Chapter 180: Great uproar
“I understand,” Zhang Xiaohou said quietly.
He didn’t hesitate this time. There was no confusion left in his eyes, only clarity. The moment Mo Fan explained Ding Yumian’s Psychic Element and how it could suppress and regulate the corrosive Undead influence, everything clicked for him.
“This isn’t something I should get rid of,” he continued, his voice steady. “It’s something I need to control.”
Mo Fan looked at him for a second, then smirked. “Good. You figured it out faster than I expected.”
Zhang Xiaohou exhaled slowly, feeling that same cold heaviness lingering in his body. Before, it had made him uneasy, like something foreign was trying to take root inside him. But now that he understood it, the feeling didn’t disappear—it changed.
It felt like pressure.
Like something waiting to be shaped.
“If Light magic only cleans the surface, then it makes sense why it wasn’t enough,” Xiaohou said. “What I’m dealing with is deeper than that. It’s affecting my mind, my instincts… even my reactions in battle.”
Mo Fan nodded. “Exactly. That’s why Ding Yumian is the best option. Her Psychic Element works directly on your subconscious. She can stabilize it before it spreads too far.”
Zhang Xiaohou’s gaze sharpened slightly. “And once it’s stabilized… I can start refining it instead of resisting it.”
“That’s the idea,” Mo Fan replied. “Most people would panic and try to purge it completely. But if you do that, you’re throwing away a rare opportunity.”
Xiaohou clenched his fist slightly, feeling the faint trace of that eerie Undead energy respond deep within him. It was still there, silent but present, like a dormant force.
“I’ve been stuck for a while,” he admitted. “No matter how much I trained, it always felt like I was missing something to break through.”
He lifted his head, his expression firm.
“This is it.”
Mo Fan’s smile widened. “Now you’re talking.”
Zhang Xiaohou continued, more certain with each word. “If I can control this properly, it won’t just be something I survive… it’ll become part of my strength.”
“And that’s your path to Super Tier,” Mo Fan said plainly.
There was no exaggeration in his tone, no hype—just a simple fact.
Xiaohou nodded.
“I’ll go to Pearl Institute,” he said. “I’ll find Ding Yumian and stabilize this first. After that… I’ll use it to push my cultivation forward.”
He paused for a moment, then added quietly, “I won’t let something like this control me. I’ll be the one controlling it.”
Mo Fan let out a short laugh. “That’s why you’re different from the others.”
The wind stirred faintly around Zhang Xiaohou, lifting dust at his feet. Inside him, the cold Undead presence still lingered, but it no longer felt like a threat pressing in from the outside.
It felt like something waiting to be mastered.
And now, Zhang Xiaohou understood it completely.
This wasn’t a setback.
This was the opportunity that would push him beyond his limits and into the Super Tier.
Meanwhile.
The Imperial College...
“Snow as skin, ice as bone, three thousand silver silk, and beauty enough to cause the fall of a nation; knowing your reputation is nowhere as good as meeting you in person. I’m Gong Yu, it’s my honor to meet Miss Mu Ningxue here,” said a cultured man politely as he walked up gracefully.
Mu Ningxue walked past the man without casting a glance at him.
Her ears were fed up from hearing the same compliments over and over again. She had zero interest in this man called Gong Yu.
Gong Yu seemed rather patient and gentlemanly. He was not bothered by Mu Ningxue’s bone-chilling attitude. He wore a self-mocking grin and quickly followed after her.
“Regardless of what you think of me, we’re still one another’s teammates for the following year... I almost forgot to mention, I’ve officially become a candidate representing China in the World College Tournament,” added Gong Yu, who was still wearing a smile, as if he was confident that the second half of the sentence was enough to pry open the icy beauty in front of him.
As he thought, Mu Ningxue lifted her gaze and turned toward him...
The smile on Gong Yu’s face blossomed.
He was normally not a show-off, even though it took him great effort just to secure the spot. However, when dealing with a woman like Mu Ningxue, flowery speech would not work against her. Only strength was the most effective to grab her attention.
However, the smile on Gong Yu’s face quickly stiffened when he discovered that Mu Ningxue was not even looking at him, but at a middle-aged man who was walking toward them.
“Xiao Xue, come with dad,” said Mu Zhuoyun sternly, completely ignoring Gong Yu’s presence.
Mu Ningxue nodded and followed Mu Zhuoyun to a classroom nearby.
—
Mu Zhuoyun purposely checked if anyone was nearby as they entered the classroom. He let out a decrepit sigh.
“What’s wrong?” asked Mu Ningxue in confusion.
Even though the past few years had been rough for her father, it was rare to see him react so. He must have stumbled into something troublesome.
“Your uncle Mu He... that son of a bitch was already one of the Black Vatican when he was young. He even became a leader in the Black Vatican. That asshole is a total shame to our family!” Mu Zhuoyun slammed his fist into the wall as his chest heaved.
Mu Ningxue fell silent. This was indeed something she had not expected!
“A while ago, the Patriarchs of many renowned families gathered at Jinfen Building for a meeting. Mu He’s involvement in the Black Vatican caused a great panic between the renowned families. The Patriarchs of many families and tribes have reached a verdict to kick us out from the list of renowned families. Our family is described as a bad egg by others in the clan... It’s... I don’t even...” Mu Zhuoyun started rambling toward the end of his sentence.
He was behaving like this because of fury, but also because of his sense of helplessness. Mu He’s identity had brought great harm to their family!
“So, what do they want from us now?” asked Mu Ningxue calmly. She was calmer than her father had imagined.
“They want you to give your spot in the World College Tournament to Mu Tingying,” sighed Mu Zhuoyun.
“Are they really that shameless?” Mu Ningxue asked coldly.
“It can’t be helped. It’s unfortunate that son of a bitch Mu He was my brother, and your uncle. We’re already in a pinch because of the calamity that took place in Bo City, and now this is giving us a deadly blow... the Enforcement Union will be investigating everyone from our family. I don’t care how the clan is going to pick on us, but I’m worried that the Councilmen in charge of the World College Tournament will not overlook your tainted identity. They might even take your name off the list. Once that happens, all our effort for the past few years will be in vain,” said Mu Zhuoyun.
Mu Zhuoyun had visited every family in the clan to gain as many resources as possible for his daughter, just to secure the spot.
No one was more familiar with Mu Ningxue’s talents than Mu Zhuoyun. She would definitely become the strongest Ice Magician in their country with enough resources.
Mu Ningxue did not let him down, either. She successfully earned a spot to participate in the World College Tournament. However, the bad news of Mu He being the Black Vatican’s Great Deacon had taken them by surprise, totally wasting their efforts over so many years.
They would completely lose their reputation because of him!
No one would dare to have any business relationship with Mu Zhuoyun. No one would be willing to do him favors. The fact that his brother was the Black Vatican’s Great Deacon would be known to everyone he knew in no time!
Mu Zhuoyun could already feel it. The people that he finally got close to were avoiding him. The business that was finally about to return had suffered a sudden, devastating decline once again. The torture and pain he had suffered and the dignity he had lost since the calamity of Bo City were already too much, and yet what awaited him was an even worse nightmare!
“If they have already decided, there’s nothing we can do,” said Mu Ningxue.
“But, you’ve earned the spot through hard work...” protested Mu Zhuoyun.
“If Mu Tingying wants to replace me, we’ll see if she’s actually worthy enough to do so!”
——–
Mid-autumn, the Imperial College was still swept by cold breezes.
The center of the Imperial College was a majestic dueling ground. The whole place had the shape of a pentagram, with four black arcs forming a retractable roof over the top. The seats around the dueling ground could hold up to fifty thousand people!
The dueling ground was rarely opened to the public. Only duels of certain levels were qualified to be held here!
The seats were empty, but ten young Magicians were standing at the middle of the dueling ground in a row. They were wearing cool magic robes, capes and mantles!
“I’m proud to meet all of you that stood out among the students in your respective institutes. You will soon represent our nation and compete against talented Magicians from other countries. Even though I’m inclined to hold a great ceremony to send you off to other countries for training, I’m more inclined to hold it to celebrate the glory you’ll earn for our country in the future. It will be a hundred, a thousand times grander than you expect now, as you are the pride of country!” Dean Song He’s voice echoed in the ears of the young Magicians.
Dean Song He was appointed to lead the national team’s training. When Spring arrived, the selections for the national team of each country would come to an end. The national teams would then be sent to different countries for training, and between Spring and Summer the year after, they would be competing in the World College Tournament that would be held in the City of Canals, Venice!
Although the students were the cream of the crop, the year-long training was extremely important too. It would help each of the young Magicians to improve fundamentally!