Chapter 159: "I Don’t Believe It"

Chapter 159: "I Don't Believe It"

Mu Feng and Bai Ziyue stabled their mounts at the academy's beast yard and headed directly to the Mission Hall. As always, the hall buzzed with activity, bustling with students discussing and selecting tasks.

Skepticism in the Hall

"Ha! Jiang Xiao, why do you even bother coming here every day? There's no way those two rookies completed a Tier-One mission!" one senior mocked.

"Exactly! You're just here hoping to snatch those 3,000 credits they bet with you. Admit it, you're wasting your time," another chimed in, laughing.

Jiang Xiao shrugged with a smug grin. "Hey, can you blame me? They practically handed me the credits on a silver platter. I'd be a fool not to collect."

The blue-robed attendant behind the counter chuckled. "Honestly, what kind of idiot rookies think they can pull off a Tier-One mission? They either overestimate themselves or have a death wish."

"I know, right? And to top it off, they challenged me with that ridiculous bet. Well, I'm more than happy to take their credits," Jiang Xiao said, folding his arms. "By the way, has that kid come by to cancel the mission yet?"

"Not a chance. He's probably dead already. I mean, come on, a rookie like him? Completing a Tier-One mission? Impossible," the attendant replied, laughing.

"Eh, doesn't matter. Even if he's gone, his sister—Mu Ling'er—can cough up the credits. I looked into it: the kid's from the Mu family. His sister is ranked 95th on the Tianyun Leaderboard. If he can't pay, she will," Jiang Xiao said with a sinister grin.

"Mu Ling'er, huh? Not bad. Smart, strong, and stunningly beautiful. Climbed the leaderboard in just four years. If she keeps going, she might make the top ten in a couple more," one senior said, nodding in admiration.

"Beautiful, sure, but the Mu family's finished. Everyone knows that. When the family falls, it's only a matter of time before she's sold off as someone's servant or concubine," another scoffed, earning laughter from the group.

"Speaking of the doomed Mu family... Hey, isn't that them?"

A Stunning Return

The laughter abruptly stopped as a student pointed toward the entrance. There, striding confidently into the hall, were Mu Feng and Bai Ziyue.

"It's those two rookies! They're back already? Did they give up on the mission?" a student speculated.

"Haha! Looks like Jiang Xiao is about to score those credits," another joked.

Jiang Xiao smirked and walked up to the pair, his eyes gleaming with mockery. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite rookies! What's the matter? Giving up already? Where's your third little teammate? Don't tell me he died out there," he sneered.

"Shut your filthy mouth, you dog!" Bai Ziyue snapped. "We've completed the mission. Unlike you, we don't need to rely on petty tricks to win."

"Completed it?" Jiang Xiao scoffed, his smirk turning into a snarl. "If you really finished that mission, I'll call you my grandpa!"

"I don't need a grandson as worthless as you," Mu Feng replied coldly.

"You—!" Jiang Xiao's face twisted in anger, but before he could make a move, one of his companions held him back.

"Let them talk. It'll all be settled when the mission is verified," the companion said with a smirk.

Jiang Xiao sneered. "Fine. Go ahead, rookies. Prove it."

Shock and Awe

Mu Feng and Bai Ziyue approached the counter. The blue-robed attendant raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you're back at all. Smart of you to know when to quit. Better than losing your life."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Mu Feng waved his hand. Three packages appeared on the counter.

"What's this?" the attendant muttered, frowning. Opening the packages, he froze. Inside were three severed heads.

Gasps filled the hall as students crowded around. Jiang Xiao's smug expression melted into disbelief.

"This... is this real?" a senior murmured.

"Impossible! They're just rookies!" another exclaimed.

The attendant, now serious, pulled out Ma Li's portrait and compared it to one of the heads. Then, using a verification technique, he probed the heads for remnants of their owners' cultivation.

After a moment, he looked up, his voice trembling. "The primary target—Ma Li—was a Condensed Core cultivator at the Second Tier. The facial features match perfectly. These other two must be his second and third-in-command. The mission is... complete."

Denial and Defiance

"What?! That's Ma Li's head? They really did it?" gasped one student.

"I don't believe it. How could two rookies pull this off?" another muttered, shaking his head.

"I don't believe it either!" Jiang Xiao bellowed. "There's no way they did this alone. It must've been Mu Ling'er. She helped them complete the mission!"

Whispers spread through the crowd, and many nodded in agreement. After all, it was common for well-connected students to hire experts to complete tasks on their behalf.

Bai Ziyue's face turned red with anger. "You scumbags! We did this ourselves! You just can't handle the fact that we're better than you!"

"Better than me? Don't kid yourself," Jiang Xiao spat. "No one here believes you. Admit it—Mu Ling'er did all the work!"

"Believe what you want," Mu Feng said icily. "It doesn't matter to me. All that matters is you lost. Now hand over the credits."

Jiang Xiao sneered. "And if I refuse? What are you going to do about it?"

"You're playing with fire," Mu Feng warned, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Jiang Xiao laughed mockingly. "Oh, I'm so scared! What are you going to do? Hit me?"

Mu Feng clenched his fists but turned to the attendant instead. Handing over his mission card, he waited as the attendant transferred the promised 3,500 credits to both him and Bai Ziyue.

As the transaction finished, Jiang Xiao smirked triumphantly. "See? All bark, no bite. You can't touch me."

Mu Feng walked past him, his voice cold and commanding: "Get outside."