Chapter 32: Curse Magic

Kidnapping the Bride?!

Those two words instantly detonated the atmosphere of the banquet.

The guests present were all people of high status. They were long accustomed to arranged marriages and treated such occasions as mere formalities—simply representing their families to offer blessings.

But kidnapping the bride? That was a different matter entirely!

None of them had ever witnessed such a scene before!

Especially the reporters. Their eyes lit up at the sight, like sharks smelling blood as they shoved through the crowd, using magic to record the banquet hall’s events.

This would definitely become the headline of tomorrow’s Stainburg newspaper!

“How dare you!”

Lord Elma, the city lord, roared angrily. A jewel-encrusted staff appeared in her hand, which she slammed onto the ground. A surge of magical energy erupted, shattering the recording spells of the reporters.

If such an absurd scene were to spread, where would the Stain family’s dignity be left?

“Throw this lunatic out!”

At Elma’s command, the guards immediately began chanting spells.

The one who had just been hit in the face with a wine glass by Xia Li raised a hand in anger and summoned a blade of light.

“Bang!”

Xia Li gave no chance for her to strike back. A flying kick landed squarely on her chest, sending her flying backward into the wall. Her eyes rolled back as she fainted.

“Anyone else?”

Xia Li glanced at the remaining guards.

The guests all stood dumbfounded.

That was a high-ranking mage!

And she was taken down after just one encounter?

Without even using magic!

“How dare you!”

Another hot-tempered guard finished chanting.

The high-level spell transformed magical energy into countless sharp ice crystals that hovered above Xia Li’s head.

“Is that all?” Xia Li sneered as she readied herself.

Run!

That was high-tier magic! She wasn’t foolish enough to take it head-on!

But she didn’t run away.

Instead, she dashed toward the crowd of guests.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The ice crystals rained down like bullets from above, tearing through tables and chairs in the banquet hall, smashing marble floors with countless holes.

Thankfully, the other guards reacted quickly, and several high-ranking mages among the guests hastily erected magical barriers to block the ice crystals.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The clash of high-tier spells made the entire villa tremble. The crystal chandeliers flickered, and the banquet hall was filled with dust and chaos, punctuated by the cries of children brought by the lady of the house.

“Brice, you idiot!”

A black-haired guard holding a wand cursed the ice crystal caster.

Before she could finish speaking, Xia Li’s fist landed on her face.

Bang!

Unexpectedly, the punch only pushed her back one step.

It was a magical barrier…

Xia Li immediately understood. The enemy had shrunk the barrier’s range to just her face, achieving almost instant casting speed.

No wonder she was a high-tier mage—she wasn’t so easy to handle.

“If it weren’t for the sneak attack, you wouldn’t amount to much.” The black-haired guard recovered from her shock over the flying kick and raised her wand, chanting.

Snap!

Xia Li grabbed her wrist and twisted it backward. A clear cracking sound rang out.

“You—” The guard’s face paled as sharp pain shot through her wrist, her fingers losing grip, and the wand slipping from her hand.

Xia Li seized the wand and, in the guard’s terrified eyes, swung it like a baseball bat, smashing it heavily onto her face.

Bang!

Home run!

“This thing’s way sturdier than a 5-copper sword.” Xia Li shook the wand and looked at the remaining guards who were still standing and preparing spells.

She turned and ran back into the crowd.

Come on, then. Cast your high-tier magic this way if you dare.

A few guards on a salary wouldn’t dare offend the nobility.

Xia Li wasn’t a reckless fool who would risk everything on a whim.

If she hadn’t been in the banquet hall with so many shields around her, she wouldn’t dare face so many high-tier mages at once.

So powerful… Anise watched the scene from the guest crowd, admiration for Sister Xia Li growing as she saw her casually toy with several high-tier mages.

So ruthless! The guards’ spells were fully charged, but as they watched Xia Li weaving through the guests, they had no idea how to deal with her.

“Enough!”

At that moment, Lord Elma raised her staff high and struck the ground again.

The magical shockwave of a transcendent mage surged through the entire banquet hall, pressing down on everyone present.

Even the high-tier mages instinctively dropped to one knee, sweating cold sweat, trembling so violently that they couldn’t maintain their spells.

Only Xia Li remained standing, her gray-blue eyes locked on Elma.

“Disrupting the Stain family’s banquet and maliciously harming others—your crimes today are punishable by ten years in prison!”

Elma’s voice carried magical power, pressing heavily down on Xia Li. Even the air trembled with energy.

“Hey, old hag, if you’re going to slander me, at least bring some proof.”

Xia Li scoffed. “Your people are the ones wrecking the banquet hall. I only hurt them in self-defense. I’m merciful enough not to cripple them.”

Old… hag?

Elma’s face flushed red and pale in turns with anger. She raised her staff again.

“It looks like I have to teach an unreasonable brat like you a lesson!”

At the sound of her chant, Luya’s expression suddenly changed. She instinctively wanted to stand and stop her.

“Mother, sir, you can’t use curse magic!”

Her words caused an uproar among the guests.

Curse magic was one of the three magic arts closest to forbidden magic—alongside necromancy and blood magic.

Those struck by curse magic would suffer lifelong mental damage in mild cases, and in severe cases lose their sanity or soul, becoming puppets without will.

Since ten years ago, the Mage Association officially banned the teaching of curse magic and confiscated all related spellbooks from the market.

Only a transcendent mage like Elma—who reached that level over twenty years ago—could possibly wield curse magic.

And now she was going to use it against a young woman!

“My daughter disrupted a marriage ceremony vital to you. I must show her the consequences of such insolence.”

Lord Elma bellowed, slamming her staff on the floor.

An advanced curse spell instantly unleashed. Countless invisible needles of magical energy pierced into Xia Li’s head, violently stirring her mind and tearing open a rift in her spiritual world.

No matter how strong one’s constitution, the spirit was always fragile under magical assault.

“Young and able to defeat a high-tier mage, quite impressive… This will serve as a lesson. Remember this, young one—don’t be so arrogant.”

Elma delved into Xia Li’s spirit, releasing cursed magic intent on polluting her mind from the inside out, corrupting her sanity.

But her magic sank like into a swamp—vanishing without a trace.

“Heh…”

A soft laugh echoed.

Elma felt a chill shoot up her spine. Every hair on her body stood on end.

Turning her head, she saw a silver-haired, red-eyed girl sitting on the throne, watching her with amusement.