"Nan, that smells amazing. What is it?"
Another female student beside her sniffed in surprise.
The stunning girl had clearly caught the aroma too, and her gaze turned toward Huo Yuhao's stall.
The girls walked over, chatting and laughing.
"Junior, how much is your grilled fish?"
The stunning girl asked softly.
"Senior, five Copper Soul Coins each."
The stunning girl frowned slightly and said,
"That's a little expensive."
"Considering the ingredients and your work, three Copper Soul Coins at most should be enough, right? You'd still make a profit."
Huo Yuhao froze. He had never expected a girl so beautiful to bargain with him. Not a single student had done that before.
Zhang Lan was somewhat speechless too.
It was just a grilled fish, yet she was even haggling over the price.
Her family did have a hard time.
But judging by the entourage she had now, she hardly seemed short of those two Copper Soul Coins.
"Sorry, my grilled fish isn't open to bargaining, and today's batch is already sold out."
Huo Yuhao spoke calmly. Tang Ya had set the price, and he would not change it lightly. Besides, this income was very important to him, and the amount was just right.
The two fish left on the grill were reserved for Bei Bei and Tang Ya.
The stunning girl paused, then said apologetically,
"Sorry, I was just doing a quick calculation."
"I'll try it another time if I get the chance."
With that, she turned to leave.
Huo Yuhao distinctly sensed a change in the atmosphere around him. Many of the students who had been looking at him eagerly were now glaring at him.
Those who had eaten his grilled fish, however, were somewhat annoyed with the stunning girl.
"Seriously, haggling over a single grilled fish?"
Nan Qiuqiu grumbled.
"Boy, you dare refuse to sell?"
A deep, resonant voice filled with anger suddenly rang out.
Immediately afterward, a speck of golden light shot toward Huo Yuhao's stall like lightning.
Clink!
The golden light struck the grill precisely and embedded itself fully in the metal. It was a Gold Soul Coin.
A figure strode over right behind it.
He quickly passed the stunning girl, reached Huo Yuhao's stall, and stretched out his hand to grab the two fish on the grill.
Just as he was about to seize them, Zhang Lan's voice rang out,
"Shopping without paying isn't a good idea."
With those words, the gravity bearing down on the young man instantly doubled.
It pinned him in place.
Huo Yuhao reacted as well and pulled the grill away.
The newcomer remained frozen in his reaching posture, motionless as a statue.
Only then did everyone get a clear look at him.
He wore a black school uniform, marking him as a sixth-year student.
He was tall and powerfully built, comparable to He Caitou, with thick brows, fierce eyes, a straight nose, and a square mouth. His features were handsome and imposing.
Anger had flushed his fair skin, and his slightly baby-faced features radiated aggression.
"Who was that?!"
The young man in black roared, scanning his surroundings.
Then he spotted Zhang Lan sitting nearby.
His anger receded like the tide, and cold sweat actually broke out on his body.
Naturally, he recognized Zhang Lan.
After all, he had recently watched the fight between Zhang Lan and Zhou Yi.
Apart from that utterly inhuman soul ring configuration,
It had been a Soul King against a Soul Emperor, with the former dominating from start to finish.
Faced with Zhang Lan's strength, he could not muster the slightest temper.
"Sorry, big brother. I was in the wrong."
"I disturbed your meal."
"Please let me off this once."
"Pick a time, and I, Xu Sanshi, will make amends to all of you."
Xu Sanshi backed down very quickly.
Although he was the young sect master of the Xuanming Sect and had considerable backing,
That amounted to nothing before Zhang Lan's monstrous talent.
After all, anyone who could produce such an outrageous soul ring configuration had to come from an exceptionally powerful family.
Even the top powers known to the public could not cultivate a genius like him.
And there had to be more than one Titled Douluo behind him.
If he truly offended Zhang Lan over this,
It was entirely possible that the Xuanming Sect would be wiped out as a result.
At that moment, Xu Sanshi remembered where he had seen the grilled-fish vendor before.
During an earlier soul fighting match, the boy had been sitting beside Bei Bei.
Bei Bei had said he was his junior brother.
His name was... Huo Yuhao!
Only after Xu Sanshi calmed down did Zhang Lan release the gravitational suppression.
"Thank you for sparing my life, big brother."
After bowing to Zhang Lan, Xu Sanshi immediately apologized to Huo Yuhao beside him,
"Sorry, little brother."
"The flood swept into the Dragon King's own temple-we're on the same side. This was my fault."
"How about this? I'll give you another two Gold Soul Coins."
"To make amends."
With that, Xu Sanshi took two Gold Soul Coins from his storage Soul Tool and handed them to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao was a little dazed, and Tang Ya accepted the Gold Soul Coins for him.
"Since your apology is sincere this time, we'll let it go."
"Otherwise, I'd definitely have Bei Bei teach you a proper lesson."
Xu Sanshi wore an ingratiating smile, then turned toward the stunning girl nearby.
"Sorry, Nannan."
"I couldn't get you any grilled fish."
"Next time! I'll definitely get you some next time!"
Xu Sanshi spoke eagerly, trying to please her.
"Xu Sanshi!"
The stunning girl's voice was cold as ice.
"I've told you already. There is no chance for us anymore."
"I'm grateful that you saved my mother."
"But stop using that incident to tie me down."
"I'll find a chance to repay the sect later, but there is no chance for us anymore."
With that, Jiang Nannan turned and left.
She disappeared from Xu Sanshi's sight.
Embarrassment washed over Xu Sanshi's face. He abruptly straightened and glared at the crowd watching the spectacle.
"What are you staring at? Clear out!"
Then, wearing an ingratiating smile, Xu Sanshi watched Zhang Lan and the others leave.
Seeing that the incident was over, the crowd gathered nearby dispersed as well.
"Still want to look around?"
Zhang Lan asked.
"No. It's not much fun anymore."
"If he hadn't apologized so quickly,"
"I would've let him taste the power of my Rouge Dragon."
Nan Qiuqiu spoke with an indignant expression.
The others also said they were no longer in the mood to wander around.
Seeing this, Zhang Lan and the others said goodbye to Huo Yuhao and left.
"Class monitor!"
"I'll save a grilled fish for you all every day, free of charge!"
Huo Yuhao called after Zhang Lan as he was about to walk out of earshot.
Zhang Lan waved, accepting Huo Yuhao's offer.
Before long, Zhang Lan and the others disappeared from Huo Yuhao's sight.
Early the next morning.
Zhang Lan and the others met up for a walk beside Sea God Lake.
They went around the first-year teaching building and headed east along the southern side of Shrek Square.
Before long, they reached the Lakeside Path.
The shimmering Sea God Lake unfolded before them.
The water was exceptionally clear, a pure, deep blue, sparkling with tiny flecks of gold beneath the morning light.
The lake's surface was as still as a vast mirror, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and weeping willows along the shore.
A gentle breath of moisture mingled with the fresh scent of grass and trees washed over them, making them instinctively draw a deep breath.
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