To ensure Mu Nujiao and the others' safety, Mu Nianbing stepped into the Si Ye Ruling Formation as well.
Once inside, the surrounding area transformed into a dark labyrinth. Pitch-black walls towered in every direction, and the air felt heavy and strange.
Suddenly, several Black Beasts leapt out from the shadows. The moment they sensed living auras, their movements quickened, fangs gleaming in the dim light.
"Mysterious Ice Thorn!"
Mu Nianbing raised his hand and conjured several razor-sharp icicles that shot forward, impaling the beasts against the dark walls in an instant.
He frowned. "The power's clearly weakened… must be the suppression from the formation."
If these creatures were already within the Si Ye Ruling Formation, it could only mean one thing — the Black Vatican had already begun to move.
The priority now was to find Mu Nujiao and the others.
Just then, Zhao Manyan came running up from ahead, panting. When he spotted Mu Nianbing, his face lit up.
"Brother Bing! You're here too?"
"Where are the others?" Mu Nianbing asked sharply.
"They went after the Shadow Monster," Zhao Manyan replied, scratching his head.
Mu Nianbing gave him a puzzled look. "They went after it… so why are you here?"
"Uh…" Zhao Manyan's expression froze. When he realized he couldn't catch up to the Shadow Monster earlier, he'd simply given up.
Within this formation, all creatures that lacked dark affinity were suppressed.
The Shadow Monster, however, was a dark-type creature—its power surged, and it broke free from Mu Nujiao's vines before disappearing into the shadows.
"Forget it," Mu Nianbing said flatly. "The Black Vatican is already involved. We have to find them fast."
Without wasting time, he summoned the Cangming Jiao. The majestic serpent-like creature coiled into existence, its scales glinting like blue crystal.
After absorbing a large amount of resources, it had already reached the peak of the General level, just one step away from Commander rank.
"The Black Vatican?!" Zhao Manyan's eyes widened. "This was supposed to be a campus assessment! How could it involve them?"
Mu Nianbing didn't bother explaining. He simply grabbed Zhao Manyan by the collar and hauled him onto the Cangming Jiao's back.
Even under the formation's suppression, the Cangming Jiao's speed was extraordinary. In the blink of an eye, they covered dozens of meters.
"Brother Bing, what did your summoned beast eat to grow like this? It's insane!" Zhao Manyan exclaimed, running his hand over the creature's sleek, scaled hide.
"I wish I had something this fierce!"
"Shut up," Mu Nianbing snapped, his eyes narrowing. He could feel a terrible fluctuation approaching from afar. Something was coming.
Startled by the tone, Zhao Manyan fell silent.
"What is that?" Mu Nianbing murmured.
Below them, a strange black vortex began to form, twisting like a living nest.
The next second, a torrent of poisonous insects surged out, spreading across the labyrinth floor like a dark flood.
"Poison Magic!" Mu Nianbing's pupils contracted. Could it be… a Black-robed Priest? Or worse — a Blue-robed Deacon?
Zhao Manyan's jaw dropped. "You mean the Black Vatican's really here?!"
His heart sank. Thank goodness Mu Nianbing was here — otherwise, they'd all be doomed.
Screams echoed nearby. Several students were overwhelmed by the swarm.
"What are these things?!"
"Someone, help! They're everywhere!"
The poisonous insects spread fast. Against a few dark beasts, the students could still fight back.
But this endless tide of venomous creatures? One bite could be fatal.
"Lulu, behind you!" Xu Zhaoting shouted in panic as he saw the swarm surging toward Zhang Lulu.
He immediately turned back, refusing to run. Having already lost his family, he would not lose her too.
"Mysterious Ice Field!"
A frigid blue light erupted from Mu Nianbing's eyes. In an instant, freezing energy expanded in all directions, covering nearly a hundred meters.
The swarm froze mid-air. In seconds, the once-raging tide of insects became lifelike ice sculptures, glittering in the pale blue light.
Xu Zhaoting and Zhang Lulu turned, stunned by the scene.
A world of frost stretched before them — silent, motionless, and breathtakingly cold.
"An elemental domain?!"
Hidden in the shadows, a Blue-robed Deacon of the Black Vatican watched in disbelief. "Did the school's instructors intervene?"
But then he shook his head. "No… if it were them, I'd already be dead."
His gaze lifted to the sky — and there, he saw Mu Nianbing on the back of the Cangming Jiao.
"Has this boy already broken through?" His expression darkened. "If he truly possesses the Holy Spring of Earth, then it makes sense…"
A cruel smile twisted his lips. "I was looking for him anyway — and he delivers himself right to me!"
High above, Mu Nianbing suddenly felt a powerful surge of magic from a distance. His sharp gaze turned in that direction — and then he saw it.
A dark-green constellation lit up the air.
"Poison Insect Contract — Mother of a Hundred Venoms!"
The ground split apart as a colossal, centipede-like creature — thirty to forty meters long — burst forth, shrieking.
It lunged upward, its fanged jaws snapping toward the Cangming Jiao.
Even under the formation's suppression, this Queen of a Hundred Venoms was a true Commander-level monster!
Zhao Manyan went pale. "What the hell is that?! I can't even handle one general-level monster—how are we supposed to fight that thing?!"
The Cangming Jiao roared and tried to evade, but its tail was bitten by the monstrous insect.
With terrifying strength, the creature yanked and flung the Cangming Jiao toward the ground.
Mu Nianbing leapt free just in time, using his Demonic Meteor Boots to vanish into the air and land safely.
Zhao Manyan wasn't as lucky — he hit the ground hard, his armor and magic gear barely saving him from serious injury.
"Multiple Ice Layers!"
Mu Nianbing thrust his hand forward, summoning over a dozen shimmering Ice Walls to block the Queen's path.
But under the formation's suppression, the barriers quickly corroded under the venom's power.
The Cangming Jiao roared again, its scales darkened by poison. It was clearly outmatched.
Mu Nianbing's eyes hardened. He activated the Ice Ring, channeling his magic until it surged violently within him.
"Freeze — and awaken!"
A blinding surge of ice energy erupted around him. The air crystallized as frost gathered and formed a magnificent Ice Dragon over thirty meters long.
Its scales shimmered like sapphires, each reflecting a shard of light.
Its wings spread wide, releasing a cutting blizzard. The creature's majestic aura shook the entire formation.
Students across the battlefield looked up, stunned.
"What… what is that?!"
"An Ice Dragon?! Did a teacher summon it?"
"No way — that's Mu Nianbing! He summoned it himself!"
Gasps rippled through the students. The sight of the colossal dragon soaring in the dark sky, glowing with icy brilliance, left everyone speechless.
An Ice Dragon, born from a student's hand — a spectacle that stunned the entire audience.
...
Author's Note:
Versatile Mage: Heir of the Frozen Throne — Part 1 is now fully completed and available on my Patreon!
One complete 18+ novel has been uploaded on Patreon, guaranteed to give you an intense and thrilling experience.
🔥 I also have a Doraemon 18+ fanfic with smut content available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
You can read the completed version here: patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your support and encouragement. More content is coming soon, so stay tuned! ❄️🔥