Hu Liena was naturally delighted that Tian Chen had taken the initiative to sit beside her.
Otherwise, all her arrangements today would have gone to waste.
She had put quite a bit of thought into driving away that blockhead Li Kai.
But when Tian Chen sat beside her, she remembered what had happened last night. Her clear pink eyes glanced at him, and when she saw that he showed no reaction, she pursed her little lips and turned away to sulk by herself.
Can't this bastard take a little initiative?
Tian Chen naturally noticed Hu Liena's little movements, but he had no intention of giving her what she wanted. He continued leaning back in his comfortable seat, resting with his eyes closed.
He certainly did not mind teasing Hu Liena and enjoying the sight of her puffed-up, sulky face. Most importantly, Yan was sitting right behind him, which gave him a somewhat twisted sense of pleasure.
Now Tian Chen understood why some heretics liked NTR so much. This feeling was more than a little satisfying.
However, Tian Chen and Hu Liena's stalemate did not last long before Li Yuan walked in, holding a thick stack of registration forms in one hand.
Seeing Tian Chen sitting beside Hu Liena, Li Yuan nodded with a broad smile, unsurprised to find him here.
As someone belonging to the Second Worship's faction, he naturally paid more attention to Tian Chen. Last night, one of his subordinates had already told him everything that had happened during Tian Chen's Soul Fighting at the Soul Fighting Arena, including the fact that he had already broken through to Soul Grandmaster.
When he received the news, he had been shocked as well. But then he remembered that Tian Chen was the Second Worship's only grandson, and, recalling Tian Chen's use of a Soul Bone in the Soul Hunting Forest, he felt reassured.
His determination to cling tightly to Tian Chen's thigh grew even stronger. After all, his son Li Kai had obtained an actual Soul Bone thanks to Tian Chen.
After entering the classroom and noticing that he had everyone's attention, Li Yuan stopped keeping them in suspense and handed the registration forms to the students in the front row to pass around.
Bracing both hands on the lectern and leaning forward slightly, he spoke at an unhurried pace.
"I believe you should have already guessed what this form is for."
"Just as you thought, the form in your hands is the registration form for this year's year-end tournament."
"The year-end tournament has always followed the principle of voluntary participation. Those who wish to participate only need to write down their Martial Soul and Soul Power Level, sign the form, and hand it in. Those who do not wish to participate need not submit it."
"You now have five minutes to consider. Once you've handed in your forms, class is dismissed. For the coming period, the junior classes will have no further lessons. You can focus on cultivating to prepare for the year-end tournament a month from now."
"Remember, this tournament will serve as an important reference for your future promotion to the intermediate classes."
Only after the entire class had listened carefully to Li Yuan's instructions did they all lower their heads to fill out their forms.
The students who could enter Spirit Hall Academy had Martial Souls and talents that were at least above average.
Proud and ambitious, they did not think they were inferior to anyone. Of course, that excluded a top genius like Tian Chen.
The result was just as Li Yuan had expected: not a single person in the class declined to participate in the year-end tournament.
After collecting the registration forms, Li Yuan specifically set Tian Chen's, Yan's, and Xie Yue's forms together in a separate pile.
Since all three had already broken through to level twenty, they would participate in the intermediate classes' year-end tournament, unlike the other students in their class. In other words, Tian Chen and the other two were already qualified to advance to the intermediate classes.
Putting away the registration forms, Li Yuan said nothing more. He simply announced that they were free to do as they pleased and left the classroom.
He had already said everything he needed to say. A Soul Master's cultivation had always depended on their own efforts; other people's prodding would not do much good.
Watching Li Yuan's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Tian Chen shook his head helplessly.
He had not expected to go straight on vacation upon returning to the academy without attending a single lesson.
But since he was already at the academy, he had no intention of going home now. After all, the academy had ready-made Mimicry Training Grounds for its students to cultivate in.
"Hey, Hu Liena, Li Kai and I are planning to cultivate at the Mimicry Training Ground all morning, then get something to eat. Want to come along?"
Tian Chen glanced at Hu Liena, who was still sulking beside him, and decided to make a polite offer for appearances' sake, which would also ease some of his guilt toward her.
What Tian Chen never expected, however, was that Hu Liena would actually answer, "Mm."
He had not misheard. It really was "Mm."
Just a flat-out "Mm."
Seriously, sir? I was only being polite!
But after seeing the expectant look on Hu Liena's face, Tian Chen found it difficult to refuse. He could only give a helpless acknowledgment and gesture for her to follow him.
Having received his affirmative reply, Hu Liena narrowed her large, clear eyes into slits, looking just like a little fox that had sneaked a bite of "chicken."
She first greeted Xie Yue behind her, then skipped along after Tian Chen.
As for Yan, she ignored him completely.
Over the past six months, the pressure Tian Chen put on him had driven Yan to simp far too aggressively, inevitably stirring disgust in Hu Liena, who had never felt much for him to begin with.
In Hu Liena's eyes, Yan was nothing more than an arrogant fool whose talent and strength fell short of others, yet who still thought highly of himself.
And with Tian Chen there for comparison, Hu Liena's impression of Yan had grown even worse during this time. By now, she practically treated him as air.
"Aah! Tian Chen, you bastard!"
Only after Tian Chen had taken Hu Liena completely out of the classroom did Yan clench his fists and pound his desk hard in impotent rage.
His body heaved violently, making it clear that his emotions were far from calm.
He had never been a good-tempered person. As for why he did not dare lose his temper in front of Tian Chen, that was a question for how Tian Chen had loosened his bones free of charge over the past six months.
Beside him, Xie Yue watched Yan's pathetic display, shook his head helplessly, and gave him a sympathetic look, silently thinking to himself.
Ah, compared to Yan, Tian Chen is still a better match for Nana...
I've revised this several times and am still not quite satisfied. I haven't revised the earlier chapters much, so please bear with me, bros. Once again, I'm asking for some recommendation votes.