In the second match, Mu Nujiao, Mo Fan, Zhao Manyan, and Zheng Xiaobing took the field.
They faced Mu Ningxue and her three accessories.
This match had far more twists and turns. Mu Ningxue went all out from the start, unleashing the Domain Prototype · Ice Field Domain and suppressing Pearl Academy.
Mu Nujiao fused with the Plant Seed and used Wind Element movement techniques, working with Zheng Xiaobing to hold off Mu Ningxue's accessories.
Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan, one attacking and one defending, turned the tide and defeated the isolated Mu Ningxue.
"We did it! We really shut out Imperial Capital Academy!"
Beside Mu Ningwei, Bai Tingting and Song Xia high-fived and cheered. Then they exchanged looks, snorted coldly, and sat back down with their arms crossed as if nothing had happened.
Mu Nujiao rushed back at once. When she saw that Bai Tingting and Song Xia had not tried to steal her home base, she smiled and walked up to Mu Ningwei.
"Brother Ningwei, what did you think?"
"Excellent."
Mu Ningwei rubbed her head and said quietly, "As a reward, I ordered an energy core crystal from a Plant Demon. It's already in the dorm. Once you absorb it after we get back, your Plant Element should reach level three."
Mu Nujiao was delighted. If there had not been so many people around, she probably would have rushed up and kissed him.
"Brother Ningwei, you're so good to me. But if you keep spending money on me, won't it affect your cultivation?"
"It won't. Besides, spending it on you makes me happy."
Mu Nujiao's pretty face reddened slightly.
After shutting out Imperial Capital Academy, the teachers were overjoyed and treated everyone to a lavish meal.
On the way back, they brought up the matter of joint field training.
"Five days from now, you will undergo joint field training with Imperial Capital Academy. The location has yet to be decided. No one will protect you then. I suggest you use this time to buy more magic equipment."
Zhao Manyan's expression stiffened. "Teacher, no way, right? There really won't be any protection at all?"
Teacher Gu nodded. "That's right. This is a necessary path for a mage's growth."
"We will give you a Light Magic signal device. If you encounter danger, send the signal. We hope you can hold on until we arrive."
Zhao Manyan and the others immediately contacted their families and prepared to acquire more magic equipment.
Mu Ningwei returned to the apartment with Mu Nujiao.
Mu Nujiao lightly kissed his chin, her cheeks flushed red, then fled back to her room with the Plant Element resources as though escaping.
Mu Ningwei smiled and returned to his own room to refine his Light Element resources.
Soon, five days had passed.
The outstanding students from both academies gathered beneath the apartment building.
Song He, the president of Imperial Capital Academy, an old man with a sanctimonious appearance, stood at the front and spoke.
"The location for this exchange student field training is Golden Forest Wasteland City, on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River plain. It used to be a city within the safe zone many years ago, but Golden Forest City was destroyed due to the rampant Lizard Skull Giant Demons in the Dongting Lake region."
"You need to gather data on the demons in Golden Forest Wasteland City: approximately how many servants and warriors there are, the distribution of their nests, and so on. Submit it to us for danger assessment."
"This concerns whether the military will rebuild Golden Forest City, so you must take it seriously."
After hearing this, Mu Ningxue spoke up.
"President, isn't this too difficult? A city covers a vast area. Who knows how many demons live there?"
"To gather accurate data, we would need to investigate many locations. It would be easy to get surrounded by demons, and we would be fighting alone..."
Song He said, "No one is asking you to charge in blindly. And if we sent you somewhere with very weak demons, how would that serve as field training?"
"This is your mission, but it is also your training. You cannot remain in an ivory tower forever."
"Mu Ningxue, look at Mu Ningwei. He has no objections. He is already a powerful mage tempered through countless battles."
Mu Ningxue looked over and said nothing more.
Mu Ningwei maintained his smile.
Students did need field training, but the actual circumstances also had to be considered.
If this mission were posted as a commission in the Hunter's Alliance—
A Hunter Group with cultivation similar to this group of students would not even spare it a glance.
Those who dared accept it would either have a High-level Mage leading them, or be a Hunter Group composed of many fully cultivated Intermediate Mages.
It was not as though exploring a ruined city was completely beyond what these students could handle.
But it was like a level-twenty party challenging a dungeon recommended for level thirty. By the time they cleared it, there would most likely be many casualties.
In any case, aside from especially critical situations that required him to step in, Mu Ningwei had never taken on such a treacherous mission in all his "countless battles."
Seeing that no one had any objections, Song He announced,
"For this field training, Mu Ningwei and Mu Ningxue will serve as captains and command jointly. For any matter, follow the result of their discussion. Everyone else must obey their command."
"Yes."
Mu Ningxue held great prestige within Imperial Capital Academy, prestige she had earned through actual fights.
As for Mu Ningwei, there was no need to mention him. After displaying his Blessing Magic last time, he had firmly secured his position as captain. He was also concealing the Light Element known as "number one in the Light Department," making his strength unfathomable and overwhelmingly powerful.
After making the arrangements, everyone boarded a plane toward Dongting Lake and arrived in a city very close to Golden Forest Wasteland City.
Next, they would leave the safe zone and proceed to their destination on foot.
The president's office.
After the students had all left, Song He received a phone call.
The caller was Lu Nian, a military commander.
"...Your military zone's Demon Element experiment has set its sights on that student called Mo Fan?"
"Yes. I hope you can tell me where he is headed."
"As far as I know, that experiment was suspended."
"President Song He, you should understand humanity's helplessness when facing demons. For the sake of all mankind, we must complete the demon experiment. I hope you will cooperate."
President Song He hesitated for a moment. "All right. They went to Golden Forest Wasteland City."
"Thank you. President Song He truly understands the greater good."
The wilderness.
Mu Nujiao flexed her fists and scanned the surroundings.
She had already broken through to the third level of the Intermediate Realm. Under Mu Ningwei's guidance, her magical techniques had improved greatly. She could hardly wait to encounter demons and test her strength.
Only by becoming strong enough could she be worthy of Brother Ningwei!
Qingqing, also a Plant Mage, took the initiative to break the ice between the two sides and explain some demon knowledge.
"Fifty or more adult demons form a 'nest.' Fifty or more nests of demons from the same race form a 'population.' More than ten populations form a 'tribe.'"
"The Golden Forest Wasteland City we are heading to was conquered by a Lizard Skull Giant Demon tribe. In other words, there were at least twenty or thirty thousand Lizard Skull Giant Demons there at the time."
"As for now... it's hard to say."
Mo Fan was shocked. "So we might end up surrounded by tens of thousands of demons? With just the few of us, even if our magic energy ran dry, we couldn't kill more than a few hundred servant-class demons!"
Song Xia, also a top student, said,
"Lizard Skull Giant Demons are mainly active on the Dongting Lake plain. Golden Forest Wasteland City lies in the outer region, so there probably won't be too many demons."
Mu Ningwei nodded to himself.
That meant it was only the territory of a commander-level creature, with perhaps several thousand or ten thousand giant lizards.
"Hello."
A cool voice came from nearby.
Mu Ningwei turned his head. Mu Ningxue, like a silver-haired elf, had taken the initiative to speak to him.
"If we follow this abandoned railway straight ahead, we can reach the ruined city. If we encounter danger, stay close to me immediately. I will protect you."
Mu Nujiao wore a strange expression as she looked at the confident Mu Ningxue, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing.
The people from Imperial Capital Academy were envious and jealous that their captain had taken the initiative to speak to Mu Ningwei.
Mu Ningwei smiled. The cold beauty was rather adorably oblivious, and the contrast made her quite cute. "Thank you for the offer."
Mu Ningxue nodded. "Then please use your Blessing Magic to support me immediately as well."
"No problem."
Thanks to Xiao Ye for the reward, mua.
Xiao Ye, love~
Before you continue