The wind suddenly picked up, scattering snow in all directions.
Caught in the midst of practicing his punches, Wang Zhong had to shield his forehead with his hand, blocking the swirling snow and the unexpected gust of wind.
A scorching yet warm aura arrived with the fierce wind, repelling all the ice and snow from the area of accumulated snow and ice cliffs.
The maiden descended from the sky, bringing with her the most intense and fiery sunlight.
A pure white princess dress draped over her slender form. The two pairs of flawless white wings behind her unfurled freely in this world, radiating their own brilliant light.
Her golden hair, fine and distinct strand by strand, fluttered in the wind, bringing with it a dazzling radiance.
Beneath the contrast of her golden hair, Qian Renxue's fair and translucent skin was like milk. Her delicate eyebrows and pure, sparkling violet eyes looked at Wang Zhong with delight.
"I caught you!"
At this moment, Wang Zhong looked up. He felt as if he were witnessing the rarest and most beautiful sight in the world. Qian Renxue slowly descended from the sky, emanating light and warmth. The entire ice-cliff area, frozen solid, seemed to have all its cold driven away by the maiden's arrival.
"An angel!"
Wang Zhong's exclamation and his eyes, filled with the wonder of seeing the most beautiful thing in the world, caused Qian Renxue's face, still in mid-air, to break into a happy smile.
"Yes, I am an angel!"
Qian Renxue landed gracefully. She placed her small hands on her chest, her joyful tone filled with affirmation and pride.
However, as soon as she spoke, Wang Zhong suddenly came back to his senses, his face paling in shock. He stumbled backward repeatedly, as if he had seen something most terrifying.
"Qian Renxue!"
Wang Zhong's outburst, laced with terror, instantly caused Qian Renxue's previously smug little face to collapse.
"Why are you making that face!"
"Am I that scary!"
Two reproachful words, carrying the maiden's deep resentment.
She, Qian Renxue, was a beloved and noble little princess. How could Wang Zhong look at her as if she were an evil spirit master? His expression of panic and lingering fear was almost enough to make him bolt.
A maiden's pride could not withstand such a blow.
Looking at Qian Renxue, who stood with her hands on her hips, fuming, Wang Zhong felt a hint of embarrassment. He was quite guilty facing Qian Renxue now. He had actually failed to recognize her for a moment; otherwise, he would have fled long ago.
"No, no, no, you're not scary, you're very cute."
"I was just a bit surprised that you suddenly appeared here, so I was a little startled."
Wang Zhong waved his hands frantically, quickly explaining. There was no escaping now.
"Hmph!"
Qian Renxue crossed her arms, huffing in dissatisfaction. This explanation was barely acceptable to her, but considering he had slept in her bed for so many days, she decided to generously accept it.
"Um, why are you here?"
Feeling that Qian Renxue's anger had somewhat subsided, Wang Zhong cautiously inquired.
"Why am I here? Aren't you asking the obvious!"
"I've come to get revenge for that punch!"
The maiden clenched her fist and shook it in front of Wang Zhong. Her fierce yet adorable appearance gave Wang Zhong the feeling of looking at an angry little kitten.
Pressing his lips together tightly, Wang Zhong desperately tried to suppress the smile rising from his heart and changed the subject.
"Here?"
"It's very cold here. If you accidentally catch a cold, that wouldn't be good!"
"Why don't you go back first, and I'll come find you later, okay!"
He decided to coax Qian Renxue back first.
Before, when he didn't know her identity, he could have been more reckless. But now that he knew, it was different. He still had to show the proper respect.
Within the Spirit Hall, the title of Pope was the most revered.
"Heh heh!"
Unlike her previous anger, Qian Renxue's tone was now filled with a strong sense of self-satisfaction.
"You don't know this, do you!"
"The Angel Spirit is immune to wind and snow, immune to lightning and fire!"
"This little bit of wind and snow, I don't feel anything at all."
This time, it was Wang Zhong's face that fell. Recalling the arduous training of the past month, he felt a sense of frustration.
He had worked hard for a whole month just to barely withstand fire and snow, while this beautiful little princess was born with such an advantage.
Effort could not compare to one's origin. Comparing oneself to others was enough to make one furious.
If an outsider were present at this moment, knowing Wang Zhong's inner thoughts, they would probably want to strangle him.
The wind and snow in the core areas of the lava land and the ice cliffs were unbearable even for a Soul King for long. Wang Zhong, a mere Soul Master of level ten or so, had managed to reach the level of a Soul King in just one month. They would have loved to experience Wang Zhong's frustration.
"Hehe!"
For some reason, when Qian Renxue saw the frustration on Wang Zhong's face, she clearly felt a sense of pleasure called happiness.
This pleasure made her unconsciously let out a light laugh.
This laugh, in turn, drew a blank stare from Wang Zhong.
"You're laughing at me!"
"No, you misheard!"
Qian Renxue blinked her large, innocent eyes, tightly pressing her lips together. She clasped her hands behind her back, trying to suppress her laughter.
But her eyes, full of mirth, betrayed her completely.
To this, Wang Zhong could only sigh heavily. "Your Highness, the little princess, I'm really busy with something."
"Can we postpone your revenge for that punch until next year."
"Or, I can stand here and let you hit me once. Would that be acceptable?"
Wang Zhong's helpless tone caused the smile in Qian Renxue's eyes to fade considerably.
She pursed her light pink lips and responded with a smile, "Okay! Don't move, I'll hit you once, and then our grudges will be settled. How about that."
"Come on!" Qian Renxue's straightforward attitude also made Wang Zhong feel more at ease. If the matter could be settled like this, he would be overjoyed.
"Then, here I come."
Clenching her small fist, Qian Renxue looked eager.
As she threw a punch, to Wang Zhong's surprise, he expected Qian Renxue, harboring resentment, to land a powerful blow on his lower abdomen. But the reality was that the punch was incredibly light. It wasn't really a punch, more like a tap, and it landed not on his abdomen but on his shoulder.
"I am the little princess of the Spirit Hall, the future God of Angels, the guardian of the continent. How could I hold onto such a trivial matter? A month has passed, and my anger has long since dissipated."
"Besides, you are a student of the Spirit Hall Academy. If I hadn't joined the academy yet, based on age and strength, I would completely be your senior."
"As a senior, how could I possibly lay hands on a junior who works hard and strives for progress."
Qian Renxue stood with her hands on her hips, looking resolute and mature, completely forgetting who it was that insisted on proving her innate level twenty one month ago.