"It's not easy to find the right Spirit Seed for you. Don't worry, I'll help you look for one when the time comes," Tang Yue said gently.
Song Jie nodded, immediately grabbing Tang Yue's soft, delicate hand.
"Teacher Tang Yue is the best!" he said with a grin.
Seeing this, Zhan Kong nearly exploded with jealousy. Comparing yourself to others is truly infuriating!
"Alright, let go," Tang Yue said, a bit flustered. She could feel that Song Jie wasn't being entirely innocent, so she quickly pulled her hand away.
Song Jie acted as if nothing had happened, turning his attention back to Mo Fan and Mu Zhuoyun.
The duel had already ended. After Mu Zhuoyun finally kneeled and apologized to Mo Fan's father, the spectacle was over.
"Brother Fan, that was awesome!" Zhang Xiaohou said excitedly.
Mo Fan gave a modest nod, but his eyes drifted toward Song Jie. He had assumed Song Jie had leaked his secret, but it turned out he hadn't said a word.
Mu Zhuoyun's expression darkened. Without saying anything, he turned and left in humiliation.
This duel had originally been meant as a coming-of-age ceremony for Mu Yuan, but after losing to Mo Fan, the spotlight now belonged entirely to Mo Fan.
As Mu Zhuoyun left, the crowd quickly dispersed — the show was over.
"Song Jie, where's your home? We'll drive you back," Tang Yue offered.
"Sure," Song Jie replied.
Since Mu Ningxue was busy consoling her uncle, she probably wouldn't be able to give him a ride.
He followed Tang Yue to the SUV, with Zhan Kong behind the wheel. Together, they left the Mu Family Manor.
"I didn't expect Mo Fan to hide his strength so well," Zhan Kong said as he drove. "A natural dual-element mage… that's rare."
Since he couldn't recruit Song Jie into the army, perhaps he could try with Mo Fan instead.
"By the way," Zhan Kong suddenly asked, "you were already strong enough to kill advanced Servant-class monsters a year ago. Now that a year's passed, could you take down a Commander-level monster?"
Tang Yue turned her head curiously, eyes sparkling with interest.
Although Mo Fan's dual elements were impressive, Song Jie's overall talent still felt greater to her.
After all, killing an advanced Servant-class creature while still in high school was unheard of.
"Once I break through to the Intermediate level, I should be able to handle an ordinary Commander-level monster," Song Jie replied calmly.
Zhan Kong was stunned. "You can fight Commanders right after breaking through?!"
That level of confidence was shocking. Normally, even a group of newly advanced Intermediate Mages would struggle against a Commander-level creature.
But Song Jie spoke with certainty.
"I can," he confirmed simply.
Tang Yue smiled, realizing that giving him that Spirit Seed was far from a loss. Zhan Kong, however, looked like his heart was bleeding.
After dropping Tang Yue off, she reminded him, "Song Jie, in a few days, you can go with Mo Fan to enter the Holy Spring."
"Thank you, Teacher Tang Yue," Song Jie said gratefully.
"Hey, don't forget who helped secure that spot for you," Zhan Kong added.
"Thank you, Chief Instructor," Song Jie said, bowing his head slightly.
"That's more like it!" Zhan Kong said with a grin before driving away.
Song Jie stood by the road, watching the SUV disappear into the distance. A faint melancholy filled his chest.
He didn't know whether Zhan Kong or Tang Yue had realized the Black Vatican's conspiracy yet.
Even if he tried to warn them, no one would believe him — not without evidence. And how could he possibly explain how he knew about their plot?
I have to get stronger, he thought firmly.
At least he now had a spot to enter the Holy Spring. With its help, he could reach the Intermediate level quickly.
Once he advanced, he could awaken his second magic system — a huge step toward changing his fate.
Meanwhile, in the SUV, Zhan Kong said to Tang Yue, "That kid has real potential. You made a smart investment."
Tang Yue ignored his teasing and asked, "Any news from Anjie District?"
"It's been quiet lately," Zhan Kong replied.
Tang Yue frowned. "The Black Vatican has been moving again. I suspect they're preparing for something big."
Her tone turned serious. The Inquisition had been monitoring the Black Vatican for a long time, but the cult was notoriously elusive.
"Don't worry," Zhan Kong said solemnly. "I'll keep my men on alert around Anjie."
The idea that the Black Vatican might be operating within Bo City made him uneasy.
Tang Yue warned, "It's going to rain soon. When it does, be extra careful. There's something strange about the timing."
"I'll send patrols out when the rain starts," Zhan Kong replied.
A Few Days Later
Tang Yue borrowed a car from Zhan Kong to pick up Song Jie. However, Zhan Kong insisted on coming along.
As heavy rain poured down, Tang Yue rolled down the window and waved. "It's raining so hard—get in quickly!"
Song Jie dashed to the car, dripping wet. But as soon as he sat down, a strange feeling hit him.
"Doesn't this rain feel a bit… odd? It's kind of yellow—like, well… urine," he muttered.
Zhan Kong's face darkened instantly. His hair and jacket were soaked.
Wait… I've been drenched in this stuff?
"If you can't say something smart, don't say anything at all," Zhan Kong snapped.
Song Jie chuckled and looked out the window. "Weird, though. Bo City's environment isn't that bad. Why is the rain this color?"
Neither Tang Yue nor Zhan Kong replied — they weren't from the Environmental Bureau, after all.
"Chief Instructor, did it rain like this during our training?" Song Jie asked casually.
"I don't think so," Zhan Kong said.
"No? Then why does this rain look so much like the water from the Holy Spring?" Song Jie asked again.
That question made Zhan Kong pause. He stared out the windshield — and the more he looked, the more his expression changed.
"Wait a second—!"
He slammed the brakes, startling both Song Jie and Tang Yue.
"What's wrong?" Tang Yue asked quickly.
"There's something wrong with this rain!" Zhan Kong said sharply, gripping the wheel before speeding up again.
"What's going on?" Tang Yue pressed.
"I'll explain later. Let's get Song Jie to the Silver Trade Building first!"
He floored the gas pedal. Within minutes, they arrived at their destination.
Song Jie exhaled in relief — Zhan Kong had realized it.
Maybe this time, Bo City's tragedy could be avoided. Maybe more people would survive.
Watching the SUV pull away, Song Jie entered the Silver Trade Building — just as Mo Fan arrived.
"Song Jie?" Mo Fan looked surprised. "Why are you here?"
Song Jie nodded politely.
Mo Fan frowned. "You too?"
"Yeah," Song Jie said simply. "Teacher Tang Yue and Instructor Zhan Kong helped me get a spot to enter the Holy Spring."
At that moment, Mu Zhuoyun appeared. "You two are here already? Then come in together."