"Good," a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"What you did was impressive. Not many people your age could achieve such a feat."
Mu Feng turned around sharply.
Mu Shen stood there calmly, hands behind his back, as if he had always been there.
Mu Feng let out a slow breath.
"How many times did you save me?" he asked.
"Twice," Mu Shen replied honestly.
"You were nearly ambushed by General-level demons two times."
Mu Feng nodded, absorbing the information.
"…Alright."
He looked at the fallen Mad Bear once more before turning back.
"Then—have I passed your test?"
Mu Shen smiled faintly.
"Yes," he said.
"And not just barely—you passed with flying colors."
He continued calmly,
"You used your environment, your magic, your tools, and your judgment correctly. In real combat, there are no rules—only survival. You understood that."
Mu Feng relaxed slightly.
"Good," Mu Shen added.
"Now let's go back."
They left the forest together.
At the edge of the wilderness, the car was already waiting for them. Once inside, the forest slowly disappeared behind them as they returned to the city.
After arriving home, Mu Feng went straight to his room.
He took a long, thorough shower—washing away three days of sweat, blood, and exhaustion. Warm water flowed over him as the tension finally drained from his body.
For the rest of the day, Mu Feng did nothing.
No cultivation.
No training.
No planning.
Just rest.
Because he had earned it.
At dinner, Fang Ning spoke first.
"I spoke with Mu Shen," he said calmly.
"He praised your performance highly. With this, you've already exceeded the two requirements I set for you."
Fang Ning looked at his grandson.
"Is there anything you want?"
Mu Feng didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Fang Ning raised an eyebrow.
"And what is it?"
"I want to travel the world."
The answer was immediate.
"No," Fang Ning replied flatly.
"At least not until you reach the High Level and have enough strength to protect yourself in truly dangerous situations."
Mu Feng met his gaze, his eyes steady and determined.
"Grandpa," he said firmly,
"if I wait until then, it will be too late. I don't want to learn survival from books—I want to experience it."
For a long moment, Fang Ning said nothing.
Then he sighed.
"…You really take after me."
He shook his head lightly.
"Fine. Do whatever you want."
Mu Feng's eyes brightened.
"But first," Fang Ning continued,
"you will go to India."
Mu Feng blinked.
"India?"
"Yes," Fang Ning said.
"Aditya is already waiting for you."
Mu Feng leaned forward slightly.
"Can you tell me more about him, Grandpa?"
Fang Ning paused.
"…Honestly, even I don't know much."
Mu Feng frowned.
"How is that possible?"
"That man is a mystery," Fang Ning said slowly.
"His cultivation was completely ordinary until he reached the Super Tier. He was already in his forties by then."
Mu Feng's eyes widened slightly.
"And then?"
"Within five years," Fang Ning said calmly,
"he became a Forbidden Mage."
Mu Feng sucked in a breath.
"That's absurdly fast. Did he obtain some incredible treasure?"
Fang Ning shook his head.
"That secret belongs to Aditya alone."
He leaned back, his gaze distant.
"But from what I've heard…"
"It seems he received blessings from the gods themselves."
"Gods?" Mu Feng asked, surprised.
"Yes," Fang Ning replied."According to rumors, he received blessings from a god in their tradition. But that's all it is—rumors. Don't think too much about it. Just focus on your training."
Mu Feng nodded.
"When will I leave?"
"In a week," Fang Ning said."I'll prepare a few more tools for you during that time."
Mu Feng hesitated for a moment, then spoke again.
"Grandpa, I want to go to Bo City during this week."
Fang Ning raised an eyebrow.
"Bo City? Why?"
"It's time for Mu Bai's year-end exams," Mu Feng replied calmly."I want to see how much he's improved. There are also a few others who could be useful to us."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And I want to learn more about Salan's plan—from Mu He."
Fang Ning considered this for a moment.
"…Alright," he said at last."I'll make the arrangements."
With the matter settled, dinner ended quietly.
That night, Mu Feng returned to his room and went to sleep—his mind already turning toward Bo City, and the paths that would soon cross once again.
The next day, Mu Feng boarded the train bound for Bo City. He arrived late at night.
A familiar car was already waiting for him at the station. After a short drive, the Mu Manor once again came into view—unchanged, just as he remembered.
Waiting at the entrance were Mu He, Mu Zhuoyun, and Mu Yuang.
"Welcome back, Young Master Feng," Mu Zhuoyun said with a polite smile."How was your journey?"
"It was good," Mu Feng replied calmly."Thank you for asking. Let's go inside."
They entered the manor together. Dinner passed peacefully, filled with light conversation and trivial matters. Nothing unusual was mentioned, and the atmosphere remained calm.
After dinner, Mu Feng excused himself and headed straight to Mu He's room.
He knocked twice.
Mu He opened the door immediately.
"Master Feng," Mu He said respectfully."Please, come in."
Mu Feng stepped inside.
"What happened, Master?" Mu He asked."You could've called me—I would have come to you."
"It's fine," Mu Feng replied calmly."I wanted to talk to you privately, so I came myself."
Mu He nodded.
"What would you like to ask?"
"When is Mu Bai's end-of-semester exam?" Mu Feng asked.
"Oh, that will be the day after tomorrow," Mu He replied.
"Good," Mu Feng said."Tell him to perform well. I'll be there."
"Yes," Mu He said quickly."I'll inform him."
Mu Feng's expression then turned serious.
"Now," he continued,"what else has Salan told you?"
Mu He straightened instinctively.
"They plan to use the rain," he said cautiously.
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed.
"They're planning to use the rain to lure demon beasts into the city—correct?"
"Yes," Mu He confirmed."That's the plan."
"Which demon tribe?" Mu Feng asked.
"The wolf tribe," Mu He replied."They're stationed about fifty kilometers away from Bo City."
"To lure demons into the city," Mu Feng said slowly,"there must be underground tunnels."
Mu He nodded.
"Yes. They're currently digging tunnels throughout the city—using One-Eyed Demon Rats."
Mu Feng frowned.
"How long will that take?"
"They're being extremely careful to avoid detection," Mu He answered."At least two years."
"Two years…" Mu Feng murmured."That's a long time."
"Salan wants everything to be perfect," Mu He said quietly."She's in no rush."
Mu Feng thought for a moment.
"And how do they plan to attract the wolf tribe specifically?"
Mu He shook his head.
"I don't know that much. That information hasn't been passed down to me."
Mu Feng nodded slowly.
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" he asked.
"No," Mu He replied."That's everything I know."
"Alright," Mu Feng said."If you learn anything new—report to me immediately."
"Yes," Mu He said without hesitation.
With that, Mu Feng turned and left the room, returning to his own quarters.
His expression was calm—but his thoughts were already moving several steps ahead.
The next morning, after breakfast, Mu Feng left the manor and headed straight for the Hunters' Union of Bo City.
The building was large and bustling. Hunters came and went constantly—some carrying weapons stained with blood, others discussing missions in low voices. The atmosphere was sharp and practical, filled with danger and ambition.
Mu Feng walked inside and approached the reception desk.
Behind it sat a young woman in a professional uniform, typing something on a terminal.
"Hello," Mu Feng said calmly."I'd like to register as a Hunter. Could you tell me the procedure?"
The receptionist looked up and smiled politely.
"Of course, sir," she said."You'll need to fill out this form first. After that, we'll confirm your element and cultivation level. Once everything is verified, you'll be officially registered."
She handed him a thin electronic form.
Mu Feng took it and stepped aside.
The form was simple—far simpler than he expected. It only asked for:
The name he wished to register under
His magic element
His cultivation level
His bank account details
No background checks. No questions about origin.
Mu Feng filled it out calmly.
Name: Mu FengElement: IceCultivation: Beginner Tier – Level 2
Once finished, he returned to the counter and handed the form back.
"Here."
The receptionist glanced down at it.
"Name… Mu Feng," she read aloud, then paused and looked up at him again.She studied his face briefly.
"You're from the Mu Family?" she asked.
"Yes," Mu Feng replied plainly.
Her expression remained professional, but there was a faint change in her eyes.
"I see. Ice Element… Beginner Level 2. Everything seems in order."
She tapped a few keys on her terminal, then stood up.
"Please follow me for confirmation."
Mu Feng nodded and followed her.
She led him into a smaller room deeper inside the building. The room was quiet and clean, with a faint magical hum lingering in the air.
Inside, a middle-aged man sat behind a desk, focused on a computer screen. In the center of the room stood a transparent crystal pillar, faintly glowing.
"Xin," the man said without looking up,"why are you here?"
The receptionist replied casually,
"I brought someone for confirmation."
The man finally looked up—his gaze landing on Mu Feng.
"Alright," the man said, finally standing up."Go to the crystal and place your hand on it."
Mu Feng stepped forward and did as instructed, pressing his palm against the cool surface of the crystal.
The crystal reacted instantly.
A soft blue glow spread outward from the point of contact, light flowing through its interior like frozen mist.
A moment later, a mechanical voice echoed through the room:
"Ice Element.Beginner Tier. Level Two.Verification complete."
The glow faded.
"Alright," the man said calmly."Everything checks out. You can remove your hand."
Mu Feng withdrew his hand.
Xin turned and smiled professionally.
"Please follow me, sir."
They returned to the reception area. Xin moved behind the counter and quickly typed a few commands into her terminal.
"Your Hunter ID is being prepared," she said."In the meantime, you can browse the available missions."
She reached under the desk and handed Mu Feng a sleek tablet.
"You can view, filter, and accept missions directly from this device. Once your ID is ready, it will be automatically linked to your account."
Mu Feng took the tablet and began browsing through the list of available missions.
Most were routine—escort jobs, patrol requests, minor demon sightings.
Then one mission caught his eye.
[Investigation Request: Missing Food Supplies]Location: Bo City – Eastern District Meat WarehouseDetails: Large quantities of stored meat have been disappearing overnight. No signs of forced entry. Cause unknown.Difficulty: LowReward: 300,000
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Interesting…"
He selected the mission and walked back to the reception desk.
"I'd like to take this mission," he said.
"Please wait a moment, sir," Xin replied politely.
Mu Feng stepped aside.
Five minutes later, Xin returned, holding a sleek black card.
"Thank you for waiting," she said, handing it to him."This is your Hunter ID."
She tapped the counter terminal.
"The mission has already been registered under your ID. Once you complete it and submit the report, the reward of 300,000 will be transferred directly to your account."
Mu Feng accepted the card and glanced at it briefly.
"Thank you," he said calmly.
With that, he turned and left the Hunter Union—his first official mission already underway.