After leaving Dunhuang, everyone boarded the Cangming Jiao and headed toward the northern corner of Zhuoyuan.
Since the high altitudes were the territory of the Feather Clan, Mu Nianbing could only let the Cangming Jiao fly at a low altitude.
As long as they didn't rise above a thousand meters, they wouldn't provoke the powerful aerial monsters that ruled the skies.
"Mu Nianbing, I've heard of your reputation, but I didn't expect you to be even more impressive in person," said Chen Ying, Zhao Manyan's cousin.
Although Mu Nianbing had only shown one summoned beast, that alone had already placed him far above his peers.
"It's just an empty name," Mu Nianbing replied calmly.
If the incident with the Black Snake had been publicized, his fame would have soared even higher—but too much fame could easily become a burden.
As the saying goes: when a bad man does a good deed, he's praised for redemption, but when a good man makes one mistake, he's condemned beyond forgiveness.
"Cousin," Zhao Manyan muttered under his breath, "don't tell me you're actually interested in Brother Bing…"
He couldn't help grumbling inwardly at their conversation.
Still, with Mu Nianbing's strength and talent, would he even look at Chen Ying that way?
Chen Ying might be beautiful, gentle, and well-mannered, but her talent was nowhere near his level.
"Look down there! It's a Sand Howling Tiger!" Zhang Xiaohou suddenly leaned over the side, pointing at the creature prowling through the windswept dunes below.
The Sand Howling Tiger was one of the stronger demon beasts in the northern corner of the Burning Plains.
Generally, unless someone was extremely unlucky, they wouldn't run into monsters stronger than the Commander-level ones.
Most Commander-level demons ruled their own territories, and as long as you didn't intrude, you were safe.
Monarch-level creatures, on the other hand, often commanded entire kingdoms.
The moment Mu Nianbing spotted the Sand Howling Tiger, he ordered the Cangming Jiao to descend.
With the Qilin's blessing increasing the chance of spirit essence drops, he didn't want to miss this walking treasure chest.
In the blink of an eye, the Cangming Jiao swooped above the tiger and unleashed a torrent of water.
A flood-like surge smashed into the beast, sending it rolling helplessly across the desert before it finally crashed into a deep pit.
"Isn't that attack on par with high-level magic?!" Zhang Xiaohou exclaimed in shock.
Even with his military experience, he had never seen a summoned beast with such overwhelming power.
The others were just as stunned.
If summoned beasts could attack like that from a distance, what were ordinary mages even supposed to do?
Mo Fan's eyes filled with envy. Compared to the Cangming Jiao, his Ghost Wolf looked utterly pathetic.
Why was Mu Nianbing so lucky to have such a powerful creature?
The Sand Howling Tiger was barely clinging to life after that devastating strike.
The Cangming Jiao then formed a chilling water arrow and fired it straight through the tiger's head.
In an instant, the beast's blood froze midair.
"Looks like I'm lucky today," Mu Nianbing said with a faint smile as he collected the shimmering soul essence with his Soul Magic Weapon.
Watching him effortlessly harvest the spirit, Mo Fan's jealousy nearly boiled over.
Was the world kidding him? Why was his drop rate so ridiculously low?
Thanks to the Cangming Jiao's incredible speed, the group soon arrived near the Shawang River.
Knowing that White Sand Demon Soldiers lurked beneath its waters, Mu Nianbing and Zhang Xiaohou took the lead to lure them away.
Once the others crossed safely, the two quickly regrouped with the team.
"Tsk, with Brother Bing leading the way, this whole mission feels like a sightseeing trip," Zhao Manyan said with a grin.
Having a flying summoned beast really did make things easier.
No wonder so many Summoners dreamed of contracting a dragon.
Not only could most of them fly, but their combat power was fearsome.
Of course, not all dragons had wings—and those that didn't were much cheaper than flying ones of the same rank.
After crossing the river, Mu Nianbing urged the Cangming Jiao to speed up.
They needed to reach Fire Pillar Mountain before nightfall.
After flying for what felt like hours, a towering fiery peak finally appeared in the distance—like a blazing pillar holding up the heavens.
"Speaking of which," Mo Fan asked, "where exactly are we supposed to start looking?"
Although he knew that Yan Ji was said to live in the northern corner of the Burning Plains, he had no idea where exactly she was.
Zhao Manyan shook his head quickly. "Don't look at me. I barely read the secret scrolls, let alone remember where to find her."
"You guys are seriously bold," Mu Nianbing sighed. "Coming all the way here without even knowing the location?"
Mo Fan gave a sheepish smile. "Well… we figured we'd just try our luck."
In truth, he had no choice. He was poor, raising four different creatures, and couldn't afford a high-bloodline contracted beast.
This was his only shot.
"Ahem, Mu Nianbing," Mo Fan said, scratching his head. "We agreed that if I don't find Yan Ji, you'll return my money, right?"
"I should remind you," Mu Nianbing replied evenly, "finding Yan Ji is one thing. Whether she accepts you as her contractor is another."
Mo Fan's eyes widened.
He realized that if he failed to win Yan Ji's recognition, not only would he return empty-handed, but he'd also be stuck with that massive 300-million-yuan loan.
The thought made him want to jump off the Cangming Jiao right then and there.
"Mu Nian—no, Brother Bing—no, godfather! Please, these 300 million are everything I have. Don't mess with me!" Mo Fan pleaded, his tone desperate.
Mu Nianbing raised a brow and glanced at Ye Xinxia beside him.
Xinxia instantly blushed, her cheeks and neck turning pink as she buried her face shyly against his chest.
Brother Nian must be plotting something again…
"Let's focus on finding Yan Ji first," Mu Nianbing said casually.
"If you fail to earn her approval, I'll think about whether to return your money—or how much to return."
As he spoke, his hand brushed lightly against Xinxia's soft waist, making her flinch in embarrassment.
Mo Fan finally let out a sigh of relief. At least there was still hope.
Worst case, he'd just have to call him "godfather" a few more times.
"Brother Fan, you owe Brother Bing that much money?" Zhang Xiaohou asked in disbelief. He had no idea how broke Mo Fan really was.
"Don't talk about it," Mo Fan groaned, tilting his head toward the sky with a tragic expression. "It's all just tears…"
In truth, it wasn't just Mu Nianbing he owed—he had borrowed 200 million from him and another 100 million from Zhao Manyan!
...
Author's Note:
Versatile Mage: Heir of the Frozen Throne — Part 1 is now fully completed and available on my Patreon!
🔥 I also have a Additional 18+ fanfics now 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
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