"A different kind of flavor?"
Wu Feng scratched her head. "Just saying up front, I'm not going to the bathroom."
"To hell with the bathroom. I think you're afraid of exposing your unusual tastes."
A dark line seemed to drop across Jiang Yu's forehead.
Whether Wu Feng was smart when it counted was debatable, but she certainly knew how to get on his nerves.
"You—"
Wu Feng flew into a rage and rolled up her sleeves, ready to show Jiang Yu just how much stronger she had become after breaking through to Soul Elder.
Ning Tian sighed helplessly and stepped between them to play peacemaker.
"Stop bickering. Keep it up, and I'll cut off all five hundred thousand of this month's allowance."
Sure enough, Jiang Yu and Wu Feng both stopped at once.
They each had at least ten million Gold Soul Coins to their name, but who would ever complain about having more money?
After buying quite a few treasures with Gold Soul Coins, they had become even more aware of how important money was.
Naturally, neither wanted to lose the monthly allowance of five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins they received after enrolling at Shrek Academy.
They huffed at the same time. Jiang Yu led the way, while Ning Tian pulled Wu Feng along behind him, and the three headed toward the academy gates.
When they reached the gates, they saw a long line of people in the distance.
A breeze blew toward them, carrying an unusual aroma.
Wu Feng sniffed, and her eyes lit up.
"What's that smell? It's really good."
Ning Tian sniffed too, then turned to Jiang Yu curiously.
"Jiang Yu, is this the different flavor you wanted us to try?"
Jiang Yu glanced at Huo Yuhao, who was busy sprinkling seasoning over grilled fish behind the stall, then chuckled.
"We've had plenty of delicacies. Something different once in a while is a nice change."
As he spoke, three girls at the back of the line spotted them and called out in delight.
"Class monitor! What a coincidence. Are you here for the grilled fish too?"
As class monitor, Ning Tian remembered the three girls. She smiled and said, "There are quite a few people in line, including upperclassmen. The fish must be good, right?"
The purple-haired girl in front nodded at once and swallowed despite herself.
"Definitely! You can't get grilled fish like this anywhere else. The aroma, the juices, the texture—it's incredible!"
After saying that, she glanced at the line ahead and smiled.
"But, class monitor, the owner only sells twenty fish a day. I counted, and the three of us would get the last three. This is your first time here, right? Why don't we give you our spots so you can try it?"
The two girls beside her immediately voiced their agreement.
"Wouldn't that be unfair?"
Ning Tian felt a little embarrassed, but before she could decide, Jiang Yu handed the purple-haired girl a small pouch of Gold Soul Coins.
"We're taking your spots, so let us treat you to a big meal at the cafeteria. Then we'll be even."
The three girls froze at the generosity of Jiang Yu, who had always seemed so aloof and mysterious. After stepping aside, they waved their hands.
"You don't have to, dreamboat. We're classmates. Giving up a spot is no big deal..."
"Take it. Even if you don't spend it on a meal, you three can split it and buy yourselves a few things."
Jiang Yu smiled.
Shrek Academy had no shortage of outstanding students, but not all of them came from wealthy families.
Many families had exhausted their savings to send their children to Shrek Academy, leaving those children to live frugally once they arrived.
The purple-haired girl was one of the most warmhearted students in Class Nine, and she was talented too: at twelve, her Soul Power had reached rank twenty-one. But her family seemed to be short on money. The few times Jiang Yu had seen her in the cafeteria, her meals had been modest.
"We're classmates, so we should help each other. Take it, and look after yourselves."
Ning Tian chimed in at just the right moment.
A talented girl like her, without a powerful background, was exactly the sort of person Ning Tian wanted to recruit for the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"In that case... thank you, class monitor. And thank you, dreamboat."
The purple-haired girl exchanged glances with her companions, touched. She accepted the pouch, gave a slight bow, and left with them.
Jiang Yu took their place at the back of the line. He was in no hurry; he simply folded his arms and watched Huo Yuhao work.
They had spent seven or eight days in the Inner Court and had been busy for several more after coming out. In that time, Huo Yuhao's grilled-fish business had already settled into a steady rhythm. That meant the three of them had missed Xu Sanshi smashing up the stall for love.
But that didn't matter.
What mattered was that Jiang Yu held grudges.
Sooner or later, he would find a chance to pay them back in full for what they had done to him by Sea God Lake.
Think I'm a harmless kitten just because I haven't shown my claws?
"Your fish is ready..."
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao was enjoying the satisfaction of supporting himself through his own work. But as he held out a grilled fish and prepared to collect the money, his voice cut off the instant he saw the face before him.
Jiang Yu watched Huo Yuhao's expression shift and the hand holding the fish begin to tremble. He gave him a faint smile without a trace of warmth.
"Huo Yuhao. It's been a while. You seem to be doing much better."
Jiang Yu's dark eyes seemed flecked with silver, and the pressure in his gaze was overwhelming. Even after nearly a month of Zhou Yi's harsh training had toughened him up, Huo Yuhao could not stop his legs from weakening. His voice came out strained and halting.
"J-Jiang Yu. It has been a while."
Others might not know, but Huo Yuhao knew exactly what had happened.
Just as Xiaotao, who had lost control, was about to burn him and Wang Dong to ashes, the sleeping Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had suddenly awakened. He had intended to kill Xiaotao with a single strike, but before making his move, he noticed Jiang Yu and the other two watching nearby.
To keep Huo Yuhao's ice-attribute Second Martial Soul from being exposed early, and with the larger picture in mind, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had briefly affected the surrounding spacetime with his powerful mental strength. He then used it to draw Xiaotao's attention toward Jiang Yu and the other two, who were strong enough to resist her to some extent. Meanwhile, he used Huo Yuhao's body to grab Wang Dong, leap into Sea God Lake, and make a clean escape.
When Huo Yuhao regained consciousness and struggled out of Sea God Lake with Wang Dong, he felt a terrifying surge of energy from Shrek Square—one that could have torn him to pieces with ease.
Only then did he and Sky Dream Ice Silkworm realize they had overestimated how quickly Shrek Academy's teachers would come to the rescue. They had caused a disaster.
Ever since, Huo Yuhao had quietly asked around for news of Jiang Yu and the other two.
But the three seemed to have vanished. Huo Yuhao still had a conscience, and their disappearance weighed on him. He was also terrified that, if the truth came out, it would ruin him.
There had been too little time, and the power Sky Dream Ice Silkworm could wield through his body was limited. They had left loose ends.
Even Sky Dream Ice Silkworm could only reassure him that, through the mist from two hundred meters away and with Mental Interference clouding their senses, the chances of Jiang Yu and the other two recognizing them were slim.
Jiang Yu looked at Huo Yuhao's pale face and beckoned casually. Three grilled fish flew toward him.
He took one, bit into it, and praised it.
"You're good at grilling fish. No wonder so many people are willing to line up for it."
His tone was casual, almost appreciative.
Huo Yuhao froze. Had Jiang Yu not recognized him after all?
But his relief and delight lasted only a moment. Jiang Yu's expression turned strange again, his gaze sharp enough to pierce straight through him.
"I've eaten the fish, but I'm in a bad mood today, so I don't feel like paying for it... What do you think, Huo Yuhao?"
Huo Yuhao took a step back and swallowed twice. Before he could speak, another voice rang out.
"You ate his fish, and now you won't pay because you're in a bad mood? Who do you think you are? Are you here to cause trouble? I'll tell the teachers you're bullying a new student and refusing to pay for your food..."
Before you continue