Lu Hao looked around the room, taking it all in. After all, this was where he would be living for the next few years.
The room had a bed, a wardrobe, a sofa... all the basics. He just needed to buy a few personal items.
Lu Hao picked up the schedule Qin Fengqing had left behind and read through it.
New students would register in the morning. They would also have some time to buy daily necessities and say goodbye to their families.
At 3 p.m., everyone would gather at No. 1 Training Ground.
At 8 a.m. tomorrow, everyone would gather at the Practical Training Building. They would be assigned to their respective schools then, followed by more detailed arrangements.
As far as Lu Hao was concerned, the school assignments were no big deal. None of the students in his year had even reached Rank Two, after all. He could just go buy some everyday necessities.
After putting the Big Ring Blade and his backpack in the dorm, Lu Hao headed out to buy some supplies.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
Who could be looking for him? Had something changed with Qin Fengqing?
Lu Hao opened the door.
Two students were standing outside. One looked plain and unremarkable, while the other was clearly a handsome, sunny sort of guy.
"Hi, fellow student. I live on this floor too. I'm Fu Changding, and this is Fang Ping. We're not interrupting you, are we?"
The handsome guy at the door introduced himself and the plain-looking student beside him.
Lu Hao hadn't expected the person standing in front of him to be Fang Ping. He was a little different from what Lu Hao had imagined—he looked so ordinary.
"I'm Lu Hao. Come on in and we can talk." Lu Hao didn't pay Fang Ping much attention. They'd have plenty of chances to interact later.
"Sorry to bother you," Fu Changding said. Fang Ping echoed him.
Lu Hao led them to the sofa and invited them to sit. He still had no idea why they'd come over. If he remembered correctly, those two had been the ones to make a big impression originally, catching the attention of quite a few teachers.
"Where are you from, Lu Hao? I'm from the Capital City, and Fang Ping's from Nanjiang."
Fu Changding took the initiative to ask.
"I'm from Magic City."
"Magic City? That's a great place. I chose to come here because life in the Capital City felt too stifling. The atmosphere there is so serious. Magic Martial University is much more relaxed," Fu Changding said.
"Did you come here for something?" Lu Hao asked directly. He was curious. Most people didn't know how strong he was, so what did Fu Changding want?
Fu Changding and Fang Ping exchanged a glance. They'd already agreed on a plan: make a splash at the afternoon gathering. But they didn't know how strong the student in Room No. 1 was, so they'd come to sound him out.
"Since you asked, we won't beat around the bush. We all know that martial artists have to compete for everything. We're gathering this afternoon. It'll be a new-student orientation, but also a chance to show off our strength.
"Tomorrow, we'll go to the Practical Training Building and be assigned to our schools. This afternoon is the best time for everyone to get a sense of one another's strength. I'm in Room 15, and Fang Ping's in Room 86."
"Those room numbers reflect our Vital Blood rankings in the Martial Arts Exam. But our strength has changed since then. Fang Ping, for example, seems pretty dangerous to me now. So Fang Ping and I talked it over, and we're planning to make a splash this afternoon.
"With so many instructors around, you have to show them how you stand out if you want a Grandmaster instructor to take an interest in you. And it won't stop this afternoon. Fang Ping and I are planning something big tomorrow too—we're going to challenge everyone else one after another.
"Even if we lose, we'll definitely catch the eye of a lot of instructors. We might even impress a Grandmaster. Grandmaster instructors are nothing like those Rank Six and Rank Five teachers."
Fu Changding quickly laid out his and Fang Ping's plan. He'd been watching Lu Hao ever since they met at the door, but hadn't been able to read him at all.
That was what made Lu Hao so frightening. Fu Changding could usually get a decent read on the students on his floor, but he couldn't tell anything about Lu Hao. That suggested Lu Hao was powerful. If Lu Hao didn't agree to the plan, they might not succeed tomorrow.
Fang Ping was feeling the pressure too. He'd thought that having tempered his bones three times made him a prodigy among his peers. But what was going on with Lu Hao? He looked like an ordinary person, and that was the most terrifying part.
So ever since they'd walked in, Fang Ping hadn't said a word. He'd left the talking to Fu Changding and used the chance to study Lu Hao's expression.
"You just told me your plan. Aren't you worried I'll tell the other students?"
Lu Hao smiled. He hadn't expected Fu Changding to try recruiting him, but with his current strength, he might as well pass. He'd let Fu Changding and Fang Ping have the spotlight. He still had to get ready to go down into the Earth Cave with Qin Fengqing.
"I'm not worried. I could tell as soon as I came in that your strength is terrifying. We're probably no match for you, so if we didn't tell you, our plan would probably fall through anyway," Fu Changding said, watching Lu Hao nervously.
After all, if Lu Hao opposed them, there was no way they'd reach their goal.
"I'm not planning to do that... But if you two go ahead with it, I won't object," Lu Hao said. He couldn't pass up a chance to watch the fun.
At first, Fu Changding thought his plan had fallen apart when Lu Hao said he wasn't joining in. Then he heard that Lu Hao didn't object and relaxed. He'd already checked out quite a few of the other students, and he and Fang Ping could handle them.
"Then thanks, Lu Hao. Looks like you're going out to buy supplies too. Why don't we go together?" Fu Changding asked.
"Sure. Works for me."
The three of them headed outside. As they walked, Fu Changding said, "I broke through to Rank One after tempering my bones twice. I've finished tempering my right leg now. I thought I was a once-in-a-generation genius, but there's always someone better. So, what rank are you two?"
"I just finished my third bone tempering. I haven't broken through to Rank One yet," Fang Ping said. He was going to reveal his strength tomorrow anyway, so there was no harm in saying it now. Besides, he wanted to find out what was going on with Lu Hao in Room No. 1.
Fu Changding and Fang Ping both looked at him, so Lu Hao didn't keep them guessing. He casually replied, "Same as Fang Ping. Three bone temperings. I broke through a few days ago."
"Huh? I didn't know you'd tempered your bones three times too, Lu Hao—and you've already broken through? A Rank One martial artist after three bone temperings. No wonder I couldn't sense your strength."
Fang Ping stared at Lu Hao, shocked. He knew how difficult it was to temper your bones three times. He'd only just finished his third tempering, while Lu Hao had already reached Rank One.
Rank One?
Lu Hao hadn't said he was a Rank One martial artist. He'd told the truth: he'd just broken through, after all. Breaking through to Rank Three counted as breaking through too, didn't it?
Lu Hao smiled to himself. What would happen if they found out how strong he really was?
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