Who could explain to him what was really going on? Leng Ao's mind was a complete blank. He wished he could become invisible, hiding from the embarrassment of his current situation.
He swore to make that crazy woman pay.
Ling Xue thought this girl had truly lost her mind. Her reckless actions were practically a death wish. The sooner Lin Jiajia got kicked out of Ace Academy, the better. Honestly, Ling Xue wouldn't mind if Jiajia just disappeared altogether. Once she was out of school, she might as well wait for her downfall.
Someone helped Leng Ao to his feet. His face was pale, and he shot Ning Shu a dark look. Through gritted teeth, he spat, "You've really gotten under my skin, you lowly woman."
Ning Shu ignored him and bent down to pick up her desk. She had enough on her plate and didn't have time to deal with a self-important prince stuck in his own world.
Leng Ao was furious at Ning Shu's indifference, nearly exploding with rage. But he knew he was at a disadvantage right now, and dragging this out would only make it worse. So, he lifted his chin in a haughty manner and strode past Ning Shu, creating a chilling gust of wind that left a shiver in the air.
Ning Shu realized she had offended Leng Ao, but it didn't concern her. Her focus was on Ling Xue. She couldn't figure out Ling Xue's motives. Why had she suddenly switched from a queen to an innocent little flower? What was she really up to?
Ning Shu absently rubbed her gun at her waist as she watched Ling Xue in front of her.
In the days that followed, Ling Xue intensified her efforts to make Ning Shu's life miserable at school. Ling Xue had hoped that Ning Shu would eventually be forced to leave. To her surprise, Ning Shu seemed to have taken root in the academy, spending all her time there—eating, drinking, and living her life as if she belonged.
Ling Xue cursed Ning Shu for her thick skin. Fortunately, she had a good amount of spiritual energy now, even if it was tainted with impurities from absorbing too much vital energy from others. Sometimes, it took her considerable effort to utilize that energy, as it didn't truly feel like hers.
But Ling Xue had no idea how to purify the energy and couldn't stop herself from absorbing more vital energies. The world was so deficient in spiritual energy that it made her feel drained.
Right now, Ling Xue was frustrated. How had humans messed things up so badly?
After suffering humiliation at Ning Shu's hands, Leng Ao was determined to get revenge. So, this grown man started pestering Ning Shu daily, picking fights with her.
Ning Shu saw no reason to hold back against this self-appointed punching bag. She used him to hone her combat skills. At first, it was challenging since she was a woman and Leng Ao stood a towering meter nine.
After repeatedly losing face to Ning Shu, Leng Ao felt increasingly frustrated and insisted on reclaiming his dignity. It was embarrassing for him, a man, to be bested by a woman, especially one who was only getting stronger.
The people at Ace Academy had gotten used to it. They were accustomed to seeing Leng Ao seek out that "lower-class" girl, only to get beaten by her. After losing, he would stubbornly return the next day to try again.
Ning Shu didn't harbor the same admiration for Leng Ao that the original host, Lin Jiajia, had. If he came to bother her, she felt no need to be polite.
Ling Xue was growing increasingly annoyed with Leng Ao's daily visits to Ning Shu. One day, as he stormed off to confront her again, she grabbed his arm and said, "Why don't you just expel her? Everyone's starting to talk, saying you two are in some sort of romantic entanglement."
"Romantic entanglement? What!?" Leng Ao was torn between laughter and frustration. He looked at Ling Xue and declared, "I'm doing this for you, to get revenge. Expelling her would be letting her off way too easy."