"Village Chief!"
Su Xiaoluo's eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Fang Gu get flung into the abyss.
Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou were equally stunned by Mu Nianbing's ruthless decisiveness.
But neither of them doubted his judgment. If Mu Nianbing had acted, there had to be a reason.
Without pausing, Mu Nianbing turned and strode to the far end of the bridge. There, a silver mirror shimmered into existence before him.
He instantly recognized it as a teleportation gate—and without hesitation, stepped through.
After passing through the mirror, the world shifted.
A vast, dimly lit altar rose before him—its design resembling an enormous ice crown. The towering stone steps beneath it were massive, clearly meant not for humans but for gods.
"So this really was the Life Bridge." Mu Nianbing muttered under his breath.
He had briefly worried Fang Gu might try something desperate, but apparently, that fool hadn't even had the chance.
At the top of the altar stood a throne carved from blood-red crystal.
Upon it lay a long-sealed armored robe, dark and regal.
Under the effect of Death God's Blessing, Mu Nianbing could clearly see a powerful remnant soul clinging to it—an ancient consciousness radiating overwhelming malice.
The aura of evil it carried made the corruption of the Evil Abyss seem like child's play.
So this is the Ancient King…
To wear the armor would mean gaining an Emperor's power, but Mu Nianbing knew he could not withstand the soul's devouring madness.
No—better to revive the Ancient King and make him serve instead.
That way, he would gain an Emperor-level ally under his control.
Having made up his mind, Mu Nianbing teleported to the top of the altar in a flash of light.
As he approached, the ancient armor suddenly trembled—almost in excitement—as if sensing the presence of a living being.
The next moment, the armor leaped from the throne like a predator, lunging straight toward Mu Nianbing!
But his expression remained calm.
With a wave of his hand, a Scythe of Death materialized in his grasp, slicing through the air.
The blade never touched the armor—but the remnant soul within it was instantly severed and harvested.
The armor collapsed to the floor with a dull clang, lifeless once more.
"Who… are you…?" A hoarse voice echoed faintly from the fractured soul.
The Ancient King's remnant consciousness seemed incomplete, his tone sluggish and fragmented.
Mu Nianbing didn't waste time on pleasantries.
He seized the remnant soul's head and invoked a forbidden power.
Soul Guidance!
Dark energy spiraled from his palm, weaving threads of necrotic light into the Ancient King's spirit, shaping and binding it.
Gradually, the remnant soul began to solidify—its aura rapidly intensifying.
Meanwhile, Mo Fan, Zhang Xiaohou, and Su Xiaoluo finally passed through the silver mirror.
The instant they appeared, a crushing pressure descended on them like a mountain, forcing them flat onto the floor.
Their faces turned pale as their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
This oppressive power could only belong to one being—
The Ancient King!
Even Mo Fan, with his Demon Element, couldn't hope to stand against that kind of existence.
At this level, resistance was meaningless.
They could only pray that the Ancient King held no hostility toward them.
Moments later, a middle-aged man in a dark Xuan-black imperial robe knelt respectfully before Mu Nianbing.
"My Lord," he said reverently.
Mu Nianbing looked down at the figure and smiled faintly.
Perfect. Complete obedience.
Although the revival had succeeded, a minor flaw had occurred during Soul Guidance—the Ancient King now existed in a half-living, half-dead state.
Still, that was hardly an issue.
If the Ancient King had been fully revived, his will might have conflicted with Mu Nianbing's command.
This version was ideal—powerful, loyal, and controllable.
"I have two tasks for you," Mu Nianbing said, his tone calm but commanding.
"My Lord, please command," the Ancient King replied instantly.
"First," Nianbing ordered, "once we leave the Evil Abyss, withdraw all undead outside immediately."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Second… I want you to find an island called Xia Island."
Though Mu Nianbing already knew the Earth Holy Spring lay hidden there, its exact location was still a mystery.
The island was shrouded by sea fog and protected by strict local enchantments—cut off from the outside world.
Finding it by himself would be nearly impossible.
But with an Emperor-level undead searching for him, it would only be a matter of time.
After explaining his orders clearly, Mu Nianbing had the Ancient King open a portal leading back to the surface.
Only then did he teleport to where Mo Fan and the others lay, still pinned to the ground.
The moment the Ancient King left the altar, the suffocating pressure vanished.
The three immediately gasped for breath, shakily pushing themselves upright.
"B-Brother Bing," Mo Fan stammered, still pale. "That power just now… was that the Ancient King?"
"That's right."
"So terrifying… I thought I was going to die just from the pressure!" Mo Fan wiped the sweat from his brow, still shaken.
If the Ancient King had even slightly turned hostile, none of them would've survived.
Zhang Xiaohou and Su Xiaoluo nodded in agreement. Though it lasted only seconds, it had felt like a lifetime.
"By the way, Brother Bing," Zhang Xiaohou asked hesitantly, "why did you throw Fang Gu off the bridge?"
"Fang Gu knew which bridge led to life," Mu Nianbing replied calmly.
"But he hid that from us, planning to let us die. Falling into the abyss was the best ending for him."
His tone carried no emotion, only cold certainty.
Of course, that was just the explanation he gave them.
In truth, Mu Nianbing had killed Fang Gu because he knew too much—about the Ancient King, about the inheritance, and about the truth behind the tomb.
Leaving him alive would only invite disaster later.
And I don't leave loose ends.
"Wait—Fang Gu knew the Life Bridge?" Zhang Xiaohou's eyes widened.
The realization struck them all at once. Fang Gu's chosen bridge had been the right one all along!
If they hadn't trusted Mu Nianbing and had picked at random, they might've been doomed.
"Damn it," Mo Fan cursed, clenching his fists. "That guy really deserved it!"
Knowing the way out yet keeping silent—Fang Gu had sealed his own fate.
If anything, Mo Fan thought, being thrown into the abyss was too merciful.
...
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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🔥 I also have additional **18+ fanfics** 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
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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