Xu Sanshi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, all that came out was a bitter laugh.
"I'm done. I give up."
As those four words left his mouth, Xu Sanshi felt his pride shatter along with them.
He was a fifth-year core student of the Outer Academy, the heir to the Mystic Turtle Shell Shield, and a genius hailed as the Outer Academy's strongest defender.
Yet today, a first-year newcomer had knocked him off the platform in just two moves. If word got out, he'd never be able to hold his head up in the Outer Academy again.
But a loss was a loss. Xu Sanshi might have thick skin, but he wasn't too much of a sore loser to accept defeat.
Mu Chen nodded and turned toward the center of the platform. He withdrew his Martial Soul, and the four Soul Rings beneath his feet and the Trident vanished together. The suffocating pressure disappeared with them.
The silence in the stands was broken by a burst of cheers.
Tang Ya was the first to leap to her feet, her face flushed with excitement. "We won! Mu Chen won!"
Bei Bei smiled and shook his head, then leaped down from the stands and crouched beside Xu Sanshi. "Hey, Xu Sanshi, you still alive?"
Xu Sanshi glared at him. "Bei Bei, you bastard, you set me up! You knew he was this freakishly strong, didn't you?"
Bei Bei spread his hands, looking completely innocent. "I didn't force you to fight. You agreed to it yourself. Besides, you promised three Mysterious Water Pills. You can't go back on your word."
Xu Sanshi's mouth twitched. Three Mysterious Water Pills—he'd spent ages saving up those precious things. He'd thought he could take Bei Bei for a ride today, only to end up digging his own grave. The thought of handing over all three pills made his heart ache as if a knife were twisting in it.
But in the end, he gritted his teeth, took three exquisite jade boxes from his Storage Soul Tool, and shoved them into Bei Bei's hands. "Take them, take them! Just don't let me see your face again!"
Bei Bei accepted the boxes with a grin and patted Xu Sanshi on the shoulder. "If you ever want to give away more pills, you know where to find me."
"Get lost!"
Xu Sanshi climbed to his feet, picked up his shield, and limped toward the edge of the Arena. Halfway there, he suddenly stopped and glanced back at Mu Chen.
"Kid, you're strong." He paused, then grinned. "But next time, I won't lose."
Mu Chen looked at him, the corners of his mouth lifting. "I'll be waiting."
Xu Sanshi snorted and walked away without looking back.
Jiang Nannan stood in the stands, watching Xu Sanshi's retreating figure, then glanced at Mu Chen on the platform before turning to leave quietly. Her golden hair swept through the air in a graceful arc, and soon she disappeared into the crowd.
Holding the three jade boxes, Bei Bei walked over to Mu Chen, unable to hide his smile. "Junior Brother Mu Chen, you really helped your senior brother vent some frustration today."
He held two of the boxes out to Mu Chen. "Here. Like we agreed, the spoils are yours. Of the three Mysterious Water Pills, you take two, and Yuhao gets one."
Mu Chen took the two jade boxes. They felt warm and smooth in his hands, and even through the boxes, he could sense the pure medicinal power within.
The Mysterious Water Pill was a decent-quality water-attribute pill. It could give Soul Masters with water-attribute Martial Souls a nice boost, so it was a pretty good find for Mu Chen.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Bei Bei waved a hand. "Don't thank me. Thank Xu Sanshi. He's the one who paid for these pills."
He went over to Huo Yuhao and handed him the last jade box. "Yuhao, take this Mysterious Water Pill. Your cultivation is still low, so this pill will help you a lot."
Huo Yuhao accepted the jade box, his fingers trembling slightly. He knew what the Mysterious Water Pill was worth. With his current means, there was no way he could afford a pill of this caliber. He looked up at Mu Chen, then at Bei Bei, his eyes reddening.
"Thank you, Big Brother Bei. Thank you, Big Brother Mu..."
He opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but found himself choking up.
Ever since the day he left the Duke's Mansion, no one had said a single kind word to him.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya had been the first to reach out and help him. And though he hadn't known Mu Chen long, Mu Chen had stood up for him today.
Huo Yuhao quietly etched this kindness into his heart.
"All right, all right, don't get so sentimental." Tang Ya ran down from the stands and slung an arm around Huo Yuhao's shoulders. "We're all members of the Tang Sect. Looking out for each other is only natural! Come on, come on. I'm in a good mood, so I'll treat everyone to a late-night snack!"
"Teacher Xiao Ya, where'd you get the money?" Huo Yuhao asked without thinking.
Tang Ya's smile froze. Then, embarrassed and annoyed, she tapped Huo Yuhao on the head. "What's it to you? Bei Bei can pay!"
Bei Bei sighed helplessly and patted his money pouch, his face full of pain.
Watching them, Mu Chen found the corners of his mouth rising despite himself.
They all had their quirks, but when they were together, they really made him feel at ease. It was a feeling he'd never experienced back in the little place called Coastal City.
"Big Brother Mu Chen, what are you smiling about?" Huo Yuhao noticed his expression and asked curiously.
"Nothing." Mu Chen hid his smile and put away the two Mysterious Water Pills. "Come on. Weren't we going to get a late-night snack?"
The four of them left the Arena together, chatting and laughing.
From tonight on, every student in the Outer Academy would remember the name Mu Chen.
Night deepened.
Mu Chen spent a little time with Tang Ya and the others, then left early, saying he had something to take care of. Tang Ya wanted him to stay longer, but when she saw he really did seem to have something to do, she didn't press him.
By the time he returned to the dormitory, there was hardly anyone in the hallway. Most of the new students had been put through Zhou Yi's hellish training that day and were already sprawled on their beds, too exhausted to move.
Mu Chen opened the dormitory door, and a faint, sweet fragrance wafted out.
Wang Dong sat cross-legged on her bed, still in her uniform, eyes closed as if she were meditating.
At the sound of the door opening, she abruptly opened her eyes. When she saw Mu Chen, a flicker of barely noticeable panic crossed her face, then she returned to her usual haughty expression.
"Back so late. Where'd you go fooling around?" Wang Dong spoke rudely, but her gaze kept moving over Mu Chen, as if checking whether she was hurt.
Mu Chen closed the door and sat on his bed. He glanced at Wang Dong. She was clearly worried about him, yet still insisted on putting on a scowl. It was rather amusing.
"I went to the Arena for a fight."
Wang Dong froze, then her eyes widened. "A fight? With who? Why didn't you call me?"
She fired off one question after another, her voice carrying a trace of nervousness she hadn't even noticed herself.
"With a fifth-year senior." Mu Chen took a jade box from his Storage Soul Tool and tossed it to Wang Dong. "Here."
Wang Dong caught it instinctively. She lowered her head and saw an exquisite jade box. When she opened it, a rich medicinal fragrance immediately filled the room.