Blocked at the Door

After disconnecting, Lin Manshan sprang out of bed and headed for the bathroom. He still had not washed off the sweat from blacksmithing that afternoon, having been busy watching the live broadcast earlier.

Water splashed and flowed...

Before long, Lin Manshan opened the bathroom door and walked out, only to meet Tang San's eyes. Tang San had just returned downstairs to the dormitory.

"Good afternoon." Lin Manshan smiled as if nothing had happened.

Tang San Slightly Nodded with an indifferent expression, maintaining his Aloof Posture as he walked straight to his bed, lay down, closed his eyes, and pretended to sleep.

What a quick change. Lin Manshan's gaze flickered before he, too, walked over and lay on his bed.

He had spent half the morning traveling, then gone shopping and worked the forge in the afternoon. After all that, he really was a little sleepy.

About half an hour later, Lin Manshan's dutiful biological clock ruthlessly pried open his eyes. It was time for dinner.

Glancing to the side, he saw that Tang San was already asleep. The others had yet to return, and the light outside the window had turned dark orange. It was nearly evening.

After tidying his bed a little, Lin Manshan walked straight out of the dormitory. Upon reaching the cafeteria, he headed up to the second floor without hesitation.

He wanted meat.

"Hey, Boss Xiao, isn't that kid one of the Work-Study Students living in Dormitory Seven with Wang Sheng?" In the corner by the window on the right side of the second floor, a somewhat sleazy-looking eleven- or twelve-year-old boy leaned slightly toward the long table in front of him, his sidelong gaze following Lin Manshan's movements. "I saw him this morning. Yu Xiaogang brought him into the academy together with that skinny new kid who was standing beside Wang Sheng."

At those words, the boy seated across the long table, whom they called Boss Xiao, raised his brows and turned to look. The next moment, he called out loudly in a mocking tone, "Yo, isn't this the poor bastard living in Dormitory Seven with Wang Sheng and the others?"

"Kid, can you even afford to eat on the second floor?"

"???" Lin Manshan immediately stopped and turned around.

"Xiao Chenyu?" He sized him up for a second. He was quite handsome, but his mouth was a little foul.

Lin Manshan gave a foolish grin, scratched his head as if nothing had happened, turned back, and continued forward.

After taking just one step, he suddenly stopped again.

He bent over as though his heel itched and scratched it, then straightened up and kept walking.

A glance from the corner of his eye at his open palm revealed a Silver Soul Coin. He had dinner money now.

"The city really is different. There are so many rich people." Delighted, Lin Manshan jogged over to the counter and ordered a serving of Stir-fried Fresh Rabbit Meat.

Smile? I insulted him, and he actually smiled at me. Is this guy some kind of huge idiot? Xiao Chenyu was stunned as well. One of his lackeys commented in confusion, "Boss Xiao, why does that kid look so stupid? He's completely ignoring us."

"It's fine. That idiot only enrolled today. He didn't come eat lunch with Wang Sheng and the others either, so he probably doesn't know our academy's rules yet. Heh, perfect. He's alone right now. Once he finishes eating, we'll wait outside for him to come out. I'll personally teach him the rules, and give Dormitory Seven another lesson while I'm at it." Xiao Chenyu curled his lips into a cold smile.

"Boss Xiao is wise," the lackeys praised him one after another.

A satisfied smile immediately appeared on Xiao Chenyu's face. He pulled a Money Bag from his Bosom and opened it while looking at a lackey beside him. "That idiot will probably be eating for a while. Take some money and buy snacks at the counter. We'll wait for him outside."

Huh? There seems to be one Silver Soul Coin missing?

Although he was the city lord's son, his monthly allowance was limited.

Forget it. It's just one Silver Soul Coin. Xiao Chenyu did not think much of it and took a Silver Soul Coin from the Money Bag, handing it to his lackey.

"Got it." The lackey happily accepted it and jogged toward the counter.

On the other side, Lin Manshan's eyes lit up as he received his plate from the counter. Unlike the cafeteria ladies from his previous life, all masters of the art of shaking the wok until there were more onions and peppers than meat, the chefs here gave generous portions even for a single dish.

Uh, before I died, vegetables seemed more expensive than meat. Lin Manshan silently sighed over how times had changed.

He quietly walked to a long table at the side, sat down, and buried his head in his meal.

Before long, Lin Manshan took the leftover scraps and his tray to the designated area, then hurried downstairs.

He had not gone far from the cafeteria when a sharp shout suddenly came from one side.

Looks like I can't avoid this today. Lin Manshan sighed inwardly. Through his perception of souls, he had noticed long ago that Xiao Chenyu and his people were lying in wait for him. He had even deliberately changed directions, but they had still spotted him.

He slowly turned around, scratched his head, and gave a simple-minded grin. "Senior, do you need something?"

"Nothing else. I'm just here to explain our academy's rules to you." Xiao Chenyu sneered as he led his people in surrounding Lin Manshan.

"Hmph, you're trying to bully me." Lin Manshan struck first, looking indignantly at Xiao Chenyu. "My dad said that if you're a man, you settle things one-on-one. What kind of skill is ganging up on someone? People will only laugh and call you cowards."

Heh, this dumbass wants to challenge our boss one-on-one? The lackeys immediately turned to look at Xiao Chenyu.

Are you an idiot? A freshman who has just awakened his Martial Soul dares challenge a First Ring Soul Master like me? Commoners are Commoners—know nothing and talk so crudely. Xiao Chenyu narrowed his eyes and said sinisterly, "Fine. One-on-one it is."

"But if you lose, you'll bark like a dog on the spot. And whenever you see me in the future, you'll have to shout in front of me, 'I'm Boss Xiao's pet dog.'"

At that, Xiao Chenyu raised his brows slightly and looked down at him with complete confidence. "Kid, I won't bully you either. When we fight, I won't use my Martial Soul. We'll fight fair and square."

Fair my ass. You're taking advantage of me because I'm a Commoner who doesn't know anything? Lin Manshan sneered inwardly.

Absorbing Soul Rings strengthened a Spirit Master's body. It was a completely different matter from someone who had not absorbed one.

"Fine, but why does it sound like I'm the only one getting the short end of the stick? What happens if you lose?"

Lin Manshan scratched his head, then puffed out his chest slightly. "How about this? If you lose, you'll take over all the afternoon cleaning duties for us Work-Study Students from now on."

"Deal." Xiao Chenyu agreed without hesitation.

"A real man has to keep his word. You can't go back on it." Lin Manshan's face was full of doubt.

Xiao Chenyu glanced from the corner of his eye at the students gathering to watch, puffed out his chest slightly, and shouted his assurance.

"Of course. Whoever goes back on their word is a dog!"

"Then let's go to the Playground." Lin Manshan nodded.

Xiao Chenyu Slightly Nodded and gave his lackeys a look. They immediately made way, then surrounded Lin Manshan from both sides as though afraid he might suddenly run away, escorting him toward the Playground.

"This new Work-Study Student is probably in for it. Xiao Chenyu caught him alone. Still, he's got some guts. Knowing he couldn't run, he actually proposed a one-on-one fight with Xiao Chenyu," one of the watching students remarked.

"True enough. Come on, let's go watch. A fight's free entertainment."

"..."

Soon, the group arrived at the Playground.

The sun was setting, the air was refreshing, and quite a few students stood scattered across the Playground in small groups.

Seeing the well-known Xiao Chenyu leading a group around a boy toward the center of the Playground, with several students from different grades following behind, everyone sensed that something unusual was happening.

They quickly hurried over to surround them.