The moment Xu Zhaoting's hand fell, arcs of lightning burst forth like enraged serpents, slamming into the humanoid target before him.
Boom!
In an instant, the sturdy puppet was blasted apart, scattering into countless splinters.
The spectators gasped in awe.
The Lightning Element, known as the head of all elements, lived up to its name. The destructive power of the Lightning Seal was simply overwhelming.
"Grade B!"
"B! B! B!"
"As expected of a Lightning Element mage—Star Particle strength S, release score B," the examiner announced, his eyes filled with admiration. "This student's future is limitless."
Xu Zhaoting returned to his class team, satisfaction written across his face.
"Well done," Instructor Zhang Jianguo praised, patting him on the back. "You might even take first place."
Xu Zhaoting didn't respond. His eyes, however, were fixed on one person—Mu Nianbing.
That calm, expressionless look… Xu Zhaoting knew what it meant.
This guy's definitely stronger than me.
"Next, Mu Nianbing!"
The crowd quieted immediately.
Before stepping forward, Nianbing's gaze drifted toward Class Eight, where Mu Bai was being tested.
Several figures stood near the platform—Mu Zhuoyun, Mu He, and other school leaders.
Although Mu He was a member of the Black Vatican, he still showed affection toward his son, Mu Bai. As soon as Mu Bai's test began, Mu He had dragged Mu Zhuoyun and the others over to watch.
Seeing this, Mu Nianbing let out a silent breath.
Good. As long as Mu He isn't watching me, things will be fine.
Taking advantage of the distraction, he walked forward and placed his hand on the Star Sense Stone before the examiner could even speak.
At once, a radiant ice-blue glow burst from the crystal.
The light grew stronger and stronger until it filled the entire platform, spreading cold mist in every direction.
"Holy crap!!"
"This brightness—it's completely on another level compared to Xu Zhaoting!"
"Not only is he handsome, but his talent's insane too! How are we supposed to compete?!"
The brilliance from the Star Sense Stone was so intense that even students from other classes turned to look.
Up on the podium, Mu Zhuoyun and the others also noticed.
"Nianbing truly lives up to being Brother Han's son… he's surpassed even his teacher," Mu Zhuoyun said softly, a trace of nostalgia flickering in his eyes.
If Brother Han hadn't died early, the Mu Family might already have an Advanced Mage by now.
Beside him, Mu He's eyes narrowed slightly.
This boy's talent… was quite impressive.
Still, he dismissed the thought quickly. Zhuoyun must have poured extra resources into him. Nothing surprising there.
Once the family's greater plan began, whether this boy even lived would be another matter.
Down below, Mu Ningxue's gaze lingered quietly on Nianbing. Though her face remained calm and composed, her icy eyes carried a faint glimmer of warmth.
"S+."
"S+."
"S+."
"Final score: S+."
The examiners exchanged confused looks—this level of resonance had never appeared before. Finally, they could only mark it down as S+.
"Student, please proceed to your magic release test."
Nianbing nodded lightly and stepped toward the spellcasting field.
A new training puppet had already been set up to replace the one Xu Zhaoting destroyed.
Closing his eyes briefly, Nianbing drew his breath, and seven Star Particles lit up in succession within his Ice Stardust—linking together at a speed that left the examiners speechless.
Many mages couldn't even form Star Orbits this quickly after years of practice.
"Ice Spread!"
As his voice fell, a chilling wave surged from his body, the air itself freezing as frost spread outward in all directions.
The temperature plummeted. Within seconds, the ground turned white, the frost covering every inch of the arena.
The humanoid puppet in the center was encased entirely in glacial ice, frozen solid.
For a moment, silence blanketed the field.
The attack wasn't as visually explosive as Xu Zhaoting's lightning—but the oppressive cold and flawless control stunned everyone.
Xu Zhaoting's mouth twitched. He had expected Nianbing to be strong—but this strong?
In a real duel, he probably wouldn't even have the chance to summon lightning before being frozen into an ice sculpture.
Across the field, Mu Bai was also performing Ice Spread, but when he saw Nianbing's demonstration, his mind went blank.
If Mu Ningxue had done it, he wouldn't have been surprised.
But Mu Nianbing, who awakened on the same day as him… his Ice Spread was on an entirely different level.
Compared to that… mine looks like child's play.
Even so, Mu Bai didn't resent him. Their relationship was friendly—after all, they'd even teamed up to bully Mo Fan when they were younger. Childhood bonds like that were hard to erase.
"S!"
"S!"
"S!"
"Star Particle strength S+, release score S!"
The examiner's voice echoed through the field.
The result was decisive.
The top spot in the annual assessment was already set in stone.
As Nianbing stepped off the testing platform, Mu Zhuoyun, Principal Zhu, and several others approached.
"Nianbing, excellent performance."
Mu Zhuoyun smiled, patting his shoulder proudly.
Nianbing offered a polite nod, but his gaze naturally drifted toward Mu Ningxue.
She stood amidst the crowd, her silver hair catching the light. Her eyes flickered nervously, not daring to meet his.
Her heart thumped rapidly—memories of almost embracing him yesterday still lingered.
She bit her lip and turned away, cheeks faintly pink.
Nianbing, understanding her hesitation, quietly looked elsewhere, pretending not to notice.
Just then, his gaze met Mu He's across the field.
For an instant, the air between them froze—figuratively and literally.
Mu He's lips curled slightly. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Then, he turned away without another word.
Nianbing exhaled slowly. So far, so good.
With Mu Nianbing's stunning display, every subsequent test seemed dull and unimpressive by comparison.
Even Mo Fan, once the class's "hopeless case" turned hidden genius, appeared overshadowed.
Damn it, Mo Fan cursed inwardly. I was planning to play the pig and eat the tiger, but Mu Nianbing already stole all the thunder!
His irritation grew when Mu Zhuoyun himself approached him afterward, extending an olive branch.
Although the Mu Family already had prodigies like Mu Ningxue and Mu Nianbing, Mu Zhuoyun still hoped to bring other talented students under their wing—to serve as future allies.
But Mo Fan only felt anger.
The memory of his father being humiliated by the Mu Family surged in his mind.
"Is your brain filled with water or something?" he snapped harshly.
The nearby students froze. Even the teachers inhaled sharply.
Mu Zhuoyun's expression darkened. As Bo City's most influential figure, being insulted by a student was a first.
His patience thinned.
Mu Nianbing sighed softly. He knew what was coming—the two-year agreement that would set the course for everything.
Sure enough, under the mediation of Principal Zhu and Deng Kai, Mo Fan and Mu Yuang's magic duel was officially scheduled for two years later.
Nianbing did not interfere.
This duel was part of the Black Vatican's long-laid plan.
If Mu Yuang defeated Mo Fan, they could seize the Earth Holy Spring without question.
If he acted rashly now, he'd only draw the Black Vatican's eyes upon himself—and that was the last thing he needed.