The slight breathlessness from the morning spar had yet to fully subside when the mingled smells of food in the cafeteria hit him.
Ling Feng followed the crowd into Nuoding Academy's cafeteria.
Noisy, crowded.
The working students and noble students naturally divided into two groups, separated by an invisible line.
Wang Sheng and several other working students sat at a table in the corner, watery breakfasts before them, gazing longingly at the meat and eggs on the noble students' trays.
Ling Feng got a simple meal and sat down at their table.
"Brother Feng."
"Brother Feng's here."
Wang Sheng and the others hurried to greet him, awe in their eyes.
Ever since that day's Martial Soul Awakening ceremony, Ling Feng's standing among the working students had changed completely.
Ling Feng nodded and picked up his spoon.
He silently said to himself, System, check in at the cafeteria.
[Ding! Host detected at a new location: Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy cafeteria. Check in?]
Yes.
[Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations, host! Reward received: basic physique enhancement!]
A warm current instantly surged throughout his body!
It was like soaking in warm water, every cell brimming with a lively sense of comfort.
His muscle fibers seemed to have been combed by invisible hands, becoming tougher and more compact.
His bones itched faintly, their density seemingly increasing without a sound.
His internal organs were warm as well, brimming with vitality.
His physical fatigue was swept away, replaced by a feeling of being light enough to fly and full of vigor.
Strength!
A palpable sense of strength surged through every limb and bone.
Ling Feng instinctively clenched his fists, his knuckles giving faint cracks.
What a powerful effect!
The system's rewards really delivered!
Delighted inwardly, he showed nothing on his face and continued eating with his head lowered.
I need to finish quickly and head back to properly experience the changes this physique enhancement brought.
"Tsk, is pig swill like this all working students deserve to eat?"
A grating voice sounded beside them, laden with undisguised contempt.
Several lavishly dressed senior students sauntered over. Their leader had triangular eyes and stood with his arms folded, looking sidelong at Ling Feng's table.
Wang Sheng and the others stiffened and lowered their heads, angry but afraid to speak.
Ling Feng did not even lift his eyelids, continuing to drink his porridge.
Squabbling with small fry like this would be beneath me.
With the check-in reward secured, I'm in a good mood.
Ignored by everyone, the triangular-eyed student felt he was losing face. Ling Feng's calm demeanor in particular only made him angrier.
Just a working student. What's he acting so high and mighty for?
He stepped forward and deliberately bumped the table with his arm.
Clatter!
The table lurched.
More than half the already watery vegetable soup in front of Wang Sheng spilled out, splashing all over him.
"Oh! So sorry!" the triangular-eyed student cried theatrically, yet his face wore a thoroughly malicious grin. "My hand slipped."
The lackeys behind him immediately burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"Poor bastard, now you don't even get soup!"
Wang Sheng's face flushed crimson with anger. He shot to his feet, fists clenched tight, his whole body trembling.
But he did not dare strike.
The other boy was a noble student, and his Soul Power level was higher than Wang Sheng's.
The other working students were angry and frightened as well, keeping their heads down, not daring to look directly at him.
"What? Want to fight?" The triangular-eyed student sneered, jabbing a finger into Wang Sheng's chest. "You useless working student. Just try laying a finger on me! Believe me, I can make sure there's no place for you at Nuoding Academy!"
He was arrogant to the extreme.
He did not think anything of the working students in the corner.
Ling Feng put down his spoon.
He had just finished the porridge in his bowl.
He took out a rough paper napkin and leisurely wiped his mouth.
Then he raised his head, looking calmly at the triangular-eyed student.
"You're too noisy."
His voice was not loud, yet it struck the clamor like a chunk of ice, abruptly silencing the laughter around them.
The triangular-eyed student froze, not expecting this working student, silent until now, to dare speak.
He turned toward Ling Feng, met those calm, unruffled eyes, and felt an inexplicable jolt in his heart.
But then he grew even angrier.
"What did you say? Brat, don't think having innate full Soul Power makes you special! Without a Soul Ring, you're still trash!" the triangular-eyed student roared, fierce on the outside but weak within, trying to cover that instant of unease with sheer volume.
Ling Feng stood up.
After the basic physique enhancement, he seemed to stand a little straighter. Though still thin, he faintly exuded a lean, formidable presence.
He walked up to the triangular-eyed student.
They were about the same height, but Ling Feng's gaze held an aloof indifference, as though looking down from above.
"Wipe the table clean." Ling Feng pointed at the spilled soup. "Apologize to him."
His tone was level, yet carried an unquestionable command.
The cafeteria instantly fell silent.
Every gaze focused on them.
The working students watched nervously.
The noble students wore expressions of anticipation for a good show.
The triangular-eyed student nearly laughed in anger.
"You want me to apologize? To you? To these poor bastards?" He pointed at Ling Feng's nose, spittle nearly spraying Ling Feng's face. "Who the hell do you think you are? I'm not wiping it! Not only am I not wiping it..."
As he spoke, he actually raised his foot, about to crush Wang Sheng's battered wooden bowl, which had been knocked to the floor!
The gesture was full of humiliation!
The instant his foot rose!
Ling Feng moved!
There was no fluctuation of Soul Power!
Only the simplest, most direct punch!
His right fist tore through the air like a cannonball leaving the barrel. Carrying the terrifying explosive force of his basic physique enhancement, it moved second yet arrived first, slamming precisely into the outside of the triangular-eyed student's raised thigh!
Thud!
The muffled impact hurt just to hear!
"Aaagh!"
The triangular-eyed student let out a piercing scream. His thigh felt as though it had been struck hard with an iron hammer, his bone about to split!
He instantly lost his balance. His raised leg could not come down at all, and his supporting leg buckled. He fell sideways with a thump and curled up in agony, clutching his thigh, tears and snot streaming together.
An instant defeat!
An utterly instant defeat!
No one had even clearly seen how Ling Feng struck!
Fast! Precise! Ruthless!
The entire cafeteria was silent as a flock of crows and sparrows struck dumb.
A falling pin could have been heard.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the boy standing there, slowly withdrawing his fist.
His face remained nearly expressionless, as though he had merely swatted away a fly.
Wang Sheng and the working students gaped, their eyes filled with shock and wild delight!
So strong!
Brother Feng was so strong!
He had not even used his Martial Soul! He had not used Soul Power! One punch had taken down a senior noble student!
The lackeys who had been laughing turned pale with fright and backed away repeatedly, staring at Ling Feng as if they had seen a ghost.
Was this guy... a monster?
Ling Feng flicked his wrist, feeling the force fed back from that punch.
The physique enhancement had a pronounced effect.
He was very satisfied.
He lowered his head toward the triangular-eyed student howling on the floor, his voice still level. "Now, can you wipe it? Can you apologize?"
The triangular-eyed student grimaced in pain. Meeting Ling Feng's icy eyes, he shuddered all over. His arrogance was instantly extinguished, leaving only fear.
"I'll wipe... I'll wipe it... apologize... I'll apologize..." Enduring the intense pain, he scrambled up on hands and feet, grabbed his own sleeve, and wiped the soup from the table. Then he bowed repeatedly to Wang Sheng. "S-sorry... I was wrong..."
He was a wretched sight, all face lost.
Ling Feng stopped looking at him and swept his gaze over the lackeys, who were as silent as cicadas in winter.
They shuddered in fright and nearly collapsed to the floor.
"Get him out of here. He's an eyesore."
"Yes, yes, yes!"
As though granted a grand pardon, they hurriedly supported the still-groaning triangular-eyed student and fled the cafeteria with their tails between their legs, not daring to look back.
The cafeteria was quiet for a moment.
Then subdued cheers and excited whispers erupted among the working students.
Every gaze they directed at Ling Feng was filled with admiration and gratitude.
Ling Feng nodded to Wang Sheng, turned, and headed out of the cafeteria.
Wherever he passed, working students and noble students alike instinctively cleared a path, watching him with complicated looks.
Awe, surprise, wariness...
Ling Feng was utterly unaware, or rather, he did not care at all.
All he wanted now was to find somewhere quiet and properly familiarize himself with his enhanced body.
As he reached the cafeteria entrance, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye.
The plump cafeteria manager, who had been hiding behind the serving window all along, was hastily putting down his ladle and wiping his hands. He slipped out through the cafeteria's back door, seemingly heading toward... the disciplinary office?
Ling Feng did not stop walking. An almost imperceptible curve lifted the corner of his mouth.
Meanwhile, in another corner at the far end of the cafeteria.
Xiao Chenyu and the lackeys beside him wore expressions so dark they could almost drip water.
They had watched the entire confrontation.
"Useless!" Xiao Chenyu cursed under his breath, though it was unclear whether he meant the triangular-eyed student or someone else.
He stared at Ling Feng's back as it disappeared through the doorway, the venom in his eyes almost taking solid form.
His fists clenched hard, nails digging into his palms.
"Ling Feng... just you wait..."