As night fell, Ernst Institute was decorated with magical lights of every color. Lin Qin finished a day of cultivation and returned to the dormitory, tired but satisfied.
Pushing open the dormitory door, he was greeted by the aroma of food. His three roommates—cheerful Luo De, somewhat shy Keane, and Carl, whose family ran a small business—were gathered around a little table. On it sat roast meat, bread, and vegetable soup they had bought from the academy cafeteria.
"Lin Qin, you're back just in time! Come on over—Carl's treating us today!" Luo De called warmly, a piece of roast meat still stuffed in his mouth. His words came out a little muffled.
Carl proudly waved the money pouch in his hand. "My family sent me some money! Let's have a proper feast today."
Keane chimed in softly, "Lin Qin, come eat with us. We brought you a portion too."
Looking at the simple food on the table and the sincere smiles on his roommates' faces, Lin Qin felt a warmth in his heart. He devoted almost all his time to cultivation, and aside from necessary conversation, rarely interacted with his roommates. But they didn't seem to mind how solitary he was.
"Thanks." Lin Qin didn't refuse. He went to wash up quickly, then sat in the empty spot at the table.
"Did you go to the back hill again today? How far have you gotten?" Luo De asked curiously as he chewed on a piece of bread. They all knew Lin Qin trained like his life depended on it, but they had no idea just how hard he worked.
"Same as usual. Sword swings and magic practice." Lin Qin picked up a piece of bread and answered concisely.
"How's your Earth Spike Spear coming along? You were amazing in practical class today—you almost cast it instantly!" Keane said admiringly.
"I practiced a few more times. Once I got familiar with the elemental structure, I could cast it a little faster," Lin Qin explained. He wasn't exaggerating. Heaven Rewards Diligence had instinctively optimized his spellcasting process through countless repetitions.
Carl sighed. " 'A few more times'... You make it sound so easy. We get dizzy after practicing ten or twenty times. Having superior spiritual power really does make a difference."
Lin Qin smiled without replying. He had put in far more than "a few tries," but there was no need to explain.
"Have you heard?" Luo De lowered his voice and spoke mysteriously. "An upperclassman said things have been unsettled lately near the edge of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Apparently, some powerful people of unknown identity have been spotted there."
"Really? Could they be Saint Realm experts?" Keane asked nervously.
"Who knows? It has nothing to do with us, anyway. We can't even leave the academy." Carl shrugged, quickly turning his attention back to the food.
They chatted as they ate, moving from academy rumors to the customs of their respective hometowns, then to their hopes for the future. Luo De wanted to become a powerful warrior and bring honor to his family. Keane hoped to graduate safely and find a good job. Carl wanted to study magic arrays and take over his family's business.
"What about you, Lin Qin? You work so hard. What do you want to do in the future?" Luo De finally asked Lin Qin, who had been quietly eating the whole time.
Lin Qin set down his spoon and thought for a moment before answering seriously, "I want to become very strong. Strong enough to see through the rules of power in this world."
His roommates were taken aback. Then Luo De burst out laughing. "Haha, now that's a grand ambition! Much bigger than ours! Come on, let's toast to the future Saint Realm expert!" He raised his cup.
Keane and Carl laughed and raised their cups too. Lin Qin looked at them, picked up his own cup, and gently clinked it against theirs. The dormitory was filled with the simple, enthusiastic spirit of youth.
The next morning, Lin Qin was once again the first to get up. He washed up as quietly as he could and prepared to head out for his morning workout.
"Lin Qin." A slightly slurred voice called out to him. It was Keane, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in bed. "Wait for me. I... want to go running with you today."
Lin Qin was a little surprised, but nodded. "All right."
After Lin Qin finished his basic warm-up and started jogging around the academy grounds, Keane followed behind, gasping for breath. Before he had even completed two laps, Keane was exhausted. He braced his hands on his knees and stopped.
"I can't... Lin Qin, do you... run this far every day?" Keane asked between gasps.
"Yeah." Lin Qin slowed down and stopped beside him.
Looking at Lin Qin, who was only slightly sweaty, Keane shook his head with a wry smile. "You're incredible... I... I'd better go back and meditate." He simply couldn't keep up with Lin Qin's pace.
Lin Qin watched Keane's retreating back and said nothing. Everyone had a different path, and it couldn't be forced. He adjusted his breathing and continued with his own plan, throwing himself into another day of diligent cultivation.
At breakfast, the academy cafeteria was bustling with people. Lin Qin filled his plate with plenty of meat, eggs, and bread, then found a seat in a corner. He ate quickly and intently, replenishing the energy he had spent cultivating.
Every so often, he looked up and saw Linley sitting with the friends he had recently made at Ernst Institute, laughing and chatting. Linley noticed him too and nodded in greeting. Lin Qin nodded back, then lowered his head and continued eating.
He enjoyed solitude, but he didn't mind the occasional interaction. Late-night dormitory talks, the bustle of the cafeteria, discussions among classmates... All these were part of ordinary academy life. Like streams, they flowed gently around the main current of his arduous cultivation, keeping his world from becoming too barren.
He knew that on the long road of cultivation, these ordinary days might also give him strength to carry on. He ate the last bite of bread, picked up his tray, and stood. His gaze was already fixed on his first magic theory class of the day. A new day, and new efforts, had begun.
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