Ice Spirit Core Realm Ice, Farewell Star Mold Demon God

[Do you wish to claim the B-rank innate talent: Ice-element Spirit Core?]

Looking at the translucent panel floating before him, Jiang Yu silently confirmed in his heart without hesitation.

[Congratulations on obtaining the innate ice-element Spirit Core—Banner Ice.]

In an instant, Jiang Yu felt as though his entire body had fallen into an ice cellar, an unbearable chill piercing to the bone.

Even his awareness of his surroundings had blurred. His limbs, blood, and organs seemed to have been completely frozen.

Fortunately, Jiang Yu was sitting in the back row. If he had been seated on the podium, things would have been troublesome.

"Mm?"

Suddenly, Jiang Yu felt a steady stream of warmth spreading through his shoulder.

It was as though he had plunged his entire body into a hot spring amid bitter winter. The cold quickly began to fade.

Jiang Yu turned his head.

A beautiful female teacher with delicate features was looking at him mysteriously. She was Ying Yue.

Her slender hand rested on Jiang Yu's shoulder, which was why the chill had eased.

"Student Jiang Yu, you seem a little unwell."

Ying Yue spoke softly, concern in her voice.

"I'll be fine after resting for a while."

Jiang Yu answered weakly.

But what he had not expected was that the chill in his body seemed to have been provoked by the warmth, becoming even more vicious as it ravaged him.

Ying Yue immediately stood up and signaled to the head instructor that she needed to leave for a moment. Jiang Yu naturally followed her.

The two left the noisy Annual Assessment Arena.

He was taken to the infirmary of Tianlan High School.

Because mages possessed powerful bodies, the chances of falling ill were extremely low. As a result, the infirmary was empty; not even a single on-duty school doctor was present.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu only felt that his entire body had nearly frozen into ice, leaving him utterly miserable.

Ying Yue's delicate hand had already pressed against the youth's sturdy chest.

"Fireburst!"

She gave a soft cry, and highly concentrated fire elements suddenly erupted.

At the same time, the highly concentrated ice elements within Jiang Yu rapidly dissipated, and feeling gradually returned to his numb body.

Seeing that Jiang Yu was no longer in serious trouble, Ying Yue withdrew her hand.

Jiang Yu looked at the beautiful teacher Ying Yue somewhat awkwardly.

"Teacher Ying Yue..."

He was trying to think of an excuse to explain his body's unusual condition.

Little did he know that Ying Yue had already guessed everything. She slowly said, "To be able to resist my Fireburst, the power in your body is probably no weaker than an entry-level spell, is it?"

"What an incredible magical talent!"

Ying Yue said enviously.

As an assessor, she had seen many gifted students and naturally knew that this was a magical talent.

Jiang Yu had been worrying over how to explain himself, never expecting Ying Yue to assume that his innate talent was natural.

Naturally, he went along with her assumption.

"Thank you, Teacher Ying Yue!"

This incident also served as a reminder to Jiang Yu.

Even without Ying Yue, that ice-element Spirit Core would not have taken his life.

But it would have been enough to make him suffer for a while.

After all, Spirit Cores generally required intermediate mages to possess enough strength to absorb them. He had absorbed it at the entry level, which was already quite remarkable.

He had absorbed a heavenly talent with his ordinary body.

"Alright, Jiang Yu. If there's anything you don't understand in the future, you can come find me."

After giving him a few instructions, Jiang Yu left the infirmary.

Ying Yue, who remained in the infirmary, curiously watched the young man's departing figure.

In her perception, Jiang Yu possessed not only ice-element power but also that mysterious innate talent.

That little fool seemed to be hiding quite a few secrets.

However, so long as it did not involve the power of the Black Vatican, Ying Yue had no intention of digging deeper.

She was also curious just how far that young man would go in the future.

After the annual assessment, the top hundred students were admitted into the elite class.

These hundred students also gained the right to temporarily use Stardust Demonic Artifacts.

The Mu family had also gifted a set of resources comparable to a marrow-cleansing baptism because of Mu Ningxue's outstanding performance that day.

At the banquet.

Jiang Yu was still seated in a corner, while Mu Ningxue sat at the center of the entire banquet.

Seeing the guests chatting merrily, he quietly slipped out onto the balcony.

The Mu estate stood at the highest point in all of Bo City.

From the balcony, he could see moonlight spilling over Bo City like silver frost.

Jiang Yu sensed the Ice-element stardust within his spiritual world.

"About a 2.5-fold boost? It still can't compare to top-grade stardust, but it's more than enough for me right now."

"And there's still the Bo City disaster..."

Jiang Yu looked toward the mountain range shrouded in darkness, knowing that there were still two years until that catastrophic disaster.

Just then, a faint fragrance drifted over with the evening breeze.

Jiang Yu turned around and saw Mu Ningxue looking at him with a smile in her icy blue eyes.

"Long time no see?"

He tried to greet her.

After all, he and Mu Ningxue had not met in three years. Three years were enough to change many people and many things.

"Mm-hm." Mu Ningxue smiled softly.

Jiang Yu stared blankly at her. The girl's smile was like an ice lotus blooming upon a snow-capped mountain, beautiful beyond compare.

Under the moonlight, Mu Ningxue's snow-white neck added a touch of sacred nobility to her bearing.

In the words of his previous life—

This girl would become the unattainable white moonlight in the hearts of countless people.

"Jiang Yu, long time no see."

After smiling lightly, Mu Ningxue spoke in her usual cool tone, though a hint of gentleness curved her eyes.

"I came to give you this."

Mu Ningxue handed Jiang Yu a small wooden box.

Jiang Yu did not take it. He only felt that the Mu Ningxue before him seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

"What's inside?"

"A Stardust Demonic Artifact."

Mu Ningxue answered simply.

Jiang Yu looked at the wooden box in surprise, then waved his hand and refused.

"I can't accept it. Your own resources aren't even enough for you to use."

A Stardust Demonic Artifact cost at least a million. This gift was far too valuable.

Even with the support of the entire Mu family of Bo City, resources for Demonic Law cultivation would never be enough.

Not to mention that Mu Ningxue was studying at the Imperial Capital Demonic Law University, where wealthy second-generation heirs were everywhere.

Even if this Stardust Demonic Artifact was very important to him.

"Consider it a gift from me."

Seeing that Jiang Yu still would not accept it, Mu Ningxue said helplessly.

"You should keep it. I don't really need it that badly."

Looking at the boy who had repeatedly refused her, Mu Ningxue seemed to return to the past.

"You're still as stubborn as ever."

With a helpless smile, she put away the wooden box.

Jiang Yu thought Mu Ningxue would no longer insist, and he was about to chat with her.

But at that moment—

"Catch me—!"

"You... you!"

Jiang Yu looked dumbfoundedly at the girl in his arms.

Mu Ningxue had actually stepped forward boldly and hugged him directly!

"Don't even think about pushing me away!"

Mu Wanqing inhaled the fresh grass scent on the young man's body, as though it had been baked by the warm sun, and rested contentedly.

"Mm, why bother?"

Jiang Yu let out a long sigh.

The girl, only sixteen years old, bore far too much hatred, the pressure of her family, and the pain brought by her talent.

Today, Jiang Yu only felt deep regret. That feeling, like falling into an icy cellar, was indeed hard to endure.

Yet Mu Wanqing's suffering was even greater.

After a long while...

Mu Wanqing released her embrace and resumed her usual indifferent expression.

She placed the sandalwood box on the ground and, across the alley, looked at Jiang Yu as she said, "Consider this your reward."

"We'll be returning to the imperial capital tonight. I hope I'll still be able to see you in the future."

With that, Mu Wanqing turned and left dejectedly, the girl's fragrance fading away with the evening breeze.

Jiang Yu looked at the sandalwood box on the ground. After pondering for a long time, he finally picked it up.

"The favor of a beauty is the hardest to accept..."