Rongguang City, central wealthy district, Su Family Villa.
It was already the dead of night. Su Anan, dressed in her pajamas, sat cross-legged on her older sister Su Qingning's bed, her face full of exasperation.
"Sis, do you have any idea how much trouble your little stunt this afternoon caused my best friend's brother?"
Su Qingning was sitting at the desk, leafing through an ancient Martial Arts Classic.
At that, she turned her head slightly. A hint of confusion appeared on her cool, breathtakingly beautiful face.
"Trouble?"
"I just thought highly of his potential and wanted to recruit him into my University Team ahead of time."
"What's so troublesome about that?"
Su Anan helplessly covered her face and let out a groan.
"Uh..."
"Sis, do you have any idea how popular you are at our school?"
"You call that thinking highly of him?"
"In everyone else's eyes, that was practically a public declaration of your relationship!"
"The whole school is saying you've fallen in love!"
"Think about it. Do you think your Suitors are going to leave Jiang Hao alone?"
"He's a newbie who just made it into the Key Class. Those people are going to tear him limb from limb!"
Su Qingning's page-turning hand paused slightly. A flicker of surprise passed through her deep blue eyes.
She truly hadn't considered that.
In her world, there was only cultivation and becoming stronger.
Those complicated social relationships and so-called rumors had never entered her calculations.
"So that's what happened."
Su Qingning nodded thoughtfully.
"It seems I didn't think it through and caused him trouble."
As she spoke, Su Qingning closed the Martial Arts Classic in her hands, her expression returning to its usual cool composure.
"In that case."
"I'll apologize to him tomorrow."
"And clear things up with the class."
"I'll tell them I think highly of him and was preparing to form a team."
Su Anan's mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she could only close it helplessly.
She had a feeling that if her older sister did that...
It would only deepen the misunderstanding!
The next day.
Early morning.
The moment Jiang Hao stepped into the Teaching Building reserved for the Key Class.
Just as expected.
Jiang Hao instantly became the center of attention.
The feeling of being watched was ten times stronger than yesterday, like thorns pricking his back.
Envy, jealousy, curiosity, hostility...all kinds of gazes seemed to want to see right through him.
Jiang Hao remained calm, ignoring it all as he headed straight to the Training Hall.
The time for assembly arrived.
Instructor Luo Cheng appeared on the raised platform right on schedule.
"First thing today."
"We're handing out this month's resources to the new Key Class students."
Luo Cheng waved his hand.
Four exquisite silver metal cases floated in front of Jiang Hao and the other three.
Jiang Hao reached out and took his.
He opened the case.
Five deep-blue vials, radiating powerful energy, lay quietly in the shock-absorbing foam.
Medium-grade Nutrient Solution!
Five vials in all!
A surge of excitement welled up inside Jiang Hao.
These resources were worth fifty thousand Alliance Coins!
And he'd get them every month from now on!
"Seven months until the Martial Arts Exam."
"Five vials a month means thirty-five altogether!"
"Getting into a Key Martial Arts University is no longer an unattainable dream!"
Just as Jiang Hao was secretly planning for the future—
BOOM!
The door to the Training Hall was suddenly shoved open with brutal force!
The heavy Alloy Gate of the Training Hall was suddenly flung open from the outside with incredible force!
A terrifying Blood Energy Pressure, heavy as a mountain and raging like fire, instantly swept through the entire hall!
Everyone's expression changed, and their breathing caught.
They all turned to look.
A hulking young man stood in the doorway, nearly two meters tall, his muscles as if cast from steel!
He wore a tight black tank top. The muscles in his exposed arms bulged, brimming with explosive power, and his eyes held a ferocious glint that made one's heart tremble.
At that moment—
Those eyes were fixed on Jiang Hao in the crowd!
"Zhao Wuji?"
"Didn't he take leave to train in seclusion at his Own Martial Arts Hall?"
"Why'd he suddenly show up today? And with that look...he's not here for anything good!"
"He's definitely here for Jiang Hao. He must've heard about what happened yesterday!"
"This is bad. Zhao Wuji's one of the toughest guys in our class, ranked third, with a blood energy level of 12.0!"
"I heard he's got a terrible temper and never holds back when he fights. Jiang Hao's in for it now!"
The Key Class students erupted in an uproar, all of them shocked.
Even Lin Fan, standing not far away, saw Zhao Wuji's accusatory expression and flashed a gloating look.
As expected, that hothead Zhao Wuji couldn't hold back!
This was the perfect chance to use him to teach that overconfident kid a lesson!
Zhao Wuji ignored the wary looks of everyone around him.
He strode in.
Each heavy footfall landed like a drumbeat, pounding in everyone's hearts.
Zhao Wuji walked straight up to Jiang Hao and looked down at him. His enormous body cast a vast shadow, completely enveloping Jiang Hao!
"You're Jiang Hao?"
Zhao Wuji's voice rumbled like thunder, making everyone's eardrums buzz.
Jiang Hao felt the terrifying pressure bearing down on him and frowned slightly!
A blood energy level of 12.0!
And it was the kind of blood energy tempered again and again, incredibly concentrated and violent!
Zhao Wuji's pressure felt even more direct and forceful than Lin Fan's!
Jiang Hao took a deep breath and raised his head, neither servile nor overbearing, meeting Zhao Wuji's ferocious gaze.
"I am."
"Good!"
Zhao Wuji grinned, baring a row of bone-white teeth. His smile was savage.
"I heard you're pretty full of yourself?"
"You just got into the Key Class and already got B-Class Treatment?"
"And you even stooped to such a despicable trick to get Su Qingning's attention?"
Zhao Wuji's voice grew louder and louder, until at last he was practically roaring!
"Kid, take a piss and look at your own reflection!"
"What makes you think you're worthy?"
But the moment Zhao Wuji finished speaking—
A Cold Figure suddenly swept in like a frigid wind and stood in front of Jiang Hao.
"Zhao Wuji."
"What are you trying to do?"
"Picking on someone weaker than you?"
Su Qingning's deep blue eyes stared coldly at the burly man before her.
"Whoa—!"
The entire hall erupted in commotion again!
Su Qingning!
The Campus Belle had actually stepped in to defend Jiang Hao?
If yesterday she'd gone out of her way to talk to him, today she was defending him right in front of everyone!
Could the rumors be true?
Had the aloof Campus Belle really fallen for Jiang Hao?
Seeing Su Qingning stand in front of a new student for his sake, the fire in Zhao Wuji's eyes blazed to its limits!
"Su!"
"How could someone like this possibly deserve your attention?"
His voice was filled with disbelief and seething jealousy!
In his heart—
Su Qingning was a goddess, sacred and untouchable, someone only the strongest deserved to stand beside!
And now the goddess in his heart had stepped forward for a weakling?
How could he stand for that?
Su Qingning furrowed her brows slightly, her voice still cool.
"He's a new member of our Key Class."
"As Class Monitor, it's my duty to maintain order in the class."
"And our interaction was just ordinary conversation between classmates. It wasn't anything like you're making it out to be."
"Stop making a scene."
"Ordinary conversation between classmates?"
Zhao Wuji paused, then snapped furiously:
"I've never seen you have that kind of 'ordinary' conversation with another guy!"
Then Zhao Wuji looked past Su Qingning and fixed a fierce gaze on Jiang Hao.
"Kid!"
"If you're a man, don't just hide behind a woman!"
"I, Zhao Wuji!"
"Hereby challenge you to a duel!"
"Do you dare accept?"
Zhao Wuji didn't give Jiang Hao a chance to reply.
He abruptly turned to Su Qingning. His eyes burned with undisguised passion, admiration, and domineering certainty!
"Su!"
"Just watch!"
"Only a strong man like me!"
"Is truly worthy of standing by your side!"
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