Over the next few days, Mu Nianbing focused entirely on refining his control over the stars of the Space Element.
His spiritual strength had already broken through to the third realm, allowing him to weave and align the stellar trails much faster than before.
High-level Space Magic — Blink — was a lifesaving technique far superior to the Wind Track.
Once mastered, it could mean the difference between life and death in battle.
Mu Nianbing had planned to complete his mastery in one go, but before he could finish, a message from Dean Xiao arrived, summoning him to the office immediately.
"Dean Xiao wants to see me? What for…"
He turned toward the little Snow Girl sitting on the coffee table, happily nibbling on an Ice Spirit Seed fragment.
Mu Nianbing couldn't help teasing her a few times with his finger.
"Aiya~~!"
The tiny Snow Girl puffed up her cheeks, placed her hands on her hips, and glared at him in mock anger.
Chuckling, Mu Nianbing lifted her up with one hand and set her on his shoulder. "Alright, alright, let's go see what the old man wants."
The Snow Girl's eyes darted back to the half-eaten fragment on the table, and she squeaked pitifully, "Yaa~!"
Mu Nianbing shook his head helplessly. With a flick of thought, the fragment floated up into his palm, and he handed it to her.
The little Snow Girl instantly forgot her grievance and went back to chewing contentedly.
Since his two main contract spaces were temporarily occupied by Lei Yi and Jiang Feng, Mu Nianbing could only bring the Snow Girl with him.
Fortunately, she was well-behaved—aside from the occasional incident of accidentally freezing things solid.
Still, raising her wasn't cheap.
She devoured at least one Ice Spirit Seed fragment a day, and each fragment cost anywhere between 300,000 to 800,000 yuan.
That was hundreds of thousands spent daily, tens of millions monthly—an expense few could dream of maintaining.
Luckily, Mu Nianbing had built up a substantial reserve of funds. Otherwise, he'd be forced to hunt magical beasts every few days just to pay for her meals.
He had earned 300 million from Mo Fan earlier, and with his past savings, he was comfortably wealthy for now.
The contract creature issue was settled, so for the moment, money was the least of his worries.
When Mu Nianbing entered the campus, heads immediately turned.
While he was already quite well-known at Mingzhu Academy, it wasn't his reputation drawing all the attention this time—it was the adorable Snow Girl perched on his shoulder.
Her pure white glow and misty aura caught every passerby's eye. Dozens of students—especially female ones—found excuses to stop him and gush over her.
Surrounded by curious onlookers, Mu Nianbing finally squeezed his way to Dean Xiao's office.
When he opened the door, he was surprised to find two unfamiliar faces inside alongside Dean Xiao.
One was a middle-aged man with an elegant, calm temperament. His kind smile carried the warmth of authority and wisdom.
The other was an older man with a square face and sharp tiger-like eyes—stern, dignified, and clearly not someone easy to please.
From their bearing alone, Mu Nianbing could already guess who they might be.
"Dean Xiao, may I ask who these two seniors are?" he asked respectfully.
Dean Xiao smiled. "This is Grand Council Speaker Shao Zheng, and this year's National Government team mentor, Feng Li. They're both here to see you."
"Me?" Mu Nianbing blinked in surprise. For two such important figures to visit personally… it could only mean one thing.
The captaincy of the National Team!
While the full lineup of the National Government Team had yet to be finalized, the position of captain needed to be determined early.
The only one truly competing with him for the spot was Ai Jiangtu.
Based on cultivation and battle achievements alone, Mu Nianbing clearly held the advantage.
But captaincy was about more than just power—it also required leadership, reputation, and composure.
Throughout the exchange, Shao Zheng's attention was drawn again and again to the tiny creature perched on Mu Nianbing's shoulder.
His eyes shone with astonishment.
When he was younger, Shao Zheng had once journeyed deep into Tianshan Mountain and received a blessing from the Heavenly Mark White Tiger, an Ice-Element Holy Spirit.
That encounter had defined his path as a mage.
Now, seeing the Snow Girl, he couldn't help but marvel—her purity of ice energy was almost on par with that of the Heavenly Mark White Tiger!
"Incredible…" he murmured. Then, aloud, "Mu Nianbing, is your contracted creature from Tianshan?"
That was the only explanation for an ice spirit of such divine purity.
The other sacred lands—the Kunlun Mountains and the southernmost ice fields—were beyond the reach of even most high-level mages.
Mu Nianbing gave a noncommittal smile. "You could say that."
Shao Zheng's smile widened. He stepped forward, placing a hand on Mu Nianbing's shoulder.
"It seems fate has brought us together, then. I support you to be this year's National Team Captain."
"…Seriously?" Mu Nianbing blinked, stunned. He hadn't expected to earn Shao Zheng's support because of the Snow Girl of all things.
Or perhaps, he thought, the Qilin's Blessing was subtly influencing his fortune once again.
Feng Li frowned. "Grand Speaker, isn't this decision a little too sudden?"
After all, this was the captaincy of the National Team—a title countless mages dreamed of.
The captain held greater authority than any other member, even able to weigh in on personnel decisions alongside the instructor.
Shao Zheng, however, remained calm. "I'm not the only one supporting him. Many others have recognized Mu Nianbing's achievements.
He's the most outstanding student of his generation—and his contributions have been remarkable."
He didn't mention the most important part: the commander of the Hua Army himself had recommended Mu Nianbing by name.
Feng Li fell silent. He couldn't deny Mu Nianbing's excellence, yet the decision still felt rushed.
"Many others also support Ai Jiangtu. Why not let them compete for it?"
Shao Zheng rubbed his chin, then turned to Mu Nianbing. "What do you think?"
Mu Nianbing smiled faintly. "I have no objections."
He wasn't worried about facing Ai Jiangtu. With his current strength, he could even defeat Zhao Luo, the captain of the British team, if needed.
Though he respected Ai Jiangtu, Mu Nianbing believed the captaincy should go to the strongest—and he wasn't about to back down.
Moreover, leading the National Team would open many doors for his family's future.
Shao Zheng nodded. "Good. Have a sparring match to determine it. It'll also give you both a chance to know each other better."
After that, Shao Zheng discussed a few other official matters before taking his leave.
As the Grand Speaker of the Magic Association, his time was precious, and his visit here was already exceptional.
Once Shao Zheng departed, Feng Li turned to Mu Nianbing.
"Ai Jiangtu happens to be near the Magic City. How about a sparring match at the Mingzhu Academy's battle hall tomorrow?"
Mu Nianbing nodded confidently. "No problem."
...
Author's Note:
Versatile Mage: Heir of the Frozen Throne — Part 1 is now fully completed and available on my Patreon!
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2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
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5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
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