Leng Yaozhu and Yali

"Wu Changkong."

Wu Changkong stopped and glanced sideways at him.

"Zhou Tie."

He withdrew his gaze and continued forward, stopping only when he reached Zheng Tao.

Zheng Tao was more than half a head shorter than Wu Changkong. Being looked down upon by those indifferent eyes, he suddenly felt as though an ice spike had nailed him to the ground. He wanted to retreat, but his feet refused to obey.

He wanted to call out to Teacher Zhou, but under that crushing pressure, his throat seemed frozen solid. He could not force out a single word.

"I heard you made my student kneel and lick milk tea."

Wu Changkong's gaze was icy. "I'll give you one chance. Do exactly what you told him to do."

Zheng Tao's face turned from white to red, then from red to green. He opened his mouth and forced out, "Y-you're only a teacher in the intermediate division. What right do you have to interfere with students from the advanced division?!"

As he spoke, he turned a pleading look toward Zhou Tie in the distance.

Wu Changkong had always protected his own, and he never showed mercy. No one saw what he did; they only saw a gust of icy blue wind emerge from his fingertips.

Then Zheng Tao was sent flying. A mass of freezing air wrapped around his entire body, lifted him from the ground, and hurled him seven or eight meters away, slamming him heavily into the puddle of milk tea that had yet to dry.

Zheng Tao struggled to get up. His palm had barely braced against the ground when, before he could use the force to turn over and rise, a languid figure silently slid forward.

Lin Xun casually lifted his foot and gave a light hook with his toe.

"Smack."

It was an exceptionally crisp sound.

The moment Zheng Tao had pushed himself halfway up, his balance instantly collapsed. He pitched forward miserably and sprawled face-first into the cold, sticky milk tea stain, his entire face smeared with colorful milk tea sludge. He could not have looked more pathetic.

Lin Xun lowered his eyes at Zheng Tao sprawled on the ground. He lazily raised a hand over his mouth and let out an idle yawn. His golden hair swayed gently in the breeze, while a hint of mischief rippled through his purple eyes. His tone was innocent yet utterly punchable.

"Sorry."

"I didn't do it on purpose."

After a brief pause, he bent down until his gaze was level with Zheng Tao's twisted face and softly added the second half, brimming with impish malice.

"I did it deliberately."

Zheng Tao's mind exploded. His reason instantly snapped, blood surging violently through his body as he desperately wanted to scramble up and fight Lin Xun to the death.

But just as he gritted his teeth and prepared to exert himself, piercing cold suddenly spread upward from the soles of his feet.

Wu Changkong stood quietly in place, not having moved another inch from beginning to end. Threads of pure, crystalline ice-blue soul power silently spread across the entire ground.

A shrill sound of freezing suddenly rang out.

The milk tea stains that had been flowing, rippling, sticky, and wet only moments ago completely froze in an instant.

The ice was crystal-clear and translucent, locking down his palms and limbs so firmly that he could not move in the slightest.

Bone-chilling cold burrowed through his skin and into the gaps between his bones, numbing Zheng Tao's fingertips.

His entire body was nailed firmly in place in an utterly humiliating posture, his face nearly pressed against the frozen milk tea beneath him as icy humiliation flooded every inch of his body.

The entire messy stretch of playground had now turned into a level, smooth mirror of ice.

And Zheng Tao was the prisoner frozen alive upon its surface.

Wu Changkong parted his thin lips. His cool voice carried not a ripple of emotion, yet it resounded across the entire area with overwhelming pressure.

"Now."

"The ice, the milk tea, and the ground are all here."

"I won't force you."

"If you want to stand up, lick clean the mess you made yourself."

The surrounding students were completely dumbfounded.

This was not punishment—it was precision humiliation!

Ordinary milk tea stains had frozen into solid ice, smooth, hard, and freezing to the bone. Forget licking them clean; even vigorous scraping might not remove the slightest bit!

How was Wu Changkong giving him a chance? He was clearly grinding Zheng Tao's arrogance and dignity into dust.

Zheng Tao had previously relied on his status as an upperclassman to make things difficult for Zhou Changxi, humiliating him without restraint and forcing that honest boy to kneel and lick the ground.

Now, Wu Changkong was making him experience that humiliation firsthand in the most extreme way possible.

The rules you set would be carried out by you personally.

Still the same domineering man in white, with a blue sword.

Zheng Tao's entire face shifted between green and white. Frozen, furious, and ashamed, his body was stiff, his teeth chattering uncontrollably, his eyes filled with terror.

Zhou Tie stood frozen nearby, silent as a cicada, not daring to say a single word.

He wanted to take Zheng Tao's side, but the moment he met Wu Changkong's utterly cold eyes, every word was forcibly lodged in his throat.

Lin Xun stood to one side with his arms folded, watching the scene before him with a languid smile.

A deliberate prank. An ultimate punishment.

Very fair.

Since they liked throwing their weight around and humiliating their classmates, they could have a good taste of reaping what they had sown.

"Wu Changkong!" Zhou Tie finally gritted his teeth and lowered his voice. "Don't go too far. Zheng Tao is from the Zheng Family. His father is the vice president of the Donghai City Mecha Chamber of Commerce. If you hurt him, you can't bear the consequences."

Naturally, he said that with little confidence. Though he did not know Wu Changkong's background, he knew that the man was a six-ringed Soul Emperor.

He had learned that the last time he got beaten up.

A Soul Master of that level was unquestionably one of Donghai City's strongest.

"Hehe, what a coincidence." Xie Xie popped out at that moment, flashing a confident smile. "My dad, Xie En, is the president. How come I never knew the vice president had raised such a bastard of a son?"

Zheng Tao abruptly looked up, his pupils shrinking.

Of course, he knew the Xie Family.

The Xie Family held the highest position in Donghai City's Chamber of Commerce. Though his father was the vice president, to put it bluntly, he worked for the Xie Family. Moreover, the Xie Family's main business was as an established mecha clan; the Chamber of Commerce was merely one of its minor organizations. He usually threw his weight around at the academy under the Zheng Family name, but compared to Xie Xie, his family background was not even worth mentioning.

The matter had basically stabilized, but Lin Xun could still feel a gaze fixed on him the entire time.

Without question, it belonged to Xu Xiaoyu.

However, the guy no longer harbored such strong hostility. Instead, his expression had become somewhat complicated.

"Stop right now!"

A powerful shout exploded from the entrance to the training grounds, making all the students watching the commotion shudder.

Director Long strode over, obvious anger written across his square face.

"Teacher Wu, what are you doing? Freezing someone to the ground—what kind of behavior is that?"

Wu Changkong withdrew the Heavenfrost Sword, his tone calm. "He made my student kneel and lick milk tea. I made him do exactly what he said. Very fair."

Director Long's mouth twitched. He knew Wu Changkong far too well. When this man said something was fair, he genuinely believed it was fair. There was no use reasoning with him.

He turned toward Zhou Tie, his gaze becoming sterner. "Teacher Zhou, Zheng Tao is a student in your class. Did you know about him making a junior from the intermediate division kneel and lick milk tea?"

Zhou Tie opened his mouth, but before he could defend himself, Director Long added, "And there's also the hotel incident. The Academic Affairs Office has already received a report and will formally begin an investigation shortly. Teacher Zhou, as the homeroom teacher, you bear an inescapable responsibility for your student's actions."

Zhou Tie's expression changed instantly. It was not because of Zheng Tao's incident. At most, Zheng Tao's misconduct would count as poor management on his part, and perhaps cost him some performance bonuses.

What truly terrified him was something else.

Director Long knew the real reason Wu Changkong had beaten him up back then.

If the Academic Affairs Office uncovered that old matter while investigating Zheng Tao, then it would no longer be just a matter of losing performance bonuses.

"Director Long, I..."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me." Director Long raised a hand to cut him off. "Go wait at the Academic Affairs Office."

Zhou Tie stood there, his lips trembling twice. In the end, he lowered his head and slunk off toward the Academic Affairs Office. When he passed Wu Changkong, his pace noticeably quickened.

Only then did Director Long withdraw his gaze and sweep it across the crowd before shouting in a booming voice, "All of you, disperse! What are you standing around here for? Don't you have classes to attend?"

The watching students scattered in an instant.

Director Long turned around, letting his gaze rest briefly on Lin Xun before looking at Wu Changkong. The two exchanged a glance.

"You're Lin Xun, right?"

Director Long suddenly spoke, his tone much gentler than before. "Come with me to the principal's office."

There's something involving me too?

Lin Xun was slightly taken aback. He ran through it in his mind but still could not figure out why.

Xie Xie and Zhou Changxi stepped forward at the same time, blocking Lin Xun from both sides.

"Director Long!" Xie Xie rushed to speak. "Director Long, I was the one who insulted Zheng Tao. Zheng Tao poured the milk tea himself. Brother Xun didn't even lift a finger from beginning to end. You can't punish him just because he's blond and a scumbag, can you—"

"Xie Xie!" Lin Xun's face darkened. Even when standing up for him, Xie Xie had to mention the scumbag thing again. For a moment, he did not know whether to feel touched or what.

Zhou Changxi also grew anxious, his chubby face flushing red. "Director Long, Brother Lin Xun stood up for me. If anyone's getting punished, punish me. It has nothing to do with him!"

Director Long looked at the two boys protecting Lin Xun, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if he were holding back a laugh. He waved his hand. "I'm not punishing him. The principal wants to see him. It has nothing to do with this incident—it's something else."

Xie Xie and Zhou Changxi exchanged a look, their faces full of suspicion.

Why would the principal want to see an intermediate division student if it was not because of this incident?

Wu Changkong spoke, his tone still cool but somewhat gentler than usual. "Go. It's not a bad thing."

Only after hearing Wu Changkong say that did Xie Xie and Zhou Changxi reluctantly relax.

Lin Xun, on the other hand, looked entirely unconcerned. He patted both of them on the shoulders and followed Director Long toward the teaching building.

However, his composure did not last long. The woman sitting in the principal's office was enough to make anyone suffocate.

Her fiery red hair cascaded down from her shoulders like a burning flame, its ends slightly curled as they rested against the armrest.

Her features were bold and breathtakingly beautiful, with thick brows and deep-set eyes. Her lips were a perfectly vivid red, naturally as blazing as fire without any lipstick.

She clearly possessed a bewitching face capable of toppling kingdoms, yet she wore an extremely simple little white dress, a bow tied at the collar, its hem falling just past her knees. On her feet were a pair of round-toed flats.

She was like a datura placed in a daisy vase—utterly mismatched, yet so beautiful that one could not look away.

Such a stark contrast.

For the first time, a visible crack appeared in Lin Xun's expression control. His pupils contracted slightly, and the casual smile that had always lingered at the corners of his lips froze. He stood rooted to the spot, unable to take another step.

Because the name of the person before him belonged to someone who absolutely should not have been here... Leng Yaozhu!

War God Hall

At this moment, inside a quiet chamber.

A figure stood before a full-length mirror, her face filled with helplessness and a hint of uncertain frustration.

The woman in the mirror was no longer young.

But she had been blessed with excellent features. Willow-leaf brows, phoenix eyes, and gentle, dignified features—the very image of a classic beauty.

Judging by her face alone, she seemed warm and soft, like a refined young lady stepping out of the misty rain of Jiangnan: gentle, calm, and the picture of a virtuous homemaker.

Yet the dress she wore had nothing whatsoever to do with the words gentle and virtuous.

It was made of deep ink-green silk, with an extremely simple design.

Thin spaghetti straps rested on her shoulders, falling just along her collarbones. The neckline was tastefully cut—not overly revealing, yet perfectly suited to accentuate her fair, delicate collarbones and the beautiful lines of her shoulders and neck.

The waist was tightly fitted, outlining her well-proportioned figure. The hem fell just past the middle of her thighs; with the slightest movement, it would lift into a neat curve with a touch of girlish charm.

Yali examined herself back and forth in the mirror.

She raised a hand and tugged the neckline up half an inch.

It felt too stiff.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she silently pulled it back down half an inch, yet she was still dissatisfied.

She bent over and tugged at the hem, but it would not budge. She then tried rolling it up slightly, only making herself look even more awkward.

After all that fussing, she first placed her hands helplessly on her hips, then raised one to her forehead. Finally, she let out a deep sigh, her face full of defeat.

Awkward. Far too awkward.

She was the Hall Master of War God Hall, commanding the enormous War God Hall and having weathered countless storms.

Yet now, she was repeatedly agonizing over a single dress, unable to decide what to do.

If the people under her command saw this, whatever dignity she had as Hall Master would be utterly gone.

But she could not help it.

The obsession she had buried in her heart for so long stemmed from nothing more than a casual parting remark that person had made back then.

Yet she had remembered those words for many, many years.

"Hall Master?"

A soft voice came from the doorway, carrying a hint of cautious probing.

Yali froze in place.

Before she had time to straighten her skirt, she snatched up the dark outer robe draped over the back of a chair and swiftly threw it on, wrapping herself up tightly from head to toe.

Only after doing all that did she compose herself and turn around with feigned calm.

"Mengjun, come in."

Su Mengjun pushed open the door and entered the quiet chamber.

The first thing she saw was the Hall Master seated upright in her chair, poised and dignified, her expression solemn.

But through the gap beneath the hem of her outer robe, a strip of ink-green skirt was quietly visible, along with a pair of fair, slender bare ankles that stood out particularly sharply.

Su Mengjun's gaze shifted slightly. Her eyes lingered briefly on that patch of ink green before she casually looked away. Without asking a single extra question, she gently closed the door behind her.

"Hall Master, you sent for me?"

Yali gave a light cough. The stern expression she had worked so hard to maintain lasted only three seconds before completely falling apart.

Her shoulders slumped. She casually took off her outer robe and tossed it aside, then rose and grabbed Su Mengjun by the wrist, pulling her straight over to the mirror.

"You came at just the right time. Help me take a look."

Yali's fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt. Her tone carried a trace of discomfort, but also barely concealed genuine anticipation.

"What do you think of this dress? Is it too flashy, too revealing? Does this ink-green color make me look old?

"The fabric is comfortable enough, but I really can't tell whether it suits me."

Su Mengjun did not immediately offer a perfunctory response. Instead, she took two small steps back and studied Yali carefully for a long time.

Ink green was naturally a mature, subdued color, one rarely chosen by young women.

Yet on Yali, it did not make her look old in the slightest. Instead, it perfectly brought out the composure and charm refined by time.

The spaghetti-strap design looked light and youthful, but the Hall Master's shoulders and neck were beautifully proportioned, her skin fair and smooth. She carried it perfectly, without the slightest sense of incongruity.

Though the skirt was short, it emphasized the length and symmetry of her legs.

Standing barefoot before the mirror like this, no one would have guessed that she was a top-tier powerhouse who had lived for over a hundred years and stood in such a lofty position.

A moment later, Su Mengjun spoke gently, her tone sincere. "Hall Master, it looks beautiful. It suits you perfectly."

"Really?"

A glimmer instantly lit up in Yali's eyes, only to fade again a moment later, leaving behind a trace of uncertainty. "You're not just humoring me, are you?"

"I have never humored you."

Su Mengjun's lips curved slightly as she explained softly, "This color complements your complexion, and the design is novel without losing its elegance. I'm only curious—whenever you attend major occasions, you always wear the War God Hall's standard formal attire. When do you plan to wear a dress like this?"

That question made Yali fall silent at once.

She turned to look at herself in the mirror.

The dark green skirt swayed lightly with her smallest movements, as though it had been steeped in moonlight.

The woman raised a hand and gently brushed her cheek.

Time had left its marks. She was no longer the innocent, naïve little girl who blushed so easily.

After a long while, she spoke softly, almost to herself:

"I wasn't planning to wear it at any particular time."

"I just wanted to try it on."

"I wanted to know whether, after becoming like this... I'm still not the kind of woman he likes."

Su Mengjun remained silent.