Because all the balconies faced west, the dormitory got plenty of afternoon light. A few cut flowers stood in a vase in the living room, and the vase was still full of water.
There were two Zhaojuns, two Goddesses of Luo, one Illumination at Night, two Archangels, and seven or eight Refracted Bubbles—a somewhat messy arrangement. In early winter, the flowers in the courtyard were nowhere near as magnificent as they were in spring and autumn, but the lower temperature had made every bloom remarkably perfect. The Archangels and Illumination at Night gave off a fresh, soothing citrus scent.
Jiang Lai was curled up on the sofa. He had just returned from a match at the Arena and was already reading another textbook.
It was Martial Artists and Otherworldly Beast Bloodlines.
As Chen Shu passed, he glanced at it. The book was full of obscure characters, and Brother Jiang had marked quite a few with phonetic guides and crowded the pages with notes.
The young man was exceptionally absorbed, too.
"Brother Jiang, you're flourishing in both letters and combat."
"Huh?"
"That was a compliment." Chen Shu poured himself a glass of water, dropped in a fruit-juice tablet, and sat beside him. "When do you plan to merge with an Otherworldly Beast bloodline?"
"My teacher says that, with my talent, I should keep my feet on the ground and press forward one step at a time. I shouldn't consider that yet." Jiang Lai was bruised and swollen all over, but he seemed unable to feel the pain. He answered Chen Shu honestly, his voice as steady as ever.
"And you? What do you think?"
"I think so too." Jiang Lai had a mind of his own and a clear understanding of himself and his future. "I'll keep going until I reach