"First-year Class Five wins!"
Long Hengxu's voice rang across the entire field, filled with excitement he could barely contain.
He stared fixedly at the boy calmly sheathing his sword in the center of the arena, his eyes nearly popping out.
Who could have imagined Lu Chen was this formidable?
This completely exceeded his expectations!
When he had sent Xie Xie to Class Five, he had intended for the boy to become the class's core and put some pressure on the other classes.
As for Lu Chen, although his Martial Soul looked good, his Soul Power rank was simply too low. Long Hengxu had always thought the boy's Martial Soul had an innate flaw and had never taken him seriously at all.
But now?
With one sword, Lu Chen had ended the battle single-handedly in three seconds, utterly crushing Class Four's four-person team!
Xie Xie and Gu Yue hadn't even had a chance to act!
As for Tang Wulin's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, he knew about that too. He reckoned Tang Wulin was only there to make up the numbers.
This Lu Chen was practically a hidden big shot!
At the edge of the arena, Xie Xie could no longer contain his excitement. He clapped Lu Chen on the shoulder, his face blooming into a grin. "Lu Chen! You're fucking awesome! Come on, let's go out and have some fun to celebrate!"
"Sure!" Lu Chen agreed at once, his eyes instantly lighting up. He rubbed his hands together expectantly. "But you've got to take me somewhere with good food. It has to be the most authentic food around Eastsea Academy!"
The corner of Xie Xie's mouth twitched. Looking at Lu Chen's foodie expression, he said speechlessly, "Brother Chen, apart from cultivating and forging, is food the only thing in that head of yours?"
"What? Is that a problem?" Lu Chen tilted his head, folded his arms, and raised an eyebrow, looking utterly justified.
"No! Of course not!" Xie Xie immediately put on a fawning smile and patted his chest in assurance. "Who is our Brother Lu? The badass who single-handedly took down Class Four! Never mind food-even if you want to book out the whole street, your brother here will go along with it!"
"If you're going out, count me in."
Just then, Gu Yue's voice cut in. A faint smile rested on her face, but her gaze remained fixed on Lu Chen.
Hearing this, Xie Xie immediately shook his head like a rattle drum, his face full of disdain. "Tch, we're men going out to have fun. No girls allowed!"
Gu Yue's pretty face darkened. With a cold snort, she ignored Xie Xie outright and turned her burning gaze on Lu Chen, her tone carrying a trace of unquestionable dominance. "Lu Chen, are you going with him or with me?"
Xie Xie and Gu Yue instantly squared off, their gazes colliding in midair as though sparks were flying.
Beside them, Tang Wulin opened his mouth, wanting to say something, only to find he couldn't get a word in at all.
More precisely, no one present had noticed his existence.
He was like an invisible person, completely ignored.
An intense sense of loss instantly welled up in Tang Wulin's heart.
He kept feeling that things shouldn't have been this way.
He felt he was supposed to be the center of attention, that Xie Xie would joke around with him and Gu Yue would talk to him.
But now Lu Chen had appeared, and everything had changed.
Lu Chen had stolen the teacher's attention, stolen his classmates' gazes, and even... stolen the glory that belonged to him.
It was as though Lu Chen had plundered all the light from his life.
Tang Wulin clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
He couldn't measure up to even a single finger of Lu Chen's and hadn't even had a chance to enter the arena. What could he change?
A deep sense of powerlessness instantly engulfed him.
Only then did Lu Chen seem to notice Tang Wulin standing neglected to one side. He immediately smiled and waved him over, his tone especially warm. "Wulin, skip the cafeteria today and come with us! Let's have Xie Xie, our local host, treat us to a proper feast!"
"Okay!" Tang Wulin's eyes instantly lit up. A grateful smile appeared on his face, and he quickly hurried over.
"All right, all right, let's all go together. The more the merrier!" Playing peacemaker, Lu Chen patted Xie Xie's shoulder and smiled at Gu Yue, smoothing over the awkwardness with a single sentence.
Xie Xie rolled his eyes dramatically, muttering, "Fine, fine. For Brother Lu's sake, I won't hold it against you today."
"Let's head back to the dorms and change first. We can't go out to eat in our uniforms. That'd feel too awkward," Lu Chen suggested.
The group walked back to the dorms together, talking and laughing. Xie Xie and Gu Yue traded barbs while Lu Chen occasionally chimed in, making for a lively atmosphere. Tang Wulin walked quietly beside them, not saying much, but he was no longer completely ignored as he had been before.
Every now and then, Lu Chen would deliberately pull him over, smiling as he asked what he wanted to eat or chatted with him about amusing moments during training. It warmed Tang Wulin's heart, and his sense of loss faded considerably.
Back at the dorms, Lu Chen and the other two quickly changed into casual clothes.
After changing, the three waited a little while for Tang Wulin at the school gates, then headed out, talking and laughing.
"Let's go! I'll take you to Eastsea Snack Street! This young master is treating today!" Xie Xie declared with soaring generosity, patting his chest.
"Now that sounds great!" Lu Chen slung an arm around Xie Xie's shoulders, smiling until his eyes narrowed into slits. "Then it's settled. Next time you need any metal forged, I'll do it for free. I guarantee I'll turn it into a top-quality thousand-refined piece!"
"Brother Lu, you're generous!" Xie Xie chuckled, his smile growing even brighter. "Don't worry, Brother Lu. I'll make sure you eat and drink your fill today, until you're too stuffed to walk!"
"Lu Brother Chen, I'm not eating on his money." Gu Yue suddenly snorted and rolled her eyes at Xie Xie, then turned to Lu Chen with a hint of playful expectation in her gaze. "How about you treat me?"
"Sure!" Lu Chen agreed without a second thought. Scratching his head, he gave an open, cheerful smile. "I happened to make a little money at the Blacksmith's Association a couple of days ago. Treating you to a good meal won't be a problem!"
"Then let's get going!" Gu Yue immediately beamed, and even her steps grew considerably lighter.
The four walked along, talking and laughing, for a full half hour before finally reaching the Eastsea Snack Street Xie Xie had mentioned.
The street wasn't particularly wide, with shops lining both sides and all kinds of snack stalls standing one after another. Rich aromas filled the air: the charred fragrance of grilled meat, the delicate fragrance of flour-based dishes, the sweet fragrance of desserts...
They intertwined, making anyone who smelled them unable to stop their mouth from watering.
Lu Chen's eyes instantly lit up. His foodie instincts were fully awakened, and even his steps quickened.
"Let's try that pot-braised beef place first!" Xie Xie pointed excitedly at a little shop not far away with a long queue outside. "Their beef is stewed until it's incredibly tender and melts in your mouth. With a bowl of white rice, it's simply unbeatable!"
"Let's go!" Without another word, Lu Chen followed close on Xie Xie's heels, his heart already blooming with joy.
He remembered this shop being mentioned in the original novel. Its food was second to none, and today he finally had a chance to try it!