Star City Academy, library.
After a morning of studying, Feng Qi had gained a new understanding of Cultivation Studies, though it was only progress within what he had learned. Becoming fat in one bite was clearly unrealistic.
There was no cultivation exchange class today. Starving, he planned to eat lunch first, then continue studying in the library that afternoon.
Just as he stood up, a figure blocked his path.
It was a youth of about seventeen or eighteen, strikingly handsome with a soft sort of beauty. His ebony eyes stared straight at Feng Qi as he smiled and held out a hand.
"Hello, my name is Lin Ran. I was fortunate enough to hear your lecture yesterday. Your explanation of body arts was truly brilliant."
"Hmm? Lin Ran?"
A look of surprise appeared on Feng Qi's face.
The name reminded him of the Winter Academy exchange student whom everyone on the Star City forum had recently been praising.
"You're Lin Ran, the exchange student from Winter Academy?" Feng Qi immediately asked.
"I didn't expect you to have heard of me, senior. I'm flattered." Lin Ran smiled and scratched his head. As he spoke, he glanced at the books in Feng Qi's hands, curious about what he usually read.
But when he saw the words "Cultivation Methods Research: Intermediate Advancement—Volume Three" on the cover, his expression turned blank.
In Lin Ran's eyes, Feng Qi had unique insights into body arts and an extremely thorough understanding of Cultivation Studies, perhaps even enough to establish his own school of thought. Yet he was currently reading a basic Cultivation Studies textbook. That clearly seemed unreasonable.
But Lin Ran immediately came up with an explanation for Feng Qi.
Only with a solid foundation could one truly forge a brand-new path in Cultivation Studies. As expected of a senior.
With that thought, Lin Ran looked at Feng Qi with a trace of admiration.
"Senior, I wrote down everything you explained about the Fierce Tiger Fist yesterday, but I still have many things I don't understand. I hope you can guide me."
As he spoke, Lin Ran somehow produced a black-covered notebook and opened it eagerly.
"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me. But don't call me senior... Also, I'm going to lunch now. Come find me at the library this afternoon." Feng Qi felt a little awkward in the face of Lin Ran's blazing enthusiasm.
Feng Qi did not know much about Lin Ran, but from the evaluations posted by students on the forum, he knew Lin Ran was highly talented in cultivation method research. Like History Teacher Wang, he had been pre-admitted to the Tiger Soul Research Institute before even graduating.
So Feng Qi had a good impression of Lin Ran and was willing to answer some of his doubts about the Fierce Tiger Fist, hoping it would help his growth.
"I'm hungry too. How about we have lunch together?" Lin Ran casually suggested, acting as though they were already old friends.
Since he had decided to get to know Lin Ran, Feng Qi did not refuse the invitation and readily agreed.
After returning the books in his hands to the shelf, he left the library with Lin Ran and headed for the cafeteria.
Along the way, Lin Ran was extremely excited and kept talking about how much he admired Feng Qi.
Feng Qi found this utterly speechless. He had wanted to be friends with Lin Ran, but now it felt as if he had taken in a sycophantic fanboy.
By the time they arrived at the Academy Restaurant, the lunch rush had already passed and more than half the students had left. Yet Mu Qing was still sitting in the northern corner of the restaurant as unfailingly as ever, her table piled high with food.
After taking trays and loading them with everything they wanted to eat, Feng Qi walked toward Mu Qing's table.
Lin Ran immediately followed him.
After setting down his tray in front of Mu Qing, Feng Qi sat down sideways. Lin Ran decisively sat down beside him as well.
Mu Qing looked up. She was not surprised to see Feng Qi, but she was surprised that there was another person at the table.
Used to being alone, Mu Qing seemed somewhat uncomfortable, though none of it showed on her face. She lowered her head and continued eating in huge bites, not even greeting Feng Qi.
"Hello, senior. My name is Lin Ran. Nice to meet you." Before Feng Qi could speak, Lin Ran introduced himself first and politely extended his hand.
Mu Qing glanced up at Lin Ran, then lowered her head coldly and continued eating.
His right hand, suspended in midair, slowly withdrew. Lin Ran turned to Feng Qi, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Senior, you took so much food. Can you finish it all? The food at the academy may be free, but wasting it is shameful..."
"Talk less while you're eating." Feng Qi shot the chatterbox Lin Ran a glare, grabbed an egg tart, and stuffed it into his mouth.
Seeing that neither Feng Qi nor Mu Qing was paying attention to him, Lin Ran turned his attention to his tray.
Compared to Feng Qi and Mu Qing's beastly way of eating, Lin Ran ate very refinedly. Holding his chopsticks, he chewed each bite carefully and swallowed slowly.
But he soon could no longer maintain that elegance.
Feng Qi and Mu Qing's appetites left him utterly incredulous. The mountain of food on the table shrank at a visible rate.
He even suspected that the two beside him were not humans at all, but two dimensional creatures.
After Feng Qi finished everything on his tray, he casually grabbed the steak from Mu Qing's tray, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed, swallowed, and finally stopped eating.
Mu Qing was already used to this and could not even be bothered to look up.
"Senior, are you full?" Lin Ran leaned over and asked when he noticed Feng Qi had stopped eating.
"Eating too much makes digestion difficult. This is about enough."
Seeing the barely concealed shock on Lin Ran's face, Feng Qi almost laughed. Compared to Mu Qing, his appetite was nothing.
"You use a lot of brainpower, so you need to replenish plenty of nutrients. I understand."
At that moment, Lin Ran automatically came up with another reason for Feng Qi's enormous appetite.
Feng Qi: ...
The image of Lin Ran as a sycophantic fanboy deepened in Feng Qi's mind. He could no longer compare him to History Teacher Wang.
"Senior, we're full. Let's eat together again tonight." After eating and drinking his fill, Feng Qi picked up his tray and prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Lin Ran stood up as well.
Hearing Feng Qi's words, Mu Qing did not even raise her head. She continued stuffing food into her mouth, her constantly puffing cheeks looking adorably vacant, though her expression remained icy, as if strangers were forbidden from approaching.
But Feng Qi felt that this was merely Mu Qing's disguise to protect herself.
On the way to the library after leaving the cafeteria, Lin Ran could not help asking curiously.
"Senior, are you pursuing that senior? She doesn't seem to like you, does she?"
Feng Qi felt helpless at Lin Ran's gossip.
He had approached Mu Qing entirely because he wanted to be friends with her, while also hoping to extinguish her thoughts of destroying the world. He had not the slightest other intention.
After all, he still had the grand dream of saving the world. How could he let love hold him back?
Love only slowed the speed of his sword draw.
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