As they talked, Zhou Chen tried to strike up a conversation with Ji Kun. After all, the man was the County Lieutenant's prized disciple.
Both his status and strength made him worth befriending.
Yet Ji Kun merely cast him an indifferent glance and did not respond. Clearly, aside from Zhao Tie, who had defeated him, no one else from the Martial Arts School had earned his regard.
The atmosphere turned awkward for a moment.
Zhou Chen did not mind. He simply shrugged it off and paid it no heed. Geniuses always had their pride; he had seen plenty of them.
After exchanging a few more words about the rumors surrounding the Qinghe Arena, everyone dispersed, each quietly suppressing a greater or lesser sense of urgency.
As he rose to leave, Fang Yuan's gaze seemed to sweep casually across the room. Then, as though he had suddenly recalled something,
he asked Chen Yin beside him in an offhand manner:
"Senior Sister Chen, with things this lively today, it seems... we haven't seen Junior Brother Liu Chengfeng?"
His tone was calm, as though he were merely asking in passing.
At that, Chen Yin curled her lips, her voice carrying a trace of detachment that even she herself had not noticed:
"Him? He's still recuperating in his room. He says his injuries haven't healed, so he needs peace and quiet."
Ever since Liu Chengfeng had been brought into the Martial Arts School after his injury, Chen Yin's initial gratitude and favorable impression had gradually faded as they spent more time together.
She always felt that he was somewhat different from the refined and elegant figure she had first imagined. She could not say exactly what was wrong; it was more like an instinctive sense of distance.
Especially after witnessing the sheer force of