A Run-Down Cafeteria and Ma Hongjun's Attempt to Chat Up the Girls

At dawn the next day, the sky had only just begun to brighten.

Lin Xuan rolled out of bed. Tang San, in the bed beside him, had already put on his jacket.

The two of them opened the door and stepped into the courtyard.

Footsteps sounded on the wooden stairs. Xiao Wu came bouncing down first, her scorpion braid swinging behind her.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong followed.

Zhu Zhuqing had changed into a neat black outfit, while Ning Rongrong wore her white short skirt and was covering a yawn with one hand.

"Morning, Lin Xuan! Sleep well?"

Xiao Wu hopped down the last few steps and went straight to his side.

"Not bad."

Lin Xuan casually smoothed down her upturned collar.

Ning Rongrong came down the stairs and looked around.

"Does this shabby academy have anyone in charge? It's broad daylight, and there's not a soul in sight."

The courtyard was empty. Neither Zhao Wuji nor Li Yusong had appeared, and Dai Mubai was nowhere to be seen.

"Let's find something to eat first."

Tang San pointed toward a low building in the distance, where white smoke rose from the roof.

The five of them followed the gravel path over.

A wooden sign hung by the door, with "Cafeteria" written on it in crooked characters.

They pushed open the wooden door. Inside stood a few rough tables and chairs, with several large iron basins set on a long table.

The basins held coarse-flour steamed buns, boiled eggs, and two servings of clear soup.

"This is all there is?"

Ning Rongrong leaned in for a look, then immediately took half a step back.

"At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, even the household guards wouldn't eat food like this."

She muttered under her breath, making no effort to hide her distaste.

Xiao Wu grabbed two steamed buns and handed one to Lin Xuan.

"We're lucky there's food at all. The buns in Notting Academy's first-floor cafeteria were even harder than these, and full of grain husks."

Tang San took two eggs, cracked them against the corner of the table, and deftly peeled off their shells.

Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward, silently picked up a bun and a bowl of clear soup, then sat at an empty table in the corner and ate in small bites.

She had fled all the way from the Star Luo Empire and was long accustomed to roughing it. She had no complaints about the food.

Ning Rongrong stamped her foot where she stood.

She looked at Xiao Wu munching on a bun, then at Lin Xuan and Zhu Zhuqing, who seemed perfectly unfazed. Her stomach gave a loud rumble.

At last, she bit her lip, walked over, gingerly picked up an egg between two fingers, and sat across from Zhu Zhuqing.

The five of them quickly finished breakfast.

They had just pushed open the cafeteria door and stepped outside when someone came staggering toward them.

Dai Mubai reeked of alcohol. His hair was a mess, several buttons on his shirt were undone, and he looked utterly listless.

When he saw the five of them, he stopped and raised a hand in greeting.

"You're up early."

Zhu Zhuqing turned aside and brushed past him without slowing down, treating him as though he weren't there.

Ning Rongrong fanned a hand in front of her nose and shrank back, giving Dai Mubai a wide berth.

"You stink of booze and women. It's disgusting."

Still chewing the last half of her bun, Xiao Wu looked baffled.

"Did he fall into a barrel of wine last night?"

Lin Xuan and Tang San walked behind the others. They exchanged a glance but said nothing, simply following the group ahead.

Dai Mubai stood rooted to the spot, his raised hand frozen in midair.

He watched Zhu Zhuqing walk away. His hand clenched at his side, his knuckles cracking softly.

In the end, he held back. With a cold snort, he turned, kicked open the cafeteria's battered wooden door, and went inside.

The five crossed the muddy road through the middle of the village and headed for the open training ground.

The morning wind carried a chill.

Ning Rongrong walked a little behind Lin Xuan, her pace speeding up and slowing down.

Several times she opened her mouth, only to swallow her words. Her fingers kept twisting the ribbon at the hem of her skirt.

Lin Xuan stopped and turned around.

"Ning Rongrong, if you have something to ask, just say it. Keep walking like that and you'll wear through your soles."

Caught out, Ning Rongrong blushed faintly.

She hurried two steps to his side and lowered her voice.

"Lin Xuan, Xiao Wu told me yesterday that you all advanced so quickly at Notting Academy because of your Martial Soul. Is that true?"

Tang San, walking ahead, faltered. It was true that they had relied on Lin Xuan's help.

Xiao Wu turned around and said with a grin,

"That's right. It was all thanks to Lin Xuan. How else could I have reached level thirty-three so quickly?"

Ning Rongrong straightened up and moved closer to Lin Xuan. Beneath her haughty manner, she could barely hide her curiosity.

"How exactly did you do it?"

"That's a secret, Ning Rongrong."

Lin Xuan left it at that and continued straight toward the training ground.

Ning Rongrong stood there in a daze, then stamped her foot angrily in the mud.

"Hey! Lin Xuan! How can you be like that?"

She hurried after him, clutching the hem of her skirt with both hands and muttering nonstop:

"We're all classmates now. What's wrong with sharing a few cultivation tips? Come on, tell me..."

Xiao Wu skipped over to Lin Xuan's side and blocked Ning Rongrong with a grin.

"Rongrong, unless you earn Lin Xuan's approval, he won't tell you."

Walking beside them, Zhu Zhuqing slowed a little. Her ears pricked up; she was clearly interested in a method that could boost cultivation speed so dramatically.

The five had just reached the open space in the middle of the village when a short, red-haired fat boy approached them.

He wore a short robe that didn't quite fit. His belly pulled the fabric taut, and a smear of grease still clung to the corner of his mouth.

The moment he noticed Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong, he stopped dead.

He looked the three girls up and down, mouth half open, his breathing noticeably heavier.

Xiao Wu frowned at once and edged behind Lin Xuan.

Zhu Zhuqing stopped, pressed her right hand to her waist, and lowered her stance slightly.

Ning Rongrong raised a hand in front of her chest, making no attempt to conceal the disgust on her face.

Watching from behind, Tang San drew his brows together.

First thing in the morning, they had run into Dai Mubai, still hungover and reeking of perfume. Now a leering fat boy had appeared.

Tang San wondered to himself.

This was the academy for monsters his teacher had praised so highly?

Teacher Zhao Wuji was indeed a Soul Sage, and his strength was beyond question. But the character of the students here left far too much to be desired.

Lin Xuan stood still and watched the red-haired boy. He knew, of course, that this was Ma Hongjun.

The side effects of the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul left the boy with little else on his mind.

In that respect alone, Ma Xiaotao of the Peerless Tang Sect had far more self-control than Ma Hongjun.

Ma Hongjun wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, rubbed his hands together, and stepped forward with what he evidently thought was a friendly smile.

"Haven't seen you three around before. Are you new students this year?"

"I'm Ma Hongjun, a level twenty-six assault-type Soul Grandmaster and Dean Flender's personal disciple."

"We'll all be training together from now on. How about we get to know each other? I could take you to Suotuo City for a good meal at noon."