The Next Day
Mu Feng spent the entire day in meditation.
Time passed quietly, mana circulating steadily through his spiritual world. By the time he opened his eyes, the sky outside his window had already begun to darken.
It was six in the evening.
A knock sounded at the door.
Mu Feng stood up and opened it. Outside stood Mu Bai and Zhang Xiaohuo, both dressed simply, their expressions tense but resolute.
Mu Feng looked at them calmly.
"Are you ready?"
Zhang Xiaohuo swallowed and nodded.
"Yes."
Mu Bai took a slow breath.
"I'm ready too."
Mu Feng stepped aside.
"Come in."
They entered the room, and Mu Feng closed the door behind them. His gaze swept over the two—measuring, calm, absolute.
"Tonight," Mu Feng said evenly,
"you'll go on your first real demon hunt."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.
"This isn't a school exercise. There will be no instructors stepping in halfway. No safety nets."
Zhang Xiaohuo clenched his fists.
Mu Feng continued without raising his voice.
"You will feel fear. Your hands may shake. Your legs may go weak. That's normal."
His eyes sharpened.
"But remember this—
once the fight begins, hesitation will get you killed."
Mu Bai nodded firmly.
"What demon?" he asked.
"A Demon Rat," Mu Feng replied.
"Servant-level. It's been arranged."
Zhang Xiaohuo's pupils contracted slightly.
"What do we have to do?" Mu Bai asked, his voice steady but tight.
"Nothing complicated," Mu Feng replied calmly.
"You only need to survive."
He looked at both of them in turn.
"I'll deal with killing it. Your goal is simple—stay alive."
Mu Feng's tone hardened slightly.
"You only need to successfully release magic once during the fight."
He paused, making sure the words sank in.
"That's it."
His gaze sharpened.
"Do you understand?"
Mu Bai nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
Zhang Xiaohuo swallowed hard, then nodded as well.
"…I understand."
Mu Feng turned toward the door.
"Good," he said.
"Then let's go."
They left the manor quietly and headed toward the abandoned factory district.
The car slowed to a stop nearly a kilometer away from the ruins.
"We'll go on foot from here," Mu Feng said, opening the door.
Mu Bai and Zhang Xiaohuo exchanged a glance, then nodded.
"Okay."
The three of them stepped out of the car. The air here felt different—thicker, colder, carrying a faint metallic smell mixed with decay. Broken streetlights lined the road, most of them shattered, their poles leaning at odd angles like the bones of a dead beast.
Mu Feng gestured forward.
"Stay alert from this point onward," he said calmly.
"Once we cross this line, we're already inside its territory."
They moved through the shadows, their footsteps deliberately light. Ahead of them, the abandoned factories loomed like dark giants—collapsed roofs, rusted machinery, and shattered windows staring back like hollow eyes.
Zhang Xiaohuo clenched his fists unconsciously.
"This place…" he muttered. "It feels wrong."
"That's good," Mu Feng replied quietly.
"If it didn't, you'd already be dead."
They reached the outer perimeter of the factory grounds. Twisted steel fences lay torn open, claw marks etched deep into concrete walls. The silence here wasn't peaceful—it was predatory.
Mu Feng raised a hand, signaling them to stop.
"From here on," he said, lowering his voice,
"no unnecessary movement. No shouting. No panic."
He looked directly at Zhang Xiaohuo.
"If you freeze—release magic anyway. Even a failed spell is better than doing nothing."
Zhang Xiaohuo swallowed and nodded.
"Yes."
Mu Feng then glanced at Mu Bai.
"You already know the drill."
Mu Bai exhaled slowly.
"I won't hesitate."
A faint smile appeared on Mu Feng's lips.
"Good."
Just then—
A low, distorted growl echoed from deep within the factory complex.
Metal scraped against concrete.
Something was moving.
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed.
"It's here," he said calmly.
He stepped forward, placing himself half a step ahead of them.
"Remember," he said without turning back,
"this isn't about bravery."
The darkness ahead shifted.
"This is about survival."
And then—
From between two collapsed buildings, a massive shadow began to emerge.
It was a mouse—
But only in shape.
The creature stood nearly three feet tall, its body swollen and distorted, coarse black fur bristling like steel needles. Its most horrifying feature was the single, oversized red eye embedded in the center of its face, glowing with dull intelligence and hunger. Its claws scraped against the concrete as it shifted its weight, sniffing the air.
The moment it locked onto them, its eye flared.
Mu Feng's voice was calm, almost cold.
"It has seen us," he said quietly.
"Now it will charge."
As if responding to his words, the one-eyed demon mouse let out a sharp screech.
The sound pierced the silence.
Then it lunged.
Its body shot forward with terrifying speed, claws tearing shallow grooves into the ground as it rushed straight toward them.
Mu Bai's pupils shrank.
"Now!" Mu Feng barked. "Move!"
Zhang Xiaohuo's heart slammed violently against his chest. Panic surged up his spine—but Mu Feng's earlier words echoed clearly in his mind.
Even a failed spell is better than nothing.
He clenched his teeth and raised his hand, forcing himself not to retreat. His consciousness sank inward as stars trembled into existence. They flickered wildly, refusing to align.
Mu Bai reacted a split second faster.
"Ice—!"
The star pattern formed—but before it could stabilize, the connection shattered. Mana dispersed uselessly into the air.
The one-eyed demon mouse was already too close.
Its claws scraped against the ground as it lunged again.
Before either of them could panic—
Mu Feng stepped forward.
"Ice Spread—Freeze."
Seven stars connected instantly.
A sheet of frost surged across the ground, climbing up the demon mouse's legs. Mu Feng had deliberately aimed lower—only its hind legs and torso were frozen solid. Its upper body remained free, screeching violently as it struggled.
Cracks spread through the ice as the demon strained.
Mu Feng didn't finish it.
Instead, he turned his head slightly and spoke sharply:
"Now."
His voice cut through their fear like a blade.
"I've restrained it. Try again."
The demon mouse thrashed, ice splintering, but it couldn't advance.
Zhang Xiaohuo swallowed hard.
This wasn't a drill.
This wasn't a test crystal.
This was a living demon.
He forced his shaking hands steady.
Focus.
Stars reappeared—this time slower, steadier. He didn't rush. One star… then another… aligning under sheer willpower.
Mu Bai took a deep breath beside him, eyes locked onto the struggling demon.
I can't fail again.
"Ice…" Mu Bai muttered.
The stars connected—unstable, but complete.
"Ice Spread—Freeze!"
A thin layer of frost burst forward, clumsily striking the demon mouse's chest. It wasn't powerful, but it worked—the creature's movements slowed even further, its screeches turning hoarse.
Zhang Xiaohuo felt something click.
The final star snapped into place.
"Wind Path-Swiftnedd"
He released the maguc and distanced himself from the demon.
Seeing this, Mu Feng didn't wait.
He raised the Ice Crystal Bow, frost condensing instantly.
One arrow.
Clean.
Precise.
The arrow pierced through the demon mouse's skull.
The ice detonated outward—and the demon collapsed, motionless.
Silence fell over the abandoned factory.
Zhang Xiaohuo dropped his arm, breathing heavily, sweat soaking his clothes.
Mu Bai stared at the corpse, chest rising and falling.
"…We did it."
Mu Feng lowered his bow and turned to them.
"Yes," he said calmly.
"And more importantly—you didn't freeze this time."
He looked directly at Zhang Xiaohuo.
"You hesitated, but you didn't run. That's the difference between prey and a hunter."
Then his gaze shifted to Mu Bai.
"And you corrected your mistake under pressure. Good."
Mu Feng glanced deeper into the darkness of the factory district.
"Remember this feeling," he said quietly.
"Fear never disappears. You just learn to act through it."
He turned back to them, eyes sharp.
"This was only the beginning."
"You'll hunt many of them in the future," Mu Feng said calmly.
Zhang Xiaohuo wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his voice still shaking.
"…It was so scary."
Mu Feng glanced at the corpse on the ground and snorted lightly.
"Huh. That one-eyed demon rat is among the weakest demons out there," he said indifferently.
"When you step outside the city walls for real, you'll face things far more terrifying than this."
He paused, then added flatly,
"But that's for later."
"For now—your assignment is complete."
Mu Bai blinked.
"That's it?"
Mu Feng looked at him as if he'd just said something ridiculous.
"What else do you want?" he asked.
"To kill it alone?"
He gestured toward them with a slight shake of his head.
"One of you has a control-type spell. The other specializes in movement and disruption," Mu Feng continued evenly.
"You don't have lethal finishing power yet."
His tone turned firm.
"Running drills against a restrained Servant-level demon is exactly where you should stop."
He stepped past the corpse.
"Overconfidence kills faster than demons," Mu Feng said coldly.
"Remember that."
He turned back to them.
"Tonight wasn't about strength," he concluded.
"It was about not breaking when fear hits."
Zhang Xiaohuo nodded slowly, fists clenched.
Mu Bai took a deep breath, eyes steady now.
Mu Feng gave a final glance around the factory district.
"Let's go," he said.
"You've taken your first step."
After that, they returned quietly.
Mu Feng dropped Zhang Xiaohuo off at his house first, reminding him to rest well and not think too much about what had happened. Only after seeing him safely inside did Mu Feng and Mu Bai head back to the manor. The night ended without further incidents, and everyone soon went to sleep.
The next morning, just after breakfast, Mu Feng received a call.
"Hello, Grandpa."
"All the preparations are complete," Fang Ning said calmly from the other end."Come back tomorrow."
Mu Feng nodded even though his grandfather couldn't see him.
"Okay."
The following day, Mu Feng went to find Mu Bai.
"I'll be leaving tomorrow," Mu Feng said directly.
Mu Bai froze for a moment."So soon… When will you be back?"
Mu Feng shook his head.
"I don't know."
Mu Bai hesitated, then asked seriously,"Is there anything I can do?"
Mu Feng looked at him steadily.
"Yes," he said."If you can reach Novice Level 3 before graduation, I'll help you cultivate in the Underground Holy Spring."
Mu Bai's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Yes," Mu Feng replied calmly."So work hard."
Mu Bai clenched his fists, determination flashing in his eyes.
"I definitely will."
Mu Feng nodded, then added,
"One more thing. Become good friends with Zhang Xiaohuo. He'll be your companion in the future—encourage him, push him forward, and grow together."
Mu Bai took a deep breath and nodded firmly.
"I understand."
Mu Feng smiled faintly.
That was enough.
The rest would depend on them.