Severance, Creation of Space-Time, Time Rift…”

“Time Rift?!” He gasped again. “Could it be… a spell that creates a rift in time and space?”

“Ah, although I desperately want to know what comes next, I can’t force it. I’ll focus on mastering what I’ve learned so far, hoping it will be useful in the Magic Duel Tournament…”

The monthlong training flew by, and the highly anticipated Magic Duel Tournament finally arrived! Saint City was freshly decorated, and the streets brimmed with joyous crowds welcoming magicians from all over. Most arrived one or two days early to tour and rest, preparing for the competition.

The six representatives from Saint City Magic Academy were filled with anticipation.

Early that morning, Yixin, Lingmeng, Shenzai Guo, and Ling Xiaolei gathered in front of the arena gate. Teacher Yunlan approached from afar. The group immediately lined up and greeted in unison, “Good morning, Teacher Yunlan!”

“Good spirits. Where are Hei Yu and Bai Shengye?”

“They’re coming!” The two dashed over, dragging a heavy medical kit, sweat pouring down their faces.

“These are the special potions prepared to restore your strength and magic during the competition,” Bai Shengye boasted, pointing to the overflowing kit beside him. “There’s more than enough for all of you!”

“Wow, so many!”