"Benefactor, isn't this a bit too expensive?" Jiang Nannan looked at the lavish spread of food on the tray, finding it difficult to even take a bite.
The cost was simply too exorbitant. This single meal had cost a staggering forty gold soul coins.
"It's just some soul beast meat. Compared to increasing one's cultivation speed, it's nothing. Eat to your heart's content. Once that Young Master Xu from the Xuanming Sect settles his debt, we'll have enough to eat like this for half a year."
Feng Piaoling wasn't quite used to eating while standing. It was one thing for the Shrek dining hall to have no tables, but they didn't even provide stools, nor did they allow students to take food out of the hall.
They claimed it was a form of "tempered training" for the students.
Feng Piaoling muttered inwardly, wondering if they were truly being frugal or if there was some other reason. It seemed he would have to prepare his own set of tables and chairs next time.
"If Xu Sanshi knew you were using him as an ATM, he'd probably be fuming on the spot."
Jiang Nannan gave a radiant smile and finally began to enjoy the rare delicacies, her heart feeling sweet.
She hadn't expected that by simply using the excuse of asking for cultivation advice to get closer to him, she would be invited along by Feng Piaoling as he headed to the dining hall.
If it had been Xu Sanshi inviting her, she wouldn't have spared him a single glance.
But her benefactor—her "White Moonlight" and the man in her heart—inviting her was a different matter entirely.
The meal finished quickly.
During the meal, Jiang Nannan did indeed ask Feng Piaoling several questions regarding cultivation.
Out of his good impression of the girl, Feng Piaoling did not hold back and offered his guidance. Before an expert in soul power control like him, the areas Jiang Nannan previously found obscure—such as how to release soul skills faster, how to increase the efficiency of soul power absorption during meditation, or where her physical techniques were lacking—were all addressed.
Feng Piaoling pointed out corrections one by one based on her combat style and meditation methods.
Jiang Nannan benefited immensely.
Naturally, Feng Piaoling wasn't helping her for nothing. He needed her to act as a sparring partner to help him perfect his "Shadow Clone" technique, specifically targeting her third soul skill: Teleportation.
If he could use his Heaven-Reaching Demon Eye to observe and analyze the fundamental principles of teleportation and integrate them into his Shadow Clone technique, it would significantly boost the speed and evasion capabilities of his movement art.
Just as they placed their trays in the designated area and prepared to leave, a familiar, crisp voice caught their attention.
"What happened, Little Yuhao? How did you get beaten like this? Who was it? Who dares to bully someone from our Tang Sect? Tell me, and Bei Bei and I will get justice for you."
"Teacher Xiao Ya, I'm fine. I'll handle this matter myself."
Feng Piaoling and Jiang Nannan looked over simultaneously to see Huo Yuhao standing before Tang Ya and Bei Bei, looking pitiful. His eyes were bloodshot, and tears welled within them.
A night had passed, and under the restoration of soul power, most of the swelling had subsided, but one of his eyes remained so bruised it could barely open. His face was a patchwork of blue and purple—a truly miserable sight.
"Looks like that brat got thrashed pretty hard by Dai Huabin..." Seeing Huo Yuhao's appearance, a hint of an uncharitable smile played at the corners of Feng Piaoling's mouth.
"That looks like the special recruitment student Xiao Ya brought in yesterday. Why is he beaten so badly? Did he have a conflict with a roommate?"
At Shrek Academy, fighting was prohibited everywhere except the Soul Fighting Arena.
However, there was one exception: the dormitories.
Usually, as long as no lives were lost, the academy would turn a blind eye to fights between roommates. In fact, some teachers even encouraged such friction.
"Likely so. However, his act of playing the victim is becoming increasingly refined," Feng Piaoling remarked.
"Playing the victim?" Jiang Nannan was startled.
Feng Piaoling nodded and didn't hide the truth. He recounted how, while traveling to the Great Star Dou Forest to hunt for a soul ring, he had passed by the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and learned of Huo Yuhao's past from the gossiping servants. Feeling pity, he had helped the boy when they met on the road.
He then explained how Huo Yuhao, after joining the Tang Sect, had immediately severed ties with him.
He told the story "exactly as it happened."
After hearing his words, Jiang Nannan immediately felt indignant on Feng Piaoling's behalf. "Hmph, as expected, nothing good comes out of that White Tiger Duke's Mansion. That Dai Huabin is like that, and so is this Huo Yuhao."
"He was the one who insisted on absorbing a ten-year Wind Baboon soul ring. You even kindly tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. And then, once he joined the Tang Sect and thought he had a backer, he bit the hand that fed him. He's nothing but a despicable person. He deserves whatever beating he gets."
As someone who had also received help from Feng Piaoling, Jiang Nannan was profoundly grateful; she would even die for him if asked.
But Huo Yuhao had acted like an ungrateful wolf.
At that moment, the pity Jiang Nannan had felt for the beaten boy vanished, replaced by a peak level of disgust that could never be repaired.
"It doesn't matter. I never expected anything in return when I helped him. Since he chose this path, let him walk it. Besides, I didn't lose anything." On the contrary, he had gained the massive windfall of Electrolux's assistance.
They say a woman in love has zero IQ. Hearing Feng Piaoling speak so magnanimously only made Jiang Nannan dislike Huo Yuhao more while her admiration for Feng Piaoling soared.
Only her benefactor could possess such a broad and forgiving heart.
"Alright, let's go. There's nothing left to see." Feng Piaoling had no interest in watching Huo Yuhao's nauseatingly pitiful display.
He led Jiang Nannan out of the dining hall. As they passed Tang Ya, the latter tried to greet Jiang Nannan, but Jiang Nannan—likely because Tang Ya had invited someone like Huo Yuhao into the Tang Sect—intentionally ignored her and walked past.
"Strange, what's wrong with Nannan today? Did she eat gunpowder? I don't remember doing anything to upset her." Tang Ya was bewildered.
Bei Bei, standing beside her, said, "It's likely because of Feng Piaoling. Xiao Ya, surely you've noticed that Jiang Nannan's feelings for him aren't just limited to gratitude."
Tang Ya sighed softly, watching the retreating backs of Jiang Nannan and Feng Piaoling with a pensive look.
Then, a thought struck her, and she turned her wide eyes toward Huo Yuhao with a strange expression. "You weren't beaten like this by Feng Piaoling, were you?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "It wasn't him..."
Just as he finished setting the stage for his victim act and was about to name the culprit, Tang Ya breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good. Although that guy is quite unpleasant, I have to admit he's incredibly strong. Yesterday, that brat from the White Tiger Duke's Mansion—your half-brother, Dai Huabin—fought him in a duel. He didn't even last one round before he was defeated. If the referee hadn't stepped in, he'd be dead right now."
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