Just then, the dormitory door was gently pushed open, and Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi walked in together. The moment they entered, they caught sight of Su Ming standing in the middle of the room.
At that moment, Su Ming was bare-chested, a faint golden glow swirling around him. Fine ripples of spiritual power flickered at his fingertips from time to time.
He was wholly absorbed in sensing the newborn power that had just fused within him, carefully feeling the changes in his body's tissues, the flow of his blood and qi, and his control over his strength. His entire being was immersed in becoming familiar with his own power.
The two of them froze for a moment at the sight of Su Ming like this. Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they broke into teasing smiles, both instinctively assuming he was admiring himself and showing off his physique.
Xu Sanshi immediately pulled a long face, looking both amused and exasperated as he joked, "Not to put too fine a point on it, Su Ming, but you're actually admiring yourself and showing off those firm muscles in the dorm in broad daylight?"
He even turned to Bei Bei beside him and wailed dramatically, "You have no idea. Bei Bei and I had just walked in and caught sight of a bare-chested guy. We thought we'd stumbled upon a naked man! I was in despair for a second there!"
At that, Su Ming rolled his eyes dramatically, his face full of helplessness.
He couldn't be bothered to argue with the guy. Instead, he casually fished a plump, bright-red apple out of his Storage Soul Tool and flicked it straight at Xu Sanshi, grumbling as he did, "Get lost, both of you! Stop talking nonsense! I just took three Mystic Water Pills and am feeling out how my body's strength has changed. Who has time to admire his own physique?"
Xu Sanshi had barely heard what Su Ming said before his eyes widened. He looked Su Ming up and down in amazement, his voice full of disbelief. "Mystic Water Pills? Three whole pills?
"Where did you get those? I remember you're usually so stingy with cultivation resources that you never use them lightly. How did you suddenly get your hands on so many?"
Seeing their astonished expressions, Su Ming's lips curled into a smug smile. He deliberately straightened his back and played coy, his tone tinged with pride.
"Don't ask so many questions. I got them through proper channels, of course. Everything was aboveboard."
When they saw Su Ming deliberately keeping quiet and refusing to explain, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. They exchanged a glance.
Then they crowded closer and kept pressing him about where the Mystic Water Pills had really come from, determined to get to the bottom of it.
With the two of them pestering him relentlessly, Su Ming finally spoke in a casual, airy tone.
"A few days ago, I was taking a walk by the academy lake when I happened to run into Ma Xiaotao from the Inner Court. We had a bit of a disagreement.
"She laid a hand on me a few times, but it wasn't really a beating. I'm sturdy enough that I didn't get hurt at all.
"Afterward, I went to find Dean Yan Shao and explained what had happened. It was only natural that I asked for a little compensation. That's how I got these three Mystic Water Pills."
At those words, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi froze on the spot. Both stared at Su Ming in utter shock, their faces full of disbelief.
Ma Xiaotao was one of the Inner Court's top experts. Not only was she powerful, but she also had a fiery temper and devastating Soul Skills. Yet Su Ming had clashed with her and emerged completely unscathed.
He had even gone straight to the dean to ask for compensation. It was beyond anything the two of them could imagine. They stood there, stunned, unable to come to their senses for a long time.
As soon as Su Ming finished complaining, a fierce hunger suddenly rose in his belly. He rubbed his empty stomach, his tone shifting as he asked the two of them, "By the way, have you eaten yet? I'm so hungry my front and back are practically stuck together. I feel like I could devour a whole cow."
Bei Bei smiled and shook his head. "Xiao Ya and I just got back from training on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. We've been on the road the whole way and haven't had a chance to eat. We're starving too. Come on, let's go to the Shrek cafeteria. My treat today. Eat as much as you want."
The moment he heard there was food, Su Ming perked up. He quickly pulled on his outer garment, and the three of them headed together for the Shrek Outer Court cafeteria.
As soon as they stepped into the bustling cafeteria, the aroma of food hit them. The place was packed, with new students and older students weaving through the crowd. It was lively indeed.
Xu Sanshi's gaze swept over the many fresh-faced newcomers in the cafeteria. He gently nudged Su Ming with his elbow, then leaned over with a mischievous grin. "Su Ming, all you ever do is cultivate and hone yourself. Why don't you think about finding a girlfriend? Look, Bei Bei has Tang Ya by his side, and I've got Nannan in my heart. You're the only one all on your own."
He pointed at the many pretty girls in the cafeteria who were sneaking glances their way, then continued to egg Su Ming on.
"There are plenty of pretty girls among this year's new students. With your looks and strength, you'd have no trouble if you just gave it a shot."
"Don't tell me you're planning to spend the rest of your life with those clunky Soul Tools of yours?"
Bei Bei couldn't help turning his gaze to Su Ming, a smile playing at his lips as he nodded in agreement.
"Sanshi's right. You spend all your time focused on cultivation and strength. It's about time you considered your future and found yourself a girlfriend."
Su Ming looked at his two friends, who seemed to be worrying themselves sick over him. He could no longer hold back his smile and immediately fired back, striking a nerve with both of them.
"And you two have the nerve to talk about me? Bei Bei, you're always thinking about restoring the Tang Sect, rushing around and making arrangements everywhere instead of settling down to focus on cultivation. Be careful, or your elders back home will hear about it and give you a sound beating."
"And you, Xu Sanshi—when did Jiang Nannan become yours? She spends all her time avoiding you, running away from you whenever she gets the chance. How can you even say that?"
"You two should worry about your own problems first instead of keeping your eyes on me."
Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's mouths twitched at Su Ming's retort. They opened their mouths to argue, but they both knew he was speaking the plain truth. For a moment, neither had a thing to say.
The three exchanged a glance and silently abandoned the awkward topic, heading straight for the serving counter.
But what happened next left Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi completely dumbfounded.
Su Ming moved between the cafeteria's serving counters, ordering meat, staple dishes, and thick soup—one trip after another.
Before long, he had brought back nearly twenty portions of food. The trays, both large and small, piled up on the table like a little mountain, an astonishing amount.
The two stared at the towering heap of food, their eyes wide and their faces full of shock.
They had always known Su Ming ate far more than an ordinary person, but they had never seen him take so much food at once. This was easily more than ten times what a normal person would eat.
Su Ming's outrageous actions instantly drew everyone's attention. The new students, the older students, even the cafeteria aunties serving the food all stopped what they were doing and stared over.