"Summoning Element…"
Mu Nianbing slowly opened his eyes. The light from the Awakening Stone glowed with a moon-white brilliance.
In his spiritual world, a new Summoning Element Star Dust shimmered faintly—his second Element had successfully awakened.
Guo Liyu's ability was truly extraordinary. Those hundred thousand were worth every coin.
"As expected, only one Element…" Mu Nianbing murmured. His tone was calm, without the slightest disappointment.
Innate dual-element Mages were indeed rare and powerful, but with his advantages, he could still stand at the top of the world one day.
When the ceremony concluded, he stepped out of the Awakening Room.
"What Element did you awaken?" Guo Liyu asked eagerly, his eyes full of expectation.
"Summoning Element."
Guo Liyu's face broke into a smile. "Very good."
As an Awakener, he always hoped that the young Mages he guided would succeed in awakening their desired Element. After a brief exchange, Mu Nianbing bid him farewell and left the Magic Association.
After wandering around Magic City for a while, Mu Nianbing took the high-speed train back to Bo City.
Upon returning home, he immediately immersed himself in cultivation.
Although he had awakened the Summoning Element, his main focus remained on the Ice Element—sixty percent of his time was devoted to it, and forty percent to Summoning.
If only he had a Nebula Magic Tool, he could have advanced his Ice Element to Middle-level Tier 2 within months.
Unfortunately, a Nebula Magic Tool cost at least twenty million yuan—far beyond his means.
Half a year later.
"Mu Nianbing, by rights, only one person between you and Mu Yuang should be chosen to cultivate in the Earth Holy Spring. But because of Mo Fan and Mu Yuang's upcoming magic duel…"
Principal Zhu looked at him seriously across the office desk.
The Earth Holy Spring was Bo City's most precious cultivation resource.
Each year, the Mu Family and Tianlan High School would each send one candidate. The winner would earn the right to train in the spring.
Normally, as Tianlan High's top student, Mu Nianbing should have been the one representing the school.
"Uncle Yun already told me," Mu Nianbing said calmly. He had long foreseen this.
Principal Zhu nodded. "However, after I discussed it with Old Brother Zhuoyun, we've decided to add an extra slot this year."
"An extra spot?" Mu Nianbing was momentarily stunned, but it made sense.
The Mu Family was Bo City's greatest power. Even Tianlan High School was heavily funded by them.
And since he was both a Mu Family member and Tianlan's top student, both Mu Zhuoyun and Principal Zhu wanted him to cultivate in the Earth Holy Spring. There was no reason to exclude him.
"After Mo Fan and Mu Yuang's duel, you'll enter the Earth Holy Spring together with the winner," Principal Zhu said with a smile.
Mu Nianbing bowed slightly. "Thank you, Principal."
Although the Earth Holy Spring's effects weren't significant for Middle-level Mages, it could greatly boost his Summoning Element, which was still at Elementary Tier 1.
If he could raise it to Tier 3, it would save months—if not years—of cultivation.
A few days later, the day of the Magic Duel finally arrived.
"Nianbing, after Yuang takes care of that brat, you'll accompany him to the Earth Holy Spring," Mu Zhuoyun said confidently in the Mu Family Manor.
To ensure victory, he had equipped Mu Yuang with several high-grade Magic Tools. Losing was not an option.
Mu Nianbing knew better—Mu Yuang had no chance of defeating Mo Fan. Still, he nodded calmly.
"With Brother Bing's talent, cultivating in the Earth Holy Spring will surely let him reach the Middle-level Mage realm," Mu Yuang said with a flattering tone, though the jealousy in his eyes couldn't be hidden.
He was Mu Zhuoyun's adopted son, yet his father valued Mu Nianbing more. Why?!
Mu Nianbing's gaze was cold. "You'd better focus on surviving your duel first."
Mu Yuang's expression darkened, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Nianbing, I still have guests to entertain. You can go find your classmates," Mu Zhuoyun said before leaving toward the manor's main gate.
Mu Nianbing ignored Mu Yuang and walked into the grand banquet hall.
There, amid the chatter and laughter, he spotted a familiar burly figure surrounded by a few charming young women.
"Instructor Zhan Kong, you seem to have refined taste," Mu Nianbing said teasingly as he approached.
The young women turned to look at him, their eyes lighting up immediately.
Zhan Kong coughed awkwardly, waving the women away. "Cough, cough, I just came here to eat something."
Seeing Mu Nianbing reminded him of Qin Yuer on Tianshan Mountain, stirring a faint guilt in his heart.
Mu Nianbing smirked faintly.
"Oh, right," Zhan Kong said, changing the subject.
"That demon entrance you mentioned before—we've already located and sealed it. You did Bo City a great service. What reward do you want?"
Mu Nianbing raised an eyebrow. "A reward? Well, I am short on money. How about a few tens of millions?"
Zhan Kong's eyes widened. "Do you think I'm a bank, kid? Tens of millions?!"
"You're an Advanced Mage. Don't tell me you can't spare that much?" Mu Nianbing said with mock seriousness.
"You brat! I've got a whole military to feed. Tens of millions, my ass. I can give you one million, no more."
Mu Nianbing chuckled. "Deal. Better than nothing."
He hadn't even expected a reward—it was Zhan Kong who brought it up.
Now, at least he had enough money to rent a Soul Vessel.
Soul Vessels were special Magic Tools used solely for harvesting Soul Essences, which had a notoriously low drop rate.
Buying one was too expensive, but renting for a month or two was possible.
Hunters often rented them because even one or two Soul Essences could make back several times the cost.
Lei Yi, his contracted creature, was powerful but unable to collect Soul Essences without a Soul Vessel.
As for selling demon materials, Lei Yi wouldn't know which parts were valuable—and dragging entire corpses back wasn't an option.
To earn enough to buy a Nebula Magic Tool quickly, Mu Nianbing could only wait for the Bo City Calamity.
When it struck, countless demons would flood the city—and he would seize that chance to harvest Soul Essences.
Just a few Servant-level drops would be enough to buy a Nebula Magic Tool.
Thinking of this, Mu Nianbing couldn't help but sigh with envy.
Mo Fan's Little Loach Pendant—a growth-type Star Dust Magic Tool that could absorb Soul Essences, gather Remnant Souls, and even condense them—was simply perfect.
Unfortunately, that treasure had already chosen its master.