Imperial Capital Academy
"Snow as your skin, ice as your bones, your three thousand strands of silver hair make you a beauty beyond compare. To see you in person, Miss Mu Ningxue, is an honor," said a refined young man, Officer Yu, as he approached gracefully and politely.
Mu Ningxue walked past him without even glancing in his direction. She had grown tired of such clichéd compliments, and this Officer Yu didn't pique her interest in the slightest.
Officer Yu, however, maintained his composure and didn't seem offended by Mu Ningxue's innate coldness. With a self-deprecating smile, he quickly followed after her.
"Regardless of how you feel, we'll be teammates in life-and-death situations for the next year or so. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, I'm an official competitor in the World University Tournament for the Great Summer Region," Officer Yu continued, a slight grin on his face, as if revealing this last piece of information would be enough to crack the ice around her heart.
The selection rounds had concluded, and the official team members had been decided. Officer Yu was among them, and having heard about Mu Ningxue's cold beauty, he approached her with the intention of getting close.
When Mu Ningxue heard him announce his name, she finally stopped and slightly raised her gaze, turning her face toward him.
Officer Yu's smile brightened even more. He wasn't the type to brag, but earning a spot on the official team had not been easy. He figured that against someone like Mu Ningxue, no amount of smooth talking would work, but showing his strength might just do the trick.
However, to Officer Yu's confusion, when Mu Ningxue turned her head, she wasn't looking at him.
She was looking at an older man.
A wave of discomfort passed over Officer Yu.
Could it be that Mu Ningxue prefers older men?
He didn't even want to entertain the thought.
"Xiaoxue, come with me," said Mu Zhuoyun, Mu Ningxue's father, without paying any attention to Officer Yu. His expression was somber.
Mu Ningxue nodded and followed Mu Zhuoyun into a classroom.
Officer Yu sighed with relief. Thankfully, it was just her father.
Inside the classroom, Mu Zhuoyun checked to make sure no one was around, then let out a heavy sigh. He looked extremely weary.
"What's wrong?" Mu Ningxue asked, puzzled.
Although her father had been down on his luck in recent years, she had rarely seen him this despondent. Something serious must have happened.
"Your uncle, Mu He… That despicable scumbag joined the Black Vatican when he was young, and now he's one of their leaders! He's disgraced our ancestors!" Mu Zhuoyun slammed his fist against the stone wall, his chest heaving with rage.
Mu Ningxue remained silent.
She had heard about the events in the ancient capital but hadn't known about Mu He's involvement.
Mu Zhuoyun had only found out because their clan in the ancient capital had come under tremendous pressure.
"So, what do they want me to do now?" Mu Ningxue asked calmly.
"They want you to give up your spot in the World University Tournament to Mu Tingying," Mu Zhuoyun sighed deeply.
"They're really that shameless now?" Mu Ningxue said coldly.
"They have no choice. Mu He's betrayal has devastated our family. After the Bo City disaster, we were already barely hanging on, but this—this is a final, fatal blow. Now, every one of us is under investigation. I'm not even worried about how the clan might punish us anymore. What I fear is that the tournament committee will use this to remove you from the team. If that happens, all our hard work will be for nothing," Mu Zhuoyun said.
Mu Zhuoyun had gone to great lengths to secure resources for his daughter. No one knew better than he did how talented Mu Ningxue was. With enough resources, she could become the strongest ice mage in the country.
Mu Ningxue hadn't let him down either. She had earned a spot in the World University Tournament. But now, with the news of Mu He being a high-ranking member of the Black Vatican, their years of effort were about to go to waste.
Their reputation could be ruined forever.
No one would do business with the Mu family again. No one would grant them favors. The news of Mu He being a Black Vatican leader would spread quickly through their social circles.
In recent days, Mu Zhuoyun had already begun to feel it. The connections he had painstakingly built were avoiding him. His once-reviving career was collapsing again. Mu Zhuoyun was on the verge of breaking down. Hadn't he endured enough after the Bo City disaster? And now this?
Mu Ningxue didn't say anything more. She knew that saying anything would be pointless now.
In Magic City
Since there were still a few days before the World University Tournament team would depart, Mo Fan decided to return to Magic City.
He arrived at the Clear Sky Hunter Agency and found Old Bao, Leng Qing, and Lingling all there.
"Well, well, look who's back—our big hero," Lingling said when she saw Mo Fan, holding a small cat and pouting, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Mo Fan knew Lingling was upset, but seeing her adorable little face almost melted his heart.
The events in the ancient capital hadn't been made public yet, but Mo Fan wasn't surprised that Lingling knew about it. After all, Old Bao had vast influence, not just in the hunter world but in many other fields too. If Old Bao wanted to know something, he could easily find out.
"It all happened too suddenly this time. If I could've, I would have brought you with me," Mo Fan quickly explained.
"Liar! You said the same thing last time after you came back from the Scorched Plains!" Lingling retorted, her dissatisfaction clear.
Mo Fan scratched his head awkwardly. It seemed he had promised to take the little girl on his next adventure.
"Lingling, you're getting cuter by the day. Come here, give me a hug," Mo Fan said, trying to change the subject while showing his usual shameless side. But as he approached, Lingling was ready, her small foot in a white sock pressed firmly against his chest.
"Mo Fan, I'm still here, you know!" Leng Qing interjected with a scolding tone.
While she knew Mo Fan wouldn't do anything inappropriate, the girl wasn't a child anymore!
"Alright, alright, then how about a hug from you, Senior Sister Leng Qing?" Mo Fan teased.
"Get lost!" both Leng Qing and Lingling exclaimed, utterly exasperated by him.
Meanwhile, Old Bao looked at Mo Fan and said, "Kid, even though you've made a name for yourself this time, you need to stay vigilant. Salan is probably watching you closely now."
The Black Vatican thrived on taking down reckless people like Mo Fan.
That said, fighting the Black Vatican wasn't easy either—they would stop at nothing.
"Speaking of Salan, that reminds me of something," Mo Fan said.
While dealing with the crisis in the ancient capital, he had been focused on the mysterious King's legacy and hadn't thought much about Salan. Now, with Salan likely fleeing abroad, Mo Fan recalled that she probably still had people left on Chongming Island.
(End of Chapter)