Song Jie and his team had been traveling through the dense forest for two straight days, yet they still hadn't reached their next exploration point.
"It's so hot!" Mu Lei groaned, wiping the sweat off his forehead as the blazing sun beat down from above.
Huo Yumeng, wearing a thin white top, was drenched in sweat. The fabric clung tightly to her curves, outlining her stunning figure.
As a Healing Mage without much combat ability, she always stayed close to Song Jie for safety.
For Song Jie, the sight was pure torture—something he could see but absolutely couldn't touch.
"In another two days, we'll reach the first exploration site," Ding Yumian said, checking the map in her hands.
"Alright, the weather's brutal today. Everyone take a break," Song Jie said, finding a shaded spot.
The others nodded in agreement. Traveling in this kind of heat was no joke.
"I noticed quite a few demon footprints along the way," Song Jie continued. "So this area definitely has demon activity."
No one spoke, but everyone's expressions showed they'd seen the same traces too.
"So, we stay alert from now on. If we run into something too strong, we don't fight—we retreat. Got it?" Song Jie said firmly.
For him, the mission wasn't worth dying over. Survival came first.
Everyone nodded. None of them wanted to end up as demon food.
"Also," Song Jie added, "I know some of you didn't exactly like me before. But right now, we're on the same team.
Let's keep it that way. Fighting among ourselves in a place like this is just asking for trouble."
If they behaved, Song Jie might even save them if things went south. But if they caused problems, he'd be the first to cut them loose.
Bai Liang, Dongfang Ming, and the others nodded silently. They knew better than to talk back.
"We'll rest for half an hour before moving again," Song Jie said.
Nearby, Huo Yumeng used a large leaf to fan herself, causing her chest to bounce with every motion.
"Song Jie, do you want some water?" she asked, handing him a bottle.
Song Jie quickly waved his hand without even looking. "I'm fine."
After half an hour, they got back on their feet and continued forward, the sun still blazing and their clothes sticking uncomfortably to their skin.
By nightfall, the heat had finally subsided. The full moon hung high in the sky as they set up camp beside a small clearing. The group sat around a campfire, eating their rations.
"I'll check the perimeter. Don't wander off," Song Jie said, getting up and disappearing into the forest.
Huo Yumeng stretched lazily, her graceful figure highlighted by the firelight. "Yumian, there's a little lake nearby. Let's go take a bath! I can't stand this smell anymore."
They hadn't bathed in days, and the idea sounded heavenly. Ding Yumian had scouted the lake earlier and confirmed it was safe.
"Alright," Ding Yumian nodded.
Before leaving, Huo Yumeng glanced at the boys, narrowing her eyes. Her look said everything: Don't even think about it.
Still, once the girls left, the camp instantly grew restless.
"Xu Mingliang," Dongfang Ming whispered with a smirk, "you've got the Shadow element, right?"
Zhuge Ru grinned. "Yeah, and I remember you've got a crush on Huo Yumeng. Come on, this is your chance!"
The others started teasing too.
Xu Mingliang's heart raced. Against his better judgment, he got up and silently vanished into the darkness.
At the Lake
Huo Yumeng checked their surroundings carefully. Seeing no one, she quickly slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the water.
Her figure was flawless—enough to make any man lose his mind.
Seeing her so relaxed, Ding Yumian hesitated for a moment before also undressing and wading into the lake.
Coincidentally, Song Jie, who had just returned from checking the area, happened to come by from the same direction.
He froze.
He had planned to take a quick bath himself—but instead, he was greeted by a scene that could send him straight to hell.
"Damn… sins! Sins!" Song Jie muttered under his breath, covering his eyes. He didn't dare move. If they saw him, he'd never be able to explain this.
"Yumian, let me scrub your back," Huo Yumeng said, moving closer.
As she gently rubbed Ding Yumian's shoulders, she asked playfully, "So… what do you think of Song Jie?"
"Him? He's… quite nice," Ding Yumian replied softly, recalling all the times Song Jie had helped her.
"I think so too," Huo Yumeng said with a teasing smile. "I just wonder if he has a girlfriend."
"Alright, now it's my turn to help you," Ding Yumian said, switching roles.
But suddenly, Huo Yumeng froze. Her eyes darted toward the trees.
"Who's there!?"
A dark figure bolted from the shadows in panic before even getting close.
"What's wrong?" Ding Yumian asked, submerging herself in the water for cover.
"I sensed a trace of Shadow energy," Huo Yumeng replied coldly.
Her second element was Shadow, which made her incredibly sensitive to its presence.
"He's gone now. Let's get dressed and head back—I'm going to kill Xu Mingliang!" she hissed.
If she didn't have the Shadow element herself, they might've been completely exposed.
The two girls quickly got dressed and rushed back toward camp.
Back at Camp
Xu Mingliang burst back into camp, sweating and out of breath.
"You didn't get caught, did you?" Mu Lei grinned.
Dongfang Ming smirked. "Wait… wasn't Huo Yumeng's second element also Shadow?"
"You bastards!" Xu Mingliang snapped. "You knew and didn't tell me!"
Zhuge Ru leaned closer. "Come on, what did you see?"
Before he could answer, Ding Yumian and Huo Yumeng returned, faces full of fury. The others immediately scattered, pretending they had nothing to do with it.
"Xu Mingliang! Was that you just now!?" Huo Yumeng snapped.
"I-It was me, but I swear I just went to… relieve myself!" Xu Mingliang stammered, his face pale.
"Hmph!" Huo Yumeng crossed her arms. "Try that excuse again and see what happens."
She glared at him until Xu Mingliang apologized repeatedly, his voice trembling.
Only then did Huo Yumeng let him off.
Song Jie returned soon after, acting calm. "What's going on?"
"Xu Mingliang tried to peek at us bathing!" Huo Yumeng said angrily.
"Oh…" Song Jie scratched the back of his head, pretending to be surprised. "That's… bad."
As the tension faded, Song Jie turned to head back to his tent—only to notice Ding Yumian quietly staring at his shoes.
He blinked, glancing down. His soles were wet and had faint traces of mud from the lakeside.
"What's wrong?" he asked nervously.
Ding Yumian simply shook her head.
But in her heart, she couldn't help thinking—had Song Jie passed by the lake too?
...
Author's Note:
The first half (completed version) of Versatile Mage: My Magic Has Gone Beyond Limits! is now available on Patreon!
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Thank you all for your continued support! 💙