Dormitory Night Talk and the Cafeteria

Night fell, and the Ernst Institute was illuminated by various colorful magic lamps. Lin Qin finished his day of cultivation and returned to his dormitory, his body weary but satisfied.

Pushing open the dormitory door, the aroma of food wafted toward him. His three roommates—the cheerful Luo De, the somewhat shy Keane, and Karl, whose family ran a small business—were gathered around a small table set with roasted meat, bread, and vegetable soup bought from the institute cafeteria.

"Lin Qin, you're back just in time! Come over, Karl is treating us today!" Luo De greeted him enthusiastically, his words slightly muffled as his mouth was stuffed with a piece of roasted meat.

Karl proudly waved the coin purse in his hand. "My family sent money! Let's have a feast today."

Keane also chimed in softly, "Lin Qin, come eat with us. We saved a portion for you."

Looking at the simple food on the table and the sincere smiles of his roommates, Lin Qin felt a warmth in his heart. He usually devoted all his time to cultivation and, aside from necessary exchanges, didn't interact much with his roommates, yet they didn't seem to mind his reclusive nature.

"Thank you." Lin Qin didn't decline. He went to wash up briefly before sitting in the empty spot at the table.

"Did you go to the back mountain again today? How far have you progressed?" Luo De asked curiously while gnawing on a piece of bread. They all knew Lin Qin cultivated desperately, but they didn't know exactly how desperate he was.

"Same as usual. Swinging my sword, practicing magic." Lin Qin picked up a piece of bread, his reply concise.

"How is your Earth Spike Spear coming along? You were really impressive in the practical class today; you almost cast it instantly!" Keane's tone was filled with admiration.

"I practiced it a few more times, got familiar with the elemental structure, and the speed just increased," Lin Qin explained. This wasn't a lie; his Heaven Rewards Diligence was exactly what allowed him to instinctively optimize his spellcasting process through countless repetitions.

Karl sighed. "'Practiced a few more times'... you make it sound so easy. We get dizzy after practicing ten or twenty times. Your superior spiritual energy really is different."

Lin Qin smiled without saying anything. He had put in far more than "a few times," but he didn't need to explain.

"Have you guys heard?" Luo De lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "The upperclassmen say the edge of the Magic Beast Mountain Range hasn't been peaceful lately. It seems some powerful individuals of unknown origin have been spotted."

"Really? Could it be a Saint Realm expert?" Keane asked, looking a bit nervous.

"Who knows? But it has nothing to do with us; we can't even leave the institute." Karl shrugged, his attention quickly returning to the food.

The group ate and chatted, their topics shifting from institute rumors to the customs of their hometowns, and finally to their aspirations for the future. Luo De wanted to become a powerful warrior to bring honor to his family; Keane hoped to graduate steadily and find a good job; Karl wanted to study magic arrays and inherit his family's business.

"Lin Qin, what about you? You work so hard—what do you want to do in the future?" Luo De finally threw the question to Lin Qin, who had been eating quietly.

Lin Qin put down his soup spoon, thought for a moment, and answered very seriously, "I want to become very strong. Strong enough to see the power rules that govern this world clearly."

This answer left his roommates stunned for a moment, then Luo De burst into laughter. "Haha, good man! That's a grand goal! Much better than ours! Come, let's toast to the future Saint Realm expert!" He raised his water cup.

Keane and Karl also laughed and raised their cups. Lin Qin looked at them and picked up his own cup, clinking it gently against theirs. The dormitory was filled with the simple and fervent atmosphere of youth.

The next morning, Lin Qin was still the first to wake up. He washed up quietly and prepared to head out for his morning training.

"Lin Qin." A slightly muffled voice called out to him. It was Keane, who was sitting up in bed while rubbing his eyes. "Wait for me, I... I want to go running with you today."

Lin Qin was a bit surprised, but he nodded. "Alright."

When Lin Qin finished his basic warm-up and began jogging around the perimeter of the institute, Keane followed behind him, panting heavily. After less than two laps, Keane was so exhausted that he had to stop, leaning forward with his hands on his knees.

"I can't do it... Lin Qin, do you... do you run this far every day?" Keane asked, gasping for air.

"Yes." Lin Qin slowed his pace and stopped beside him.

Keane looked at Lin Qin, who was only slightly sweating, and shook his head with a wry smile. "You're too amazing... I... I think I'll go back and meditate." He simply couldn't keep up with Lin Qin's rhythm.

Lin Qin watched Keane's retreating back without saying anything. Everyone had a different path, and it couldn't be forced. He adjusted his breathing and continued according to his own plan, throwing himself into another day of "diligent cultivation."

At breakfast time, the institute cafeteria was bustling with noise. Lin Qin gathered his food—a large amount of meat, eggs, and bread—and found a corner to sit, eating quickly and with focus to replenish the energy consumed by his cultivation.

He occasionally looked up and could see Linley sitting with his new friends from the Ernst Institute, laughing and talking. Linley saw him too and nodded in acknowledgment. Lin Qin nodded back, then lowered his head to continue eating.

He enjoyed solitude, but he didn't reject occasional interaction. The late-night talks in the dormitory, the clamor of the cafeteria, the discussions among classmates... these were all part of a normal institute life. Like a stream, they flowed gently around the main melody of his hard training, keeping his world from becoming too dry.

He knew that on the long road of cultivation, these ordinary daily routines might also be a source of strength that supported him as he moved forward. After finishing the last bite of bread, he picked up his tray and stood up, his gaze already fixed on his first magic theory class of the day. A new day, and a new "effort," had begun.