"Something to return to me?"
Song Jie frowned, puzzled by Ding Yumian's words. Since she had already hung up, he could only go and see what it was about.
During his recent seclusion in the Three Step Tower, his Summoning Element had successfully broken through to the Advanced Level—
Which meant he was now officially a High-Level Mage!
Song Jie not only had powerful cultivation items, such as his bracelet, but also an abundance of cultivation resources he had accumulated through various means.
Even disciples of the great families would envy how well-supplied he was.
On top of that, being the top student in both the Light Element and Summoning Element meant he had a steady flow of resources provided to him every month.
Still, some items—like the Galaxy Vein—had to be obtained personally.
Although he felt a lingering sense of loss after Mu Nujiao's departure, his recent breakthrough left him in excellent spirits.
As he walked toward the Pearl Institute's lakeside, he pulled out his phone and sent Mo Fan a message.
[Song Jie: Mo Fan, Mu Nujiao is your sister-in-law. Help me keep an eye on her. If anyone dares to bully her, let me know when you're back. I'll break their legs.]
Mo Fan trembled the moment he saw the message.
[Mo Fan: Brother Jie, don't worry. I'll definitely keep an eye on her for you!]
[Song Jie: Mo Fan, I treat you like a brother. You remember how good I've been to you, right?]
[Mo Fan: Brother Jie, rest assured. If Mu Nujiao's in danger, I'll be the first to step in!]
He still remembered vividly how Song Jie had taken him out of Bo City and how much he owed him.
The Fire Seed, the essence orb, the bounty—Song Jie had helped him countless times.
Mo Fan would never forget his kindness.
If anyone dared to disrespect or lay a hand on Mu Nujiao, he would stand up for her immediately.
[Song Jie: Good. With those words, I'm reassured. I trust you!]
[Mo Fan: Brother Jie, you can be a hundred percent at ease. If I'm in danger, Mu Nujiao definitely won't be.]
Soon after, Song Jie arrived at the lakeside.
He spotted a familiar, graceful figure sitting on a bench, quietly reading.
Approaching from behind, he covered Ding Yumian's eyes with his hands and spoke in a low, playful tone.
"Guess who I am?"
Ding Yumian didn't answer. Instead, she slowly raised her hand—revealing what she was holding.
Song Jie froze when he saw it.
It was his Hunter Badge!
"The badge I've been looking for… Why do you have it?" Song Jie asked, surprised.
"I found it on the ground downstairs from our building," Ding Yumian replied calmly.
Downstairs?
Song Jie thought for a moment—and then it hit him.
That night, after his Demonization, he had noticed her bathroom window wasn't closed! His badge must have fallen out when he entered!
And so, Ding Yumian had picked it up that night—and now she was returning it.
"Maybe…" Song Jie began to explain, but Ding Yumian interrupted softly:
"The shadow that night was you, wasn't it?"
Her words hit him like thunder.
Song Jie's heart skipped a beat.
Since she had already figured it out, denying it would be pointless.
He smiled awkwardly. "That night, I was on the rooftop getting some air and noticed your bathroom window wasn't closed, so I just…"
Ding Yumian listened quietly without saying a word.
The hand Song Jie had used to cover her eyes felt warm, and when he stepped around to look at her, he noticed her cheeks were bright red.
Of course she was embarrassed—because that night, when she had noticed him, she had been undressing.
Which meant… she had been seen!
Before the silence grew too heavy, Song Jie quickly changed the subject. "I've noticed you've gotten a little chubbier lately."
"R-Really?" Ding Yumian stammered, avoiding his eyes. She didn't know how to face him now.
"If you don't believe me, look."
He reached out and gently pinched her cheek.
"See? There's more flesh than before. Seems you've been eating well lately."
Ding Yumian's face turned scarlet, her ears burning with heat.
She had remembered him once saying she was too thin, so after returning from training, she had changed her eating habits.
And now… her face really was a little rounder.
But after Song Jie pinched her cheek, she couldn't handle the embarrassment anymore.
"I've returned your item, so I'll be going now!" she said quickly, standing up and rushing off.
Song Jie chuckled softly as he watched her retreating figure.
"She runs really fast."
He hadn't expected his entire reputation to be ruined by a single Hunter Badge.
But since he had been exposed, there was only one thing to do—
Take responsibility.
After all, he had seen everything. He would have to offer himself as compensation.
When Song Jie got home, his phone rang. It was Tang Yue.
"Song Jie, are you on break now?" she asked.
"Mm, yes."
"If you want to earn some money, come to the Lingyin Temple Inquisition right away," Tang Yue said.
"The higher-ups agreed?"
"They did."
"Alright, I'll go tomorrow."
Song Jie had already discussed this with her before, and now that approval had come through, he was eager to get started.
He summoned Little Black, his small companion, and rubbed its head.
"Little Black, we're going to make a lot of money this time!"
The Judgment Association handled dangerous criminals—and there were hefty bonuses for each interrogation.
This was bound to be a very profitable trip.
However, Little Black looked at him with a sulky expression.
Song Jie laughed awkwardly. "Oh, right… I wanted Ai Tutu to take you out for something delicious, but she already left. And I'm busy too."
Little Black turned its head away, clearly unimpressed.
"Hey, don't be mad. We're going to Lin'an this time—there's tons of great food there! Soup dumplings, scallion pancakes, West Lake vinegar fish…" Song Jie teased. "And I know you love fish the most."
At the mention of food, Little Black's ears perked up and it almost drooled.
It let out a soft "meow," as if saying, This is your last chance. Don't blow it.
Song Jie grinned wickedly, like a businessman sealing a deal.
The next day.
Song Jie arrived in Lin'an by afternoon.
As soon as he stepped out of the airport, Tang Yue was already waiting in her car.
"Teacher Tang Yue."
"Get in," she said simply.
Once Song Jie was seated, Tang Yue started the car and drove toward her residence.
"You must have bought the Galaxy Vein and broken through, right?" she asked.
"I did," Song Jie replied. "I reached the Advanced Level recently."
However, he was still working on mastering star control.
At the Advanced Level, he needed to control 343 star particles—something that had initially overwhelmed him.
But after adapting, his speed had improved greatly.
And with plenty of money left to buy auxiliary items, it wouldn't be long before he could draw and connect them into a brilliant constellation.
Tang Yue raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It seems you're catching up to me already."
Song Jie chuckled. "So, Teacher Tang Yue, you'd better make your move while you can—before I fully surpass you!"
...
Author's Note:
The first half (completed version more that 320 chapters) of Versatile Mage: My Magic Has Gone Beyond Limits! is now available on Patreon!
🔥 I also have additional **18+ fanfics** available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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