The referee teacher's forward rush abruptly halted, his pupils contracting.
He froze for only an instant before immediately changing direction. With a flash, he darted to the edge of the flames and thrust out both hands, catching the two figures falling from the blaze.
The Martial Soul Fusion Skill was instantly undone.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu fell from midair. Their hair had been singed into charred curls, and their faces were covered in soot.
Their uniforms had been burned full of holes, and they looked as though they had just crawled out of a coal mine.
Dai Huabin landed in an extremely awkward pose. His legs gave way, and he dropped to his knees.
He looked up, disbelief filling his twin-pupiled eyes. His chest heaved violently, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
He stared fixedly at Lin Ye, as if trying to find some flaw in that calm face.
After a brief silence, the area around the arena erupted.
"A Soul Bone? He actually has a Soul Bone!"
"And judging by its power, it's definitely not low in age!"
"One punch shattered a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?! Is this guy really a new student?!"
"That left arm... what kind of Soul Bone is it? Fire-type? Explosive-type?"
The discussion grew louder with each wave, and even the exams in other areas drew their attention to the commotion here.
"Lin Ye's team, victory!"
Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao stood where they were. One had her mouth hanging open, while the other covered hers with both hands. Both pairs of eyes were fixed unblinkingly on Lin Ye's back.
Wang Dong'er's mouth twitched as she muttered, "This guy... when did you hide such a huge trump card?"
Lin Ye lowered his left fist. The scarlet lotus-petal patterns on his arm slowly faded, leaving his skin its normal color again.
He flexed his fingers, looking as though nothing had happened, then turned and walked toward the two girls.
"Come on. What are you standing there for?"
Xiao Xiao hurried after him, gazing at Lin Ye with admiration. Her eyes were practically sparkling.
"Brother Ye, you're way too strong! I was even saying earlier that the two of us would carry you to victory..."
Lin Ye burst out laughing and patted her on the head. "Hahahaha, your Brother Ye has plenty more tricks. This is nothing."
Wang Dong'er hurried over too and grabbed Lin Ye by the ear. Her pink-and-blue eyes were full of scrutiny and curiosity.
"You rascal, what other trump cards haven't you told me about? Come on, just how much are you hiding?"
"Ow, ow—" Lin Ye tilted his head and hurriedly begged for mercy.
"Alright, alright. Everyone's worked hard today, so I'll treat you to a meal! Come on, let's go to the dining hall!"
The three of them chatted and laughed as they headed toward the dining hall.
Lin Ye rubbed his reddened ear, then suddenly quickened his pace as if he'd remembered something. He looked back at the two girls and winked. "We're not going to the first floor today. We're going to the second."
Xiao Xiao paused. "The second floor?"
Shrek Academy's dining hall did indeed have a second floor, but it was somewhere most students wouldn't even dream of visiting.
The second floor was a luxurious buffet, with all kinds of Soul Beast meat to nourish the body, soups stewed with spirit plants, and delicacies prepared with thousand-year-old medicinal herbs. You could eat as much as you wanted and take whatever you liked.
They said the nutritional value of a single meal there was equivalent to a month of ordinary meals.
But the price of admission was just as staggering—several thousand Gold Soul Coins for a single visit.
Such an enormous expense was beyond the reach of ordinary students. Even children from great families rarely dared set foot there.
Wang Dong'er's eyes widened. "The second floor? Do you have that much money?"
She came from the Clear Sky Sect and could be considered well-traveled, but even so, one meal on the second floor would cost almost as much as her living expenses for an entire semester.
Lin Ye usually dressed plainly and even sold milk tea outside the academy gate. He hardly looked like someone with money.
Lin Ye looked back at her with a mysterious smile. "Just watch."
After a full day of activity, his Soul Power had actually recovered more than it would have by lying down to recuperate. He could now use the magical treasure that consumed the least energy.
With a thought, a Gold Brick appeared in his hand.
The brick was made of pure red gold, and under the light of the Soul Guidance Lamps, it gleamed so brilliantly it was dazzling.
Xiao Xiao's eyes lit up instantly, and she nearly jumped. "Whoa! Brother Ye, is that... a giant gold bar?!"
She had never seen such a huge piece of gold in her life. Her eyes were practically pressed against the Gold Brick.
Wang Dong'er's mouth fell open too, shock filling her pink-and-blue eyes. "If you're this rich, why were you selling milk tea?"
She couldn't understand how someone who could casually pull out a Gold Brick this big had previously been selling milk tea from early morning till late at night outside the academy gate.
Was he some rich young master from a wealthy family, trying out life for a change?
Lin Ye didn't explain. He simply smiled, hefted the Gold Brick in his hand, and led the two girls straight up to the second floor.
At the entrance to the second floor, a server in a white uniform stood with his hands folded. When he saw someone coming upstairs, he instinctively offered a polite smile.
The smile froze on his face the moment he saw the Gold Brick in Lin Ye's hand.
Without a word, Lin Ye raised his hand and slammed the Gold Brick onto the counter in front of the server. It landed with a dull thud.
"Three."
The server's gaze swept over the Gold Brick several times. His throat bobbed, and it took him a long moment to find his voice. "Y-yes... please come in, our three esteemed guests..."
Lin Ye wandered around the food area with the two girls. The long marble counters were piled high with a dazzling array of delicacies, their aroma filling the air.
In the vast dining hall, two people were also eating at a table by the window.
They were both wearing new-student uniforms, and both were girls.
One had short golden hair, neat and practical, and large, watery blue eyes with long lashes.
A few charming freckles dotted her cheeks, giving her a fresh, clean air.
The girl sitting across from her had short red hair like fire, and her eyes were a rare shade of red. At first glance, she seemed rather fierce.
But on closer inspection, her features were exquisitely delicate and her skin as fair as jade. A chill that warned strangers to keep their distance lingered between her brows.
The red-haired girl was the first to notice someone coming upstairs. She frowned slightly. "Young Master, we actually have other people dining on the second floor today?"
The golden-haired girl didn't even look up. She picked up a glistening slice of meat with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth. Only after chewing slowly a few times did she speak.
"Feng, how many times have I told you? Don't call me Young Master at the academy. We're sisters."
"Mm." Wu Feng obediently nodded.
She had a fiery temper with outsiders, but when it came to Ning Tian, she did whatever Ning Tian told her.
They were Ning Tian of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and her personal guard, Wu Feng.
Ning Tian set down her chopsticks, lifted her teacup, and took a sip. Her tone was calm.
"This second floor doesn't belong to our family. It's no surprise if other people come to eat here now and then."
But Wu Feng's gaze kept circling around Lin Ye and the other two.
She narrowed her red eyes and studied them carefully. Then her expression suddenly changed, and she lowered her voice.
"Young M— No, Sister Tian, look at them. Aren't they the ones who beat Dai Huabin and the others today?"
Before you continue