Ice Girl's Point of View. Part 1.
Mu Ning Xue couldn't believe what had just happened. Her pride, her hard work nurtured since her mother's death, simply refused to obey her. Helplessness, apathy, and rage—that's what she felt about it.
From the moment she last showed her rebellious spirit, running away from home as a child with Mo Fan, her emotions had always been kept in check everywhere. "Emotions are weakness; rid yourself of them and you'll be stronger than all," her mentors from the Main Mu Clan had told her. And that's exactly what she did. She discarded emotions, becoming more like a block of ice than a person.
But it didn't upset her—quite the opposite! She saw results. At Imperial University, no one her age or younger could beat her. That meant everything they told her was true! Emotions are weakness!
Confirming this for herself, the girl doubled down on cultivation, forgoing friends, hobbies, or personal life. It was all unnecessary. With such trash values, she couldn't reach the power she craved. The power to stand above all.
After all, her Mu Clan mentors explained that her dear mother died because she was weak. To prevent it happening to her or her family, she had to take responsibility herself and strive for better cultivation to protect them from the fate of the weak in this cruel world. And Mu Ning Xue took that responsibility, backed by the Mu Clan, cultivating like mad.
Of course, she knew nothing came free. They poured tons of money and resources into her upbringing, even lending her a powerful clan artifact—"Deadly Ice Leek". So she knew sooner or later they'd demand payback for raising her.
But she was fine with that. Given how much the clan invested in her, she didn't mind becoming their weapon in the future, with no intent to fight for clan leadership. She didn't need that; only cultivation mattered.
After all, high level meant she'd stop being weak and shield her loved ones from weakness's flaws. Though, honestly... aside from her father, no one fit that category... until recently.
Mu Bai was an enigma. With the meager resources from her family—a mere branch of the Main Mu Clan—he'd cultivated to genius level in Bo City by country standards. That was impressive and showed his talent. Such a person needed nurturing; in the future, she'd need another strong protector for their family. Plus, two strong mages are better than one.
But her father ruined it, expelling him from the clan for beating Mu Yuan, calling him an ungrateful pig. But considering how few resources Mu Bai got compared to her father's adopted Mu Yuan or even her, Mu Ning Xue saw nothing odd in the guy fighting for a shot at the Holy Spring, ignoring the clan head's opinion.
After all, even future resources wouldn't match one Holy Spring session. Pure logic, deserving punishment for disobedience—but not exile. The clan just lost a genius mage for nothing.
But Mu Ning Xue didn't dwell on him long then. Yes, talented and driven, but that's it. Without resources, he'd achieve nothing, no matter how hard he tried. Meaning—not strong. After that conclusion, her interest faded, and she returned to routine cultivation.
How wrong she was... First came news that Mu Bai stirred up Mingzhu, beating a bunch of students in their traditional Summoning Department's Battle, claiming he gained power by selling his body... which she saw no shame in. She herself was basically selling her future to the clan for resources; who lost more was debatable.
With a Chieftain-level pet already then, plus Mid-level ice element cultivation boosted by souls, Mu Ning Xue wondered if she could beat him. But she dismissed it as trivial, planning to fight him at the University Exchange and find out for real.
But recently, it was like a bomb dropped. Mu Bai broke through to High level, dragging two of his girls—princesses of two strong clans—with him. One, the Ai Family, was weaker than the Mu Clan but equal enough to talk as peers. The other girl's clan had two High-level mages and ranked top 4 in Shanghai—China's second-strongest city—making them national elite.
And despite the news and Mu Bai's rep, those clans didn't suppress or punish him for seducing their princesses. Instead, they boasted openly about those girls' achievements as top young geniuses.
And the guy's rep... who doesn't go wild in youth? He'll hit High level and outgrow it. As long as he keeps supplying their princesses free resources and motivating them upward, the rest doesn't matter.
Here, Mu Ning Xue just reconfirmed her mentors' words—power above all. If Mu Bai were a mere gold-digger, he'd be two meters under. But he's a useful, strong one. You befriend those.
But one crack in her worldview: Mu Bai didn't abandon emotions for that power. Quite the opposite! Rumors said those three lovebirds flirted openly in public, skipped university, spent time on joint training under a mysterious Hunter Master, and sucked resources from a poor, head-over-heels-in-love Tang Family girl. Resources so good, High-level mages would hang themselves in envy.
Of course, latest rumors were somewhat debunked by Mu Bai's teamwork with his girls and that woman—who turned out to be a Magic Court member—in rooting out a Black Church cell in Shanghai. It felt like the Tang Family treated Mu Bai like the Mu Clan treated her.
That is—raising him as their weapon while securing support from his girls' clans via resources. She'd even heard those three families were negotiating behind closed doors. But fact is fact—Mu Bai's stronger than her, and he doesn't need to ditch emotions. He revels in them, spending all free time with his girls.
And that... sobered her. Mu Ning Xue had doubts about the Main Mu Clan, but until recently, she brushed them off. But Mu Bai's words at the station...
He flat-out said the Mu Clan did something to her mother, so after that, he definitely wouldn't join them. And she saw he sincerely believed she knew what he meant!
But she didn't! Didn't her mother die from weakness? What did the Main Mu Clan have to do with it? After such questions and viewing her life from another angle, Mu Ning Xue anxiously realized they were raising her as mere weaponry. No, she knew that; just the scale was different.
Emotions aren't weakness hindering strength, as Mu Bai showed. But they are for a weapon not meant to think extra. Her whole life, mentors brainwashed her into a will-less doll without desires! If her father died, she'd be an empty shell with one goal: get stronger and repay the Mu Clan. Nothing else. An icy blade acting on command. A fighting dog needing no leash. Perfect weapon.
After that realization, contradictions battled in Mu Ning Xue's head. On one hand, she still believed power above all. On the other, why need power without desires or life purpose? After agonizing all night, she reached one decision—a reality check.
Tomorrow, she'd fight Mu Bai and decide based on the outcome which ideology was right. If he won, she'd end her will-less doll existence and find a reason to live. If she somehow won by miracle... all doubts sown by that guy were mere mosquito buzz, unworthy of notice. After all, weaklings' opinions don't count.