"Brother Nian, I'm a little tired…"
Mu Nianbing glanced at Xinxia, who had dozed off on the sofa, her long lashes resting quietly against her cheeks.
He couldn't help but smile and shake his head.
"She's still too delicate…" he murmured softly, adjusting a light blanket over her shoulders before carrying her to her room.
After making sure she was comfortable, he quietly stepped out, the early morning sunlight slipping through the curtains.
A few days later, September 1st — the start of a new semester — finally arrived.
Originally, Ye Xinxia had planned to apply to Songcheng Magic Academy, but in the end, she couldn't bear to be separated from Mu Nianbing and instead chose Mingzhu Academy.
Among all the schools, the Healing Department remained one of the most sought-after, filled with talented and gentle students.
That morning, Mu Nianbing personally accompanied Xinxia to her dormitory.
His name still carried weight across the Qing Campus.
Most students in the Healing Department had already heard stories about him, so no one dared to trouble Ye Xinxia — not with that connection.
"Living on campus for the first semester… what a ridiculous rule," Mu Nianbing sighed with mild annoyance.
Without Xinxia's presence, the coming days suddenly felt dull.
"Forget it. I'll head to the main campus first."
As he turned away, a faint shimmer crossed his vision — lines of gray, pulsing faintly with a cold, deathly aura.
[You have obtained the Blessing of the God of Death!]
[Ability 1: Scythe of Death — Living beings harvested by your own hand can be transformed into Undead Spirits. They retain their memories and strength from life and are absolutely obedient.]
[Ability 2: Soul Extradition — Allows complete revival of a deceased human's soul. The resurrected will be absolutely obedient. (Limited to once per year.)]
"Scythe of Death…" Mu Nianbing slowly raised his hand.
A dark scythe, woven from shadow and death energy, shimmered into form. Its shape was beautiful yet unsettling — a weapon fit for both ruler and reaper.
"The Scythe of Death… and this resurrection ability…"
His pulse quickened. The second ability was terrifyingly powerful — even surpassing the Holy System's Resurrection Magic.
"If I could resurrect the Ancient King or Khufu, I could control entire undead empires," he muttered, a glint of ambition flickering in his eyes.
"And the Queen of Royal Veil and Skeletons… With such power, even the underworld could be mine."
But that was a distant dream. He would need to meet those undead rulers first — and for now, he was far from their level.
He shook his head to clear the thought. "Focus. The Ice Element comes first."
His Ice Element cultivation had nearly reached the Intermediate Perfect Stage. One more chance to enter the Three-Step Tower, and he could break through.
Every month, the main campus hosted a Challenge Week, where students could test their strength and compete for resources.
This time, Mu Nianbing planned to challenge directly for the top ten.
Ranking among the top ten would grant him a chance to use the Three-Step Tower — something far more valuable to him than any magic tools offered in lesser assessments.
To him, such tools were trinkets. Only true power mattered.
Half a month later, the Challenge Week finally began.
Mu Nianbing's challenge application — directed straight at the fourth place on the Ice List — sent ripples throughout the academy.
It wasn't arrogance; he simply had no interest in dueling the top three — all of whom happened to be talented young women. He didn't want unnecessary attention.
But challenging fourth place was shocking enough.
When Mu Nianbing stepped into the arena, the stands were already overflowing. Students from every department had come to watch.
The title "Freshman Devil" had already spread across the campus network, and this duel became the most anticipated match of the season.
Even professors and deans had shown up — though it wasn't Dean Xiao, but Dean Fu, from the Ice Academy.
"Sister Mu, how long do you think he'll last?"
In the audience, Ai Tutu leaned close to Mu Nujiao, eyes sparkling with excitement.
She would never miss a big event like this — especially when it involved that Mu Nianbing, the one who had once called her a burden.
Mu Nujiao shook her head gently. "I'm not sure. My brother mentioned his talent once, but he didn't say how strong he's become."
Still, directly challenging fourth place as a newcomer… wasn't that a bit too bold?
In the arena, Xiao Han, the fourth-ranked Ice Mage, looked at Mu Nianbing with visible disdain.
Another rookie. Another overconfident fool.
"This isn't the first time I've seen someone ignorant of their limits," he sneered, his tone calm but filled with contempt.
"You have time to talk," Mu Nianbing replied evenly. "Let's see if you can last longer than your words."
The crowd stirred. Xiao Han's face darkened, veins bulging at his temple.
"Teacher Xue, can we begin?" he barked.
At her signal, the match officially started.
"Ice Lock — Pierce!"
Xiao Han's star map flared, and five razor-sharp chains of ice shot forward like spears.
"As expected of Xiao Han! His casting speed is insane!"
"If Mu Nianbing doesn't have high-level armor, he's done for!"
Students gasped as the chains screamed through the air. Xiao Han's third-level Ice Lock was deadly — powerful enough to pierce most low-tier defenses.
But Mu Nianbing didn't even flinch.
"Mysterious Ice Mirror."
With a simple gesture, a thick crystalline wall of blue-white frost solidified before him.
The chains struck with sharp cracks but failed to break through, leaving only shallow dents.
From the stands, murmurs rose.
"Was that… pure control?"
Even Dean Fu and several professors exchanged startled glances.
The match had only just begun — but Mu Nianbing had already shown why he was called the new Devil of Mingzhu.
...
Author's Note:
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