A small group quickly gathered around Lin Feng.
"Yeah, Lin Feng, what took you so long?"
"Classes started two or three days ago already!"
"We were starting to think something happened to you."
Shi Mo looked at Lin Feng with a mixture of excitement and frustration in his eyes.
"Something came up at home and delayed me a bit."
"Sorry for worrying you all."
Lin Feng scratched his head, offering a lighthearted apology.
"Yan'er, Lingling, Shi Mo—long time no see!"
He waved to the three behind him with a smile.
"Yeah, it's been a while, Lin Feng!"
Shi Mo responded with his usual warm, silly grin.
"Hmph! Would've been better if we didn't see you again!"
"You couldn't even send word when something came up at home? We were worried sick."
Dugu Yan pouted, clearly unsatisfied with Lin Feng's answer.
Ye Lingling, on the other hand, smiled gently and looked at him with soft eyes.
"It's fine. You're here now."
"We were just heading to the cafeteria. Come with us!"
Along the way, they attracted plenty of attention.
"Hey, aren't those the ones everyone's been talking about the past couple of days?"
"Yeah, see that girl with the bright blue eyes? She just enrolled and is already in the Heaven Dou class… became the vice-representative."
"Aren't those the Shi brothers from the Reaching Heaven class? I heard the two of them can use a Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Shi Mo's now the class leader of Reaching Heaven Class 1. Who's the guy in the middle?"
"Ye Lingling, right? She's got the strongest healing martial soul—Nine-Hearted Begonia."
"I heard they've been waiting for someone. That must be him."
"He's good-looking, sure… but doesn't look particularly strong."
"Quick, go tell Boss Tianheng."
In the distance, two students ducked out of view after spotting the group, rushing off discreetly.
Lin Feng noticed the murmuring glances along the way and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
What the hell did they get up to these past few days?
Whatever—food comes first.
---
Academy Training Hall.
Yu Tianheng sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.
"Boss, the guy you've been looking for is here."
A sycophantic lackey grinned at him.
"The guy I'm looking for? Be specific."
Yu Tianheng asked calmly.
"You know… the one Dugu Yan's been waiting for all this time."
"I just saw her walking arm in arm with some guy, laughing and talking."
Yu Tianheng's brows twitched slightly, but the rest of his face remained emotionless.
"Take me there."
He opened his eyes slowly.
He needed to see what kind of man could make Dugu Yan reject his pursuit.
---
Academy Cafeteria.
Everyone had just finished grabbing their meals.
"Shi Mo, why were so many people staring at you guys on the way here?"
Lin Feng finally asked.
"Brother Lin, you don't know?"
"Dugu Yan just enrolled into the Heaven Dou class and already became a campus celebrity."
"Not only was she selected for the Heaven Dou Academy preparatory team, she also became vice class leader of your Heaven Dou Class 1."
Shi Mo glanced teasingly at Dugu Yan, who was sitting beside Lin Feng.
"Don't just talk about me. You two are no slouches either."
"Everyone knows class leader roles here are earned through strength."
"At first, some people didn't accept Shi Mo becoming the Reaching Heaven class leader. They even asked a senior from the Heaven Dou class to stir up trouble for the Shi brothers."
"But after they used their Martial Soul Fusion, not only did they defeat a Soul Elder, but they shut up every last skeptic."
"And even Lingling—her Nine-Hearted Begonia is the top-tier healing martial soul. Every team in the academy's been trying to recruit her."
Dugu Yan continued the story with pride.
"Hahaha! I missed all that? Sounds like you've been busy!"
"Congrats to all of you, really."
Lin Feng smiled and congratulated them sincerely.
Back at the junior academy, he had once upgraded Shi Mo's Martial Soul Fusion to a green-tier trait. Now, the Shi brothers' potential far exceeded what they had in the original canon.
"Lin Feng, did you know someone's been trying to pursue Dugu Yan?"
Shi Mo leaned in and whispered with mock secrecy.
"Oh please, that annoying guy again? Why bring him up?"
Dugu Yan glared at Shi Mo, clearly irritated.
"What? Someone dares challenge me for Yan'er? She is quite charming after all."
Lin Feng smirked, then casually wrapped an arm around Dugu Yan's shoulders and gently pinched her cheek.
Ye Lingling's jealous hand tugged at his sleeve.
"Hmph! I never said I agreed to date you!"
Dugu Yan's earlobes flushed crimson. Her entire body began heating up as she shyly lowered her gaze and muttered in embarrassment.
At that moment, Shi Mo pointed toward the entrance.
"Hey, Lin Feng—speak of the devil."
"That's him."
A sturdy-looking teen stormed over, eyes filled with fury.
"Let go of Yan'er. I'm warning you."
Yu Tianheng's tone was sharp and confrontational.
Lin Feng sized him up.
Short, neat black hair. Long fingers. Not exactly handsome, but definitely stoic—he barely moved a muscle.
When others in the cafeteria heard the commotion, they immediately turned their eyes toward the group.
"Yu Tianheng, are you crazy? Yelling like that?"
"Get lost if you're not eating."
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes in visible annoyance the moment she saw him.
Yu Tianheng?
Lin Feng was surprised.
Isn't he supposed to be the future captain of the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team?
System, Trait Insight.
---
[Yu Tianheng]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 13]
[Innate Soul Power: Rank 8]
[Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon (Top-tier)]
[Soul Power: Rank 29]
Traits:
[Stunned Like a Statue] (White)
[Exceptional Talent] (Purple)
[Power of Lightning] (Green)
---
Lin Feng burst into laughter at the [Stunned Like a Statue] trait on Yu Tianheng's panel.
[Stunned Like a Statue] (White): You possess extraordinary emotional control and a poker face so blank you resemble a wooden chicken.
It described his expression perfectly—Yu Tianheng hadn't so much as flinched since arriving.
"Dugu Yan, you rejected me because of him?"
"What's so great about this guy? He just looks like a typical soul master."
"I'm from the main family of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Yu Tianheng forced down his anger and turned his attention to Lin Feng.
"Lin Feng's amazing in ways you wouldn't understand. Mind your own business."
Dugu Yan pouted, her tone filled with frustration and rejection.
"Lin Feng, huh?"
"In that case—dare to face me in a match?"
"Whoever wins deserves the right to pursue Miss Yan."
Yu Tianheng finally issued the challenge, his tone tinged with provocation.
He still couldn't sense Lin Feng's soul power clearly, but how strong could a new student really be?
He wasn't the type to gamble unless he was sure.
Lin Feng didn't immediately reply.
Instead, he calmly finished the last bite of food on his plate.
He was planning to beat this guy up anyway. How dare he try to get close to Dugu Yan?
-----
30 Advance Chapters on Patreon!
p(a)treon(.)com/HudaLin
-Remove the parenthesis to access patreon normally
Thanks for the Support!