After Little Snow Girl's advancement, Mu Nianbing suddenly faced a new problem.
Previously, Little Snow Girl had been small enough to carry around easily.
But now, she had transformed into a beautiful young lady. It was no longer possible for Mu Nianbing to hide her inside his collar like before.
However, both of his contract spaces were already occupied.
Now, there were only two choices before him.
The first was to take Jiang Feng to Yantai, letting her live with Yan Shi and Chen Ying. For Jiang Feng, that would undoubtedly be the best arrangement.
The second was to obtain a Contract Ring, which could grant an additional contract space.
Unfortunately, Contract Rings were incredibly rare. Mu Nianbing only knew of one—owned by the Zhao family.
But acquiring it from the Zhao family would be nearly impossible.
They weren't short on wealth or resources. Unless… he killed Zhao Manyan's father and claimed his soul with the Scythe of Death.
Yet that was far too cruel. Zhao Manyan was his friend and had helped him on many occasions. Doing such a thing would cross a moral line.
There was another possible method: Soul Transference.
After Zhao Manyan's father eventually passed away, Mu Nianbing could use that ability to bring him back.
But there were two major problems. First, Zhao Manyan's father, though gravely ill, still had some time left.
Second, the cooldown for Soul Transference hadn't ended yet, meaning even an early death wouldn't allow its use.
Overall, sending Jiang Feng to Yantai was the most reasonable option.
Mu Nianbing now controlled the Ancient King and had Lei Yi as a personal guard.
Jiang Feng no longer played a critical role. Moreover, ice and fire were fundamentally incompatible, so keeping her forcibly by his side made little sense.
If the opportunity arose in the future, he could help Jiang Feng revive properly—but that would take several years at least.
Over the next two days, Mu Nianbing contacted Chen Ying and then traveled to Yantai himself.
Chen Ying was naturally overjoyed when she saw him. Led by her, Mu Nianbing arrived at a secluded courtyard where an elderly woman rested on a chair.
That woman was Yan Shi—a goddess from the generation before last, and even Tang Zhong had once admired her deeply.
After leaving Jiang Feng in Yan Shi's care, Mu Nianbing turned and departed.
With Yan Shi, a Half–Forbidden Curse Mage, guarding her, there was nothing to fear for Jiang Feng's safety.
Though her fate was somewhat tragic, being reunited with her mother and daughter at this moment was a small blessing.
After leaving Yantai, Mu Nianbing returned to Pearl Institute, intending to cultivate in the Three Step Tower.
Though the tower's benefits to Advanced Mages were limited, it was still better than doing nothing.
On his way there, he suddenly noticed several people in unusual attire. At a glance, it was clear they weren't Pearl Institute students.
Then his gaze fell upon the milky-white floral pattern embroidered on their robes.
"That's... the insignia of the Parthenon Temple."
Mu Nianbing had no access to double cultivation time, so besides training, he spent his spare moments studying practical knowledge—especially the insignias of the world's major magical organizations.
In an instant, he realized why they were here.
They had come for Ye Xinxia.
Even without visiting Songcheng Academy, the Parthenon Temple had managed to track her down.
Mu Nianbing immediately abandoned his plan to train in the Three Step Tower and quietly followed behind them.
The Healing Department of Pearl Institute was not particularly large, but it wasn't small either. It took some time to reach the teaching building.
The visitors from the Parthenon Temple were polite; they didn't trespass but instead asked the department head to invite Ye Xinxia out.
For the department head, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one of his students. He naturally approved with enthusiasm.
After all, the Parthenon Temple Academy was the world's greatest institution for Healing Magic—a sacred place for all who practiced it.
Though its advantages only applied to healing and spiritual disciplines, that alone made it legendary.
"Miss Ye, would you be willing to enroll in the Parthenon Temple Academy?" Asked the middle-aged man leading the group. His name was Glocken.
Ye Xinxia listened carefully before replying softly, "Mr. Glocken, I'll need some time to think about it."
As a healing mage, she fully understood the academy's prestige.
Moreover, the Parthenon Temple Academy had a direct affiliation with the Temple itself, which would make it far easier for her to enter in the future.
For any mage, joining the Parthenon Temple was a dream—one of the highest honors in the world.
Hearing her hesitation, the other healing students could hardly focus on their class anymore. Their gazes burned with envy and jealousy.
That was the Parthenon Temple Academy!
If it were them, they wouldn't hesitate for even a second.
"Do you have some kind of difficulty?" Glocken asked, puzzled by her reluctance.
"Yes," Ye Xinxia replied gently. "I need to discuss it with Brother Nian before making my decision."
Her tone remained calm and polite, but her determination was clear.
The Parthenon Temple might be extraordinary, but if she joined, she'd be separated from Brother Nian for a long time. She wanted to talk to him first.
"Brother Nian?" Glocken frowned slightly. He had assumed there was some practical obstacle—but to think it was because of a man?
In his eyes, no relationship could possibly outweigh an opportunity like this.
"This is a rare opportunity," he said flatly. "Don't let someone else hold back your future."
Hidden in the shadows, Mu Nianbing couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
"Glocken, please be more respectful." Ye Xinxia's tone turned cold, a trace of anger flashing across her usually gentle face.
Glocken was stunned. Just what kind of person was this 'Brother Nian' who could make such a calm girl react so strongly?
Suddenly, he sensed a faint trace of Shadow Aura behind him. Glocken turned sharply.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
The Parthenon Temple's guard, Dikaios, immediately activated his Wind Wings and flew toward the source.
But Mu Nianbing, realizing he had been discovered, simply canceled his Shadow Cloak effect and appeared openly before them.
"To be detected from that far away... seems I'll need to replace these leg tools soon," he murmured, glancing down at his Falling Star Boots, which had clearly reached their limit.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" Dikaios demanded, landing in front of him with obvious hostility.
"I'm a student here. Is that a problem?" Mu Nianbing replied calmly, without a trace of fear.
Dikaios's expression darkened. This mere student dared to speak to him so casually?
"Brother Nian?!" Ye Xinxia gasped the moment she saw him.
"Hmm?" Glocken's gaze also fell on Mu Nianbing. At first glance, aside from his striking looks, he didn't seem particularly special.
But the air around him carried a quiet strength—one that made even the envoys from the Parthenon Temple pause.
...
Author's Note:
Versatile Mage: Heir of the Frozen Throne — Part 1 & 2 is now fully completed with 150+ chapters and available on my Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
🔥 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
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your support and love for this story 💙