"Bang, bang!!"
Mu Nianbing, who was in the middle of his training, frowned as a loud knock echoed from the door.
His expression darkened slightly — the timing couldn't have been worse.
At that moment, Ye Xinxia sat nearby, her cheeks slightly flushed and her posture shy yet natural, clearly caught in an awkward interruption.
"Are you kidding me? Why now of all times?" Mu Nianbing muttered under his breath.
"Brother Nian… maybe next time," Xinxia said softly, her tone flustered.
Mu Nianbing exhaled deeply, straightened his clothes, and walked toward the door.
When he opened it, he was met with two familiar faces — Mu Nujiao and Ai Tutu.
"Do you need something from me?" he asked, his tone calm but tinged with mild impatience from the unexpected interruption.
"Two beautiful ladies came to visit you, and that's your attitude?!" Ai Tutu huffed, hands on her hips.
"Beautiful lady?" Mu Nianbing raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting deliberately. "Well, I admit — it's big. But the last two words don't exactly apply to you."
"You—! I'll fight you!!"
Ai Tutu instantly exploded like an angry rabbit, pouncing at him with mock fury, clawing and flailing.
How dare he say I'm not beautiful? she thought furiously. She had plenty of admirers!
Mu Nianbing easily caught her mid-swing and held her in place, half-closing the door behind him so the girls wouldn't see inside.
Xinxia was still in the living room, and it would be… awkward.
"These two…" Mu Nujiao sighed, pressing her forehead helplessly.
Whenever Ai Tutu and Mu Nianbing met, they either argued or fought. Sometimes she wondered if they had been enemies in a previous life.
Ai Tutu hung on him for a while longer before finally hopping down, pouting angrily.
Mu Nianbing couldn't help but smile faintly. He wasn't hurt at all — and he had gained a rather soft advantage in the scuffle.
He turned toward Mu Nujiao and asked, "Alright, tell me — what did you come here for?"
Mu Nujiao paused briefly before answering. "We wanted to ask for your advice on monster hunting."
"Monster hunting?" Mu Nianbing quickly caught on. "You're looking for the Shadow Monster, aren't you?"
As a Mingzhu Academy student, he was well aware of the timing for the main campus assessments.
Mu Nujiao nodded. "Yes."
"It's not hard to locate the Shadow Monster," Mu Nianbing said, shaking his head, "but can you handle it once you find it?"
He wasn't doubting their willpower — but their strength.
With the current abilities of Mu Nujiao and Ai Tutu, it would be nearly impossible to match the top-ranked students of Zhuqing Campus.
Even if Mu Nujiao was the academy's new "goddess," the competition for the Three-Step Pagoda was fierce — and far more dangerous than most realized.
Worse still, there was the lurking threat of the Black Vatican.
While other students might restrain themselves for fear of injuring Mu Nujiao, the Black Vatican would have no such hesitation.
"Still, I have to try," Mu Nujiao said firmly. "The Three-Step Pagoda is too important to give up on."
For a noble family mage, resources were not unlimited.
Talent determined worth — and only by proving one's value could one earn greater support. Mu Nujiao was no exception.
Mu Nianbing hesitated for a moment.
Helping her might draw unnecessary danger, but he also knew she wasn't without protection. Between her own defenses and his discreet oversight, it shouldn't be too risky.
"I can help you locate it," he said at last, "but catching it will be up to you."
"Thank you," Mu Nujiao said sincerely.
With Lingling's help, Mu Nianbing quickly tracked down the Shadow Monster near an abandoned beef warehouse.
However, as an upperclassman and external observer, he couldn't interfere directly — that would violate the assessment rules.
The creature turned out to be only at the Servant Level, and it was swiftly ensnared by Mu Nujiao's Vine Magic.
In addition to Mu Nujiao and Ai Tutu, Mu Nianbing had also reached out to Xu Zhaoting, Zhao Manyan, and Xu Zhaoting's girlfriend Zhang Lulu, forming a capable five-member team — strong enough to compete with other squads.
"Brother Bing, if we win a slot for the Three-Step Pagoda this time, I'll treat you at that high-end club again!" Zhao Manyan said with a grin, thumping his chest.
"Not interested," Mu Nianbing replied flatly.
The last time Zhao Manyan had dragged him along had been purely out of curiosity.
The women there were pretty, sure — but completely uninteresting to him.
Given his current reputation at Mingzhu Academy, if he wanted company, he could easily attract attention from dozens of female students without effort.
"Oh, I get it now," Zhao Manyan whispered slyly, glancing at Mu Nujiao behind him. "So that's how it is, huh? Brother Bing, impressive!"
Mu Nujiao didn't bother correcting him, though her cheeks faintly warmed. She couldn't deny she had developed some feelings for Mu Nianbing.
"Now that the Shadow Monster's been captured," Mu Nianbing said seriously.
"Your next step is to deliver it to the designated site. Be cautious — this might draw unwanted attention."
Everyone nodded. They knew the danger was far from over.
Meanwhile, in another location, dark figures gathered in a secluded chamber.
"Master Deacon," one subordinate asked, "they're just a few mid-level mages. Why handle this personally?"
"Because Grand Deacon Hu Jin's report was clear," the robed man replied coldly.
"Mu Nianbing's talent is far from ordinary. Only I can ensure he's captured alive."
"With you here, he won't escape," the subordinate said, bowing respectfully.
"Good. Now, send a team to capture Mo Fan as well. If he really carries the Holy Spring of Earth, we cannot allow him to remain free."
"Yes, sir! I'll see it done!"
Back at the academy, as Mu Nujiao's group escorted the captured Shadow Monster through the gates, a group of students blocked their path.
"Mu Nujiao, hand over the Shadow Monster now," said Shen Mingxiao, smirking arrogantly. "Do that, and I'll make sure you still get some credit."
"You're dreaming!" Ai Tutu shouted immediately.
"You think you can sweet-talk your way into Sister Mu's favor? You're just a toad lusting after a swan! And as for the Shadow Monster — come and take it if you dare!"
Shen Mingxiao's grin froze, his face twitching with fury. Being called a toad in front of so many people — it was an unbearable humiliation.
"We're not handing over anything," Mu Nujiao said coldly. "If you want it, you'll have to fight for it."
"Fine," Shen Mingxiao sneered. "Don't blame us for being merciless."
Under the temptation of the Three-Step Pagoda reward, reason vanished. Even admiration for the academy's goddess could not outweigh ambition.
"No one's backing down now," Zhao Manyan said, summoning his shield magic with a sharp wave. "Let's see who's really got what it takes!"
Though his offensive power was average, Zhao Manyan's magic equipment and defenses were top-tier.
If a fight broke out, he could easily hold off a dozen mages.
"Let's fight!" Xu Zhaoting declared, lightning crackling faintly across his hands.
As a civilian mage, he couldn't afford to give up this chance — the Three-Step Pagoda meant everything.
The standoff erupted into a chaotic melee.
Spells collided and roared across the training field, forcing the academy's guardians to activate the Si Ye Ruling Formation to prevent further injuries.
...
Author's Note:
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