Ch 1051 - Ch 1055
Chapter 1051: 1051
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"Guan Yu of the Chinese team has been disqualified!"
Following the announcement, the others in the storm saw a poisoned man leaning against the barrier at the boundary of the stage . He was being carried down the stage by the officials so he could be treated by the medical team .
Guan Yu's body was dark brown, and his muscles were twitching strangely . Even though he was still conscious, he was extremely dissatisfied with the result . He had totally underestimated his opponent's Poison Element, and fallen carelessly for his trap!
"HAHAHA, that's for trying to pick on me; serves you right!" Yosuke of the Japanese team burst out laughing .
He was moving slowly in the snow to regroup with the other members . However, the condition of his leg worsened, and he could no longer feel it .
An icy, sharp wind swept at Yosuke's face . It felt like his skin was going to be sliced open .
Yosuke raised his eyes and stared at the woman standing in the air amid the storm, a pair of brilliant Wind Wings on her back . The wind carrying the snow set off her elegance!
Yosuke squinted, his eyes fixed on the woman . However, he did not seem to be panicking .
He appeared to be very calm . He did not look like someone that had lost feeling in his leg . He did not even bother setting up his defense, as if he was challenging the woman to attack him freely .
Mu Ningxue waved her hand, turning the frost surrounding her into spikes . The spikes immediately sprang at Yosuke, who was having trouble moving .
Yosuke grinned coldly . He summoned a magic shield to protect his vital parts, leaving his limbs exposed!
The spikes stabbed Yosuke's limbs, as expected . They were basically nailing the man to the ground, but Yosuke burst out laughing like a mad man, instead of showing any pain on his face!
"You've lost, HAHAHAHA, you shouldn't have picked on me!" Yosuke laughed .
Poisonous, dark gray Vengeful Flies flew out of his wounds, beating their buzzing wings rapidly .
The number of Vengeful Flies was even greater than before . They were directly proportional to the damage that the Poison Mage had received . The slightest touch to the person's skin would start festering immediately .
Guan Yu was disqualified when was unable to escape the Vengeful Flies!
Yosuke was laughing wildly . He believed he could take out two members of the opponent team on his own .
Even though he basically was no longer fit for battle, he was able to cover the mistake that Akira Matsuki had made . He could easily secure the victory for their team!
"Trying to hurt me is simply going to bring shame upon yourself, enjoy the treatment of my poisonous flies!" Yosuke chuckled . He was desperately trying to take Mu Ningxue out, even if it meant he would be disqualified too!
When Mu Ningxue saw the poisonous flies approaching, she tried to freeze them with the Ice Element . However, she quickly discovered that the Vengeful Flies were even scarier than she had imagined . The little bugs did not seem to be scared of an Elemental Spell!
"Immune to elemental attacks?" Mu Ningxue murmured .
The poisonous flies were getting closer . Mu Ningxue realized that these little bugs were fairly tricky to deal with, so she beat her Wind Wings and flew higher .
The Vengeful Flies immediately chased after her . A huge bunch of them was right on her trail . Despite the storm surging across the stage, they were totally unaffected!
Mu Ningxue continued to speed up . She was able to control the wind, and the Wind Wings on her back were still beating . She was as nimble as a fairy in the snow-filled air . Even though the Vengeful Flies were unstoppable, they were unable to catch up to Mu Ningxue for a short period .
Mu Ningxue was well aware of how deadly the poisonous flies were . She gave up on trying to fight them directly and continued to fly in circles in the air .
The poisonous flies were relentless, as if they did not know when to give up, but Mu Ningxue was extremely patient, too . As she was flying around, the frost continued to stack up . The snow on the ground was already three meters high!
Yosuke was nailed to the ground in the snow, still in a frenzy, yet he started to look grim when he saw the woman was not bothering to fight the poisonous flies head-on .
The frost had penetrated his entire body through his wounds and had basically frozen all his blood vessels .
He had lost any feeling of his limbs . His body temperature was falling as a strong hint of drowsiness struck him . He had stopped laughing, and was starting to panic instead!
He could die if his body temperature fell below a certain point . The frost continued to penetrate his body as he was losing blood . Even though the frost was not as deadly as his Poison Element, it would still kill him eventually!
Yosuke wanted to hold on until his Vengeful Flies had taken Mu Ningxue out, just to give his team a glimpse of hope . However, he realized that he could no longer hold on for any longer!
"No, I have to bear it a little longer . She must have used up a lot of her energy . She is slowing down!" Yosuke bit his tongue, trying to keep himself awake .
He was so close to winning . He could not afford to give up now!
"Japanese team's Yosuke has been disqualified!" a voice suddenly announced .
Before Yosuke realized what was happening, he saw a white figure entering the stage quickly, dragging him out of the snow .
"Let go… let go of me, I can still fight!" Yosuke screamed .
"Humph, you should know better . She has already gone easy on you, yet you still think you can hold on for much longer?" the assistant official replied sternly .
Yosuke glanced at the stage and saw a massive icicle dangling over the spot he was previously laying at . He had not seen it, as the storm was too thick . If it had fallen on him, it would have impaled him straightaway…
No matter how unwilling Yosuke was, he had been disqualified . The truth was, the Vengeful Flies had a time limit, too . Soon, they would turn into puffs of black smoke and dissipate .
Even though the Vengeful Flies were immune to elemental attacks, meaning that any destructive or controlling spells were ineffective against them, they were unable to last for a long time, either!
—
"Another member has been taken out!"
"The Japanese team is about to lose the match!"
"The snow is already three meters thick . Everyone is basically suffering from it, and they will only be more passive as the match goes on . There is no chance for them to win!"
The scary thing about the Ice Element was when a match went on for a long time, the cold would be strong enough to suppress the opponents . When Mu Ningxue's Ice Magic was strong enough to apply the pressure of an Intermediate Ice Spell on the opponents every second, how could the Japanese team possibly stand a chance?
—
"We…we've lost!" Shou Watani had a grim face . He felt terrible, his eyes filled with snow .
The battle between him and Ai Jiangtu had not ended, but he knew it was meaningless for them to fight any longer . The frost was already as strong as an Intermediate Spell . If it was only a single Intermediate Spell, they could easily disregard it, but the frost was continuously hurting them! . It was the same as a team of Ice Mages constantly blasting them with Intermediate Spells .
The main judge soon declared the result . "The winner is… the Chinese team!"
——
As soon as the match came to an end, Mu Ningxue withdrew her Nirvana Ice Domain . The wind and snow immediately came to a stop .
Initially, the spectator seats were around three meters higher than the stage, but now, due to the snow that had stacked up, the stage was the same height as the spectator seats . The crowd was dazzled when they took a closer look at the stage as the storm cleared up!
A huge uproar rose in the stadium . It was always exhilarating to watch such an awesome magic battle!
No one could possibly forget the young woman that had totally crushed her opponents in the opening match . The charm of her icy imperial aura were unforgettable!
——
"We've won!"
"Well done, I didn't think we could beat the crap out of the Japanese team so easily!"
The other members immediately went to congratulate their teammates . Some of the medical staff started treating the injured members, too .
It felt good watching the one-sided victory . Even Pang Lai, Han Ji, and a few other old Mages did not expect they could defeat the Japanese team so easily .
"Well done! You were once disqualified from the team, but now, you've fought your way back, and shone the brightest in the opening match . You've been literally reborn !" Feng Li did not hesitate to compliment Mu Ningxue .
Mu Ningxue's performance was absolutely shocking, turning the match that they were feeling anxious about into a one-sided victory . It was likely that the Japanese team had tried their best to collect information about the Chinese team, yet they never expected Mu Ningxue, who had kept a low-profile, to be so powerful . She even took all the attention away from Ai Jiangtu!
"Once disqualified?" Pang Lai was startled, before putting on an amused smile .
The others would have forgotten about it if Feng Li had not mentioned it . Mu Ningxue had been disqualified after the East Maritime Fortress, as she was unable to achieve the Advanced Level in time .
Now, after returning to the national team, not only was her cultivation level on par with the others, it turned out that she had totally surpassed them in strength . Even Shou Watani of the Japanese team would not find himself in an advantageous position if he fought Mu Ningxue in her Ice Domain!
——
"It must be those pieces she took!" Mu Tingying almost broke her teeth from clenching them too hard!
"She refined all the pieces, and her cultivation improved dramatically," Nanrong Ni agreed grimly .
Mu Ningxue had taken away the remaining pieces of the Ice Crystal Bow and refined them all when she disappeared from the team . It was the reason why she had improved so much, and why her Domain had become so powerful!
The two women simply had the urge to slap themselves in the face . They had tried to crush Mu Ningxue by taking away her Ice Crystal Bow, but now, she had been totally reborn, and her Ice Magic was stronger than ever!
Chapter 1052: 1052
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"The higher-ups of the Mu Clan are going to regret this for the rest of their lives . I remember they purposely clarified not long ago that Mu Ningxue is no longer related to their clan in any way . I guess the glory won't be theirs, either!" Zhao Manyan exclaimed . He added, "Mo Fan, I'm pretty sure she… huh, where did he go?"
Zhao Manyan was just about to describe how Mu Ningxue had made a huge comeback when he realized the man he was talking to had already rushed up to Mu Ningxue like a little eunuch under the command of an empress, volunteering to give the empress a good massage on her shoulders .
Zhao Manyan was utterly speechless . When Mo Fan was displaying the strength of his character, he was usually as stubborn as the rock in a pit latrine, hard and stinky . However, when he was being shameless, he was willing to take on any role as required!
Mo Fan was complimenting Mu Ningxue non-stop like a machine gun .
Mu Ningxue was seriously scared of Mo Fan . The man finally stopped uttering the shameless words when she glared at him .
"We're done here, let's go celebrate by eating something nice, it's on me!"
The opening match ended perfectly . During the following half a month, there would be more exciting matches between the national teams, and by then, the names of extraordinary talents would spread to the public, too . However, with such an impressive start to the tournament, the team was starting to have a higher hope of achieving a better ranking!
——
Mo Fan ran away, dragging Mu Ningxue along behind him . It was supposed to be a celebration, but somehow, it had turned into a forced date once again .
"What's with the grimace? You should be happy since you've won the match? Weren't you waiting a long time to impress the world with your skills? Didn't you just do it?" Mo Fan asked .
"It's far from enough!" Mu Ningxue answered .
"You have to take it slowly, you've done a great job so far…" Mo Fan stopped being playful, his voice serious .
It seemed like the match today had allowed Mu Ningxue to vent some of the frustrations she had built up lately . She did not ignore Mo Fan completely, as she had a few days ago . Mo Fan was quite relieved about it; their relationship did not actually go back to square one!
Mo Fan asked Mu Ningxue how she had improved so much all of a sudden, and she fell silent .
It was shocking how strong Mu Ningxue had grown . Even though she was cultivating in seclusion when he left the team for Mount Tyrant, he simply could not believe that it was enough to let her grow so much stronger!
Mu Ningxue kept quiet . She was looking at the water flowing calmly not far away .
A few girls that looked like students walked past . They recognized Mu Ningxue who had such an outstanding performance in the opening match . They seemed very excited to see her, yet they did not dare to disturb the two . They only watched them from a distance .
"I am only worried about you . I hope the thing that helped you improve won't have any side effects," Mo Fan added .
Mu Ningxue shook her head . She briefly explained the Ice Crystal Bow and its pieces to Mo Fan .
"F**k me, are those scum of the Mu Clan from a cult or something? How did they even come up with such a scary way to refine a magic weapon?" Mo Fan cursed immediately after hearing her explanation . "So does that mean you can use the Ice Crystal Bow after combining all the pieces?"
"Mmm, but it's very easy to harm my own soul," Mu Ningxue confirmed .
When it was only a fragmented bow, Mu Ningxue's cultivation was slowly able to control the Ice Crystal Bow . Using it once or twice occasionally would not be a huge problem for her . But now, the Ice Crystal Bow had been completed, and it would be drawing more energy from her soul . If she was too careless, a single arrow might draw too much energy from her soul and crush it!
Mu Ningxue did not want to say too much to Mo Fan . She suggested they head back .
Mo Fan could easily tell that Mu Ningxue's mind was preoccupied with the thought of growing stronger . The energy she had obtained from the pieces was quite a lot, so she needed more time to refine them all before she could really control the Ice Crystal Bow .
In the end, the Ice Crystal Bow was just a magic weapon . It was unwise to rely too much on it . It was better if she could improve her own strength, and utilize her Ice Element potential to the max, so that she would no longer need to worry that the Mu Clan would try to get their revenge!
Mo Fan was a lot more relieved knowing that Mu Ningxue was fine .
"So…" Mo Fan was just about to discuss what Mu Ningxue's next step was when two men with huge builds suddenly stood between him and her .
Mu Ningxue knew Mo Fan would find all sorts of excuses to take advantage of her . As such, she was used to keeping a certain distance away from the pervert, Thus, someone was able to stand directly between them .
Mo Fan initially thought it was just two impolite pedestrians, so he waited for them to pass . To his surprise, the two Westerners just stood there without moving .
Mo Fan was not in the mood to pick a fight with some random pedestrians . He simply stepped forward, trying to move around the two blokes and regroup with Mu Ningxue to continue their conversation . To his surprise, a tall man with curly brown-blond hair in a luxurious outfit embroidered with golden silks was standing in front of Mu Ningxue .
"It is my pleasure to stumble into you here . Do you know, I almost fell asleep when I was watching the boring opening speech through the window of my booth, until you showed up . There is no word that I can use to describe your beauty…" the handsome man with brown-blond hair began . He directly expressed his affection in a polite way . "I'm sorry, I was just too excited to see you in person, so excited that I totally forgot to introduce myself . I am Beny Gustin from Spain . "
Mu Ningxue was rather stunned . She was still talking to Mo Fan just a moment ago when this man suddenly appeared out of nowhere .
She had yet to react when she heard the students who were previously watching her from the distance screamed out in excitement .
"Beny, he's from the royal family of Spain . It's Prince Beny!" a white girl with a ponytail blushed . She was so excited, as if she had just seen a celebrity she admired the most .
"Oh my, it's really him! He's so handsome, even more handsome than how he looks in the photos!" another girl screamed .
The European girls were extremely excited . It was like they were about to rush toward Prince Beny in the next second, but they lost their courage when they saw the huge bodyguards standing beside Prince Beny .
Beny turned to the girls, smiling gently and politely . He was glad that the girls had helped to reveal his identity .
"Prince?" Mu Ningxue was rather surprised .
However, she was not as ignorant as Mo Fan . Even though many European countries had implemented new governing structures, some still retained the royal families that had lasted for a long time . They were usually quite powerful, and once had the strength to rule a country . They were normally well-respected and loved by the people of their country, unlike the magic clans in China .
Based on the conversation between the two girls, the man was actually from the royal family of Spain, and he was a European prince!
That being said, why did a prince show up all of a sudden? Mu Ningxue was utterly confused .
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall of guards, Mo Fan's face was as dark as it could possibly be .
Mo Fan tried to move past the two European blokes to reach Mu Ningxue, but to his surprise, the two blokes kept trying to stop him . They were using their bodies as a screen between him and Mu Ningxue, just so that Spanish guy trying to roleplay a Prince could have some intimate time with Mu Ningxue!
The truth was, there was only one sentence that could describe what Mo Fan was currently feeling: Who the hell does this asshole think he is, trying to take away my lover by treating me like a puff of air?!
Mo Fan was utterly speechless when he saw the guy called Beny still having an enjoyable conversation on his own . Would there be anyone even more amusing to him than asking his bodyguards to screen away a man while picking up on the fellow's girlfriend?
Arrogant, this guy is simply too arrogant!
Mo Fan had always been hot-tempered . There was no way he could bear it!
"You two should get out of my sight right away . Otherwise, even calling the guards in Venice won't stop me from turning you both into cripples!" Mo Fan demanded with a dark expression!
"Stop wasting your time, we'll let you pass once the prince is done with his conversation…"
The bloke on the left was still in the middle of his speech when an invisible force clenched his throat, preventing him from saying another word .
The bloke on the right realized that something was not right . He immediately cast a spell, but Mo Fan was even faster than him . He simply shoved the bloke into the canals like he was waving at a fly .
"You asked for it!" Mo Fan waved his hand indifferently and tossed the bloke on the left into the canals, too .
After dealing with the two annoying underlings, Mo Fan walked up to Beny and pressed down hard on his shoulder .
"Friend, don't be so rough," Beny smiled calmly .
"Rough your grandma, go enjoy your cold shower!" Mo Fan lifted Beny up and tossed him into the canals without mercy .
Beny totally did not expect that . He was plunged into the water and was drenched . His handsome hairstyle had collapsed, and the makeup he put on his face was ruined . He looked utterly miserable .
The young women students immediately screamed out and rushed to the side of the canal . They actually jumped into the water, like love-struck fools trying to save their prince .
"He dares touch my, Mo Fan's woman? Is he tired of living? Was he seriously pretending to be some royal prince? Is he a retard? What year is this, yet someone is still referring to himself as a prince… I bet he watched too many dramas!" Mo Fan was totally infuriated . He snapped at the idiot still in the water, "Get out of my sight right now, or else I'll beat you up every time I see you!"
Mo Fan felt better after teaching the man a lesson and scolding him . One could find all kinds of birds in a big jungle!
"There are seriously lots of retards lately, right, Xuexue?" Mo Fan swore to Mu Ningxue .
Mu Ningxue did not know what to say when she saw how Mo Fan had taken out the men in an instant .
However, Mu Ningxue had not felt comfortable talking to the strange man . Since Mo Fan had already taken care of him, she would rather go back and cultivate .
——
On the way back, Mo Fan was still complaining about him . Mu Ningxue felt it was necessary to remind Mo Fan of something . She told Mo Fan in a soft voice as they were parting ways, "Some European countries do have royal families and princes still . "
Mo Fan's jaw dropped . "Really? Why have I never heard about it?"
"You should read more books," Mu Ningxue replied calmly, and left .
Chapter 1053: 1053
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
—
A rose-colored boat slowly drove past the riverbank under a bridge and the blue moon . The miserable Prince Beny tried to cover his face with his hands . He was utterly furious .
"That asshole, I will not forgive him!" Beny snapped angrily .
The two bodyguards were drenched too . They stood beside the prince in silence .
A bigger crowd had gathered, and some of them eventually recognized Prince Beny . The man had a fair reputation in society, so someone still managed to recognize him in his current state . People eventually took out their phones and started recording .
Beny realized the situation he was in . He quickly used his long wet hair to cover his face .
With his identity, he would easily make headlines after someone had tossed him into the canals off the streets of Venice, just so he could enjoy himself a little bath . He did not want something so embarrassing to spread to the public .
"Are you Prince Beny?" a pleasant voice came from the boat . "Come on in . "
Beny did not hesitate, and quickly hopped onto the boat . The voice of the woman in the boat sounded familiar, but he was having trouble recalling who it belonged to . Either way, he would worry about it after escaping from the crowd .
The two bodyguards were extremely slow in their reactions . They did not board the boat in time, thus they could only watch it drifting into the distance along the canals .
—
"Miss Conti, thanks for lending me a hand there . Otherwise, I was to end up as a laughing stock to the people for quite some time," Beny said gratefully in the boat .
The space in the boat was bigger than he had imagined, and inside was a woman in luxurious attire, brewing tea . She placed a cup of tea with a pleasant scent in front of Prince Beny and said in a gentle voice, "Here, warm yourself . "
"Thanks, I appreciate it," Beny emptied the cup, but he was still feeling uncomfortable, as his clothes were soaked through .
"Who's reckless enough to treat Prince Beny in such manner?" Conti asked .
"A condescending representative of the Chinese team! I will not forgive him!" Prince Beny snapped angrily .
"I bet it's the usual quarrel between young men like you . Prince Beny is supposed to behave like a member of the royal family," Conti said .
"It has nothing to do with my behavior . He was disrespectful toward the royal family, there's no way I can ignore what he did!" Beny answered stiffly .
"So what are you going to do then?" Conti asked .
"I…I haven't decided yet," Beny suddenly felt awkward .
"Instead of doing it yourself, why don't you let the national team settle the debt for you instead? After all, he's a member of the Chinese team . It's better to defeat him officially in a match," Conti said .
"You're right! I remember that if our team wins the next match, our next opponent is likely going to be the Chinese team . I'll let the team know, so they can make the imbecile pay on my behalf . Miss Conti is intelligent as always; the others won't be able to criticize it," Beny agreed happily .
"Prince, I wasn't asking you to take your revenge . I was hoping you would be tolerant, and even if violence is unavoidable, you should only do it in an official match . I hope you're not thinking of doing something that will bring shame to the royal family's name," Conti said seriously .
"Miss Conti, why would I do anything like that? Don't you worry," Beny replied, yet he had already made up his mind . In order to prevent Conti from reading his mind, he quickly switched the topic, "Miss Conti, did you come to Venice to watch the tournament?"
"It's only one of the reasons . Apparently, the Mediterranean Sea hasn't been peaceful lately . There are signs of something that shouldn't be here . As a member of the Shoreline Alliance, I have an obligation to patrol the area," Conti said .
"Oh, I see . Could it be a misbehaving sea monster?" Beny said .
Spain was also a maritime country . It had long been harassed by sea monsters, and its people were very sensitive about them!
"I would rather it be a sea monster, but I'm afraid it's something that has existed for a longer time," Conti said .
"It sounds like Miss Conti is going to be quite busy soon . Speaking of which, I haven't seen Sister Asha'ruiya lately, how is she doing?" Beny asked with glittering eyes, suddenly felt restless when he thought of Asha'ruiya's glamorous face and alluring physique .
Both she and the ice beauty on the national team were priceless, worthy to be included in his collection .
"That girl? She must be training diligently now . I am actually on my way to see her; does the prince want to come along?" Conti asked .
"Sure, Miss Conti… oh, actually, I'll pass this time . I'll find some other day to drink afternoon tea with Sister Asha'ruiya . " Beny was initially looking forward to it, but when he remembered his current appearance, he totally lost his mood to meet the gorgeous beauty .
——
Greece, a citadel in Athens…
The Sacred Mountain of Parthenon was surrounded by purple orchids . Their brilliance was visible in every corner in the citadel .
The people living in the Citadel of Athens rarely fell sick, since it had the Parthenon Temple, the place with the strongest Healing Magic in the world . It was like the citadel was forever bathed in the Goddess' light of protection .
At the top of the sacred mountain stood the noble Hall of the Goddess . It was constructed from purple crystals, and despite existing for millennia, it was still in perfectly good condition . The night had just fallen, and the moon was bright and round, setting off the elegance and solemn presence of the Hall of the Goddess!
—
Within the central hall of the Hall of the Goddess, rhomboids of purple crystals dangled from the ceiling, and produced a pleasant melody when a breeze swept past, soothing and calm .
The floor was made of darker crystals . The artisan's skill was so exceptional that there were no gaps anywhere . It was lustrous, yet solemn .
Reflections of alluring silhouettes on the floor were fairly common, as the members of the Hall of the Goddess were all required to wear white dresses with girdles . Xinxia would always giggle when she saw the reflections on the floor, as when she described the situation of the Hall of the Goddess to Mo Fan, the fool strongly believed he would be able to peek at the legs and underwear of the women via the reflections . The truth was, even if the women were not wearing girdles, the dark floor that resembled the night sky would not easily expose anyone .
Most importantly, no man was allowed in the Hall of the Goddess . Even the leader of the knights could only wait outside, not permitted to set his feet into the hall .
"Forget the courtesy, it's inconvenient for you too . I heard that you saved the lives of many soldiers in Puccini, Egypt, earning the love and esteem of the locals . You even went to war with the army, and came up with a brilliant idea to help the army, helping them to get rid of the mirage," Hall Mother Felin said .
"Yes, Hall Mother," Xinxia slightly lowered her head . She actually did not look very natural .
She was not good at lying . After all, it was Mo Fan that came up with the idea and defeated the Dark Swordmaster, but Mo Fan asked Xinxia to take all the credit, despite her objection .
It was necessary for the servants of the Parthenon Temple to earn the love and esteem of the world, so they could be promoted to a Muse and be granted access to the real Healing Magic of the Parthenon Temple . It was all Mo Fan's contributions instead of hers, yet Mo Fan had forced her to take all the credit, and she was quite troubled by it .
"Mmm, you were able to secure the victory for the army in the battle against the undead with your profound knowledge . It is very impressive . Initially, you were to be promoted to an official Servant after your training, making you an official member of the Parthenon Temple . However, you've done well bringing honor to the name of the Parthenon Temple, so I will make an exception and put your name down as a candidate . You have been outstanding as an exchange student, but since you aren't an actual student of the Parthenon Temple, just think of it as a chance to learn . Courtesy, management, sacred arts; feel free to learn any of them, it might come in handy when you support the Goddess in the future," the Hall Mother smiled . The gaze she leveled on Xinxia was brimming with satisfaction .
Not only was Xinxia shocked by her words, a few other women who were just promoted as official servants were astounded too!
Many of the Servants and Muses that had served in the Hall of the Goddess for many years put their attention on Xinxia . Their eyes were filled with disbelief, but that was soon replaced with envy and dissatisfaction!
"Hall Mother, isn't that inappropriate? Ye Xinxia is only an exchange student to the Parthenon Temple . She's fortunate enough to enroll in the Parthenon Temple, how can she be listed as a candidate? There are three criteria a candidate has to fulfill! Leaving her bloodline aside, her nationality isn't even appropriate! Second, she hasn't been recommended by more than seven Muses! Last, her cultivation isn't strong enough to meet the requirements…" the Great Muse Mellaura immediately objected .
"The Great Muse is right; people will be criticizing us if we suddenly list a probationary servant as a candidate," the other Muses quickly spoke up in support .
The Servants had no right to speak, but their expressions alone were enough to convey their thoughts . They strongly disagreed with this! They had spent years in the Parthenon Temple, yet they could not even get a promotion . Meanwhile, Ye Xinxia was just a newbie! The old servants were already thinking about how they could abuse the girl . To their surprise, the Hall Mother suddenly promoted her to a candidate . Wouldn't that mean the Servants would have to serve her, and even the Muses have to respect her, too?
How could they allow the sparrow to suddenly transform into a phoenix?
It was true that she had contributed greatly in Puccini and brought glory to the name of the Parthenon Temple . However, wasn't the reward too good to be true?
Chapter 1054: 1054
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"Have you forgotten, as the Hall Mother, I can recommend a person as a Candidate? I haven't done so in a long time, but it doesn't mean I no longer have the power . Aren't you girls worrying too much? The reason I'm doing this is just so she can learn more, so she can be of great assistance to the Goddess in the future . It wasn't like I am really letting her compete with the others for the role of the Goddess . Alright, I've already made up my mind, it's unnecessary to discuss it further . From next month onward, Ye Xinxia, you will attend lessons together with the other Candidates," the Hall Mother said .
The meeting in the hall was dismissed . The Servants and Muses placed their attention on Xinxia . The sound of their discussions echoed through the central hall .
"Humph, she's still pretending to be calm and collected after getting such a great benefit . Don't tell me she isn't really excited about being selected as a Candidate?" a dull voice scoffed . It was from an old servant called Gulan, who managed the probationary servants .
When Xinxia first joined the Hall of the Goddess, Gulan had treated Xinxia harshly, explaining why she was in such a bad mood .
"Ye Xinxia, have you heard what the Hall Mother said?" The Great Muse Mellaura came forward . She raised her chin and looked down at Xinxia proudly .
Xinxia was about to salute to pay respect to Mellaura when the woman made a strange nasal sound and continued, "Forget about it; otherwise, people might say I don't have compassion for the disabled . Since you will only be treated as a Candidate starting next month, you are still a Servant for the rest of this month . A plague has erupted in Croatia . Go investigate it, and you can also earn some reputation before you become a Candidate, just so people won't criticize you later . "
Mellaura had yet to finish her speech, but a few of the Servants and Muses were already gloating .
Fiona, who joined the Hall of the Goddess as a Servant around the same time as Xinxia, was displeased . She said with a slight temper, "Great Muse, the plague in Croatia is classified as rank . It's only reasonable to send a Muse there . Isn't it a bit unfair to send Xinxia…"
"Didn't the Hall Mother already mention how knowledgeable Xinxia is? She even knew the secret of the Dark Swordmaster . The rank plague in Croatia won't be any problem to her . She will be sent on her journey tomorrow morning . If you fail to resolve the plague, you will be punished!" Great Muse Mellaura stated .
The old servants, including Gulan, felt an urge to give the Great Muse a thumbs-up for how clever she was .
As expected of the Great Muse, forcing Ye Xinxia to pay with a simple little trick!
"But…but aren't you being too harsh on…" Xinxia was fairly naive due to her young age . She was straightforward at saying something she thought . She did not expect the Great Muse Mellaura would go so far . It was obvious that they wanted something bad to happen to her .
The plague in Croatia had been going on for some days, and had stirred up great chaos recently . A servant who was stationed in Croatia had reported how dangerous the plague was, and an experienced, knowledgeable Muse was necessary to resolve it . Apparently, the servant had also fallen ill from the plague .
It would take a Muse quite some time to resolve a plague of this level, let alone a mere, experienced old Servant . Most importantly, if someone was assigned to resolve the plague, the person would be highly exposed, as she would have to stay close to the patients . As such, she would have a high risk of contracting the disease, too!
Fiona was outraged by how Xinxia was being treated unfairly, yet Xinxia knew it was unwise to provoke the Great Muse further . She pulled Fiona's sleeve softly and replied, "I will surely try my best . "
"Mmm, I'm actually trying to help you . You're still too inexperienced as a Candidate . If you're able to resolve the plague and earn some reputation, together with your contribution in Puccini, the people would think that you're actually capable of being selected as a Candidate!" Great Muse Mellaura told her . Her eyes had an utterly sincere glitter, like an elder who was very concerned about a junior .
——
The wheelchair slowly moved across the lustrous purple-crystal floor . Fiona never stopped complaining along the way .
"Damn it, I initially thought the Great Muse was a righteous and fair person, but look at how narrow-minded she is! The Hall Mother already said that it's a chance for you to learn, and you won't be competing with the others as an actual Candidate, yet she still has to pick on you like that… oh, it's no longer picking on you, she's simply trying to get you killed! We should tell the Hall Mother about it!" Fiona said .
"It's fine to be picked on like this after receiving such a shocking promotion all of a sudden, but there's something I don't understand . Why is the Hall Mother willing to make me a Candidate if she only wants me to learn?" The question had been bothering Xinxia .
In terms of experience, background, and cultivation, lots of people in the Hall of the Goddess would be a better option than her . It was unconvincing that the Hall of the Goddess was doing it because of her recent contribution .
A Candidate who could be selected as the Goddess! Even though she knew she was not official, it was still an utmost glory to anyone .
Xinxia never thought she would come so far in just a short period after she came to the Parthenon Temple . In Xinxia's eyes, her current situation had nothing to do with the work she had put in .
"Didn't the Hall Mother say it? She's hoping that you can be a good assistant to the future Goddess . Clearly, the Hall Mother has high hopes for you . She wants you to take on a great role in the Hall of the Goddess and support the Goddess, meaning that you will at least be promoted as a Muse . Well, why are you still thinking about it? We're going to Croatia tomorrow . To be honest, I didn't really feel like going . You have no idea how terrifying the plague is . I felt terrified just looking at the photos," Fiona said .
"Let's try our best; let's hope we can do something to help the people," Xinxia said . Read the next chapter on our vipnovel . com
"No way, don't tell me you're serious about going there!?"
"Mmm, I've had my eyes on the plague for quite a while," Xinxia said .
"Are you out of your mind? Everyone tries their best to stay away, but you want to go instead!?"
"Anything is better than allowing the plague to spread further . "
——
The South Courtyard of the Hall of the Goddess…
The place was by a cliff, with an observatory tower at the edge . Not only could someone observe the spectacular, starry sky, they could also appreciate the brightly lit citadel of Athens!
Up on the observatory tower, Great Muse Mellaura was leaning against some white, stone rails . Her eyes flickered anxiously .
"Damn it, the Hall Mother is seriously not allowing the wind to blow in your favor . She even sent a random Servant to upset the apple cart!" Great Muse Mellaura snapped furiously .
"Great Muse, why are you so angry? The competition between the Candidates has long been expected to be fierce and unpredictable . This new Candidate, Xinxia, is only a little stone in the lake . Even if she is obedient to the Candidate that the Hall Mother is supporting, it won't make any difference in the situation . Besides, didn't Great Muse already handle it perfectly by sending her to Croatia?" Candidate Andi replied .
"The Hall Mother is trying to keep us at bay . Consider that new Servant lucky, but it's just so annoying, knowing that everyone is talking about it now," the old servant Gulan sniffed .
"Actually, it isn't totally unexpected," Andi smiled . She seemed fairly collected .
"It's not?" Great Muse Mellaura was astounded .
"Currently, in the Hall of the Goddess, most Servants have already sided with the Candidates, be it me, Panijia, or the other Candidates . As such, if the Hall Mother is to support anyone, it's only going to upset the balance . The Hall Mother is trying to maintain the order of the Hall of the Goddess, so the last thing she wants is to see us dividing into factions . Therefore, she decided to raise a total newbie, a person that is not related to any of the current factions, and recommend her as a Candidate . In other words, the Hall Mother is only treating the Servant as a chess piece that she can use as she wishes, and at the same time, she's trying to make the other Candidates panic . She is trying to prevent the situation from turning one-sided since some Servants and Muses will simply assume that the Hall Mother is eager to fully support Xinxia . These people will then join her side . In addition, those that prefer to remain neutral will have a side to join, too," Andi patiently explained to them .
"You're so intelligent, to be able to discern the Hall Mother's intentions so easily," Gulan sighed .
Great Muse Mellaura also understood as soon as she heard the explanation .
She initially thought a little sparrow had really transformed into a phoenix, just like that, yet it turned out that it was only an approach that the Hall Mother was taking to handle the current situation . The girl called Xinxia was really in luck, since she happened to be chosen as a Candidate .
"If she's only the Hall Mother's pawn, should I withdraw the order sending her to Croatia?" Great Muse Mellaura said .
"That won't be necessary . Even though she won't really do any harm to us, she's pretty much a wart, so it's fine getting rid of her too," Andy replied calmly .
"But if the Hall Mother knows what we did, won't she put the blame on us? After all, we were supposed to send a Muse to handle the plague . If the plague worsens, it's going to harm our reputation," Gulan said .
"Don't worry, it's already within my calculations . If the Hall Mother asks, we'll tell her that we've sent Xinxia to investigate the plague, to collect information for the Muse we are going to send there . It is still her responsibility as a Servant . Ye Xinxia won't last for long in Croatia with her capabilities . We'll wait until she asks us for help, and once it happens, we'll accuse her of incompetence, and then we'll send a Muse to deal with the plague . Not only will we be able to disqualify her as a Candidate, we can still keep the plague under control," Great Muse Mellaura reasoned .
"Mmm, let's do it your way . It's just that the people of Croatia will have to suffer a few more days," Andi had a pitying look, yet she did not change her mind .
"It's fine, we'll just compensate them for their loss, and they will even be extremely grateful to us . They will still go crazy in supporting you, Goddess Andi!" Gulan immediately took hold of the opportunity to fawn upon Andi .
"Don't call me that yet, I don't want anyone to be talking behind my back!" Andi seemed to be rather cautious .
However, Great Muse Mellaura did not seem to be bothered . She actually felt that Gulan was very wise!
Everyone in the Hall of the Goddess had been fighting and scheming against each other for many years . Weren't they just waiting for the day the Goddess was elected?
Chapter 1055: 1055
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
—
—
"Huh, Croatia?" Mo Fan was stunned at the other end of the call . For some reason, the place sounded extremely familiar to him .
A moment later, Mo Fan finally recalled that when he and the crazy woman, Asha'ruiya went to pay the Black Dragon Emperor a visit, they ended up teleporting to Croatia's boundary when they were running for their lives .
It was not too far away from Venice, and Mo Fan vaguely remembered that there was indeed a plague breaking out when he was on his way back .
After coming back to Venice, Mo Fan had seen lots of news about how terrifying the plague in Croatia was . It actually seemed slightly more serious than the plague that had broken out in Hangzhou . To Mo Fan's surprise, the Parthenon Temple was sending Xinxia right into the center of the plague after she had just come back from a war!
-What on Earth, are the people of the Parthenon Temple insane? Couldn't they tell Xinxia is impaired? Why do they have to keep sending her out to some dangerous place?-
"Hell no, let's just quit, who cares about being a servant in the Parthenon Temple? It's like they are trying to work you to death when you've just started working there! That's totally unacceptable, just resign now, we can go back to our country after I'm done with the competition, and you can give birth to little Xinxia and little Mo Fan, and live a comfortable life . Who cares about what they want!" Mo Fan said imperiously, as if the Parthenon Temple was nothing in his eyes .
Mo Fan was feeling sorry for Xinxia . The girl was just too easy-going, allowing others to take advantage of her . Mo Fan could not believe that the Parthenon Temple could not send someone else to handle the deadly plague!
"Brother Mo Fan, the plague is really quite serious . I want to try my best to help the sick," Xinxia explained .
After going through the Calamity of Bo City, Xinxia had found her ambition . She did not want to witness such a hellish scene again, or feel how useless she was when something like it happened again . She was now able to contribute, and regardless of how difficult it was, adding on the fact that it was part of her responsibilities, she just wanted to help the people, to save them from being tortured by the sickness .
"Why do you always… the plague isn't something you can resolve on your own," Mo Fan sighed .
There was certainly more to the plague than what had met the eye, if it was rank . Mo Fan clearly remembered how the plague in Hangzhou was linked to a Councilman . Based on Mo Fan's experience, rather than thinking that an uncontrollable plague of this scale was a natural disaster, it was more likely someone's doing, whether someone was trying to hide the truth, or someone was abusing it for personal gains . As such, how could a naive girl like Xinxia possibly resolve it?
"I know, but I'm trying to do what I can . Healing a person is better than doing nothing," Xinxia said .
"Fine, I'm missing you too . I'll go with you, I just happen to be hiding from some trouble too," Mo Fan declared .
"Aren't you in the middle of a tournament? That's a lot more important," Xinxia had only called Mo Fan to tell him her plan . She did not want Mo Fan to leave the World College Tournament because of her .
"We're quite lucky that the next match, and the match after that, are just some weak teams . I bet that stubborn Feng Li wouldn't even let me take part in the matches . Besides, with Mu Ningxue around, I probably won't have a chance either," Mo Fan said .
"Ningxue has been quite outstanding!" Xinxia exclaimed . Even though she was not in Venice, she did watch the replay .
"She can handle it all as long as our team isn't up against a strong opponent . The next, and the match after the next, are none of my business . They have already decided who's going to take part in the matches . I'll go with you, probably for four or five days . If we really can't resolve it, we'll leave right away . There are things you can't force," Mo Fan said gently .
"Mm, mm," Xinxia nodded . She was fairly obedient . As Mo Fan had mentioned, it was enough as long as they tried their best . There was no need to force themselves . "By the way, you said you were hiding from some trouble, has Brother Mo Fan stirred up some trouble again?"
"Ah, it's nothing serious . I just took care of an annoying jerk, and the guy is trying to get his revenge," Mo Fan yawned .
"Oh, alright . " Xinxia would not believe it was just a random jerk . If Mo Fan had to hide from someone, the person was surely not ordinary!
Xinxia was just about to tell Mo Fan about her being promoted to a Candidate when some disturbance came from the other end .
"Huh, such a coincidence, someone is calling me… it's Zhang Xiaohou, I thought he had gone missing!" Mo Fan remarked when he saw the notification of the incoming call .
"Then you should take the call first, we'll talk again in Croatia . " Xinxia assumed Zhang Xiaohou had some important matters to discuss with Mo Fan, so she decided to tell Mo Fan the matter that was bothering her next time .
—
"Brother Fan!' Zhang Xiaohou yelled energetically from the other end .
Mo Fan was sitting by the window while clipping his toenails . He was using his knee to hold the phone in place as he talked indifferently into it, "You finally know how to give your big brother a call? Have you almost forgotten your big brother after making a name for yourself in the Ancient Capital? I remember your last call was when you were promoted to a captain . How long ago was that?"
"Brother Fan, you sound so harsh! . You never had any signal when you went for training, so it's always out of signal whenever I call you . Besides, wasn't I busy dealing with the demon creatures in Qinling Mountains lately? Do you think I'm having the time of my life?" Zhang Xiaohou replied .
"Fine, what are you up to this time? Just tell me quickly, stop disturbing me when I'm flirting with your sister-in-law," Mo Fan said .
"Ah, so Brother Fan and Ningxue have already progressed so far, at this time at night… hehehe . "
"It's Xinxia . "
"Oh, so it's the younger sister-in-law, have you taken down the elder sister-in-law?"
"What do you think?"
"I bet not . "
"I'm hanging up if you don't have anything important!" Mo Fan was starting to get impatient .
"It's nothing important, indeed, I just want to tell you that the military has decided to give me a long holiday, so I'm thinking of visiting Europe and watching you fight in the tournament . HAHAHA, I told my comrades you were my brother growing up together, and they are so jealous of me!" Zhang Xiaohou said .
"Ah, so you do have leave!"
"Isn't that right? I almost turn into a savage when I'm dealing with the demon creatures in Qinling Mountains . I finally have a chance to rest, so I immediately thought of my Brother Fan; aren't I a good brother!?" Zhang Xiaohou laughed .
"Indeed, how about this? I'm heading off to Croatia for a few days, so you can just fly to Croatia and I'll bring you around, and then we'll go back to Venice, how's that?" Mo Fan's voice remained calm despite suddenly coming up with the brilliant idea .
"Yeah, sure! It's going to be fun if Brother Fan is bringing me around . I'll just buy the ticket for an overnight flight, and I'll be there tomorrow morning!" Zhang Xiaohou said excitedly .
"Sure, see you in Croatia!"
"See you in Croatia!"
After hanging up the call, Mo Fan tossed the toenails outside the window, so the canals in Venice could have a taste of his sacred self . He murmured as he was committing the shameless act, "Things would be much simpler if everyone was like Zhang Xiaohou . "
——
Croatia International Airport…
Zhang Xiaohou carrying a backpack was applying for his visa on arrival .
Zhang Xiaohou was doubtful when he saw how empty the place was .
"What's going on? Didn't they always say there are many travelers in Europe? Not only is the flight empty, even the number of people arriving at the airport is surprisingly low . "
Despite the low numbers, the inspection was fairly strict . Zhang Xiaohou was still confused when he walked out of the airport . Why was the officer staring at him as if he was a criminal when he told the man he had come here for his holiday?
"Why is everyone wearing a mask? Is it part of the culture here? That does make sense, the ladies in the Arab nation are all tightly covered with only their eyes exposed," Zhang Xiaohou murmured as he was looking for Mo Fan .
Not long after, Zhang Xiaohou saw Mo Fan in the underground car park .
To Zhang Xiaohou's surprise, Xinxia was there too!
It had been quite a while since he last met Xinxia . Zhang Xiaohou almost had trouble recognizing her . It felt like Xinxia was a different person now; prettier, more elegant, and more outstanding than before!
As expected of someone from the Parthenon Temple, even Xinxia, who used to be weak and feeble now had a sacred, noble temperament .
"Brother Fan, where are we visiting first?" Zhang Xiaohou said .
"To the temporary relay station set up for the plague," Mo Fan said .
Mo Fan did not want to waste any time . He was more familiar with how terrifying a plague could be once it started spreading .
"Plague?" Zhang Xiaohou was dumbfounded .
Xinxia rolled her eyes at Mo Fan when she saw Zhang Xiaohou's reaction . As she thought, Zhang Xiaohou was tricked into coming here!
"How ignorant are you? How could you not know about such a serious plague? This whole place is a plague zone, yet look at you, not even a single piece of protective clothing, carrying a backpack still . Customs only let you enter only because you look rather harmless!" Fiona, who had come with Xinxia said in displeasure .
"Brother Fan, didn't you say you were bringing me around to have some fun?" Zhang Xiaohou smiled wryly .
"The plague, the whole city is in chaos because of it, could anything be funnier than this?"
"But isn't this a bit overboard? I just got my vacation…"
"Stop blabbering!"
Zhang Xiaohou felt miserable .
The truth was, only Zhang Xiaohou would be fooled by Mo Fan . He had just returned from a skirmish, thus he had not updated himself with the latest news . Unfortunately, he had not caught his breath after the huge operation, and he had already been dragged to this scary place by Mo Fan!
His life was definitely full of surprises after he acknowledged Mo Fan as his big brother!
"I'm already here, it's too late to turn back now . Let's go," Zhang Xiaohou said helplessly .
"We'll wait a bit longer . "
"Still waiting for someone else? Let's hope it's not a clueless idiot again," Fiona remarked harshly .
Zhang Xiaohou was just about to ask who they were waiting for when the door of the escalator slowly opened . An innocent-looking loli, adorable and elegant, with huge glittering eyes sparkling with intelligence, came out of it . However, if anyone took a closer look, they would discover that the glitter in her eyes did not originate from the innocence of a little girl at her age .
"Everyone's here," Mo Fan waved at Lingling .
Meanwhile, Fiona smacked her own head and yelled, "Oh my God!"