Training

When they arrived at the academy cafeteria, it was crowded at lunchtime. Considering that some students came from poor families, the school specifically provided free Meal C. However, the food was rather simple: meat buns and millet porridge.

Meal B was much more substantial, with dishes such as pork stewed with vermicelli and assorted seafood stew. It was nutritionally balanced and ideal for replenishing strength after intense exercise, costing three hundred Federal currency.

For ordinary students, even having one delicious Meal B was already quite a luxury!

"Come on, I'll treat you to Meal A."

With his hands in his pockets, Xie Xie led the two of them into the cafeteria and over to the Meal A counter.

"Xie Xie, maybe we should forget it. Meal B is already pretty good. Why spend that kind of money?" Luo Ze suggested.

It was not that he doubted Xie Xie's financial means; he just felt sorry for his wallet!

Tang Wulin needed at least twenty portions of Meal A per meal. If not for the Blacksmith Association's financial support, Luo Ze would have been eaten into poverty long ago.

"What, are you looking down on me?" Xie Xie glared at Luo Ze in displeasure.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Luo Ze hurriedly explained.

"Then eat until you drop! If you don't get full, just see how I deal with you!"

Xie Xie was burning with anger. Luo Ze had already insulted his strength; there was no way he would let him insult his dignity over money too!

"You two keep arguing. I won't stand on ceremony!" Tang Wulin promptly took four portions from the Meal A counter.

As the academy's most nutritious meal, Meal A used ingredients personally selected by Director Long from Haikou every day, guaranteeing absolute freshness and nutrition!

Even the complimentary rice was premium rice from black soil fields. Each meal cost more than three thousand to five thousand Federal currency. One bite would leave one brimming with energy, and a second would fill one with vitality and wash away fatigue!

"Here, you eat too! Don't even think about leaving until you're full!" Xie Xie placed a Meal A tray before Luo Ze and ordered.

"You said it. Don't regret it later," Luo Ze said slowly with a smile.

"Remember this: if I regret it, then my name isn't Xie Xie!" Xie Xie replied solemnly, pointing at his chest.

Under Xie Xie's watchful gaze, Luo Ze picked up his Meal A and began eating.

It had to be said, this thousand Federal currency was absolutely worth it! The fish had been fried to perfection, its skin crisp and its flesh tender. The seasoning enhanced it without sacrificing the seafood's natural texture. It was simply exquisite!

Because he needed to save money, Luo Ze rarely ordered meals this expensive for himself. At most, he rewarded himself with Meal B twice a week. The rest of the time, he earned money and ate Meal C.

Since someone was willing to be the sucker, he certainly would not hold back!

Half an hour later, seeing that the two had eaten more than forty portions of Meal A, Xie Xie wanted nothing more than to slap his past self from half an hour ago across the face!

What the hell had possessed him? He had actually offered to treat the two of them to Meal A—and let them eat their fill!

"I'm full. Thank you, Xie Xie. You're such a good person!" Luo Ze said happily as he put down his tray after eating twenty-five portions of Meal A.

Since he had started saving money, this was the fullest he had ever eaten—and he had gotten it for free. It was simply blissful!

When it came time to pay, the two of them had eaten more than fifty thousand Federal currency worth of food, directly emptying Xie Xie's monthly allowance.

Staring at his utterly deflated wallet, Xie Xie looked as though his soul had left his body. He lay on the table in despair, unwilling to say a word.

"Thanks, Xie Xie. That was the best meal I've ever had!" Luo Ze looked at him gratefully.

"No need. Didn't you say it before? We're partners."

As if recalling something, Xie Xie suddenly lowered his head and said somewhat awkwardly.

"Partners?" Luo Ze froze, failing to catch the deeper meaning in Xie Xie's words.

Just as they left the cafeteria, several upperclassmen suddenly appeared not far away. They looked around as though searching for something.

Upon getting closer, they saw a familiar figure standing beside the upperclassmen.

Mu Xi wore her school uniform, her golden hair tied into a ponytail. Her figure was slender and graceful. Though she had not fully developed, she possessed the air of a young woman.

When Luo Ze saw Mu Xi, she happened to turn around. At a glance, she spotted the strikingly handsome Luo Ze amid the crowd.

"That's him!" Mu Xi raised a hand and pointed at Luo Ze.

As soon as she spoke, seven or eight upperclassmen strode over menacingly.

"What do you want!"

Xie Xie stepped in front of Luo Ze first, shielding him as he glared at them.

"Brat, this has nothing to do with you. Get lost!"

The leading upperclassman spoke angrily. Just as he reached out to grab Xie Xie and throw him aside, he discovered that Luo Ze had already seized his hand first.

"The one who should get lost is you!"

Luo Ze's gaze sharpened. With a slight exertion of both hands, he instantly flung the upperclassman into the nearby bushes.

Although Luo Ze's Kirin Martial Soul specialized in control, its raw strength was no weaker than that of a top-tier Beast Martial Soul. It was simply that its specialty lay elsewhere.

"How is that possible? Isn't this kid only a One-ring Soul Master?"

Another upperclassman who had been approaching suddenly stopped, staring at Luo Ze in disbelief.

The upperclassman Luo Ze had just thrown aside possessed an extremely powerful bear-type Martial Soul. Both his strength and speed were astonishing.

In other words, unless one had an absolute advantage in rank, breaking free from him was nothing more than a fool's dream!

"Sister Mu Xi, could the information you gave us be wrong? That strength doesn't seem like something a One-ring Soul Master should have!"

Faced with her lackey's question, Mu Xi did not know how to respond. The information could not possibly be wrong; she had looked it up on the official website herself!

As for why Luo Ze possessed such immense strength, that was beyond her expectations.

"Tell me, what exactly do you want?"

Luo Ze looked at Mu Xi with an unfriendly expression. Judging by the attitudes of those upperclassmen, this girl was probably their boss, and she was the one looking for trouble.

"My name is Mu Xi. I'm a student of Class One, Year Five, Intermediate Division. I want to compete with you in forging! If you still plan to continue studying at this academy, you'd better not refuse!"

She had been a competitive girl ever since she was young.

The moment she heard that Luo Ze was a level-three blacksmith, the flames of her competitive spirit began to rise.

On one hand, she did not believe Luo Ze could possibly have become a level-three blacksmith at Nine Years Old. On the other, she wanted to test his true ability.

"What do I get out of competing with you?" Luo Ze yawned and spoke slowly.

"What benefit do you want?" Mu Xi asked.

"How about this? I won't bully you. Just have your lackeys fight me. If I win, I'll compete with you. How about it?" Luo Ze said with an innocent expression.

"Just that? Don't regret it!" Mu Xi sneered coldly, looking at Luo Ze as though he were an idiot.

Luo Ze's strength was indeed astonishing, but he was only one person. The lackeys beside her were all at least Two-ring Soul Grandmasters. They were classmates from the same class, and whether in coordination or absolute Soul Power suppression, they were far beyond anything Luo Ze could match.

In other words, there was no suspense in this match at all.

Hearing Luo Ze's demand, Xie Xie hurriedly said, "Are you an idiot? There are seven or eight of them! Letting them all come at you—isn't that just asking for death?!"

"Hehe, don't worry. I've never lost in a straight fight. Still, thanks for worrying about me!"

Unlike Xie Xie's nervousness, Luo Ze looked utterly relaxed, as if this match were nothing but a joke to him.

"W-who's worried about you? I'm just stating the facts. You're my only partner. If something happens to you, who am I supposed to talk to in the future?!" Xie Xie said haughtily.