Chapter 14: Mo Fan: You All Think I Can't Do It?
He wasn't bragging, not at all. By now, he had already killed two Bone-Spike Demon Wolves, which were of warrior-level strength.
The reason he could single-handedly defeat such powerful creatures was simple—he had recently broken through to the mid-tier in his lightning element! Although he hadn't yet fully mastered all 49 stars, his teacher, Miss Tang Yue, had provided him with a Star Atlas Book, which had been a huge help.
She had supported him a lot, and with her insight, Mo Fan's secrets weren't really secrets to her.
In fact, he hadn't intended to hide anything from Tang Yue at all.
When Tang Yue found out that Mo Fan had a natural double element talent, she was utterly shocked. What amazed her even more was that this kid had managed to break through to Mid-Tier in both his Fire and Lightning elements within three years.
For a nobody to achieve such success, even the so-called geniuses from prestigious families couldn't compare. And to this day, Tang Yue hadn't told anyone about Mo Fan's talent because she viewed it as a sign of her star student's trust.
At one point, she even considered recommending Mo Fan to join the Judgement Court.
With such potential, combined with the resources of the Judgement Court...
But Mo Fan had outright refused.
His reasoning was clear: his growth relied on hunting demons, gathering their soul remnants and essences. Combat would continuously stimulate the growth of his Stardust and Starcloud.
Tang Yue respected his decision and didn't press the matter further.
Joining a faction? No way—Mo Fan was determined never to become part of one in this life.
"Mo Fan..."
Although Zhang Xiaohou fully believed in Mo Fan, they were both just from humble backgrounds, after all.
"Don't worry, Monkey."
Mo Fan simply patted Zhang Xiaohou on the shoulder and didn't bother explaining much.
It wasn't Zhang Xiaohou's fault for finding it hard to believe. Honestly, if he were in Xiaohou's shoes, he would have found it hard to believe too. A commoner going up against a descendant of a prestigious family? It was almost always a case of being used as a stepping stone.
And Zhang Xiaohou wasn't the only one worried about Mo Fan.
As Mu He meticulously prepared for Mu Ningxue's coming-of-age ceremony—practically turning it into a citywide event—Principal Zhu and Vice Principal Deng Kai couldn't hold back any longer. They called Mo Fan into the principal's office.
As for Principal Zhu, though he rarely showed himself, Mo Fan had seen him a few times before as well.
"Mo Fan, there's something we need to seriously discuss with you." Deng Kai spoke up first.
Mo Fan nodded, and Deng Kai went on to explain the history behind every challenge faced against the descendants of prominent families. He also shared how they had been keeping an eye on Mu Zhuoyun, preventing him from pulling any dirty tricks.
Understanding their concerns, Mo Fan earnestly responded, "Thank you both, Principal Zhu and Dean Deng. I promise you, I won't let you down in this duel."
The two educators exchanged helpless glances, and Principal Zhu then explained the reality of the world's inherent unfairness.
At the end of the day, what they were really trying to say was that they didn't want Mo Fan to put too much pressure on himself. Even if he lost, it wasn't the end of the world. There's always the idea of waiting patiently for revenge in the future.
"Three decades of ups and downs" and "a gentleman can wait ten years for revenge"—they kept repeating these sorts of sayings.
In short, just like Zhang Xiaohou, they didn't believe Mo Fan had any chance of winning.
Mo Fan didn't argue. He preferred to let his actions do the talking.
Time flew by as preparations for Yu Ang's grand coming-of-age ceremony were in full swing at the Mu estate.
"Mo Fan! Mo Fan!" A familiar middle-aged man called out to him.
"Dad? Why are you here?" Mo Fan was slightly caught off guard when he saw Mo Jiaxing.
"I heard that you've got self-study today, so I came to pick you up." Mo Jiaxing said, flashing a simple and honest smile, revealing a row of white teeth.
Mo Jiaxing had gotten darker and skinnier—no surprise, considering how hard he had been working for the family these past three years.
"Dad, you don't have to push yourself so hard. Besides, didn't I already send you some money?" Mo Fan asked.
But like many parents, Mo Jiaxing hadn't touched the money his son had sent him.
Mo Fan didn't press the matter. He didn't know what else to say.
Like Xiaohou and the others, his father also didn't think Mo Fan stood much of a chance of winning. But to Mo Jiaxing, it was still an honor to even be considered a worthy opponent. After all, not just anyone could serve as a stepping stone for a prestigious family's child.
The invitations from the Mu family had been sent out well in advance, and their estate was now bustling with high-profile guests. The preparations kept all the workers in and around the Mu estate extremely busy, to the point where even an extra blade of grass in the garden had to be dealt with immediately.
Mu Zhuoyun had poured so much effort into this coming-of-age ceremony, it was as if he wanted the entire Bo City to know about it.
At first, Mo Fan thought Mu Zhuoyun was being relatively kind. But now that he thought about it, the old man wasn't trying to be sneaky at all—he simply didn't consider Mo Fan to be a challenge. Mo Fan's defiance had merely provided him with an opportunity to showcase his superiority, with the school's reputation on the line.
The irony, though, was that Mu Zhuoyun didn't realize Mo Fan wasn't someone who could be judged by ordinary standards.
The moon hung high, casting its gentle light over Bo City. The tranquil city had the graceful charm of a southern metropolis, with rivers flowing serenely around it and mountains stretching endlessly beyond its borders.
Tomorrow would be an important day for Mo Fan—not to prove anything, but simply to claim the Underground Holy Spring!
Sitting across from a building nearly 100 meters high, Mo Fan waited.
He was here for someone.
While waiting, he heard footsteps behind him, light and steady. A cool breeze brushed against his back. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"I asked Xin Xia, and she said you'd be here." The girl's clear and melodious voice drifted over. If it weren't so cold, it would've sounded like silver bells on a snowy day.
"You're here to tell me I'm no match for Yu Ang and that I should either give up or run away, right?" Mo Fan asked without turning around.
Mu Ningxue fell silent for a moment before replying, "Yu Ang will come at you ruthlessly. He listens to my father without question. He holds a deep grudge against anyone who even slightly wrongs my father. It's kill or be killed with him."
She paused before adding, "Tomorrow, don't go. Avoid this disaster, then head straight to the Magic University. During the four years you're there, I'll gradually take control of the family. Once you return, no one in Bo City will dare touch you."
Mo Fan turned to look at her and said bluntly, "So, you're worried about me?"
"I'm not." Mu Ningxue replied quickly, turning her head to the side as if to avoid his gaze.
"If you want to say one thing and think another, then you can leave."
"You—"
Mu Ningxue furrowed her brow. She had genuinely been trying to help him, yet he still made such flippant remarks. Did he not realize that by angering her father, there would be no place for him in all of Bo City?