"Everyone, let's go eat."
Xiao Wu gritted her teeth as she finished speaking, then tossed her head and walked away.
Her scorpion braid brushed across Lin Ye's face. She gave a huff of displeasure.
Everyone exchanged bewildered looks. What was wrong with Sister Xiao Wu?
Lin Ye scratched his head. Girls' thoughts were so strange and unpredictable.
He rubbed his belly. Today was a happy day, so he'd treat himself to a good meal.
He hurried excitedly to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was where the class divide was most obvious.
Notting Academy had plenty of students, some of whom were work-study students.
Work-study students had to earn their keep through labor in order to make ends meet.
Most students hadn't officially become Soul Masters yet, so they couldn't receive allowances from Spirit Hall.
An official Soul Master could receive one Gold Soul Coin a month.
A Soul Grandmaster could receive ten Gold Soul Coins.
Once someone reached Soul Elder, they could receive a hundred Gold Soul Coins a month.
As long as they received an allowance, they wouldn't have any trouble affording meals, at the very least.
But most of the students at the academy still had to work to support themselves.
When they arrived at the cafeteria, most of the work-study students were eating very frugally.
The first floor was the dining area for work-study students, while the second floor was for the academy's teachers and nobles.
The meals were different, too.
Standing at the serving counter, Xiao Wu hesitated.
There were so many dishes, but she didn't have any money.
"Sister Xiao Wu, let me treat you."
Wang Sheng was quick to offer. He could see that Xiao Wu was in a bind.
"No, no, I—I don't eat much."
Xiao Wu knew they were all work-study students, and that they didn't have an easy life either.
Lin Ye watched from beside them and said, "I'm treating everyone today. Let's celebrate Sister Xiao Wu becoming the boss of Dorm Seven."
Xiao Wu turned around. This guy seemed like a pretty good person?
Maybe she'd misunderstood him earlier.
Perhaps he had some kind of grudge against Tang San.
[I'm in a great mood today. I've got Innate Full Soul Power, after all. I should celebrate.]
Xiao Wu:!!!
This guy! She knew he wouldn't be that nice!
So he was celebrating for himself?
Wait, he had Innate Full Soul Power?
Only then did Xiao Wu realize.
Innate Full Soul Power was extremely rare.
Having Innate Full Soul Power meant someone had exceptional talent.
But so far, she hadn't seen anything impressive about him.
What was going on?
"Everyone, order whatever you like, but take it easy. Don't fleece my wallet clean."
Lin Ye spoke with a perfectly serious expression. The people in Dorm Seven were pretty decent.
Even when someone was treating them, they didn't order recklessly.
Xiao Wu hesitated, but eventually accepted Lin Ye's kindness.
She ordered two dishes: boiled carrots and braised carrots.
Lin Ye glanced at them and nearly lost it.
[Is this rabbit really obsessed with carrots?]
[No wonder she's a little underdeveloped. How can she eat nothing but vegetables all day?]
[Meat tastes so good. It's absolutely delicious!]
Xiao Wu silently clenched her fists.
Don't get mad. Don't get mad.
She was eating his food, so she shouldn't get angry.
Getting worked up was bad for her health. There was no point making herself miserable.
Just as everyone was getting ready to eat, some voices suddenly rang out.
"Well, well! If it isn't Wang Sheng. Got money for food now?"
Everyone turned toward the voices.
A few students stood in the second-floor corridor, wearing mocking smiles.
Judging by the way they looked, they were probably noble students.
Wang Sheng's temper flared in an instant.
"You bastard! You looking for trouble?"
He was being belittled in front of Sister Xiao Wu. Did the guy have no shame?
Lin Ye rubbed his chin, intrigued.
[Here it comes, here it comes! The melodrama's about to start!]
[But that old scumbag Yu Xiaogang should show up soon.]
[Tang San's destined teacher. An old scumbag and a little scumbag—made for each other!]
Hearing Lin Ye's thoughts, Xiao Wu stopped just as she was about to step in and teach the other students a lesson.
Who was that old scumbag, Yu Xiaogang?
Did "little scumbag" mean Tang San?
Why call Tang San a scumbag out of nowhere? That made no sense.
Or maybe something had happened that she didn't know about.
As she pondered the reason, another voice came from elsewhere on the second floor.
"Can't you eat your meal without causing trouble?"
Everyone looked over. A stern-faced, middle-aged man stood there.
When the noble students upstairs saw him, they scoffed, then left.
"Xiao San, come upstairs and eat."
Tang San paused, then shook his head. "Thank you, Teacher, but I'll eat with my dormmates."
He'd only just joined Dorm Seven. He should fit in with the group.
They were all little kids, but it didn't matter.
He'd be at the academy for several years. They'd be seeing each other every day.
With his abilities, he could easily handle hotheaded kids like Wang Sheng.
Yu Xiaogang gave a slight nod. "All right."
With that, he turned and left.
"Tang San, is Grandmaster your teacher?"
Wang Sheng was curious, and there was a peculiar look on his face.
"Yes, that's my teacher!"
Tang San's face lit up when he spoke of Yu Xiaogang.
But Wang Sheng said, "Seriously? He's not very strong—only level twenty-nine. Sure, he's a Guest Elder at the academy, but really, he's just freeloading."
"He's been hanging around the academy for decades and hasn't taught a single student. He has no ability, yet he's so arrogant. Why would you take him as your teacher?"
Tang San lifted his head, his expression instantly turning stern.
"If you don't want to spar with me again, then don't judge my teacher so carelessly."
"My teacher is amazing. He could tell at a glance that I had Innate Full Soul Power!"
"This is the first time. I hope it's also the last."
"All right, you guys eat on your own. I'm going to find my teacher."
With that, he headed upstairs.
Wang Sheng hadn't expected him to react so strongly. He stared blankly for a moment before coming to his senses.
"What's wrong with that kid?"
Lin Ye rolled his eyes. "Maybe everyone just thinks differently. Eat up, eat up."
[It's not that anything's wrong with him. Mainly, little scumbag and old scumbag just get along.]
[Old scumbag thinks he's full of knowledge, but his theories are stolen from other people. He just insists they're his own research.]
[Little scumbag's so proud of his level ten Innate Soul Power, but have I ever bragged that my Innate Soul Power is level twenty?]
Xiao Wu frowned slightly.
So that Grandmaster scumbag had stolen other people's theories?
Ugh!
What a disgusting person!
And Tang San could actually get along with someone like that?
It seemed his nature wasn't much better.
And Lin Ye—he had Innate Full Soul Power too.
And it was level twenty?
Was he making that up?
No, that was what his thoughts had revealed, so it must be true.
So true Innate Full Soul Power was level twenty!
At the same time, that meant Lin Ye's Martial Soul had to be incredibly powerful.
As a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who had taken human form, she had an instinctive understanding of cultivation.
She understood all the basics, even the profound principles.
Innate Soul Power was often directly proportional to the strength of a Martial Soul.
The stronger the Martial Soul, the higher one's innate Soul Power tended to be.
What exactly was Lin Ye's Sword Grass Martial Soul?
It sounded like a plant-type Martial Soul, but she'd never heard of that kind of plant.
After finishing their meal, everyone headed back to the dormitory.
Wang Sheng soon arranged who would be cleaning the next day.
Xiao Wu clutched her little cloth bundle, caught in a dilemma.
What should she do?
The bed over there was bare and hard.
Sleeping on it would definitely hurt. A lot.
She had two choices now.
One was Tang San. Yu Xiaogang had brought him a brand-new set of bedding.
The other was Lin Ye.
His bedding was brand-new too, and it smelled like fresh grass. It smelled so nice.
She had to make a choice.
After agonizing for a while, she walked over to Lin Ye.
"Lin Ye, I—I share your bed? My bed doesn't have any bedding."
Lin Ye: "..."
How had the boomerang of fate come flying back and hit him?
Before you continue