I've already become a god, and only now you're telling me there are monsters in this world?

He left the scene.

Gu Qing took out his phone, unlocked it, and opened WeChat.

The instant the screen lit up, Xia Shuran's message popped up.

She had replied over an hour ago.

She said she had just woken up, was getting up to wash, and could head out to practice martial arts within ten minutes.

After reading her message, Gu Qing's fingertips flew across the screen: [Sorry, I was busy and didn't check my phone. Shall we head straight to the field and start practicing now?]

Xia Shuran replied instantly: [Sure, I'll put my shoes on and head out now.]

[Gu Qing: Okay, see you at the field.]

[Xia Shuran: Oh, by the way, I just made sandwiches and soy milk in my dorm. Would you like me to bring you some to try, Senior?]

[Gu Qing: Sure, bring me a serving. I haven't had breakfast this morning anyway.]

Ever since gaining the Devouring attribute, Gu Qing often forgot to eat breakfast on weekends when he had no classes.

The Devouring attribute had given him an enormous appetite, but his body's energy expenditure had not increased along with it.

In fact, because he could make better use of food, his need for it had actually decreased.

Even if he went several days in a row without eating, he would not feel hungry.

One could say that his eating habits were now driven almost entirely not by hunger.

Instead, they were driven by his old habit of having three meals a day.

He returned to school.

He arrived at the field.

Gu Qing sat and played on his phone for a while before spotting Xia Shuran jogging into the field from outside, a bag clutched in her arms.

This sports-student Junior Schoolmate of his really was punctual, afraid of making him wait even one extra second.

"Senior, here's your sandwich and soy milk."

Xia Shuran jogged up to Gu Qing and stopped, handing him the bag with a sweet smile.

Gu Qing took it and smiled. "Thanks."

Then he opened the bag, took out the sandwich and soy milk, and began eating and drinking.

He ate slowly and drank slowly too, wanting to savor the Junior Schoolmate's handiwork.

The sandwich was delicious, its layer of meat patty and egg packed with flavor. One bite felt like protein exploding in his mouth, instantly filling him with energy.

The soy milk was rich, without too much sugar. Eighty percent of its flavor came from the soybeans themselves, with a hint of sweetness and a silky-smooth texture.

"Senior, does it taste okay?"

"It's much tastier than what they sell outside. If you set up a breakfast stall on campus, I'd pay double for your food."

"Senior, you really know how to give a compliment."

Xia Shuran's eyes curved into pretty crescents, a touch of delight in her voice. "As a reward for your praise, Senior, I've decided to make more flavors from now on and bring you something different each time."

Gu Qing looked at her and smiled. "Comrade, you're letting me have it all-eating here and taking food home too."

He finished the sandwich.

He finished the soy milk.

Without taking even a moment's rest, Gu Qing stood up and said:

"Come on, let's practice."

"Shouldn't you rest a little after eating?"

"No need."

With the Devouring attribute, food was digested the instant it entered his stomach. He had no need to rest at all.

Soon.

The two walked onto the soccer field.

They began practicing martial arts.

Two hours passed in that session.

It went straight from eleven in the morning to one in the afternoon, already past lunchtime.

Seeing how late it was, they went to the Living Area together and bought something quick to fill their stomachs.

After agreeing to practice again at three, they each returned to their dorms to shower and rest.

At three in the afternoon.

Both appeared at the field on time and continued practicing martial arts.

This time, they practiced for three hours.

Afterward, they went to the dining hall together.

As they parted, Gu Qing told Xia Shuran:

"We'll continue at eight tonight."

"Huh?"

Xia Shuran was dumbfounded. "Senior, we've been practicing all day, and you still want to keep going?"

Gu Qing smiled. "What, can't keep up anymore?"

Xia Shuran's gaze turned stubborn. "Are you kidding? I'm a sports student with outstanding results. Don't underestimate me, Senior. Let's do it!"

In truth, she was not particularly competitive around Gu Qing.

She simply did not want him to think less of her.

Besides, she really enjoyed spending the entire day with him like this.

Though practicing martial arts nonstop was exhausting, only her body was tired. Her heart was filled with sweetness.

At eight that evening.

The two once again appeared at the field on time.

Compared with the daytime, Xia Shuran looked noticeably less energetic that night.

She had practiced too hard during the day without getting enough rest, leaving her body unable to recover.

Their martial arts practice soon began.

This time, Xia Shuran could only last two hours before she gave out. Her whole body felt weak, and she barely had the strength to lift her arms.

"Senior, I... I can't take any more."

"My legs are so sore, and so are my arms."

"If we keep going, I feel like my muscles are going to dissolve."

Xia Shuran's legs trembled. Only by gripping the goal tightly could she barely remain standing, and her voice sounded terribly weak.

Seeing how completely drained she looked, Gu Qing felt a little sorry for her too and said with a smile:

"All right, let's call it a night."

"Here, lie on your stomach. I'll massage your muscles to loosen them up."

"Otherwise, you might be in too much pain to get up tomorrow."

"..."

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior."

Xia Shuran lay down on the grass with practiced ease and stretched out her shapely legs. A lingering flush colored her cheeks, and her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.

In all her years as a sports student, this was the first time she had let a boy massage her body to relax her muscles, and it was a boy she liked at that.

It made her both excited and nervous.

Gu Qing did not share her emotional fluctuations. He simply crouched calmly beside her, placed his hands on her calf, and expertly kneaded her muscles to relax them.

"Ah~"

As Gu Qing pressed down gently, Xia Shuran could not help crying out.

Her voice sounded soft and sweet, with a hint of unmistakable pleasure, drawing the gazes of several students strolling along the track.

Feeling their eyes on her, Xia Shuran instantly flushed scarlet. She hurriedly bit her lower lip and clenched her fists, doing her best not to make another sound.

But Gu Qing was unaware of her embarrassment. He worked his way from her calves to her thighs, giving nine shallow presses followed by one deep one, occasionally pressing hard. Several times, she could not hold back a cry, her cheeks burning hot enough to cook an egg.

"All right, that should do."

Gu Qing rose from the ground and said, "Remember to massage and knead them yourself again before bed tonight, or your legs might be too sore to walk tomorrow morning."

"Senior, give me a hand. I can't quite get up..."

Xia Shuran reached her right hand toward Gu Qing, her voice feeble.

Her muscles were far sorer than Gu Qing realized. After lying on the ground for so long, she was now having trouble even getting up by herself.

"You still need more training. You're too weak."

Gu Qing pulled Xia Shuran up, teasing her with a smile.

Xia Shuran also felt she was weak. She thought she needed to work hard at practicing Ancient Martial Arts with her Old Ancestor and improve her Physical Constitution quickly, so she could better satisfy her senior's seemingly inexhaustible energy.

After walking his Junior Schoolmate back to her dorm.

With a thought, Gu Qing brought up his Physical Constitution attribute to check the figures.

[Total Physical Constitution gained: +81]

He had gained seven points over the entire day, only one more than usual.

Farming attributes from just one person was still far too inefficient.

But that was fine.

He only needed nineteen more points to reach a hundred.

That would only take another two or three days.

Gu Qing was in an excellent frame of mind.

Just then, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated violently.

He took it out and looked.

Zhou Yuan had sent him a message on WeChat.

[Zhou Yuan: I'm back at school. Are you asleep yet? If not, do you want to come take a look around the lab now? There's no one here at the moment.]

Hmm?

That [Biochemical Maniac] doctoral student had actually been released this quickly?

It looked like he really hadn't lied earlier today. He truly hadn't done anything bad.

With that thought, Gu Qing moved his fingertips and replied:

[I'm free. I'll head over now.]

P.S. Holding out my bowl, asking for monthly votes and recommendation votes!

Chapter 34: Immune to all poisons

Zhou Yuan's laboratory was not far from Xia Shuran's dorm building.

Gu Qing arrived after just a few minutes' walk.

Zhou Yuan was already waiting downstairs. The moment he saw Gu Qing, he waved him over:

"Over here!"

"Yuan, why did you come all the way downstairs?"