The Strange Gu Yue

Xie Xie's emotions were like a roller coaster.

Before the battle began, he had been brimming with confidence. He had already imagined that after winning, he would not have to run laps and could go to the snack street outside the academy for braised beef in a jar. It was his favorite.

After the battle began, Gu Yue's two Purple Soul Rings made cold sweat pour down his back. Not only had his braised beef in a jar slipped away, but he also had to pray that he would not lose too badly. Losing to a girl was far too embarrassing.

But halfway through the fight, Gu Yue froze in place, giving him hope again. He prepared to seize the chance and defeat her.

In the end, Gu Yue actually shifted three meters sideways out of thin air?

Xie Xie was numb. There was no way he could keep fighting.

After getting serious, Gu Yue displayed overwhelming dominance.

All kinds of elements burst forth.

Xie Xie had barely taken half a step when the ground beneath his feet bulged up like a living thing, sharp Earth Spikes bursting from it. He hurriedly leaped backward.

But before his retreating body could stop, a blue-gray whirlwind rose behind him, filled with Wind Blades.

Xie Xie forcibly twisted his body and was just about to dodge to either side when he discovered that three fireballs had already surrounded him.

With elements encircling him on all sides, Xie Xie's figure was trapped in a great web of intertwining blue light and crimson flames, with nowhere to escape.

"Stop." Wu Changkong's voice rang out. "Gu Yue, you win."

The elements surrounding Xie Xie dissipated.

Xie Xie lowered his head without speaking. This had been a crushing defeat. He silently turned and returned to the group of students running laps, taking the iron vest from Tang Wulin's hands.

"Teacher, does that mean I can enroll now?" Gu Yue looked at Wu Changkong.

"I promised you, so I will keep my word. First, tell me where you came from and what your Martial Soul is."

Gu Yue took a letter from her clothes. "This is my letter of recommendation. As for my Martial Soul, it is an Elementalist."

An Elementalist?

Just from the name, it was clear that, just as Su Qiu had said, it was a Martial Soul capable of wielding multiple elements.

Even with Wu Changkong's experience, this was the first time he had heard of it.

"Alright, you are now a member of our class, First Grade Class Five." Suppressing his curiosity, Wu Changkong did not press further. There would be plenty of time in the future.

"Thank you, Teacher." Gu Yue smiled faintly.

"You first..." Wu Changkong paused. He had originally planned to have Gu Yue join the others in running laps, but he suddenly remembered that Su Qiu seemed to know her.

"You should first ask Su Qiu about the basics." Giving Su Qiu a look, Wu Changkong turned and left.

He was going to the Academic Affairs Office to find Long Hengxu and handle Gu Yue's enrollment procedures.

Leaving Su Qiu and Gu Yue alone.

"Why aren't you running with them?" Gu Yue blinked her large eyes curiously.

"Because I'm not in this class."

Gu Yue's breath caught, and she hurriedly looked at Wu Changkong's retreating figure in the distance. Was it still too late for her to regret coming?

"Just kidding." Su Qiu had thought through many things during that time and said casually, "You'll find out later why I don't have to run."

"Come with me. I'll show you around the academy."

Since Gu Yue had approached him this way, it meant that his relationship with Na'er was still useful and gave Gu Yue some reservations.

Otherwise, Gu Yue could have simply used force.

If she did, perhaps Su Qiu would lift his blanket in the middle of the night and find Di Tian waiting underneath.

She could directly tie him up and take him away without anyone knowing.

Hearing that Su Qiu had been joking, Gu Yue secretly breathed a sigh of relief and followed behind him.

Over the next while, Gu Yue behaved far more obediently than Su Qiu had expected. She did not bring up any unnecessary topics.

Su Qiu walked along the tree-lined path, introducing the academy's buildings one by one, while she merely followed quietly at his side and listened.

Whenever Su Qiu paused, she would occasionally give a soft "Mm" as a response.

At the same time, she looked around with curiosity, like a country girl who had just entered the city.

She did not seem like someone who had come specifically for Su Qiu at all.

Su Qiu was rather pleased by this. This was not bad either; everyone could get along peacefully.

Unfortunately, he was happy too soon.

By afternoon, it was time for theory class.

Inside the classroom, Gu Yue first drove Zhou Changxi away and took over the desk in front of Su Qiu.

Zhou Changxi had no objection to this and even happily changed seats. He had long since stopped wanting to sit in front of Su Qiu; every day had felt like sitting on pins and needles.

Then, during class, Gu Yue repeatedly turned her head at moments when she should have been looking at the blackboard, presenting Su Qiu with a carefully prepared side profile.

It might sound a little pathetic to put it that way, but Su Qiu would bet everything that Gu Yue had been secretly looking at him.

Enduring the discomfort, Su Qiu finally made it to the end of class and ran into the hallway for some air.

Gu Yue quietly came to stand beside him again without saying anything.

"Um..." Unable to take it anymore, Su Qiu raised his hand, preparing to greet her and ask what she meant.

But she gave him a strange look, then immediately turned and walked away.

Su Qiu: Huh?

His outstretched hand stopped in midair, then slowly curled into a fist. Standing there awkwardly, Su Qiu kept taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"Hold it in. I have to hold it in." If he had not known that Gu Yue was the Silver Dragon King, Su Qiu really would have taught her a lesson.

After that, Gu Yue appeared in Su Qiu's line of sight again and again, simply standing quietly in front of him at an angle without speaking. Whenever Su Qiu stepped forward to talk to her, she pretended to be merely passing by.

It was pure torture.

"What exactly does Gu Yue mean by this?"

Su Qiu was truly baffled and completely at a loss.

Just then, a classmate called out, "Su Qiu! Someone is looking for you!"

Looking toward the door, he saw a tall, slender girl with a golden ponytail standing there.

Mu Xi?

Su Qiu walked out of the classroom and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Hehe, I came to invite you." Mu Xi smiled. "This weekend, I'm going to take the Level 3 Blacksmith assessment. You have to be there."

"So soon?" Su Qiu was somewhat surprised. By his estimate, Mu Xi should still have been a little short on strength.

"It's all thanks to your Whale Rubber." Recalling what had happened that day, an unnatural blush gradually rose on Mu Xi's face.

Afraid that she would embarrass herself in front of Su Qiu again next time, she had used her own savings to secretly buy some Whale Rubber. Once her strength had reached the required level, she naturally completed Thousand Forging.

Stare...

Gu Yue, who had been secretly watching Su Qiu all along, took in every bit of this. Looking at the two chatting happily, she fell into thought.

She then gave Mu Xi a few appraising glances and committed her to memory.

"Just tell me when you're going to practice at the Blacksmith Association. Why did you come all the way here specifically to find me?"

Mu Xi turned her head and huffed. "Can't I come because I have nothing better to do?"

She secretly felt pleased with herself. If I didn't come, how would I declare my claim in front of the girls in your class?

There, she had caught one.

Glancing at Gu Yue in the distance, Mu Xi had long noticed that the girl's gaze had never left Su Qiu.

Her figure was decent, but her looks were ordinary. She could not compare to me at all.

Mu Xi immediately put Gu Yue out of her mind. This woman was nothing to worry about.

"Fine, fine, fine." Seeing Mu Xi begin to throw a tantrum, Su Qiu brushed her off indifferently.

Whatever. Who knew what Mu Xi was thinking anyway?

Night fell.

Since she had enrolled midway through the day, Gu Yue did not have a dormitory at the academy. She returned to a house near the academy.

As soon as she got home, Gu Yue headed straight for the bedroom and sat before the dressing table.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, examining her face from side to side.