Gao Wu: I'll enjoy the benefits, but you'll bear the side effects.

After experiencing various twists and turns, the tense relationship between Gao Jie and Huang Xu was resolved. Neither of them dwelled on past conflicts, and everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

The school bell rang softly, signaling the start of classes.

Huang Xu and his group walked toward the classroom chatting and laughing. No one expected that a woman who looked like she had stepped out of a painting would appear next to Gao Jie.

The woman had an exquisite and beautiful face, bright eyes like stars, and long, glossy black hair that flowed smoothly over her shoulders, further enhancing her outstanding temperament.

Huang Xu and the others were stunned by this scene, and were secretly surprised. It turned out that Gao Jie was also a protector of the flower.

Gao Jie noticed their gazes, frowned slightly, and then explained to them.

"He's just a friend of mine, so please don't overthink it or spread rumors."

Although his voice was calm, his eyes carried an undeniable seriousness.

Just then, Xu Rourou walked slowly with light steps. She had obviously dressed up carefully today; her exquisite makeup perfectly highlighted her facial features, and a simple yet stylish dress perfectly outlined her tall figure.

Her appearance was like a dazzling light suddenly shining into everyone's field of vision, instantly attracting the attention of many people.

The students around her cast admiring and curious glances, and some even stopped in their tracks to get a second look at her.

Gao Jie was also involuntarily drawn to her, a hint of amazement and daze flashing in his eyes, and he was momentarily lost in thought.

Xu Rourou noticed Gao Jie's gaze, and an embarrassed blush rose on her face as she gently scolded him.

"It's one thing for others to stare at me, but why are you staring at me so intently?"

Gao Jie then came to his senses, smiled awkwardly, scratched his head, and said.

"It's nothing, it's just that you suddenly seem a little unfamiliar to me."

To break the slightly awkward atmosphere, Gao Jie quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, we have to go to class in a bit. I heard that a fourth-level expert will be teaching us this time. I don't know if it's true or not. Let's hurry over."

Huang Xu, however, seemed not to have heard Gao Jie's words. He grinned and approached Xu Rourou, a sly look on his face, and shouted loudly.

"sister in law!"

At that shout, Xu Rourou's face instantly turned bright red, the redness extending all the way to her ears.

In fact, at the beginning, Xu Rourou never thought that she would have any special story with Gao Jie.

She simply regarded Gao Jie as a trustworthy friend, a partner she could rely on when she was in danger.

However, Gao Jie's repeated acts of risking his own life to help her gradually caused some subtle changes in Xu Rourou's heart.

On those two critical moments, Gao Jie stepped forward without hesitation. His courage and sense of responsibility deeply touched Xu Rourou's heartstrings, causing her to feel waves of emotion she had never experienced before.

And now, she is at a loss for words after Huang Xu suddenly called her "sister-in-law".

Seeing Xu Rourou's shy appearance, Gao Jie was both angry and annoyed. He reached out and pinched Huang Xu's ear, pretending to be angry.

"Are you kidding me? I've already told you, this is my friend, why do you keep calling her 'sister-in-law'?"

But Huang Xu seemed to be deliberately provoking them. Instead of backing down, he gave Feng Yinan and the others a meaningful look.

Feng Yinan and the others immediately understood and surrounded her, shouting "Sister-in-law" all at once.

The voices grew louder and louder, making Xu Rourou even more embarrassed. She lowered her head and nervously twisted the hem of her clothes with both hands.

A group of people headed straight for the classroom with great enthusiasm, and after they sat down, everyone found their seats.

Xu Rourou stared at the blackboard with a smile, preparing to take notes on its contents.

Just then, a short-haired girl with a cool expression walked over.

"This is the spot I've chosen. Please move aside. I don't want to waste my breath on anyone. I hope you'll behave."

Huang Xu, who always loves to cause trouble, sneered when he heard this.

"Did I hear that right? Who are you telling to get out of the way?"

"You're really something else. These seats aren't assigned, so it's fine for anyone to sit here, but your behavior right now is really strange, classmate."

The other person's face instantly darkened, his previously calm expression twisted with anger, and his eyes revealed a chilling intent.

She suddenly reached out and poked Huang Xu's shoulder, coldly spitting out words through clenched teeth.

"From now on, if I say something, don't try to argue with me. Get lost. I have a bad temper, so don't push me to the point of violence, understand?"

She paused, seemingly still not satisfied, and then said fiercely.

"My name is Huang Muran. From now on, if you see me, stay far away. If you don't know any better, I won't hesitate to teach you a lesson, understand?"

Huang Muran's fierce appearance made her look exactly like an enraged tigress. Her powerful aura and sharp momentum truly intimidated Huang Xu.

Huang Xu's eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment and fear. He involuntarily shrank back, as if afraid that the angry woman in front of him would attack him at any moment.

The others around them, witnessing this scene, were also puzzled, exchanging questioning glances.

Why does this woman exude such a strong murderous aura when she speaks?

Her words were like a biting cold wind, making everyone feel uneasy.

For a moment, no one spoke; the atmosphere seemed frozen, the silence almost unsettling.

Everyone was secretly pondering, feeling that this woman was not easy to deal with and seemed to be an extremely troublesome person.

After a while, the group slowly moved closer and started chatting, trying to break the awkward and oppressive atmosphere.

However, Huang Muran sat alone diagonally opposite, her cold gaze sweeping over everyone from time to time, making them feel like they were being pricked by needles.

Just then, Gao Jie seemed to suddenly realize something was wrong. His brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes revealed a hint of surprise and confusion.

After careful observation and perception, he discovered that the girl was actually at the second level.

This discovery made Gao Jie's heart skip a beat, because in their circle, the second level was already considered quite strong.

What surprised him even more was that Huang Muran released a certain amount of pressure when he made his move.

This means that she has already achieved a high level of skill in martial arts, and has also cultivated an additional attribute, which is pure ice attribute.

Upon hearing this, Huang Xu and the others looked puzzled, exchanging bewildered glances.

Because they had never heard of attributes before, it was like a completely new field for them.

"Hey, Lao Gao, are you kidding me?"

Huang Xu scratched his head and asked with a suspicious look.

"We've never heard of attributes before. Is this thing real or fake? You're not kidding us, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Jie couldn't help but roll his eyes at him, his gaze filled with a hint of helplessness and disdain.

"You're really funny. Why would I mess with you guys for no reason?"

Gao Jie said, pursing his lips.

"To be honest, this situation is really beyond my expectations. Awakening attributes requires a variety of high-grade medicinal herbs. I've heard that the various items needed to awaken attributes basically require a lot of money to accumulate. In short, it's very troublesome and difficult, and the attribute must be cultivated from a young age. The ice attribute is the rarest one. It seems that Huang Muran's family is not simple."

Gao Jie was right; Huang Muran's family was indeed quite extraordinary.

Jinling, the largest city in the south, is a place where hidden talents and powerful forces abound.

In such a prosperous place full of opportunities and challenges, it is not difficult for someone with good attributes to emerge. After all, there are abundant resources here, enough to support the growth of some children from high-ranking families.

Huang Muran glanced at Gao Jie from time to time, her eyes filled with a complex emotion, but she didn't say anything.

A short while later, a middle-aged man walked in, placed what he was carrying on the table, and coughed lightly twice.

"I will be your teacher from now on. You can call me Ouyang Xing."

"I'm not as powerful as you think, nor do I have as good a temper as you think. I have the worst temper. If you can't give me what I want, I'll lose my temper with you and even insult you."

Everyone knew perfectly well that this was probably the legendary fourth-tier powerhouse.

Ouyang Xing actually came here to be a homeroom teacher.

"Listen up, everyone! From now on, you all need to pay close attention in class. If you come to me with any questions after I've finished, I won't answer you. Understand?"

"You all obediently do what you're supposed to do, don't cause me any trouble or offend me, otherwise, I'll make you suffer."

"From now on, I will test each and every one of you. If no one meets my requirements, I will make you leave. Everyone, please do what I say now."

Hou Agui, who was in the last row, immediately prepared to slip away, because he was not a student in this classroom at all.

Hou Agui was someone who was completely powerless against beautiful things. Xu Rourou's outstanding beauty and charming temperament were like a powerful magnet, deeply attracting his gaze. In his heart, being able to interact more with such a beautiful girl was simply a dream come true; who could resist such temptation?

Today, he never expected to meet Ouyang Xing here.

Ouyang Xing's sharp, hawk-like eyes instantly caught Hou Agui's flustered expression, and this unusual behavior immediately caught his attention.

Ouyang Xing's lips curled up slightly, revealing a cold smile. There was no warmth in that smile; instead, it exuded a chilling and intimidating power.

"It seems you've gone to great lengths to get my attention. You must have something to tell me, right? Interesting. Now, let me try, shall we?"

Ouyang Xing's voice was low and cold, like a pronouncement coming from the depths of hell.

Hou Agui was shocked. He was about to explain, trying to find a reasonable excuse for his panic.

Before he could even open his mouth, an invisible yet incredibly powerful force swept over him like a surging tide, instantly enveloping him tightly.

This force was like an invisible python, writhing wildly within his body, causing burning fire and slicing flesh with steel knives wherever it went.

Hou Agui felt as if his body no longer belonged to him.

That force seemed to have a terrifying intention to forcibly tear his body apart from the inside.

Every inch of his skin and every bone felt like it was being pierced by countless sharp steel needles, the pain almost making him faint.