Chapter 13

The glaring sun beamed down. The cool morning dew evaporated into the air, signaling its high noon. Unlike the dew, Mo Fan's duel news spread like wildfire. There were many students who started whispering when they saw Mo Fan walking in the hall, even people shaking their heads trying to go against the prestigious Mu Family.

Mo Fan didn't mind the gossip and focused on his task today.

The final school bell rang. Crowds of students rushed out the school gates as if they didn't want to be in school anymore. Mo Fan waited outside the school gate for a particular person. 'Looks like the prince is really taking his time well!'

With the cloud blocking the sun, Mo Fan easily spotted Mu Bai through the crowds of students going out; however, the dog, Zhao Kunsan, was there, too. Nevertheless, Mo Fan approached them.

"What do you want? It was great that you have now disturbed Mu Family's head. I can't wait for your duel in two years, and you would be able to see the difference between…" Zhao Kunsan was ready for insults as soon as Mo Fan walked toward them.

"Shut your mouth! I am here to talk to Mu Bai. I am sorry to break it to you that time doesn't flow faster for the duel." Mo Fan skipped an NPC.

Mu Bai was absent-minded, his uncertain eyes stared at the floor. "Hm?"

Realized that Mo Fan was focused on him, "What..? What do you want to talk about? I am not in the mood for you." Unlike his usual self, Mu Bai wanted to avoid Mo Fan.

"I just want to talk to you for a moment privately. It will definitely benefit you."

"You want to talk to me? Can't you just do it quickly here? It is probably going to be useless anyways!" Mu Bai was surprised by Mo Fan's actions. "If you are going to insult me, I would rather read Benjamin Franklin's "Experiments and Observations with Lightning Element" than listen to you!"

"There are too many people here, and I won't insult you." Mo Fan glared at Kunsan. "Follow me; I have a quieter place for us to talk."

"What's the big deal? You trying to get some info from me?" Mu Bai was still salty about exam results, but he was excited to see Mo Fan's downfall in two years.

"Well… I was going to give you my Magic Tool for some information, but I guess Prince Mu Bai doesn't need the help of an extra Magic Tool." Mo Fan left an incentive for Mu Bai to talk to him.

Mu Bai narrowed his eyes trying to see through Mo Fan's hidden motive. 'Giving his Magic Tool to me? Is there something wrong with his brain?'

"Wow! Looks like the sun is rising from the west side today! As if you are going to give me your Magic Tool. At least try to lie." Mu Bai was annoyed.

"Do you think the school would not punish me by limiting my use of Magic Tools? Especially with your sly old fox Mu He up on that School Director Board. I think at most I can only use it for a week, and to me, it doesn't make such a difference. I was just going to give it to the monkey, but I want information on Yu Ang, so I am willing to exchange information with my Magic Tool." Mo Fan explained.

Mu Bai went silent.

'He is indeed right that the school would punish him for it. Exchanging information with his Magic Tool isn't bad, but I really don't want to help him. I guess it would only be minor information, and having two Magic Tools would double my efficiency! I can just leave out some details about Yu Ang and lie about how it would be hard to get information.'

Mo Fan saw through young Mu Bai's nature. He would help his "enemy" if it was something minor, but he could gain something major with this deal. With such a deal, Mu Bai would be very intrigued.

"Okay… I will listen to your proposal. Don't waste my time!" Mu Bai decided at last.

"Young Master Mu Bai… I don't think he is going to say anything constructive. I think he might have something planned to hurt you." Zhao Kunsan wanted to stop him.

"You are right! I am a little interested in what he is going to say, and if he were to injure me, I think he would get expelled by my uncle. I doubt he is going to do something that stupid." Mu Bai said his thoughts. Mu Bai followed Mo Fan.

Zhao Kunsan took a slight step toward them. Mo Fan tilted his head back and announced. "You. Stay!"

Zhao Kunsan was fuming by Mo Fan's statement, kicking a rock towards Mo Fan. "Hmph! Who do you think you are?!" By the time he finished the sentence, Mo Fan was already walking away.

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Mo Fan led Mu Bai into the backspace of the storage building for puppet targets. Most people didn't know about this place, so Mo Fan trained there many times. Mo Fan stopped.

"I will get straight into my proposal, so I don't have to hear you claim that I wasted your precious time. After the magic exams, Xiaohou and I would place in the top 2. You will be the number 3."

"So what? Are you going to belittle me about my results?" Mu Bai took a step away from Mo Fan.

"Don't leave yet. I have a question for you. What do you think we did to pass you in terms of magic ability?"

"I don't know, and I don't need to know. After I get my Magic Tool, I will surpass both of you no matter what!" Mu Bai was adamant.

"Do you really think you can close the gap between us just with a Magic Tool? Do you really think that your family will support you? In the argument between Mu Zhouyun and me, you tried to interject and present yourselves as my equal. Yet, you were just cast away with a look, and Mu Family doesn't think you are talented. You already have lost, so they don't see your value anymore." Mo Fan told him the reality.

"...How I get into the main Mu Family isn't your problem! You are just trying to make fun of my ability just because I placed two spots under you." Mu Bai was on the edge of walking away.

"I am here to give you my proposal. You give a thought about the question I asked you. I want to help you get stronger…" Mo Fan stopped dramatically and watched Mu Bai's face for a reaction.

Mu Bai was shocked by what his archenemy just said. He rethought Mo Fan's question.

'It is true that both Mo Fan and monkey passed him in magic ability; maybe Mo Fan has found some special training method? There ain't no way that he said he would help me out.'

"Yeah right! What do you gain from helping me? Maybe you are trying to sabotage me?" Mu Bai still had his guard up.

"Here. Tomorrow, come to the school's training field at 10 in the morning. If you are able to land an attack on Xiaohou within 10 minutes, you can have both my and Xiaohou's Magic Tool to yourself. If you can't land any attack, you would have to train with Xiaohou and me for the entire summer." Mo Fan designed his proposal.

"Again! What do you gain from helping me!" Mu Bai was enraged by how Mo Fan was looking down on him. Mu Bai took a step forward at Mo Fan and angrily stared him down.

Mo Fan stepped forward and stared at him with an intense glare. "I am not looking down on you! I am trying to help you out, and I gain nothing from this."

"Then why would you help me?"

"I am helping you because I see the better in you. You have the talent to bloom even more glamorous, but you decided to waste it. You are trusting in your Mu Family for the background too much, and you are so stupid for not noticing the rule of clans. If you excel, you will gain respect, attention, and support from the clan. If you are not, you would be tossed away without any thought! It is an endless race against your family. If you even surpass Ningxue, which will never happen but on the off chance you do, you will obtain all the resources, but what will happen to Ningxue? She will be casted away and become an afterthought. Just like you right now, you already have lost, and in that, the Mu Family doesn't see much value in you. Just think about it! Xiaohou and I are growing at a faster pace, so even if you had the Magic Tool for three months, I think Xiaohou and you would still be tied." Mo Fan hated the Mu Clan.

The wind became silent. The sun trying to peek over the clouds.

The two stood there looking back at each other. Mu Bai broke eye contact; he had already been thinking about his total failure the whole day. It has been repeatedly playing in the back of his mind.

"In this world, if you were compared to others around our age in the whole world, both of us are mere nothing. People with better talents, with more money, with more fame, and with better starting positions. You know… We been fighting against each other. From little scuffles to always being on the opposing side in games to insulting each other in class to always trying to establish who is superior, aren't you tired as well? Why don't we stay truce until high school ends? I am willing to explain a better way of cultivation and training you to be even better." Mo Fan told him the honest truth.

Mu Bai was in deep thought.

'What was I fighting in the first place? Women? Recognition? Pride? Maybe a bit of all three. It was fun when I got recognition, but it only lasted a few minutes if not seconds. I realized that better skills and hard work should be what I am striving towards. Mu Bai had mixed emotions, but he still disliked Mo Fan for placing #1.

"I want to know. What's your motivation for helping me?"

Mo Fan sighed and told him earnestly. "Maybe we were good brothers in our past life?" Mo Fan took something out of his pocket and gave it back to Mu Bai. "You should keep your eyes out when you are in the Mu Family. This Shadow Stone represents how sneaky Mu Family is, and if you continue this path, you will just be another one of them. It will corrupt your character."

This whole day, it turned from 10 to -10 real quick. It was supposed to be Mu Bai's day, against Mo Fan and Xiaohou. He found himself in denial about the results, yet it was the reality. At this moment, Mu Bai hated what Mo Fan said, but those words, a touch of reality, were weirdly what he needed to hear. He was only ranked third within the grade within an average national high school in a below-average city. 'Why was I on my high horse? Is following the Mu Family the route that I want to take? Mo Fan, the person that I was supposed to beat easily, is in a different league…

A moment of silence brushed by. The wind picked up again, causing gentle fluttering sounds against the leaves. The lively sun reached Mu Bai and Mo Fan, casting two shadows against the building. The sudden light made Mu Bai flinch.

"By the way, don't ever bring that fatty!" Mo Fan turned and left.

There was nothing much Mo Fan could do other than tell him that he is going down the wrong path with his thinking. Mo Fan needed him to change his thinking right now rather than after experiencing Bo City's Calamity.

Mu Bai was left feeling nothing but also everything. Annoyance, encouraged?, loss of words, and curiosity. It is all sunken together. He didn't want to go near Mo Fan and Xiaohou tomorrow, but a small part of his brain told him: that it would be a great opportunity. 'Maybe for the reward? No? To change?'