With the S1 Season entering its third week, the Golden Spatula craze across the continent had spiraled completely out of control.
The main branch in Spirit City was seeing more than twenty thousand visitors a day. In Heaven Dou City, the line outside the branch stretched from dawn until noon. All three branches within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's territory were running at full capacity, while the Zhu Family in the Star Luo Empire had opened two new branches in just two weeks—and both were still packed every day.
The total number of registered players had surpassed three million, and it was still growing by nearly a hundred thousand a day.
Yi Chen watched the numbers flickering across the system panel, his expression calm as he swiftly calculated his next move.
At this rate, surpassing ten million registered players before the end of the year was all but certain.
By then, the S1 Season's rank reward system would completely transform the continent's cultivation landscape. The players who gained Soul Rings, Soul Bones, and increased Soul Power through the Golden Spatula would become the system's most steadfast supporters and advocates.
But the numbers weren't all that occupied his thoughts now.
Training went on as usual on the back mountain of Shrek Academy. Yet lately, Yi Chen had clearly sensed that the way several of his disciples looked at him had changed.
Ning Rongrong was the first to show it.
She had always liked sticking close to Yi Chen, but before, it had been the dependence and admiration of a student for her teacher. She would tug at his sleeve, circle around him, and chatter excitedly about her progress.
But over the past few days, the way she clung to him had changed.
She began finding all sorts of excuses to spend time alone with Yi Chen. After training, she would stay behind to ask him questions. At lunch, she would carry her bowl over and sit beside him. Once, when it started raining in the middle of training, she hurried over to hold an umbrella over him, not caring that half her own shoulder got soaked.
Xiao Wu was the first to notice something was off. That day, when she saw Rongrong holding the umbrella for Yi Chen, she stood beneath the eaves and watched for quite a while. Then she pursed her lips and said nothing.
But from that day on, she started subtly "competing with Rongrong for a seat." When Yi Chen rested beneath the old tree, Xiao Wu would hurry to sit on the stone bench beside him first.
When Yi Chen commented on a match, she would stand as close to his side as possible instead of facing him as she used to.
Though Zhu Zhuqing was far away in Star Luo City, during their remote training sessions, she clearly spent more time looking at Yi Chen than at the chessboard.
She still didn't say much, but before, she had only reported on training data and lineup strategies. Now she would ask one extra question: "Master, have you been getting enough rest lately?" After asking, she would turn away and pretend to look at the data panel.
Ye Lingling's change was the hardest to notice.
She was still quiet, restrained, and sparing with words, but she had started bringing things for Yi Chen. Sometimes it was a packet of pastries from an old shop in Heaven Dou City; other times, a small jar of flower tea she had brewed herself. She would leave them at the corner of Yi Chen's desk without saying who they were for or where they had come from.
When Yi Chen asked, she would only reply coolly, "I picked it up while I was out," then turn and walk away.
Dugu Yan was the most forthright of the four. She never hid her admiration and fondness for Yi Chen, but for now, those feelings remained at the stage of "admiration and yearning for someone strong," without much hint of flirtation.
She would occasionally joke with Yi Chen or seek him out to discuss lineup strategies, but she never fought for his attention the way Rongrong and Xiao Wu did.
Yi Chen wasn't oblivious. Of course he had noticed the changes.
But he didn't call them out. For one thing, he really was busy. The Golden Spatula Association had only just established its headquarters, the branch network across the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire was still expanding, and the S1 Season's rules needed constant refinement. His daily workload was mountainous.
For another, he was observing them. He wanted to understand whether the girls' feelings for him were fleeting admiration and dependence—or genuine affection.
That afternoon, after training ended, Ning Rongrong didn't leave right away as she usually did.
After the other three had gone, she lingered over packing up the board, stealing glances at Yi Chen from time to time, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to.
Yi Chen sat in a wicker chair, holding a cup of tea that had gone completely cold, and patiently waited for her to speak.
"Master..." Ning Rongrong finally worked up the courage to walk over. With both hands behind her back, she twisted her fingers together. "Are you free this weekend?"
Yi Chen set down his teacup. "Tell me what it's about first."
"My father said he'd like to invite you to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
Ning Rongrong blurted it out, then quickly added, "It's not an official meeting with the sect master! It's... just a family dinner! He wants to thank you in person for taking care of me, and the reward for the exhibition match last time was only a meal! If you're free, that is."
Yi Chen looked at her face, faintly flushed with nerves. After a couple of seconds of silence, he nodded. "All right. I'll go over this weekend."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up at once, and she couldn't hold back her smile. "Then I'll ask my father to prepare lots of dishes! What do you like, Master? Light food or spicy? Sweet or salty?"
"I'm not picky." Yi Chen got to his feet and brushed off his clothes. "Get tomorrow's training ready first. That's more important than inviting me to dinner."
"Got it!" Ning Rongrong replied cheerfully, then turned and skipped down the mountain.
Standing beneath the old tree, Yi Chen watched her disappear into the twilight. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly. Then he looked toward the bushes on the other side. "You've been standing there a long time. Aren't you tired?"
The bushes stayed quiet for two seconds before Xiao Wu sheepishly stepped out.
She had a foxtail grass stem in her hand, nearly plucked bare. She had clearly been standing there for quite a while.
"I wasn't eavesdropping on purpose..." she mumbled in her defense. Then she realized how flimsy the excuse sounded and gave up, asking outright, "Master, are you really going to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
"I said I would, so I'll go." Yi Chen looked at her. "Is there something you want to say?"
Xiao Wu opened her mouth, then shut it again. She repeated that two or three times before finally managing, "Then... when you come back, could you bring me something tasty too?"
Yi Chen looked at her conflicted expression and couldn't help laughing. "That's it?"
"...That's it." Xiao Wu lowered her head, grinding the toe of her shoe against a pebble on the ground. Her voice grew softer and softer.
"Rongrong's father invited you to dinner. I can't stop you from going... but surely you can bring me something tasty when you come back, right?"
Yi Chen looked at her bowed head and the tips of her ears, faintly red. After a moment's silence, he replied, "All right. I'll bring you something."
Xiao Wu lifted her head, her eyes brightening for a moment, then quickly lowered it again. She muttered, "Then I'm going back to train," turned, and dashed off faster than a rabbit, her scorpion braid whipping behind her like a little flag.
Yi Chen stood beneath the old tree and watched Xiao Wu run off. He glanced at the jar of flower tea Ye Lingling had left on the corner of his desk that morning, then fell silent for a while. Finally, he picked up his cold tea and drained it in one gulp.
He silently went over his upcoming schedule: the banquet at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect this weekend, a trip to Star Luo City next week to inspect how the Zhu Family's branch was operating and check on Zhu Zhuqing's training progress.
As for Heaven Dou City, Qian Renxue had sent someone with a letter two days ago, saying that a few details of their cooperation needed to be settled in person. He would have to make time for that trip as well.