Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

The power of the Demon Element was too overwhelming, to an extent that even Mo Fan was a bit scared to use it.

The concept of the Demon Element was quite simple. From a scientific perspective, all energy was conserved. The temporary strength granted to him was actually him overdrawing the energy of his life and soul, leaving a huge hole behind. If he was unable to replenish the energy he took, he would be done for!

The Demon Element was basically signing a contract. He borrowed the money, thus he was obliged to settle the loan, together with the high interest!

The Soul Essences stored inside the Little Loach Pendant were a great help to him. Otherwise, it would be impossible for any ordinary Magician to live after using the Demon Element. It was the exact reason why all the test subjects in the military had died after using it. The problem was not how many Elements they had, but how they were going to pay the price when the demon came to collect the payment!

Simply speaking, Mo Fan could demonize anytime if he wanted, since the Demon Element was now his sixth Element. However, it was best to avoid using it unless absolutely necessary!

"I was about to ask..." Mo Fan was walking extremely close to Mu Ningxue. They were basically walking side by side with their shoulders sticking close. He would occasionally feel the touch of her smooth skin.

It was the privilege of being her childhood friend!

"Don't ask if it's about me being a substitute," replied Mu Ningxue. The topic was bothering her.

"You're stopping people from having a great conversation with you," sighed Mo Fan helplessly.

Mu Ningxue glanced at Mo Fan. Her gaze stopped for two seconds before she looked away.

"What is it?" Mo Fan was confused.

"Nothing, it's just that I've learned something profound from you," said Mu Ningxue.

"If you're trying to say an ugly person should work harder, please don't," said Mo Fan.

Mu Ningxue giggled and shook her head, "Something like that, but it has nothing to do with your looks."

"Well, what is it, then?"

"It's not really a big deal, but I think that your decision of not relying on any faction but yourself is the right choice," said Mu Ningxue.

Mu Ningxue had experienced the true meaning of being a part of a clan. It was simply a cruel hierarchy disguised with blood relations, family, and relationships, an entity where rise and fall could happen in an instant. She had completely lost her status in the clan just because of an irrelevant stigma. All the effort and hard work she had put in were all in vain.

Her talent, Domain, her reputation as the most talented Ice Magician… they were inferior to a small decision made by the renowned Mu Clan. Her superiors could simply decide who they wanted to support. The others had no choice but to be left behind, and could do nothing but watch from the distance.

In just a few months, the difference between how Mu Ningxue was treated before and after was unbelievable. She initially thought she had the chance to still rise to the top as a substitute, but she was disheartened facing the sturdy barrier of her Nebula.

She could not break through the barrier. Without any resources, it was almost impossible to break through on her own. There was nothing she could do apart from watching the others ranking up to the Advanced Level...

"I've grown up in an environment where I have to rely on myself for pretty much everything. I've gotten used to it, too. That being said, being supported by a renowned clan can really save a lot of time and effort. Look at that idiot Zhao Manyan; he was my roommate, and he basically spent most of his time picking up chicks. Even though he did work hard occasionally, the effort he put in was nothing compared to a diligent, grassroots Magician," agreed Mo Fan.

Mo Fan was not trying to complain about how unfair life was, but to express his belief that if someone wanted their situation to change, they had to endure the hardship and put in more effort. It was the same for everyone, including a fuerdai like Zhao Manyan. Didn't the others despise him, too? If he only relied on his background and financial status to retain his spot on the national team, he would surely be the next person disqualified from the team.

Either a person was satisfied with the existing state of affairs, or had the intention to change the situation. Changes would only happen by putting in effort. It applied to every phase of life!

----

When they arrived at the marketplace, Mo Fan realized that the place was not as impressive as he thought it would be.

The stunning decorations of a marketplace were utterly meaningless. Everyone knew the items at a marketplace were mostly recycled. It was all up to the Magicians to discover the valuable items among the trash. They were willing to compete for useful equipment on a run-down stall by the street, but no one would go to a well-decorated store if all it had was junk!

The marketplace in the East Maritime Fortress was particularly busy after the recent battle. Much loot from the battle that had been evaluated would end up here with low pricing. If someone was lucky enough, they would discover that the junk they had bought was a piece of rare scale, bringing them a fortune!

Mo Fan once thought Little Loach was a cheating tool he could use to find the valuable stuff in the marketplace, since it would react to the things it was interested in. The truth was, Little Loach did not react even once in the marketplace. The proud pendant would only show its appetite toward the rarest, most valuable things in the world!

There were countless things to buy in the marketplace. Mo Fan and Mu Ningxue went around in a circle. The two laymen spent around two million, but the value of the things they bought was only worth four hundred thousand at most. It was definitely a loss for them.

After wasting their money, Mo Fan suggested they enjoy themselves with a huge meal to change the mood.

The East Maritime Fortress was a huge seafood market, without a doubt. The corpses of the sea monsters served as a great supply of high-class ingredients.

It was common to hear of humans being eaten by demon creatures. However, the East Maritime Fortress was definitely an exception. There were plenty of seafood restaurants around, and would usually open just a few hours after each tide fall!

It was Mu Ningxue's first time eating sea monsters' meat. She was reluctant at the start, but when Mo Fan finally convinced her to have a taste of a grilled tentacle at a teppanyaki store, she immediately seconded the idea.

"The dish will be more delicious if you freeze it, but you're out of luck. The machine broke down during the battle. Otherwise, it would taste even better," smiled the owner of the shop.

"Just serve us the dish."

Was he being serious? Why would they need a machine to freeze it with Mu Ningxue here?

----

"Xuexue, should we give up on being Magicians and open a restaurant instead? You'll prepare the cold dishes, and I'll work on the grill and teppanyaki… we can easily earn a fortune. I already have an idea for the name of the restaurant, we'll call it A Song of Ice and Fire."

Whenever a person was around Mo Fan, it was necessary to own an expression that clearly said I don't know you.

Mu Ningxue was quite an expert at it. Whenever the man was behaving like a retard, she would subconsciously don the expression, making her look otherworldly.