After arriving in the Imperial Capital, the group first toured several ancient ruins of civilization before heading to the Imperial Capital Academy.
Not long after they entered the campus, a teacher came forward to receive them.
"Professor Qiu, are you leading the team alone this time?" Lu Yiming asked in surprise after glancing at the Mingzhu Academy team.
Even if only one teacher was needed, it seemed unusual to send an elderly professor by himself.
Professor Qiu Yuhua simply smiled and turned his gaze toward Mu Nianbing.
Lu Yiming followed the professor's line of sight, his confusion deepening when he noticed the young man.
Was this student someone special?
Mu Nianbing stepped forward, his tone calm but edged with cold authority.
"I'm their team leader. Do you have any objections?"
"Ah…?" Lu Yiming stared blankly at him, almost thinking he'd misheard. A teacher? At that age?
However, Professor Qiu didn't correct him. Could it be that this young man truly was their team leader?
Maybe he just looked young…
If he really was the same age as the students, then his talent was nothing short of astonishing.
Lu Yiming quickly composed himself, forcing a polite smile.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize right away."
Mu Nianbing gave only a faint snort in reply and said no more.
Under Lu Yiming's guidance, they soon arrived at the student dormitory.
As the top university in the country, the Imperial Capital Academy's accommodations needed no introduction—they were exceptional.
"Ahem… Mr. Mu," Lu Yiming said awkwardly, still finding it strange to address someone so young as "Teacher."
"The exchange students from the other academies will arrive tomorrow. We'll hold an inter-academy competition then."
Mu Nianbing nodded slightly. "Understood."
Lu Yiming smiled, though there was a hint of forced politeness.
"Please rest early. We at the Imperial Capital Academy look forward to the exchange. I hope you'll show us some mercy."
After he left, Professor Qiu Yuhua turned to Mu Nianbing.
"Mu Nianbing, you'll command the team in tomorrow's match. I'm going to rest."
It was obvious Professor Qiu was a hands-off superior, joining this trip mostly to enjoy a leisurely stay in the capital at public expense.
Mu Nianbing could only sigh inwardly. Still, he wasn't worried—he had Mo Fan on his team, after all.
"I have only one rule," he said, sweeping his sharp gaze over the students. "Don't be late tomorrow. If you are… you'll know the consequences."
The chilling tone sent shivers down everyone's spine.
Mo Fan, Zhao Manyan, and the others exchanged nervous glances.
He's not planning to freeze us into popsicles, right?
That night, Mu Nianbing didn't stay in the student dormitory.
Instead, he left the academy and headed toward the Mu family's residence in the outskirts of the city.
The Mu family's home was located in a suburban area—prime locations in the city center were far beyond their current means.
Following the address Mu Zhuoyun had given him, Mu Nianbing soon found a modest but elegant villa.
He had barely knocked when hurried footsteps echoed from inside. The door opened, revealing Mu Zhuoyun himself.
If this had been back in Bo City, the patriarch would never have been the one answering the door personally.
Seeing Mu Nianbing standing there, Mu Zhuoyun froze for a moment before his face broke into a warm smile.
"Nianbing, how have you been these past two years? Do you have enough cultivation resources?"
The gentle tone stirred something in Mu Nianbing's chest.
"I've been doing well in the Magic City, and I have plenty of resources. How about you, Uncle Yun?"
"We're… managing," Mu Zhuoyun replied, though his smile grew a little stiff.
After moving to the Imperial Capital, he had realized how difficult things truly were.
Without local connections or backing, advancement was nearly impossible. Supporting the entire family had drained nearly all their savings.
In just two short years, the once-prosperous Mu family was on the brink of collapse.
"Come in first," Mu Zhuoyun said, ushering him inside.
He poured a cup of hot tea and set it on the table, "Nianbing, tell me about your experiences over the past two years."
Mu Nianbing took a sip of tea, then retrieved a bank card from his space ring and placed it before Mu Zhuoyun.
"Uncle Yun, there's fifty million in this card. Use it for now. If it's not enough, you can come to me again."
He understood the Mu family's situation clearly. Though fifty million couldn't solve everything, it would ease the most urgent pressures.
And as someone of Mu blood, he couldn't simply ignore their hardship—especially when Mu Zhuoyun had treated him better than even his own adopted son, Mu Yuan.
"F–Fifty million?" Mu Zhuoyun stammered, his hands trembling. "Where did you get that kind of money?"
"I had some fortunate encounters," Mu Nianbing replied honestly.
"I've already advanced to the High-level, and this is part of what I earned hunting magical beasts."
Mu Zhuoyun's eyes widened in disbelief.
"High-level… in just two years?!"
The old patriarch could hardly contain his shock. Breaking through from Intermediate to High-level in such a short time was nearly unheard of.
He himself had trained for decades without reaching that stage—mostly because of how costly cultivation resources were.
The Galaxy Vein alone could stop countless talented mages in their tracks.
After a long pause, Mu Zhuoyun exhaled and shook his head.
"Nianbing, after reaching the High-level, your own training will demand far greater resources. You should keep this money for yourself."
Mu Nianbing smiled faintly. "Uncle Yun, please accept it. Consider it a small gesture for the family. And if you really don't want to accept it…"
He paused, teasing lightly, "Then think of it as a betrothal gift."
"Betrothal gift?" Mu Zhuoyun blinked, then burst out laughing. "You rascal! I knew you had designs on Xiaoxue!"
Their familial relationship was distant enough that such a match wouldn't be inappropriate, and Mu Zhuoyun's laughter carried genuine warmth.
In the end, he accepted the card.
To him, Mu Nianbing had already been an ideal candidate for a son-in-law.
Now that he had reached the High-level and shown both talent and loyalty, Mu Zhuoyun's satisfaction overflowed.
With Mu Nianbing and Mu Ningxue supporting each other, perhaps the Mu family still had a bright future ahead.
...
Author's Note:
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