A Charming Sister at Home

Knock, knock, knock!

"Dean Xiao, I've brought Brother Ningwei here."

"Please, come in."

"Greetings, Dean Xiao." "Hello, Dean Xiao."

"Haha, hello! You must be Mu Ningwei. No need for such formalities, come, take a seat. Mu Nujiao, you sit as well."

Sitting across from the desk, Mu Ningwei studied Dean Xiao.

Dean Xiao looked a bit older than Mu Zhanxing, tall and thin, dressed in a crisply pressed blue mage robe. His eyes were clear and his smile was hearty, giving off an approachable vibe.

He was also observing Mu Ningwei.

The young man had a handsome, youthful face in his early twenties. Although he wore a simple white shirt and black cropped trousers, he subconsciously straightened his back after sitting down, resting his hands on the armrests, which projected a sense of earnest respect.

"What a fine young man. When I heard about your battle record, it truly shocked this old man—especially that time you killed the Blue Star Giant and saved half the city's population. You certainly live up to the title of 'Holy Knight of Eternal Darkness'."

Mu Nujiao felt a sense of reflected glory, her face glowing with pride.

The one being praised was her Brother Ningwei!

Mu Ningwei felt a bit awkward.

That chuunibyou title sounded fine in a foreign language, but in Chinese, it made his toes curl inside his shoes.

"I am nothing more than a 'Failed Knight' now."

Dean Xiao shook his head and extended his palm. "Justice resides in the hearts of the people. I must thank the Parthenon for sending such an outstanding child to me."

"Mu Ningwei, on behalf of Pearl Academy, I welcome you!"

Mu Ningwei grasped the hand of the Forbidden Mage, feeling the weight of this importance, and smiled. "Thank you, Dean. I am now your student."

"Haha, a student like you is hard to find in a lifetime. I must show my appreciation—how about seven days of cultivation time in the Three-Step Tower?"

Mu Nujiao was surprised, yet she felt it was only natural.

In the Green Campus, students would fight tooth and nail just to compete for a single day in the Three-Step Tower, and even then, it depended on whether the academy decided to grant it.

For Mu Ningwei to receive seven days right after joining the academy would surely make countless people green with envy.

But this was what Mu Ningwei deserved!

With his talent and strength, no amount of special treatment would be excessive.

"Thank you, Dean. I truly feel your regard."

Dean Xiao said, "There is an assessment coming up for the Green Campus to enter the Main Campus—the one Mu Nujiao is participating in. Do you intend to join it, or will you enter the Main Campus directly?"

Hearing this, Mu Ningwei understood that Dean Xiao was offering him a favor.

If he joined the Green Campus assessment, he would be bullying the others, easily securing the top reward and making it simple to help Mu Nujiao.

"Mu Nujiao, what do you think?"

Mu Nujiao was stunned. Why was she the one deciding?

Mu Ningwei smiled. "If I participate in the Green Campus assessment, I can guarantee you first place and the highest reward, which will certainly include time in the Three-Step Tower."

Mu Nujiao was pleasantly surprised. "That would be wonderful! But..."

"Oh?"

Mu Nujiao shook her head firmly. "Brother Ningwei's time is precious. I don't want you to waste it just to secure first place for me."

"Besides, I'm quite capable myself. I want to earn my ranking through my own strength. Even if it's not first place, I can accept that."

"I appreciate your kindness, Brother Ningwei. I'll cook for you today to show my gratitude."

Mu Ningwei looked satisfied, his favor for his cousin increasing. "Good luck."

Dean Xiao applauded. "Excellent. Mu Nujiao, with that kind of determination, you will surely become a powerhouse. With both of you in the Mu Clan, the future is limitless."

Mu Nujiao smiled gracefully.

Mu Ningwei: "You are too kind, Dean."

"In that case, Mu Ningwei, which department will you register for first? The Light Department or the Dark Department? As for your third element, Blessing, you are the only one in our Pearl Academy who possesses it."

"The Light Department, I suppose. It's livelier with more people."

"Very well. Here is the contact information for the Light Department Director."

After bidding farewell to Dean Xiao, they walked through the vast Pearl Academy.

Mu Ningwei looked at the vibrant, youthful students and felt his mood brighten. He said to Mu Nujiao beside him:

"Your answer just now was very good."

Mu Nujiao twirled a strand of hair by her ear and laughed softly. "That was the truth. I can't be sheltered by Brother Ningwei forever. Of course, I'll still come to you for protection when it's necessary~"

Mu Nujiao winked playfully.

To her peers or juniors, she was a cold, aloof goddess.

But toward a powerful, reliable, and handsome older brother, Mu Nujiao would reveal her girlish side.

"I'll go greet the department head, then head to the Three-Step Tower to take a look. What are your plans?"

"Cultivation, of course."

"Mm. On the desk in my room, there are some Plant Element cultivation techniques I summarized last night. Although I don't have the Plant Element, I did spend a few years at the Parthenon, so you can take a look."

Mu Nujiao's beautiful eyes widened. "Brother Ningwei! Thank you!"

Mu Ningwei smiled. "Taking care of you is only right. Study hard; I'll quiz you when I get back."

Mu Nujiao was full of motivation. "With Brother Ningwei's teaching, I will definitely perform excellently in the assessment!"

The Three-Step Tower was the cultivation ground of Pearl Academy. Its name derived from the concept of "boundless space in three steps." It looked small from the outside, but it actually contained a massive Space Magic formation, holding a vast world within.

Upon entering the Three-Step Tower, the energy grew denser the higher one climbed, but one had to endure the pressure, which served as a form of trial.

Mu Ningwei easily reached the third floor and sat cross-legged in the area with the most concentrated energy.

If an Intermediate Mage were to cultivate here, one day would be equivalent to two or three hundred days of progress.

For a High-level Mage, the effect was significantly reduced, but one day could still equal several dozen days of progress.

Mu Ningwei was a High-level Mage in three elements. His Light and Shadow elements had received blessings from high-level existences.

His Blessing element had been awakened under the guidance of the great Athena.

His usual cultivation speed was two or three times faster than an ordinary mage, and the bonuses he received in cultivation grounds were even higher.

"Let's continue cultivating the Light Element."

Mu Ningwei was an orthodox mage; he didn't cultivate multiple elements simultaneously. Instead, he focused on one element at a time.

Only after breaking through to a major stage would he use his higher realm and greater resources to bring his other elements up to speed.

Because resources for the Light Element were easier to obtain, Mu Ningwei planned to focus on it while at the High-level stage.

Currently, his Light Element was at High-level Second Tier, while his Shadow and Blessing elements were at High-level First Tier.

Although the Three-Step Tower's effectiveness was reduced for a High-level Second Tier mage, Mu Ningwei remained determined to cultivate his Light Element.

His Star River Magic Artifact was firing at full capacity;

The Light Element affinity blessed by Athena was absorbing energy like a storm;

The energy at the center of the Three-Step Tower surged wildly;

Mu Ningwei's cultivation rose, rose, and rose—surging with power, growing with intensity, and expanding with dominance.

When the seven days were up, he had already touched the bottleneck of the High-level Third Tier!

"The bottleneck isn't difficult for me, but breaking through will take some time. I won't be able to finish it during this retreat."

"It's the beginning of the year now. I wonder if I can break through to the next realm before the year ends."

He left the Three-Step Tower, went home to bathe, and enjoyed the sumptuous lunch carefully prepared by the Mu Family Sisters.

Mu Ningwei quizzed Mu Nujiao on her Plant Element theory and occasionally asked about Mu Nuxin's recent situation.

Mu Nuxin had taken her 500 million in startup capital and hadn't rushed into the mage circle. Aside from investing a portion into family businesses for steady, guaranteed returns, she had invested the rest into ordinary industries.

From what she said, she planned to wait for the dividends before hiring apothecaries and forgers to enter the highly profitable mage circle.

Mu Ningwei stayed home to cultivate, preparing for his breakthrough.

In the blink of an eye, the day of Mu Nujiao's Main Campus assessment arrived.

"I remember that there was a disturbance by the Black Pepper Court during this assessment, and Xu Zhaoting's partner died, if I recall correctly."