"I have to say, the academy's really going all out this time."
Xie Xie practically bounced along the road, his face bright with delight and his mouth curled into a grin, as if he'd stumbled onto an incredible bargain.
"Getting a spot isn't easy. Every major faction treats those spots as theirs for the taking. My family had to pull a lot of strings to get one last time."
He gestured as he walked, speaking with the smug air of someone who knew the market and thought everyone else was clueless.
"Looks like our academy really does have some serious resources. I bet Wei Xiaofeng would be sick with envy if he knew we were getting to train in the Spirit Ascension Platform."
Thinking of how Wei Xiaofeng had refused to join Class Zero only made Xie Xie grin wider. There was a subtle satisfaction in his smile, as though he'd finally gotten a little revenge.
He even glanced back toward the school, as if showing off to someone who wasn't there.
Zhang Yangzi shot Xie Xie a look. His brows drew together, and he pressed his lips into a thin line, as though something had set his teeth on edge.
"Do you ever stop talking?"
His voice wasn't loud, but irritation seeped through every word. The slight rise at the end suggested he was holding something back.
Xie Xie snorted. A maddeningly smug grin spread across his face as he stepped forward and turned to face Zhang Yangzi.
"Got a problem with it? We can fight all we want inside the Spirit Ascension Platform. Try me when we get there."
He put particular weight on "try me," his eyes gleaming with challenge as he waited for Zhang Yangzi to take the bait.
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Yangzi's