Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Jun Yi was still meditating and cultivating his Soul Power when he heard the bedroom door open softly.
Jun Yi opened his eyes and saw that it was Zhu Zhuqing. She tiptoed out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
"Hey, morning." Jun Yi raised a hand to greet Zhu Zhuqing.
"Morning." Zhu Zhuqing likewise raised a hand in reply.
"Why are you up so early? It's only just getting light."
"I wanted to cultivate for a while. Rongrong is sleeping, and I didn't want to disturb her," Zhu Zhuqing replied.
"You really are diligent, Miss Zhuqing. I'll give you the sofa, then."
With that, Jun Yi was about to stand up from the sofa, but Zhu Zhuqing stopped him.
"There's no need, Brother Jun Yi. I can just sit on the floor to cultivate. You don't have to go to the trouble," Zhu Zhuqing said, hurriedly waving her hands.
"It's fine. I've been cultivating all night anyway, and I was planning to take a walk outside and familiarize myself with the routes. You can cultivate on the sofa for a while. Once Rongrong wakes up, how about we go register at Shrek Academy together?"
"Thank you, Brother Jun Yi," Zhu Zhuqing said gratefully.
"I'll head out, then."
Jun Yi waved and left the room. He walked out of the hotel onto the street. Though dawn had only just broken, the roadside stalls were already set up, selling all sorts of goods. There were also breakfast shops, with vendors calling out their wares. The street brimmed with the bustle of everyday life. For a moment, the atmosphere even made Jun Yi feel as though he had returned to Blue Star and was strolling through a morning market, so lively and so familiar.
But this was not Blue Star, after all. Though many things were similar, it was ultimately different. Jun Yi walked among the crowds, familiarizing himself with the routes around Suotuo City.
Although Suotuo City was called a city, it was not actually very large, nor were its roads complicated. Most were broad, straight roads, without any winding, twisting routes. Jun Yi bought a map from a vendor, then spent only about an hour familiarizing himself with every route in Suotuo City before returning to the Rose Hotel.
When Jun Yi returned to the hotel, Ning Rongrong had already gotten up,
and was sitting on the sofa meditating and cultivating, just like Zhu Zhuqing.
Jun Yi looked over and saw that Ning Rongrong had changed into a plain blue outfit, her hair tied in a high ponytail. She looked very neat and brisk, without the slightest sloppiness.
"Hey, are you two hungry? I brought you something to eat." Jun Yi lifted the bags in his hands in greeting.
"What did you bring?" Ning Rongrong immediately opened her eyes and appeared beside Jun Yi in an instant, her speed absurdly fast.
"There wasn't much else this early in the morning. Just meat buns and eggs."
"Oh, then I won't have any." Ning Rongrong instantly lost interest, turned away, and sat back down on the sofa to continue cultivating.
"I figured you wouldn't eat them. Save some room, then. Once we've registered, we'll come back to Suotuo City for a good meal," Jun Yi said with a shrug.
"If you're paying, I'm coming!" Ning Rongrong declared haughtily.
"Then don't come."
"You-you little study attendant! You dare refuse your young lady now! Zhuqing, tell me, how should I punish him?"
Ning Rongrong immediately pointed at Jun Yi, putting on an aggrieved expression.
"Well..." Watching the two of them so plainly flirting, Zhu Zhuqing, as an outsider, did not really know what to say.
"Here, Miss Zhuqing. This is for you."
With that, Jun Yi handed Zhu Zhuqing the bag in his left hand.
"Th-thank you," Zhu Zhuqing thanked him quietly, accepting the bag. Then she opened it, picked up a bun, and began eating.
"These buns taste pretty good."
Zhu Zhuqing took a few small bites of the bun and found that it really did taste very good, quite a bit better than the buns she had eaten before.
"Really, Zhuqing?" Ning Rongrong looked curiously at Zhu Zhuqing. Seeing her nod, Ning Rongrong walked up to Jun Yi, held out her left hand, and asked, "Where's mine?"
"Didn't you say you weren't eating?"
"I want some now."
"None left. All eaten."
"Who are you trying to fool? That bag is clearly full!"
"Oh, these are for feeding cats. Want some?"
"Meow~"
Jun Yi's expression was quite something. He had not expected Ning Rongrong to actually meow for the sake of some buns. She was simply far too adorable like this.
"Hmph, you rotten Jun Yi. Can you give them to me now?"
Jun Yi smiled and handed the bag to Ning Rongrong. Then he picked up two other buns and began munching on them himself.
"Mmm, they really are good. By the way, Jun Yi, do you know exactly where Shrek Academy is?"
Ning Rongrong asked as she chewed the delicious food in her mouth.
"Yes. Once we've finished eating, we'll check out and go register at Shrek Academy," Jun Yi said with a nod.
"Mm, all right."
After breakfast, Jun Yi, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong checked out and left the hotel, ready to register at the academy. Partway there, Jun Yi suddenly stopped.
"What is it, Jun Yi? Why did you suddenly stop? Don't tell me you're lost?" Ning Rongrong asked curiously.
Jun Yi shook his head and pointed at a shop beside them. "I just remembered there are still a few things I need to buy. We might as well see if this shop has them."
Ning Rongrong looked up curiously. Carved into the sign was a circular emblem bearing several special symbols: a sword, a hammer, and a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
"Isn't that the emblem on a Martial Soul Token? Could this be a shop run by Spirit Hall?" Ning Rongrong asked curiously.
"Let's go inside first."
Jun Yi walked straight into the shop, with Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing close behind. The shop's door was open, and the interior looked somewhat dim. As the three entered, a peculiar energy fluctuation immediately caught Jun Yi's and Ning Rongrong's attention.
"Hmm? There are actually Soul Tools here?"
Ning Rongrong had encountered at least eighty Soul Tools in her daily life, if not a hundred. This energy was essentially no different from that of the Soul Tools Jun Yi made.
Some items hung on three of the shop's walls. They all looked very old and did not seem valuable in the slightest.
A middle-aged man sat in a wooden reclining chair, his eyes closed as he rocked along with it. The chair creaked beneath his weight.
He wore a pair of black-framed crystal glasses. The frames were rigid squares, giving him an odd look no matter how one looked at him.
He was none other than Flender, the Flying Horn of the Golden Iron Triangle and the dean of Shrek Academy.
"This place is far too shabby. Jun Yi, are you sure you want to buy something here?" Ning Rongrong was thoroughly puzzled. What could a little shop like this possibly have? Besides, looking at the jumble of things here, they probably could not fetch much of a price, could they?
Jun Yi did not answer. He walked over to the wall, his gaze falling on a crystal the size of a human head.
The crystal looked unremarkable. It was transparent, but large patches of dark yellow impurities filled its interior. It hung in the spot closest to the door.
System, is the stuff inside this crystal Plate Crystal?
"Yes," the system replied.
Jun Yi took down the crystal and examined it curiously, murmuring inwardly, To think I'd really happen to come across it. It looks like Tang San hasn't been here yet. In that case, this thing is mine.
Jun Yi carried the crystal over to Flender and asked, "Shopkeeper, how much for this crystal?"
"Not expensive. One hundred Gold Soul Coins."
"A hundred Gold Soul Coins for this lousy crystal? Are you trying to swindle a fool?"
Hearing the middle-aged man before her demand such an exorbitant price, Ning Rongrong puffed out her cheeks in anger and glared at Flender.
Flender still showed no reaction, as though he had not heard her at all.
"Shopkeeper, do you accept trades? I'll trade you this Soul Tool for it."
With that, Jun Yi opened his palm, and a round badge appeared.
"Hmm? What kind of Soul Tool is this?" Flender took an interest and rose from his reclining chair.
"A defensive Soul Tool."
Jun Yi poured Soul Power into it. The badge shone with white light, then formed a spherical protective barrier around him, covering a full three-meter radius...
(End of chapter)