Canaan Times

The canteen of the Jia Nan Academy faces the teaching area across the lake. The building itself is quite imposing, built entirely of red bricks and stones, and from a distance it looks like a large stove.

The cafeteria was nearly empty; you could count the number of people at a glance. Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yi Xian looked at the food on the table, their faces as if they had been wrung out.

Huo Yuhao chewed with difficulty a kind of "beef" with coarse fibers and an indescribable fishy smell. The moment he swallowed it, it felt like he had swallowed a piece of sandpaper.

"Brother Huo Yuhao, what do you think?" Xiao Yi Xian wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, her movements elegant, but her light green eyes held deep dissatisfaction.

Huo Yuhao paused for a few seconds, seemingly organizing his thoughts, then said, "No wonder Senior Gu He thought monster meat didn't taste good."

Next, Huo Yuhao's gaze swept over the other dishes. "Pre-prepared semi-finished products, just heated up and served, limp and soggy like eating caterpillars. The seasonings are added entirely according to mood; a single dish can evoke a complex mix of flavors, reflecting the ups and downs of life. This chef is quite talented."

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a deep sense of helplessness in each other's eyes.

"Let's go."

Just as the two pushed open the cafeteria door and stepped outside for some fresh air, a slightly mercenary voice interrupted, "Hey! You two! I see you just came out of the cafeteria, how about a freshly printed copy of the <Canaan Times> to refresh your palates?"

For just one gold coin! You won't regret it! You'll be guaranteed to stay up-to-date with the latest news from the academy!

A boy in a school uniform with a warm smile approached, holding a stack of roughly bound booklets.

The cover features the words "Canaan Times" printed in a flashy artistic font.

Huo Yuhao glanced at the so-called "Times," then looked at the boy's expression, which seemed to be selling a family heirloom, and his eye twitched. "One gold coin a copy?"

After examining the magazine's material more closely, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but complain, "Just a few sheets of paper, and they dare to sell it for a gold coin? This is probably Jia Nan Academy's main source of income, isn't it?"

The student chuckled, "The information inside is all gathered by our Canaan Academy News Society at great personal risk, through painstaking effort and ingenuity. Naturally, it's a bit pricey; it's a benefit for our reporters!"

Xiao Yi Xian seemed to find it amusing and gently touched Huo Yuhao's arm.

In the end, Huo Yuhao still took out his gold coins and bought one.

"Alright! Thank you for your patronage!" The student took the money, quickly stuffed the booklet into Huo Yuhao's hand, and ran off in a flash, afraid that Huo Yuhao would change his mind.

The two walked to an old tree by the roadside and, using the Moonlight Stone hanging from the branches, opened the Canaan Times, which smelled of cheap ink.

The huge, bold title on the first page almost made Huo Yuhao throw the booklet away on the spot:

Shocking! A pervert has been discovered in the Jia Nan Academy dormitory area!

The following long and vivid description vividly portrays an "older student" whose "psychological distortion stems from a failed attempt to woo senior Han Yue." He develops mental problems, practices some lost and evil Dou Technique, and ends up becoming a transvestite. From then on, he embarks on a "path of no return" where he "sometimes disguises himself as a woman to sneak into the girls' dormitory," and "sometimes disguises himself as a man to infiltrate the boys' dormitory."

The article describes him as a terrifying creature who "desires both men and women," uses "unpredictable and bisexual methods," and is "bisexual." Finally, the author earnestly appeals to the college to prioritize the safety of male students and strongly suggests "banning female students from entering male dormitories to prevent this pervert from disguising himself and infiltrating!"

The accompanying image is a blurry picture of a figure from behind, with only a head of icy blue hair vaguely visible.

Smack! Huo Yuhao slammed the Canaan Times shut, nearly crushing the thin booklet. His expression was a rollercoaster of emotions, alternating between red and white, his icy blue eyes radiating a chilling aura that seemed to drop the surrounding temperature considerably.

Even with Huo Yuhao's strong will, he felt a rush of blood to his head. He had just experienced a mixture of flavors, and now he was experiencing the same feeling on his mind.

"Pfft, hahaha—" Xiao Yi Xian beside her was thoroughly enjoying the reading, even bursting into suppressed laughter. Tilting her head, she looked at Huo Yuhao's handsome face, as black as the bottom of a pot, her eyes gleaming with mischievous light, and added fuel to the fire with her comment, "It's written—quite imaginative, especially the part about him being bisexual; it's spot on!"

Veins bulged on Huo Yuhao's forehead. He took a deep breath, remembering the gold coin price, and suppressed the urge to freeze the newspaper into ice and then blast it to ashes with Ice Explosion Art. He coldly said, "Don't let me catch this author!"

"I don't think that little bit of food filled me up at all," Xiao Yi Xian changed the subject, touching her flat stomach with a hint of grievance in her voice, "Let's go find something else to eat!"

Huo Yuhao nodded with a gloomy face. He led Xiao Yi Xian along the nearby path aimlessly, wanting only to get away from that awful cafeteria and the even worse "Times".

As dusk fell and the stars twinkled, just as Huo Yuhao was about to take Xiao Yi Xian back to the dormitory to relax, a noisy commotion and the enticing aroma of food wafted over from not far away.

After passing through a small grove of trees, the view suddenly opened up before us.

The once deserted square had been completely transformed! Countless stalls had sprung up like mushrooms, with lanterns and Moonlight Stone hanging above them, illuminating the area as bright as day and filling it with a warm, lively atmosphere.

The sizzling of grilled meat, the boiling of oil in the wok, the vendors' enthusiastic shouts, and the students' laughter—all intertwined to create a vibrant symphony. The aroma of various foods filled the air, instantly dispelling the gloom emanating from the cafeteria.

"This is—" Xiao Yi Xian's eyes lit up instantly.

"Night market." A hint of surprise flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes as he surveyed the bustling night market. The dazzling array of food exuded an aroma far more enticing than that of the cafeteria, interspersed with stalls selling medicinal herbs, pills, weapons Magic Core, and various other miscellaneous items.

Huo Yuhao's gaze swept over the stall owners, almost all of whom were wearing Jia Nan Academy uniforms, with occasional instructors mixed in. The identities of the customers were even more diverse; he even saw several elderly people, clearly of high status, enjoying their meals.

Huo Yuhao murmured with a sigh, "It seems that gold coins aren't entirely useless after all."

The two blended into the crowd. Their hands and mouths were practically never still the whole way. It has to be said, life always finds a way to survive; the Canaan Academy students' cooking skills were indeed quite good, or perhaps it was the contrast with the cafeteria, but at least Huo Yuhao enjoyed his meal.

While passing by some stalls selling miscellaneous items, Huo Yuhao also bought some Magic Core, weapons, and other items.

As they ate and strolled around, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation, Huo Yuhao caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.