"Long time no see. Give me a hug," Ye Chenfeng said with a playful grin as his gaze lingered on Mu Ningxue's snow-white skin, her floating hair, and her ethereal beauty. She was the epitome of an ice goddess, so unattainable that one couldn't help but feel a desire to conquer her.
Mu Ningxue dodged his outstretched arms with ease, her expression unreadable. Her piercing gaze seemed to say, Do you really think I'll let you get away with that again?
Her reaction left Ye Chenfeng momentarily bored.
"Fine, fine. I won't rub your white hair anymore, so relax," he teased, his tone light.
Mu Ningxue: …
Rubbing my hair? she thought, her mind incredulous. She realized she had underestimated him. He was even more shameless than she thought.
If she stayed around Ye Chenfeng much longer, she felt she might eventually lose the ability to express any emotion at all.
"Ahem, let's go check out the Imperial Capital's trade center. There must be something special there," Ye Chenfeng said, his voice tinged with nervousness as her expressionless stare began to unnerve him.
Mu Ningxue sighed softly. "Alright, come with me."
"Hey, hey, hey! Why the long face?" Ye Chenfeng asked, noticing her reluctant demeanor. "Doesn't taking a break from practice sound good? We've known each other for so long, and you're not even happy about hanging out with me?"
"…No."
Hanging out with you is less of a break and more like dealing with endless trouble, Mu Ningxue thought to herself, shaking her head inwardly.
Still, despite her grievances, she couldn't deny something to herself. If she had to choose between practicing alone or spending time with Ye Chenfeng, even the dull repetition of training felt less monotonous in his presence. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was her natural nemesis.
While Mu Ningxue could easily decipher Mo Fan's antics—his flirtations, snarky comments, and habit of taking advantage—she found Ye Chenfeng far more perplexing. He wasn't lustful, nor did he seem to care about taking advantage of her. Instead, he acted like an old friend, teasing her with an infuriating ease that always left her flustered.
It's maddening! she thought. Even worse, I can never win against him.
As they strolled through the city, Ye Chenfeng was surprised to find the trade center so close.
"This is the Blue Diamond Trade Center," Mu Ningxue explained. "If there's anything you want, you can probably find it here."
Ye Chenfeng surveyed the lavish surroundings—the gilded counters, rare demon-slaying tools, magical armor, and various high-grade materials on display.
"Impressive, but none of this is what I need. Are there any special items up for auction?" he asked.
Mu Ningxue handed him a receipt.
"Hmm, Purple Flame?" he muttered, intrigued.
Mu Ningxue nodded. "It's a fire spirit seed. While it's potent, its fire poison makes it unpopular. It only amplifies magic power by about 2.3 times."
"The auction is tomorrow," Ye Chenfeng said.
"Yes, but you already have a fire spirit seed. This wouldn't be of much use to you," she replied matter-of-factly.
Ye Chenfeng shrugged, realizing she was right. He wandered through the center but found nothing that truly interested him. After a while, they headed back to the academy.
"See you tomorrow, Ningxue," he said with a casual wave.
"See you tomorrow," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of something unreadable.
Later, in the student apartments, Zhao Manyan barged in, grabbing Ye Chenfeng by the arm.
"Old Ye, everyone's waiting for you at the strategy meeting!"
"Strategy meeting?" Ye Chenfeng echoed, confused.
"Yeah! The teacher made you captain, remember? We're planning for the exchange competition!"
Dragged into the meeting hall, Ye Chenfeng quickly pieced things together. Apparently, while he had been wandering with Mu Ningxue, the details of the exchange competition had already been finalized.
The competition was set for tomorrow.
"They're eager to lose, aren't they?" Ye Chenfeng remarked with a smirk.
The team leader chimed in, "The competition's early start probably determines which team takes the lead during the post-competition trials."
Ye Chenfeng nodded, unfazed. "So, how do you want to fight?"
Luo Song, a bulky teammate, spoke up first. "I've got a score to settle with someone from the Imperial Capital. I want to go first."
"Fine," Ye Chenfeng agreed without hesitation.
Luo Song blinked in surprise. He had expected Ye Chenfeng to make things difficult for him.
"I'll go next!" Shen Ming declared.
"Go ahead. Fight however you want," Ye Chenfeng said lazily. "As your spiritual leader, I'll support you all the way."
His nonchalant demeanor seemed to reassure the team. Ye Chenfeng knew Mo Fan's group would carry the fight regardless, so he wasn't particularly concerned about their strategy.
The next day, in the grand fighting hall of the Imperial Capital Academy, the tension was palpable.
"Hahaha! Those mediocre students from Pearl Academy think they can compete with the capital's finest?" a burly Imperial Capital student mocked.
"Hurry up and face us! Or are you too scared?"
Pearl Academy's students ignored the taunts, their confidence unshaken.
All eyes were drawn to a striking figure standing among the Imperial Capital students. Mu Ningxue's icy beauty captivated the crowd, her aloof presence making her seem like a goddess who had descended from the heavens.
In the midst of the tension, Ye Chenfeng smiled to himself. Let's see who's really laughing by the end of this.