Die, Replay, Repeat

The sound of ice cracking echoed closer and closer. Lin Tianhe could barely move; only his head remained unfrozen, the rest of him encased in solid ice.

"Is it too late to opt for standing in the back as a punishment?" Lin Tianhe forced out a weak smile.

"What do you think?" came the icy reply.

In the next instant, ice crept up, sealing his head in a frosty tomb, turning him into a human popsicle.

"You'll be frozen for the entire class," Luo Qingxin declared, her voice as cold as the ice she wielded. Her eyes swept the room, daring anyone to challenge her. "Anyone else?"

The room fell into a heavy silence. Psychics might be unpredictable, but they weren't foolish. If Lin Tianhe, the strongest among them, could be turned into an ice statue, no one else dared to step out of line.

Well, almost no one.

"I want to listen while frozen!" a voice rang out, shattering the silence.

Everyone turned in disbelief. Zhao Hao had risen from his seat.

Liu Shuai's jaw dropped. "Whoa! You've got guts!"

Yang Ming followed, "Seriously, are you out of your mind?"

Bai Qi, who usually kept a cool head, raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Even he had to admit, "That's... impressive."

Zhao Hao's bold move instantly made him the talk of the class.

"Who is this guy? Is he fearless or just crazy?"

"Either way, he's got my respect!"

"New favorite student right here!"

Luo Qingxin's eyes narrowed as she sized up Zhao Hao.

"Miss Luo, my name is Zhao—" He began to introduce himself, but before he could finish, a blast of cold air hit him, freezing him solid in a heartbeat.

Watching from the sidelines, Xiao Chuxia burst into laughter, nearly doubling over.

This was all her doing. She had joked with Zhao Hao that if he wanted to catch a girl's attention, he had to do something unforgettable—what could be more memorable than challenging her in front of everyone?

"When all the other psychics are too scared to move, someone suddenly standing up seems super brave and attention-grabbing."

Zhao Hao had bought into her words, and now he was paying the icy price.

After freezing Zhao Hao, Luo Qingxin didn't bother asking if anyone else wanted to join the ice sculpture club.

Clearly, she had figured out that these psychics weren't the most rational bunch. If she asked again, someone might actually think it was a fun challenge.

She turned back to the podium, her expression calm as she began the day's lesson.

"The power I just used is called a domain. It's a special ability that only fourth-tier psychics can access. Once you reach that level, you can shape your abilities into a domain."

Many of them were third-tier psychics, so they perked up at this. Understanding domains could be the key to leveling up.

As she spoke, the room was abuzz.

Some psychics began probing the icy atmosphere around them, trying to sense the power within. A few even reached out to touch the ice, hoping to connect with its energy.

One overly curious student even licked the ice and promptly got their tongue stuck, screaming in agony.

Fang Xiu, sitting quietly, sensed something deeper in the ice. He noticed a faint thread of Spiritual Energy woven through it, moving in a mysterious rhythm.

Suddenly, a small crack appeared on his left hand. The Taotie's Mouth emerged, chomping into the ice as if it were soft butter, not solid ice.

As the ice vanished down the mouth's gullet, a wave of understanding washed over Fang Xiu. His eyes lit up with realization.

"So, this is a domain," he mused. The Taotie's Mouth seemed eager for more.

But just then, he felt a cold, almost surprised gaze land on him.

Luo Qingxin had noticed.

Fang Xiu didn't seem bothered. The five captains had probably received a heads-up about him from the Director, so they weren't likely to cause any problems.

He quietly murmured to himself, "This mouth can even devour a domain? That's... pretty wild. But with my current strength, I can probably only eat a domain that's just sitting there."

In other words, if Luo Qingxin were to go on the attack, he might not have the time or power to snack on her domain.

But Fang Xiu wasn't done yet. Sensing an opportunity, he decided to push his limits further.

Ignoring the subtle glances Luo Qingxin threw his way, he pressed his hand against the ice once more.

Taotie's Mouth eagerly consumed the frozen remnants within the domain. With every bite, the ice disappeared, and the understanding in Fang Xiu's eyes deepened. If he kept this up, the mysteries of the fourth tier would soon unravel before him.

On the podium, Luo Qingxin continued explaining her insights about the fourth tier, but Fang Xiu wasn't paying attention. Real knowledge isn't something you just listen to—it's something you seek out and grasp for yourself.

As Fang Xiu devoured more ice, Luo Qingxin's gaze lingered on him more often.

At first, it seemed like she was just casually scanning the room, but the repeated glances caught Xiao Chuxia's attention.

She leaned over and whispered, "Xiu, why do I feel like she's checking you out?"

"Shut up," Fang Xiu muttered, not breaking his focus.

Xiao Chuxia pouted, clearly not deterred. "Xiu, do you have a thing for Miss Luo? I mean, she's pretty amazing—smart, strong, beautiful... unlike me..."

"Get lost," Fang Xiu snapped, still engrossed in his task.

Xiao Chuxia huffed. "You're so mean!"

Right then, Luo Qingxin waved her hand. Instantly, all the ice in the room vanished.

In her cool, detached voice, she said, "Every domain is unique. You can learn from others, but you can't just copy them. Otherwise, you'll never find your own path. To ensure this doesn't hinder your future progress, I'm retracting the domain."

As the Frozen Zone dissolved, Taotie's Mouth also withdrew, its feast cut short.

Luo Qingxin continued sharing more insights about the fourth tier, and shortly after, the class ended. The sound of her high heels echoed as she walked away, growing fainter with each step.

As she left, Lin Tianhe, who had been frozen solid, began to thaw out slowly. However, Zhao Hao remained a block of ice, showing no signs of melting anytime soon. The stark difference had Yang Ming and the others laughing.

"Hao, looks like she's really got it in for you," one of them teased.

"Yeah, man. You messed with Luo Qingxin's authority. She was just laying down the law, and you had to go and poke the bear. What did you think was gonna happen?"

During the break, the usual rowdiness among the psychics was noticeably absent. It seemed Luo Qingxin's display of power had left a lasting impression, keeping the typically unruly bunch in check.

Before long, the second class of the day began.

This time, two new faces entered the room. One was a gentle-looking woman, probably in her late twenties, dressed simply in a white T-shirt and fitted jeans. She was pushing a wheelchair, in which sat a young man around twenty years old. His hair was a mess, as if he'd just rolled out of bed.