"Who's there?! Come out!"
Zhao Yulin was startled by the sudden surge of magic. His face turned pale as he spun around, scanning the area in panic.
The guards quickly formed a protective circle around him, their nerves tense.
Zhao Yulin didn't even glance at the Ghost Woman trapped in ice—his only concern was saving himself.
Moments later, Mu Nianbing and Nan Jue stepped out from behind a large tree.
Seeing that the attacker was such a young man, Zhao Yulin and his men were taken aback.
"You have thirty seconds to leave," Mu Nianbing said coldly.
His tone was calm, but his gaze carried the weight of frozen steel. The killing intent behind his words sent shivers down their spines.
Zhao Yulin forced a smile and stammered, "L–Little brother, we meant no harm."
"Get lost."
The moment Mu Nianbing's voice fell, a powerful wave of cold swept out from his body. The air itself seemed to freeze.
Zhao Yulin and his guards felt the icy pressure and didn't dare to stay another second.
After taking one last look at the Ghost Woman sealed in ice, Zhao Yulin let out a frustrated sigh and led his men away as quickly as possible.
Mu Nianbing watched their retreating figures and sneered. "Cowards."
"You froze her completely… do you know who she is?"
Nan Jue approached the frozen prison, the air around it biting cold. Even her seasoned body trembled as she touched the surface of the ice.
Such precise and overwhelming control over ice—she had never seen anything like it.
"This person impersonated Jiang Feng to steal the Fire Tribulation Fruit," Mu Nianbing said flatly.
He didn't bother hiding the truth. Since Nan Jue's team had been hunting the Ghost Woman, she deserved to know.
Nan Jue's eyes lit up in realization. "You're certain?"
If the woman in white was truly an imposter, then that confirmed it—the Ghost Woman they had been pursuing was right here before them.
Before Mu Nianbing could continue, a blazing red figure shot through the air toward them.
The sky shimmered with heat waves as Jiang Feng, the Fire Witch, descended.
The extreme cold from Mu Nianbing's Millennium Ice Prison naturally drew her attention.
As a creature of pure flame, she was extremely sensitive to such elemental power.
"Rrrrring!"
Flames coiled wildly around her as she landed before the ice prison, her aura burning with restrained fury.
Nan Jue immediately stepped in front of Mu Nianbing, protective instinct kicking in.
Against a creature of this magnitude, even a mid-level mage like her couldn't hope to fight. Only a high-level mage could stand a chance.
When she noticed that Jiang Feng didn't show hostility, Nan Jue finally relaxed and quietly moved aside.
Mu Nianbing rolled his eyes slightly. Her attitude changes fast.
He had expected Jiang Feng to destroy the Ghost Woman immediately, but she hesitated—her burning eyes filled with a mixture of rage and sorrow.
Before long, Chen Ying, Ye Xinxia, and the others arrived on the Cangming Jiao.
"Brother Nian," Xinxia called out softly, "she asked me to ask you—the true identity of the person wrapped in white cloth?"
Mu Nianbing's gaze shifted toward Nan Jue. Since the Ghost Woman was wanted by the military, it was better for Nan Jue to reveal it herself.
Nan Jue hesitated briefly, then said in a steady voice, "She's a wanted criminal from our military district—the Ghost Woman."
The others weren't particularly surprised. The only one visibly shaken was Chen Ying.
Even though she had accepted that the Fire Witch was her real mother, the woman who had raised her for over a decade—her supposed mother—turned out to be a criminal.
It was too much to take in all at once.
"Since she's wanted by the military," Mu Nianbing said calmly, "should I hand her over to you for judgment?"
"No need," Nan Jue replied coldly. "The order didn't require her alive."
While capturing her alive would have been ideal, the Ghost Woman was a high-level mage. They had no means to restrain her safely.
Mu Nianbing nodded faintly. "That makes things easier."
He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.
Crack!
The Millennium Ice Prison shattered with a thunderous sound, and the Ghost Woman within burst apart into glittering fragments of ice.
"Tsk, tsk… Brother Bing's move isn't just powerful—it's beautiful!" Zhao Manyan's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"Not only can it freeze enemies solid, it can blow them to pieces! Why couldn't I awaken the Ice Element instead of these turtle-shell Light and Water ones?"
Mu Nianbing ignored his complaint. The Ghost Woman's matter was settled—it was time to leave this place.
"Pack up your things," he instructed calmly. "We're heading back today."
Mo Fan's expression immediately turned anxious. "Wait—what about Yan Ji?"
Chen Ying rushed over, her voice trembling. "What about my mother?"
Mu Nianbing's eyes moved toward Jiang Feng, the woman still surrounded by flames.
Clearly, she couldn't return to human settlements in her current form—unless she entered a contracted space.
However, as an Ice Mage, Mu Nianbing had no need for a Fire Elemental creature, nor did he intend to contract her permanently.
Jiang Feng herself had no interest in being bound, so Mu Nianbing offered a compromise.
"I can lend her my contract space for now," he suggested.
Jiang Feng thought for a moment. This solution would allow her to remain close to her daughter while avoiding trouble.
Besides, Mu Nianbing's contract space was stable enough to accommodate her flames safely.
After a brief pause, she nodded in agreement.
Before entering, Jiang Feng handed the Fire Tribulation Fruit to Mu Nianbing.
He blinked in surprise. Wait a second—did I just end up with both mother and daughter in one go?
A pity he wasn't a Fire Mage—otherwise, he'd be unstoppable.
"Brother Bing—no, godfather," Mo Fan said, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "That Fire Tribulation Fruit…"
Over the past few days, he had learned that the Fire Tribulation Fruit was connected to Yan Ji, the being he'd long sought.
Mu Nianbing didn't hand it over immediately. Instead, he looked at Jiang Feng. If she didn't approve, he wouldn't proceed.
After a long pause, Jiang Feng nodded her consent.
Mu Nianbing smiled faintly. "You heard her, Little Fan. Don't say your adoptive father tricked you."
He passed the Fire Tribulation Fruit to Mo Fan, who accepted it with both hands, grinning from ear to ear.
"From now on," Mo Fan declared solemnly, "if my godfather says go east, I'll never go west! Bah, bah—I mean, I'll definitely go east!"
Zhao Manyan and Zhang Xiaohou groaned and covered their eyes, unable to watch the shameless display.
Finally, Mu Nianbing lifted Ye Xinxia onto the back of the Cangming Jiao, while the others climbed aboard as well.
Zhao Manyan glanced between Chen Ying and Mu Nianbing, muttering under his breath, "Brother Bing really packed up both mother and daughter, huh…"
The Cangming Jiao soared into the sky, carrying everyone away from Zhuoyuan's northern corner.
Mu Nianbing first escorted Nan Jue and her team back to a nearby military camp, then separated from Chen Ying and Zhang Xiaohou upon reaching Dunhuang City.
This expedition to the North Point of Zhuoyuan had been more than fruitful—
They had not only secured valuable treasures but also gained the powerful ally, Jiang Feng.
It was truly a journey that achieved two goals at once.
...
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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