Zhu Meng burst out laughing. "You believe that too? A twenty-one-year-old captured a Monarch alive? Do you take him for a Super Tier Mage?"
"Parthenon is probably just making empty boasts about their genius."
Luo Mian frowned. "But this news came from inside Parthenon. It should be somewhat credible."
Zhu Meng shook his head with a laugh. "Fine, fine, let's say it's true. That Mu Ningwei captured a Monarch alive—then what? I remember the new Golden Knight is a female mage. Did she capture two Monarchs alive?"
"Well... supposedly, that new Golden Knight's record was killing an Advancing Tier Commander."
Zhu Meng roared with laughter. "Is Parthenon blind? They failed Mu Ningwei, who captured a Monarch alive, yet passed some old woman with no potential and a mediocre record."
Luo Mian was left speechless.
Zhu Meng continued, "Taking another step back, if Mu Ningwei really had that kind of strength, how old was he? Parthenon's higher-ups would have to be brain-dead to let him leave and return home safely."
"If this were our Imperial Palace Court, Chief Pang Lai would have immediately designated him as the next chief. Even if he had no granddaughter of his own, he'd introduce his good friend's granddaughter to Mu Ningwei and bind him firmly to the Imperial Palace Court."
Luo Mian said, "My friend said that Parthenon's First Saintess, Ash Riya—the one who has the Knight Hall's master sworn to her—was supposedly in a relationship with Mu Ningwei."
Zhu Meng was speechless. "What, did that Ash Riya break up with such a monstrous genius? And then Mu Ningwei, a mere High-level Mage, was somehow able to suppress Hailong and the others, preventing those powerhouses from forcibly keeping him?"
"Do you think you're writing a novel? How could something this absurd happen in reality?"
"Parthenon is definitely making things up. Don't we also put a few flashy but useless geniuses on display to cover for the real talents?"
Luo Mian truly had nothing left to say.
He planned to go back and interrogate his friend properly, asking whether he had been lied to.
He even had the words ready—he would send Zhu Meng's remarks back word for word.
Parthenon Temple.
Saintess Hall, living room.
"Saintess, something happened."
Hailong sighed.
Ash Riya asked tiredly, "Uncle Hailong, what is it this time?"
Hailong was baffled as well. "A Silver Moon Knight answered a phone call. For some reason, after returning, he went mad and publicly cursed you for being blind and driving Ningwei away. Then he immediately defected to Pamirs."
Ash Riya trembled with rage.
"It's been half a year! That happened more than half a year ago!"
"Is there any point in clinging to it like this?"
"I've already apologized to everyone. I've already promised to bring Ningwei back."
"Why do they still use that matter to attack me?"
Ash Riya's eyes reddened as she clenched her fists.
"Ningwei, Ningwei, Ningwei, Ningwei, Ningwei! I've done so much over the past half year—are they all blind?!"
Hailong was startled. He had not expected Ash Riya to react so strongly.
Before Hailong could say anything—
Ash Riya calmed down, wiped away the moisture at the corners of her eyes, and immediately said, "Please step in, Uncle Hailong, and quell the unrest caused in the Knight Hall. Tomorrow, I'll go to the Knight Hall and offer condolences again."
Hailong asked worriedly, "Saintess, are you really all right?"
Ash Riya apologized, "Sorry, Uncle Hailong. I lost my composure. The pressure that's been building up lately is a little too much. I'll find a way to adjust."
Hailong said, "I controlled the situation immediately. Saintess, how about resting for a few days?"
"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, Uncle Hailong."
Hailong hesitated briefly, sighed inwardly, and left the Saintess Hall.
Ash Riya sat on the magic wolf-hide sofa, lowered her eyes desolately, hugged her knees, and curled into a ball.
"Ningwei, I really can't hold on much longer. Come back soon..."
A moment later, Ash Riya gritted her teeth.
"I'm not that weak. I can live just fine without you!"
"Don't come back, then. Who cares?"
Ash Riya rose to her feet and stomped into the bedroom in a huff. She lay on the soft, spacious white bed and hugged a pillow tightly.
Her long, beautiful legs squeezed together beneath her, pressing against the bed as anger burned in her eyes.
"Ningwei, you bastard, bastard!"
Her fists slammed viciously into the pillow. After a long while, Ash Riya was drenched in sweat and gasped as she collapsed facedown, her cheeks sinking into the soft cushion.
"Whew... whew... whew..."
"Ningwei, you bastard. I'll prove to you that I can live very well without you!"
Ash Riya did not want to bring Mu Ningwei back.
At least, not before she defeated Pamirs and took control of Parthenon.
She would ascend to the top of Parthenon, then bring Mu Ningwei back.
By then, if he wanted to be a Golden Knight, he could be a Golden Knight. If he wanted to be a hall master, he could be a hall master.
Whatever Mu Ningwei wanted—status, resources, wealth, subordinates—
Ash Riya would give it to him.
Hangcheng Academy's Grand Arena.
"I won. Next."
The black-haired beauty spoke expressionlessly as she released the Earth Forest prison, letting out the male student inside, who had suffocated into unconsciousness.
More than ten thousand teachers and students fell collectively silent, watching the aloof beauty on the stage with anger, amazement, and longing.
The referee carried away the loser as a new challenger stepped onto the stage.
"That's Zhao Yuyu, the top student of the Fire Institute. Fire Element restrains Plant Element. With her stepping in, she'll definitely defeat Mu Nujiao!"
"That's right! This Mu Nujiao is way too arrogant. She actually dared to challenge our Hangcheng Academy. Senior Zhao, teach her a hard lesson!"
Zhao Yuyu was a stunning woman dressed provocatively. She said seriously,
"Mu Nujiao, you've just defeated thirty-eight people. Your magic energy must be heavily depleted. I'll give you time to recover. We'll have a fair fight."
Mu Nujiao waved her hand. "No need. I hope you can bring me some enjoyment in battle."
She was here to challenge the academy, and her goal was to make a name for herself.
That would make it easier for Mu Zhanxing to arrange votes for her participation in the National Prefecture Contest.
Mu Ningwei would participate in the National Prefecture Contest, so she could not fall behind either.
Zhao Yuyu's expression darkened. "So arrogant. Let me teach you a lesson!"
Both her Fire Element and Earth Element had reached full intermediate cultivation. With a Spirit Seed as well, why would she fear a Plant Mage?
"The battle begins!"
Mu Nujiao unleashed Earth Forest. Zhao Yuyu erupted with Spirit Fire and burned the Burning Vine, smiling smugly.
"My Fire Element restrains your Plant Element. Admit defeat!"
Mu Nujiao revealed a trace of fighting spirit. "Not bad. You're worth taking seriously. Go, Pseudo-Terror Demon."
The Plant Element star map shone as countless black vines burst forth, covering half the arena and attacking Zhao Yuyu from every direction like a tidal wave!
Zhao Yuyu's face changed drastically. "A Great Warrior!"
Mu Nujiao smiled lightly as a Wind Element star map formed beneath her.
Zhao Yuyu was using all her strength to resist the Pseudo-Terror Demon and had no spare attention to deal with anything else. She could only watch helplessly as a wind disk formed beside her.
She had lost...
Zhao Yuyu slumped in defeat. She had never expected that more than thirty classmates before her had not even been enough to let Mu Nujiao enjoy herself.
Just as she was preparing to accept defeat, the wind disk beside her suddenly dispersed, and the Pseudo-Terror Demon vanished as well.
Zhao Yuyu froze and watched Mu Nujiao run off the stage.
"Hey, what are you doing?! I haven't admitted defeat yet! If you leave the stage, your hard-earned winning streak will be wiped clean!"
Without looking back, Mu Nujiao ignored Zhao Yuyu's shout, leaped off the stage, and ran delightedly toward a handsome man. She planted her hands on her hips proudly.
"Brother Ningwei, why are you here? Was I cool just now?"
Mu Ningwei said helplessly, "Aren't you here to challenge the academy? Why did you run down?"
Mu Nujiao beamed. "What are votes compared to Brother Ningwei? Are you done with your business?"
Zhao Yuyu stared in astonishment at Mu Nujiao, who had become sweet and demure before Mu Ningwei.
Was this really the cold goddess who had overwhelmed Hangcheng Academy and defeated dozens of Main Campus geniuses?
Thanks to "Yan Xian," "Ultimate Dazzling Sin," and "20200516091831948" for their monthly ticket support~
Love you all~
Today's friend fee is here—not really.
Today's bonus chapter is here!
Please support and keep reading~
Why does Tian Bing keep getting hit by review restrictions? QAQ
Before you continue