Gu Yue

"Yeah, Teacher, my hand hurts so much. Looks like I won't be able to train today." Meng Li put on an act as though it were true.

"Then what about the rest of us?" Mu Xi's voice was a little quiet. It was her first time suffering a setback. Usually, she was the school bully, the daughter of the president of the Eastsea Blacksmith's Association.

"The school has surveillance cameras."

Meng Li spoke with righteous indignation, as though he had truly been badly hurt.

Brother Meng is amazing. If we can really get 150,000, this beating won't have been for nothing. Tang Wulin's eyes sparkled with little stars. To make sure he got that money, he too abandoned his dignity and pretended to be in pain.

If I stick with Meng Li, I can live off one score for a whole year. Should I follow this shameless guy too? Then I won't have to worry about money in the future. For the first time, Xie Xie, who considered himself fairly well-off, lowered his head for money. Stroking his fair, clean face, he put on a pained expression.

Gritting her teeth, Mu Xi called her father. She did not want to stay here for even another second. If she remained any longer, she feared she might really fall ill from anger.

Meng Li, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie stuffed their cards into their pockets and headed out, still covering their faces with annoyingly smug expressions.

Wu Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, saying nothing.

"Teacher, I'll treat everyone to a Grade A Meal later. Eat all you want."

"Brother Meng, then I won't stand on ceremony." Tang Wulin shamelessly sidled up to him.

"Brother Meng, then I won't hold back either." Xie Xie grinned.

They had all thought they would receive a demerit. Who would have expected them to make money after going in?

"You can go by yourselves later." Wu Changkong's face was cold. "Class has already started, and you're still thinking about eating."

On the field, Meng Li's class was undergoing endurance training.

Meng Li, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie each had two iron blocks strapped to them, while everyone else ran unburdened. The track was eight hundred meters per lap, and each person had to run ten laps.

Meng Li ran incredibly fast, twice as fast as Xie Xie and Tang Wulin.

They were all supposed to run ten laps. Yet while Xie Xie and Tang Wulin had only completed two, Meng Li had already finished seven, and he still looked completely relaxed.

Even Meng Li did not know what was going on with him. He felt nothing while running, as though he would never get tired.

So he simply began sprinting. He did not hesitate in the slightest as he sprinted through eight thousand meters, leaving the younger students crying out in amazement.

This Meng Li really does have some skills, everyone thought.

"Brother Meng, wait for me!" Xie Xie panted heavily and reached out a hand.

"Oh, one hundred per lap?" Meng Li said calmly.

"Brother Meng, are we really going to talk money between us?"

"Of course. Even blood brothers settle accounts clearly. We're not even brothers, at most brothers on the surface!"

"..." So that's what I am to you. My heart has been pierced.

"Forget it, I won't charge you this time. Let me tell you a trick: don't speed up and slow down while running. Keep the same rhythm the whole time, and do the same with your breathing. It'll be much easier." Meng Li used a running method he knew from his past life as he explained.

"Okay." Xie Xie nodded and began running as Meng Li had instructed.

After one lap, Xie Xie really did feel a little less strained, though he was still exhausted.

But Meng Li had already finished...

"Heavens, why are you treating that bastard so well?"

Xie Xie roared helplessly and looked at Tang Wulin beside him.

"Are we good brothers or not?"

"I'll support you!" Tang Wulin helped Xie Xie run forward, and then Wu Changkong added another ten laps for both of them.

Meanwhile, Meng Li had somehow bought two frozen watermelons and cut them into several pieces.

He and Wu Changkong sat in the shade, eating watermelon.

Damn it, why do they get to eat watermelon while watching us run? Xie Xie was unwilling to accept it, but his skills were inferior, so he could only keep running beneath the blazing sun.

Just then, a girl slowly walked across the middle school field from the direction of the school gate. She wore white trousers and a white top.

She looked about the same age as the students in Class Five of the first grade. She was not especially beautiful, only delicate and pleasant-looking.

She had long black hair and black eyes. Her figure was above average for her age, very well-proportioned. Her large eyes shone brightly.

As she walked, her steps seemed to carry a peculiar rhythm, and there was an unusual aura about her.

Wu Changkong's gaze paused on her. The girl was not wearing a school uniform, and it was already class time.

Meng Li stared at the girl, stunned for a moment. The way she walked felt somewhat familiar, and Na'er's figure gradually overlapped with hers in his mind!

"What class are you in?" Wu Changkong walked over. Yet the girl's attention seemed to be drawn elsewhere. She watched Tang Wulin, who was helping Xie Xie run, and seemed very interested in the two wearing iron gear.

"I came here to study. But they said the registration period has already passed." She raised her head and looked at Wu Changkong.

Wu Changkong frowned. "You're not a student of Eastsea Academy?"

"Not yet, but I hope to study here. Is that possible, Teacher?"

If it had been any other teacher, they might have driven her away immediately. But was Wu Changkong like other teachers? No!

"This is a Soul Master Academy. If you want to study here, prove yourself with your ability." Wu Changkong set his watermelon aside and spoke coldly.

"I can take the test."

The girl smiled.

"What is your name?" Wu Changkong asked.

"My name is Gu Yue."

Wu Changkong nodded. "Fine, I'll give you a chance."

"Fight him and let me see your strength. If you're good enough, I'll accept you." Wu Changkong pointed at Meng Li, who was eating watermelon.

Meng Li spat out a watermelon seed and stood up, his brows slightly furrowed as he assessed the girl before him again. She gave him a special feeling. Not exactly special—familiar. Very familiar.

Gu Yue's gaze drifted in a certain direction, seemingly intentionally and unintentionally. When her eyes met Meng Li's, they flickered. Then she swept her gaze around the area, as though she were curious about everything here—or perhaps hiding something.

"Gu Yue, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before." Meng Li spoke seriously.

"You're quite interesting." Gu Yue smiled faintly, her gaze no longer wandering. It was as refreshing as a spring breeze.

Wu Changkong nodded. "Thirty meters apart. Get ready."

"Begin!"

An odd scene unfolded. The two stood there for an entire minute without moving, as though both were following the principle: if the enemy does not move, neither do I.

"Aren't you going to make a move?" Gu Yue asked with a playful smile.

This Gu Yue feels strong. Very strong. Meng Li picked up Ghost Cutter from where he had set it beside him.

Xie Xie was still running with all his might and had no time to look over.