Volume 4: Super-Tier Awakening & The Ancient Capital Calamity
Chapter 395
Mu Ningxue's Decision to Establish Fanxue Mountain
Beneath the night sky of the Ancient Capital, the ash-gray poisonous mist seemed to have been swept away by an invisible wave of pressure, yielding to a silvery moonlight that poured down upon the ancient earth. Within an exquisitely arranged courtyard of snow and blossoms, delicate ice petals formed by the Force of Frost drifted down gently, draping a coat of pristine, unblemished white over the cobblestone steps.
Mu Ningxue sat quietly beside a white marble stone table. She wore a light azure long robe that accentuated her slender, graceful figure, making her look like an immortal fairy descended from a ten-thousand-foot glacial mountain. Her flawless, delicate face featured skin as white as early winter snow, and her naturally rosy thin lips carried a faint, melancholy sorrow. Her phoenix-like eyes stared fixedly at the steaming cup of spirit-snow tea, the depths of her gaze reflecting the cold moonlight and heavy thoughts.
Standing beside her, Lin Feng casually draped a pitch-black brocade robe trimmed with silver threads, his arrogant aura resembling an ancient sovereign steadfastly guarding the person closest to his heart. He said nothing, simply enjoying the tranquil atmosphere in silence, giving the young woman he treasured most the space to pour out her heart.
“Nueling... ever since we left the Mu Clan in Ice Prefecture until today, I’ve noticed you carrying a heavy stone weighing on your heart. Tonight the moon is bright and the breeze gentle, with no one to disturb us. Would you like to tell me about it?”
Lin Feng’s voice was deep and warm, carrying a strange, soul-soothing magic. It was like a small flame in the dead of winter, warming the coldest corners of Mu Ningxue’s mind.
Hearing this, Mu Ningxue’s slender body trembled slightly. She raised her head, meeting Lin Feng’s profound gaze, which was overflowing with understanding and pampering. The endurance and resilience she always wore as a shield suddenly cracked open a tiny gap. A sigh as light as a feather escaped her thin lips:
“Lin Feng... Have you ever felt that this magic world looks dazzlingly bright on the surface, but inside, it is rotten to the very core?”
“Of course I understand. The major clans hold all the resources, monopolizing cultivation assets. Commoner mages, no matter how extraordinary their natural talent, can only serve as stepping stones or be crushed under the heels of the strong. Not to mention those of you born with unique bloodlines or divine legacies; they only ever want to exploit or destroy you.”
Lin Feng curled his lips into a cold smile, his voice carrying an invisible killing intent. He understood the true nature of these so-called “giant clans” in the Central Plains too well. They sat high above the masses, corrupt and selfish to the extreme.
Mu Ningxue bit her lower lip gently, a flash of unprecedented determination igniting in her eyes:
“That’s right! I despise the dirty infighting, the hypocrisy, and the ruthlessness of the Mu Clan. They discarded me when I no longer held maximum utility value, and then turned around to hunt me down the moment they felt I threatened their status. I refuse to compromise any longer. I will not bow my head to anyone bearing the noble family name in this world!”
She stood up abruptly, her azure robes fluttering violently in the wind and snow. A chilling momentum erupted from her body—not the weakness of a young woman needing protection, but the majesty of a queen challenging her destiny.
“I want to build a place that belongs solely to myself. A faction that does not rely on any aristocratic sect, a free land called... Fanxue Mountain!”
The two words “Fanxue Mountain” had barely left her lips when the surrounding space seemed to freeze. That was a grand dream, an ambition that flew in the face of the current magical world order. A young woman rising from the ashes of her clan dared to declare independence, creating a sanctuary exclusively for abandoned commoner mages. If these words reached the ears of the Mu Clan’s elders or other major clans, they would undoubtedly laugh it off as a madman’s delusional fantasy.
Yet, Lin Feng’s reaction completely defied all expectations.
He did not burst out laughing, nor did he persuade her to abandon such a whimsical notion. Instead, a brilliant fire carrying ultimate fanaticism and pride burst within Lin Feng’s deep black eyes.
Stepping forward, Lin Feng directly extended his broad hand, wrapping his palm firmly around Mu Ningxue’s hand, which was cold from agitation.
The warm temperature transmitted from skin to skin startled Mu Ningxue, her phoenix eyes widening as she looked at him. She could clearly feel every powerful heartbeat thumping from this man’s chest.
“As long as it’s what you want, let alone a Fanxue Mountain, even if you want to level this entire continent, I will lay it bare at your feet with my bare hands!”
Lin Feng’s voice was extremely calm, yet every single word carried the might of thunder, allowing no one to doubt it. It was a promise weighing a thousand pounds, an unconditional pampering reserved exclusively for Mu Ningxue.
Mu Ningxue’s hand trembled lightly. The warmth radiating from Lin Feng’s palm spread straight to the depths of her heart, melting away the cold loneliness she had endured for so long. The corners of her eyes grew slightly moist, but a breathtaking, radiant smile bloomed on her lips like snow blossoms blooming in a warm winter.
“You... you are truly arrogant. Building a super faction is no child’s play. Wealth, resources, territory, powerful backers... we don’t have any of those yet.”
“Who said we don’t have anything?”
Lin Feng laughed heartily, the corners of his mouth curving into an arrogant smirk. With a flick of his hand, a spatial ring flashed with mystical light, and a stack of documents along with various golden tokens appeared on the stone table.
“What is this?” Mu Ningxue asked in surprise.
“These are the national-level resource rewards I just won from my brilliant achievements in the recent Ancient Capital calamity. All top-tier pills, elemental spirit seeds, and rare magic crystals are right here. Not only that...”
Lin Feng stepped even closer to her, the fresh fragrance blending with the frost on Mu Ningxue’s body drifting into his nose. He gazed gently into her eyes and continued:
“I have secured authorization from the supreme council, gaining complete ownership and development rights over a fiercely fertile strategic coastline in the Magic City—Bird City! That place is sparsely populated with vast lands, water trade routes are extremely developed, and it possesses rich spiritual energy rising from the deep sea. That is the most perfect foundation to raise our banner and found our sect!”
Hearing this, no matter how resolute and cold her temperament, Mu Ningxue could not help but experience a violent shock.
Bird City! That was a lucrative piece of land that countless wealthy clans had coveted for ages, yet could not monopolize due to political barriers and complex territorial disputes. Lin Feng had handed over his entire national reward along with that strategic land entirely to her without a moment’s hesitation, demanding no conditions in return!
“Lin Feng, this... this national-level reward is extremely crucial for your own cultivation. If you give it all to me, what will you use to break through to the next realm?” Mu Ningxue bit her lip, her voice filled with deep heartache and profound emotion.
“My cultivation?” Lin Feng laughed aloud, his entire body’s aura suddenly bursting forth as a formidable wave of pressure warped the surrounding space. “I stepped into this magical world without ever relying on resources plundered from others. National resources are merely icing on the cake for me. But your dream—I will undoubtedly use the finest things to elevate it into reality!”
These overbearing yet deeply affectionate words completely melted Mu Ningxue’s heart. The loneliness, hatred, and bitterness of her past were instantly replaced by unshakeable faith and profound love.
She looked up at the man before her, her eyes devoid of any remaining hesitation. Stretching out her free left hand, she gently placed it over Lin Feng’s hand, which was clasping hers, and nodded firmly:
“Very well! In that case, starting today, Fanxue Mountain will officially be born in Bird City. I want to see when those who once humiliated and abandoned me witness the banner of Fanxue Mountain rooting firmly at the pinnacle of the world, what kind of expressions they will wear!”
Beneath the bright moonlight of the Ancient Capital, a man and a woman stood side by side. The man carried the momentum of looking down upon all heroes, holding the rivers and mountains in his palm; the woman possessed a peerless countenance and an ultimate, icy will.
Little did they know that the moment this decisive choice was made, it marked the exact second the seed of humanity’s greatest superpower was officially planted. It would rise and grow strong, sweeping across all antiquated factions, shaking the entire continent, and striking terror into the future magical world!
However, just as the atmosphere was overflowing with warmth and grand vision, a sharp wing-flapping sound tearing through the quiet night echoed from the horizon.
Swoosh!
A brilliant crimson light like lightning tore through the Ancient Capital’s mist, carrying an extremely urgent aura and heavy spatial pressure as it hurtled straight toward the snow-blossom courtyard.
Lin Feng’s gaze suddenly condensed, his right hand flicking outward as two fingers transformed into a sword-seal, gently intercepting the crimson light in mid-air.
It was an emergency letter completely sealed with deep red beeswax, stamped with a sunken emblem of a sword piercing through a crown—the supreme symbol of the World Magic Association Headquarters!
Upon seeing this emblem, Mu Ningxue’s expression shifted slightly.
Lin Feng removed the deep red seal and unfolded the letter to skim through it. When his eyes landed on the final line of text on the page, a terrifyingly cold glint flashed through the depths of his black eyes, and his mouth curved into an ice-cold smile.
“What is it?” Mu Ningxue asked in a deep voice, noticing the unusual expression on Lin Feng’s face.
Lin Feng folded the letter, gazed out toward the distant horizon where rolling dark clouds were gathering, and coldly uttered:
“The World Magic Association Headquarters has just issued a ‘Holy Palace Summoning Decree’... They are targeting the energy anomaly in Europe, and the name topping the list for mandatory investigation... is none other than me.”