Without hesitation, Mu Zhuoyun decided to recruit Mo Fan. As for Jing Wuji—forget it. He had no interest in bringing a mentally unstable person into the fold.
"Mo Fan, come here," Mu Zhuoyun called out.
Mo Fan, having just walked off the testing field, looked at Mu Zhuoyun, not quite sure what the old bastard wanted from him.
With a hint of confusion, Mo Fan walked up to the group of school leaders—but his eyes stayed fixed on Mu Ningxue.
Ahem! Mu Zhuoyun cleared his throat.
Mo Fan reluctantly tore his gaze away and looked at Mu Zhuoyun, visibly annoyed.
"You called me?" Mo Fan tilted his head up to face the tall and imposing Mu Zhuoyun.
Most people would be too intimidated by Mu Zhuoyun's aura to meet his gaze. But not Mo Fan—this guy radiated the unmistakable stench of an arrogant old bastard.
"Our Mu Clan recently acquired a batch of fire-element training resources. Coincidentally, everyone in our estate practices ice magic. Your fire talent is impressive, and your cultivation shocked us. So I've decided to give you access to these resources. Starting now, aside from your regular classes, you can train alongside Mu Jiangming and the others," Mu Zhuoyun said, stroking his beard.
Young people make mistakes. It's forgivable. With a little incentive, he figured Mo Fan would gratefully become one of his loyal tools.
Mu Zhuoyun was rather pleased with himself for offering such an olive branch to a student with no family status or background. A display of magnanimity, he thought.
But after waiting for a while, he still didn't hear Mo Fan respond.
What's the matter? Is the kid so happy he's gone dumb?
Mo Fan stared at Mu Zhuoyun's "kind" smile, looking a bit stunned.
After a moment, Mo Fan finally asked, hesitantly, "What's wrong with you? Did water get into your brain or something?"
"What did you say?" Still basking in the glow of his generosity, Mu Zhuoyun didn't catch what Mo Fan said.
"I said—are you brain-damaged?" Mo Fan repeated, slowly and seriously.
The words rang out crystal clear for everyone around them—and left every single person in a state of utter shock.
Jing Wuji, upon hearing Mo Fan's reply, wore a faint smile.
Of course, it's him. Anyone else would've thanked him on the spot for so many resources, but Mo Fan refused out of pride. Some would call it foolish, but this was the very trait Jing Wuji admired most in him.
Mu Zhuoyun, now hearing clearly, flushed with rage. His face darkened as he growled, "You'd better have a damn good explanation for that, or else—"
"An explanation? Sure, I've got one," Mo Fan sneered. "Don't pretend you weren't the one who crushed my family three years ago. I'm not some idiot who'll sell my soul just because you offer a sweet deal after slapping me in the face. I remember every word you said to my father—how you talked about us like we were dogs. You might've forgotten, but I haven't."
As if something occurred to him, Mo Fan slapped his forehead dramatically. "Oh right, you didn't say much yourself back then. Must've been scared speechless when Brother Wuji looked ready to kill you."
With that outburst, Mo Fan vented years of anger and resentment he'd bottled up deep inside.
The principal, the dean, school board member Deng Kai, Mu He, Mu Bai, class advisor Xue Musheng, the students, and even Mu Ningxue—everyone stood there, stunned.
Only Jing Wuji smiled—and it was a cold, mocking smile.
Mu Zhuoyun's expression was now terrifyingly dark.
Creak… creak…
His fury began to manifest in reality. A slab of solid crystalline ice formed beneath his feet. The chill spreading in the air mirrored his boiling rage.
In just a few seconds, the gravel-covered schoolyard had frozen into a field of solid ice!
"Zhuoyun, control your temper. This is a school—and there are students here who can't even defend themselves." School board member Deng Kai from the Hunter Alliance stepped in, placing himself between Mu Zhuoyun and Mo Fan.
Tang Yue, who had been preparing to jump in and protect Mo Fan, paused when she saw Deng Kai intervene.
Though Mu Zhuoyun's power was somewhat subdued, the pressure in the air was still suffocating.
"Heh… I know you're not afraid of me. But what about your father? I could easily go after your family. Oh, and didn't you have a little sister? Heard she's quite pretty… but crippled. Now imagine if I sent a few thugs to harass her every day—think she could get away?"
In his rage, Mu Zhuoyun said this without the slightest regard for his reputation.
"You—!" Mo Fan finally realized what kind of tyrant he was dealing with. He might be untouchable himself, but his family wasn't.
Sensing he had struck a nerve, Mu Zhuoyun watched Mo Fan's furious expression with twisted satisfaction.
"I already told you—if you ever threaten my family again, one of us isn't walking away alive. Didn't you remember that?" a cold voice suddenly sounded in Mu Zhuoyun's ear.
The next second, Mu Zhuoyun felt something sharp pressing against his neck.
It was Jing Wuji.
He stood right beside Mu Zhuoyun, holding a black dagger formed from pure shadow, its blade pressed tightly against Mu Zhuoyun's throat.
Everyone watching froze. None of them had seen when Jing Wuji had moved—he was just there.
"Even if you kill me, your family will still suffer. So drop the blade—while I'm still willing to forgive you!" Mu Zhuoyun shouted in false bravado.
But deep down, he was terrified.
This was the closest he had ever been to death. He could feel it breathing down his neck.
And he knew—this madman would do it. After all, this was the same lunatic who had once been willing to trade his life for vengeance. There was no reason to think he wouldn't follow through now.
Mu Zhuoyun didn't dare to gamble—especially not with his own life.
"Heh... heh..."
Jing Wuji laughed maniacally as if he had just heard something incredibly funny, his laughter utterly unhinged—then, just as suddenly, he returned to normal.
"I was born with nothing. And now, you want to take away the one person I hold dear? Then you'd better prepare for your clan to be annihilated. If anything happens to Xinxia or my father—any one of the Mu family, no exceptions will die by my hand. Mu Ningxue included."
"Heh... Rebuilding the glory of the Mu Clan through some 'genius'? You'd have to be alive to do that. Don't think I'm bluffing. The fact that none of you even sensed my movements should tell you all you need to know—my skills are perfectly suited for assassination. I want the Mu Clan to die in fear."
Jing Wuji's cold and emotionless tone sent chills down everyone's spine.
"Jing Wuji, don't go down this path!" Tang Yue shouted from below, her voice full of desperation. She truly feared seeing a talent like him fall to darkness. It would be a loss not only to the country but to society as a whole.
"What do you want?!" Mu Zhuoyun asked, his voice shaking. He didn't dare gamble with his life—let alone the life of his daughter or the fate of his entire clan.
Mu Ningxue stared at Jing Wuji like she was seeing him for the first time. Fear crept into her expression—this was not the gentle boy from her childhood memories. Not at all.
"As long as Xinxia and my father are safe... what Mo Fan chooses to do is up to him," Jing Wuji said. He wanted Mo Fan to fight for his pride.
"Fine. I promise you!" Mu Zhuoyun finally gave in under the weight of Jing Wuji's terrifying resolve. He hadn't truly meant to go that far anyway—but this kid...
"Don't even think about attacking me. My Shadow Step is already Tier 2."
The dagger in Jing Wuji's hand dissolved into the air as he turned and left. As for Mo Fan's next move—that was no longer his concern.
As he passed Class 8, the students instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path for him. Most of them looked visibly tense, afraid to provoke the madman.
Tang Yue glanced at Mo Fan, then at Jing Wuji's departing figure. In the end, she chose to follow after Jing Wuji.
After all, Mo Fan's life wasn't in danger—but Jing Wuji's mental state could spiral out of control at any moment.
The sports field fell into an eerie silence once more.
No one dared speak.