Golden Body Ji Boxiao

In the latter half of the night, Su Wuming encountered no other beasts. Lin Pangpang did not return until dawn was near.

Only after asking did he learn that, after Second Chrysanthemum had teleported him away, he had been immediately conscripted to assist in treating the injured.

Because the Snow Demons had appeared so suddenly, Dry City had been unable to respond in time. Snow Demons had surfaced all over the city as if they had coordinated beforehand, causing trouble simultaneously.

In the end, however, Lin Pangpang was rewarded with ten Black Iron Rank Beast Crystals as payment, so the trip had not been for nothing.

As for why Snow Demons had suddenly appeared in the city, the relevant departments were still investigating. They had already dispatched elite demon-hunter squads deep into the Dark Forest to investigate.

The casualties from last night were still being counted. Su Wuming estimated that the final reported number would definitely differ from the actual number of casualties.

To reassure the public, the authorities would certainly do that. It was not as if similar incidents had never happened before.

After this incident, a shadow hung over everyone in Dry City once dawn arrived.

Sister Wu's family was sent back as well, and her husband's leg had been healed. They had specifically brought some things upstairs to thank Su Wuming, and they had waived his and Lin Pangpang's rent for a year.

For ordinary people, this was already an immense expression of gratitude. After all, her family still had to make a living.

Moreover, her husband's leg still needed rest and recuperation. He would not be able to engage in strenuous activity for a while.

High-level food-type spirit warriors were controlled by certain organizations or families. Her family could not afford one, and without special orders, they would not work for free.

That was reality, a reality that not even a world of high martial arts could change.

Meanwhile, Su Wuming and Lin Pangpang had just arrived at school when they saw a huge crowd of students gathered around the laboratory building, along with several homeroom teachers.

The homeroom teacher of Class Two was surrounded by Shi Potian and the homeroom teachers of two other classes. They were saying something, their faces filled with jealousy.

The Class Two homeroom teacher, meanwhile, was grinning so widely that his mouth nearly reached his ears.

Su Wuming did not need to guess what was going on. Today was the day Ji Boxiao transferred in, and he had been assigned to Class Two. Of course the man was smiling like that.

Any homeroom teacher would be no different. This concerned the class's advancement rate and their bonuses.

But what was with those students?

Was this really necessary?

And they were all girls!!!

As he drew closer, Su Wuming frowned because the way was blocked.

"Miss, could you move aside? I need to get through."

"Go around the other side. Don't keep me from looking at my idol."

"Motherf—..." Su Wuming nearly blurted out a curse, but ultimately held it back.

You could not casually argue with northern women. They could ruin your reputation in minutes, and that was no joke.

"Pangpang, hold on tight!"

Going around was out of the question. Su Wuming was not the sort of person who took detours.

After backing up some distance, Su Wuming suddenly stretched out his arm and grabbed the flagpole on the other side of the passage.

The next moment, some of the girls in the crowd felt a fierce gust sweep over their heads, sending waves of hair flying.

For a moment, it looked like a horde of demons dancing wildly.

When they looked again, Su Wuming had successfully crossed the passage, only to slam into the flagpole and leave a human-shaped dent in it.

Lin Pangpang, meanwhile, was flung by the momentum of Su Wuming's arm into a nearby snowdrift, where he likewise made a human-shaped crater.

Lin Pangpang: I'll just lie here. It's a little cold, but at least no one can see my face.

"Hey, you! What are you doing? Can't you see we're lowering the flag?!"

The staff member responsible for raising and lowering the school flag stood below and spoke in dissatisfaction.

Because of last night's disaster, the school had ordered the flag to be lowered to half-mast today.

The newly transferred Ji Boxiao happened to be there as well, observing a moment of deep mourning for the victims of Dry City last night.

That act immediately drew most of the girls over to watch.

Combined with his upright posture and noble attire, especially his head of golden hair and high nose bridge, he looked incomparably handsome and distinguished.

He perfectly matched the dream idol image in the hearts of most young girls.

Su Wuming also spotted Ji Boxiao at that moment. Their eyes met, and Su Wuming immediately showed a look of disdain.

Since when did a little blond punk become an idol? He isn't even one-third as handsome as me.

Sometimes, when guys got jealous, everyone else looked average. Between heaven and earth, only they were handsome.

Su Wuming was clearly like that right now, unable to distinguish "golden" from "yellow."

"You must be Su~~ Wuming." Ji Boxiao recognized him.

"So you're Ji~~ Boxiao..." Su Wuming deliberately pronounced each syllable separately as well. Ji Boxiao's expression visibly changed, and his face darkened.

"You up there, I'm talking to you! Get down here! Which class are you from? You're paying for this flagpole!" the staff member urged again.

"Pay? No need. This thing's crooked. I can bend it straight again." Su Wuming had no intention of paying, so he forcibly bent the flagpole back into shape.

That display of strength truly opened the eyes of the watching girls, but it was quickly overshadowed by Ji Boxiao's handsome face.

After Su Wuming came down, Ji Boxiao approached him and said, "I admire your courage in daring to duel me today. I hope that when you lose miserably, you can still talk the way you just did."

"Cut the crap. Did you bring the Beast Crystals?" Su Wuming ignored him and asked instead.

"These few Beast Crystals mean nothing to me. Dare to raise the stakes? If I lose, I'll give you a thousand. If you lose, you agree to one condition of mine."

Ji Boxiao was clearly not interested in the hundred Beast Crystals Su Wuming had proposed.

Yet Su Wuming's answer drew even more exclamations from everyone.

"No. Small bets are fun; big bets ruin lives. A thousand is enough to get us sentenced."

Ji Boxiao: ??? What the hell do you mean, enough to get sentenced? What kind of law is that?

"Hmph, I thought he was something special. He dared duel our idol, but he's actually such a coward."

"Exactly, exactly. He might as well admit defeat now and save himself the embarrassment."

"Isn't that Su Wuming from Class One? Since when could a trash strength-type challenge someone else?"

"..."

The girls in the crowd chattered about all sorts of things, but not a single one had anything good to say about Su Wuming.

Fortunately, Su Wuming was thick-skinned. He simply went selectively deaf, picked at his ears, and turned to walk toward the arena platform in the center of the martial arts field.

"Come over too. Once the instructors arrive, we'll fight. I still need to attend class and cultivate after we're done."

The moment he turned around, his homeroom teacher Shi Potian came over, grabbed him, and pulled him aside while quietly lecturing and warning him.

He was basically telling Su Wuming to hurry up and apologize to Ji Boxiao. Ji Boxiao's background was not something he could afford to offend.

It could not be said that Shi Potian was deliberately siding with Ji Boxiao. On the contrary, he was looking out for Su Wuming.

He even secretly told him about Ji Boxiao's ability: elemental type, metal element—Golden Body, Grade A aptitude.

His golden hair had been caused by his awakening. His physical strength surpassed even that of animal-type spirit warriors, his body was incredibly hard, and he could control metal. He was truly an all-around force in both offense and defense.

Shi Potian said all this because he wanted Su Wuming to give up. Now that he knew of Su Wuming's talent, the class's future advancement rate could depend on him too. Naturally, he did not want Su Wuming to offend too many people.

However, Su Wuming could only thank him. The fight still had to happen.

He also briefly told Shi Potian about how he had already arranged it with the two instructors, Mo Lan and Second Chrysanthemum, last night.

Once Shi Potian heard that it was the two instructors' idea, he stopped trying to persuade him. Seemingly recalling something, he looked at Su Wuming with meaningful eyes.

"Good luck! Beat him! I believe in you. Once you win, I'll go laugh in front of the Class Two homeroom teacher for an entire day."