Lan Lingmeng blinked, a lively light sparkling in her eyes. "I've long heard of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Soul Masters from your clan have always possessed extraordinary strength. I'm especially interested in powerful Soul Masters, and I'd like to be friends with you."
"Would you be willing?"
The corners of Yu Tianheng's mouth rose slightly, revealing a faint smile. "It's an honor to have caught your favor, Senior Sister Lan. In that case, I hope you'll look after me from now on."
Lan Lingmeng covered her mouth and chuckled. "There's no need to be so formal. I might even have to ask Young Clan Leader Yu for advice on Martial Soul cultivation someday." The two chatted happily, paying no attention to the others present. Warm sunlight fell over them, painting a lovely picture.
"Junior Brother Tian Heng, I hope you don't mind me calling you that. You've only just arrived and aren't familiar with Heaven Dou Royal Academy yet. If possible, I'd be happy to show you around this afternoon. Would you have time?" Lan Lingmeng asked.
Yu Tianheng thought for a moment, then answered without hesitation, "Sorry, I'm not free. Perhaps another day."
Lan Lingmeng was stunned by Yu Tianheng's sudden rejection. She had thought that, upon receiving her invitation, Yu Tianheng would be overjoyed and immediately accept.
She had never expected him to reject her outright. It caught everyone present by surprise, Lan Lingmeng included.
Lan Lingmeng didn't press the matter, though. "Since you have something to do, Junior Brother Tian Heng, we can talk another day."
With that, Lan Lingmeng left without making a fuss, showing no disappointment.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with the others, Yu Tianheng left the classroom as well.
At noon, it was time to eat.
Fortunately, Heaven Dou Royal Academy had a dedicated place to provide food for its students, so they didn't need to buy it outside.
Yu Tianheng followed the crowd into Heaven Dou Royal Academy's noble dining hall. The moment he stepped inside, he felt as though he had entered a luxurious palace.
The ceiling was an enormous dome pieced together from colored glass. In the sunlight, it refracted a dazzling array of colors, as if bringing the beauty of the sky indoors.
Exquisite oil paintings hung on the walls, depicting legendary tales of the Douluo Continent and scenes from the lives of nobles, their brushwork delicate and their colors vivid.
The floor was paved with smooth marble, polished to a mirror shine. Every slab had a unique pattern, and they fit together without a seam. The tables and chairs were all made of precious mahogany, carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes, displaying their splendor. Each table held a set of exquisite tableware, with silver knives and forks gleaming coldly beside crystal-clear goblets.
Countless serving tables stood around the dining hall, laden with a dazzling assortment of delicacies. Rare Soul Beast meat from the Far North had been carefully prepared and gave off a tantalizing aroma; fresh seafood from the southern seas was served with distinctive sauces that made the mouth water. There were also all sorts of exquisite pastries, shaped like works of art and decorated with sparkling icing and jewel-like fruit.
Attendants in neat uniforms moved among the tables, smiling and carrying themselves with elegance, ready at any moment to serve the noble students. The air was filled with the aroma of fine food and the quiet conversation of nobles.
Yu Tianheng clicked his tongue at the sight and thought, It really is a noble academy. Even the dining hall is this extravagant. Someone who didn't know better might think it was the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial kitchen.
Besides the dining hall's luxurious decor, the food on sale was expensive too. Even the cheapest dishes cost one or two Gold Soul Coins, and a better meal would cost at least ten.
On the Douluo Continent, the currency in circulation was called soul coins. There were only three denominations, from highest to lowest: Gold Soul Coins, Silver Soul Coins, and Copper Soul Coins. Each denomination was worth ten times the next, so one Gold Soul Coin was equal to ten Silver Soul Coins, or a hundred Copper Soul Coins.
A single Gold Soul Coin was enough to cover several months of expenses for an ordinary family of three.
In other words, one meal at Heaven Dou Royal Academy cost almost as much as an ordinary family spent in half a year.
Now he finally understood why the academy accepted only children of noble families. Anyone else wouldn't even be able to afford food.
Fortunately, Yu Tianheng had money. After learning that Yu Tianheng planned to study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, his father, Yu Xiaolong, had waved his hand and given him a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins for living expenses.
After spending eight Gold Soul Coins on a meal, Yu Tianheng glanced around and spotted Song Guan eating nearby. He carried his tray over and sat down opposite him.
"Are you free? I wanted to ask you something."
Song Guan was wolfing down his food. When someone came to bother him at a time like this, he was about to look up and curse at them, but he saw that it was Yu Tianheng and hurriedly swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
Although he was a noble and his father was a marquis with real power in the Heaven Dou Empire, he couldn't compare to Yu Tianheng, a person whom even Lan Lingmeng had taken the initiative to befriend.
But he didn't know what Yu Tianheng was thinking. Yu Tianheng had actually turned her down and come to ask him questions instead.
This left Song Guan quite puzzled.
Still, Song Guan didn't want to pass up a chance to befriend him, so he smiled and said:
"Brother Tian Heng, it's you. Ask whatever you like. I know quite a lot about Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
Yu Tianheng nodded and asked, "What's the story with Lan Lingmeng? Is she famous at the academy?"
Song Guan looked at Yu Tianheng as though he were an idiot. "You don't even know her?"
"Obviously. It's my first time at the academy. How would I know her?"
"Speaking of which, when Lan Lingmeng shook my hand and struck up a conversation with me, the male students around us looked like they wanted to eat me alive."
"That's why I turned down her invitation. I wanted to find out more about her first," Yu Tianheng said.
Song Guan picked up his cup of juice and took a sip, then pointed at Yu Tianheng. "You made the right choice. If you'd actually accepted, you'd have had a hard time at the academy from then on."
"Why do you say that?" Yu Tianheng asked, puzzled.
"Let me tell you, Lan Lingmeng comes from the Linyin Duke's Mansion, a long-established noble power in the Heaven Dou Empire. Her father, Lan Lingxiao, is the current Grand Duke Lingyue. His cultivation isn't particularly strong, but he's a figure who inspires awe. With his outstanding political wisdom and keen insight, he's resolved crises for the empire many times and is deeply relied upon and trusted by Emperor Xue Ye. He holds a pivotal position in the empire, and Lan Lingmeng is his only daughter, showered with affection since childhood."
"Besides her unparalleled looks, Lan Lingmeng is also extremely gifted at Martial Soul cultivation. Her Martial Soul is the Ice Staff, a Tool Martial Soul with the ability to control ice and snow. She's only seventeen, but her Soul Power Level has already reached level 37. Even at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, that puts her among the best. All three education committee members pay her considerable attention."