"Professor, that's unreasonable. These are resources I earned myself," Song Jie argued firmly, standing his ground.
Now it was their turn to have a headache.
What Song Jie said was, in fact, true—and they all knew it.
They had no choice but to accept it.
After all, they were the ones who had chosen to side with Old Man Deng before.
And now, they regretted it deeply.
The professors exchanged uneasy glances, silently pleading with Dean Xiao to step in.
Song Jie folded his arms.
"Honestly, as you can see, I have two summoned beasts. Both are extremely expensive to maintain. If I only had one, I could manage—but with two, these resources aren't even enough to fill their teeth."
Everyone fell silent. No one dared to argue.
The Summoning Element was indeed the most costly magic system to sustain.
But if they really handed over all those resources to Song Jie, they'd become traitors to their own departments!
They turned their eyes once again to Dean Xiao, hoping he could find a diplomatic solution.
Dean Xiao cleared his throat.
"Alright. Regarding Student Song Jie's situation, you've all seen it—his needs are indeed significant."
He continued, adopting a measured tone.
"However, this matter involves many departments. Song Jie, what do you think of this arrangement?
The resources you've earned will certainly be given to you—but in installments rather than all at once."
"If we were to hand you everything immediately, I'd worry you might become complacent, losing the drive that a student should have. Cultivation requires consolidation and reflection, not reckless pursuit of progress."
"This way, you'll also be doing these professors a favor—and I personally guarantee you'll receive everything that belongs to you."
Song Jie narrowed his eyes slightly. Dean Xiao's words were perfectly reasonable—too reasonable.
As expected of an old fox.
"Alright," Song Jie finally said with a nod. "Let's do it your way."
Having these department heads owe him a favor was a profit in itself.
The professors collectively sighed in relief.
If the resources were to be distributed in phases, they would have enough time each year to replenish them through the academy's sponsorships and donations from noble families.
But then, Song Jie spoke again.
"However, the share from the Light Element Academy stays the same. I want the full amount this semester."
Old Man Deng's expression darkened instantly.
He hadn't even wanted to apologize earlier—it had been forced by his colleagues.
And now, even after apologizing, he was being cornered again?
The other professors didn't speak. They simply turned to look at him.
Song Jie being willing to compromise at all was already a blessing.
Old Man Deng would have to accept the consequences himself.
"Old Deng," one professor said, "this arrangement was originally proposed by you and Song Jie. For the sake of the other departments, just go along with it."
"Yeah, we'll even help you out," another added. "Each of us will contribute a bit of our department's resources to cover what you lose."
Old Man Deng swallowed his pride and nodded stiffly.
Song Jie smirked inwardly.
If others treated him well, he would repay them in kind.
But if they crossed him—he would never show mercy.
Once the matter was settled, Dean Xiao turned to Song Jie.
"By the way, Song Jie, what was that technique you used earlier—when you switched places with your summoned beast?"
"That's one of my summoned beast's innate skills," Song Jie explained calmly. "It allows us to teleport and swap positions."
Another professor asked curiously, "Then how did you survive falling from that height afterward? You should've been badly hurt."
"That's also one of my summoned beast's skills," Song Jie replied smoothly. "He can make me levitate, but it only lasts for a short duration."
"Ah, I see!"
Everyone nodded in understanding, satisfied with the explanation.
Dean Xiao smiled.
"Both of your summoned beasts are remarkable. Cultivate them well."
Song Jie nodded lightly.
He had too many secrets; attributing everything to the Wind-Riding Skyhawk was the safest move.
Dean Xiao continued, "You've earned plenty of resources this time, but for someone like you, the most valuable place to train is the Three-Step Tower. If you ever want to cultivate there, you can contact me directly."
"Thank you, Dean," Song Jie said sincerely.
The other professors exchanged envious glances. None of them had expected the Summoning Element to gain such a powerful prodigy.
"Alright, you may go now. For any matters regarding the Three-Step Tower, speak to Director Jiang," Dean Xiao added.
Song Jie nodded, then turned to leave. Since the discussion on resources was over, there was no reason to stay any longer.
As he stepped out of the administrative building, he immediately spotted Mu Nujiao and Mu Lei waiting outside.
"Song Jie, you're something else!" Mu Lei exclaimed, walking up and punching Song Jie lightly on the chest.
He had thought one-against-a-hundred was Song Jie's limit—but the man had pulled off another miracle!
Perhaps no one in Pearl Institute could ever surpass this record.
"Congratulations, Song Jie," Mu Nujiao said with a bright smile.
Mu Lei slung an arm around Song Jie's shoulder.
"Jiaojiao and I watched the match, then waited for you here. Since you've won again, you'd better treat us to a meal!"
Song Jie laughed.
"Sure. Where should we eat?"
"Our usual spot!" Mu Lei said, already heading off with Song Jie in tow, while Mu Nujiao followed behind with a faint smile.
They arrived at their favorite restaurant and ordered a large table of dishes.
Throughout the meal, Mu Lei couldn't stop asking questions about Song Jie's magic.
Mu Nujiao listened quietly, her curiosity just as strong.
Song Jie explained what he could—but kept the more dangerous secrets to himself.
Mu Lei, understanding when not to pry, eventually put down his chopsticks and stood.
"I've got some things to take care of. You two enjoy yourselves."
After he left, Song Jie leaned back and stretched.
"I'm stuffed. Let's go for a walk."
Mu Nujiao nodded softly. It wasn't too late yet, so there was no rush to return.
The two strolled along the lakeside path, where the gentle glow of the lamps reflected off the water.
After a moment of silence, Mu Nujiao asked quietly, "Song Jie, back when the incident in Bo City happened… were you there?"
"Yeah," he said. "I was."
"You were?" Mu Nujiao looked at him in surprise. "So you experienced that disaster firsthand?"
Song Jie nodded solemnly.
"Before Bo City was completely overrun, Instructor Zhan Kong led the evacuation. Without him, the outcome would've been unimaginable."
Mu Nujiao lowered her eyes. She could easily picture the horror of a city being devoured by demons.
"After that, I figured I needed to become stronger," Song Jie continued. "So I came to Magic City and applied for the Special Enrollment Assessment. Somehow, I passed."
Mu Nujiao nodded; she'd already heard most of that from Mu Lei.
They chatted idly as they walked, eventually reaching a quiet, grassy field.
That was when they both heard it.
"Brother~~ how did your hand get in there…"
"Brother wouldn't possibly do such a thing!"
"Brother, you're so naughty… you're still rubbing—!"
The two froze, realizing they'd accidentally overheard a very intimate conversation.
Without a word, Mu Nujiao's cheeks flushed crimson—and she abruptly quickened her pace.
Song Jie chuckled and jogged after her.
"So that's the real Mu Nujiao," he said teasingly as he caught up.
...
Author's Note:
The first half (completed version) of Versatile Mage: My Magic Has Gone Beyond Limits! is now available on Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your continued support! 💙