Chapter 8 Hu Liena
The two spoke almost in unison. Yan and Xie Yue looked at Jiang Bai, their faces filled with surprise and even a hint of disbelief.
Yan’s dark red eyes widened as he sized Jiang Bai up from head to toe, as if he were reacquainting himself with this roommate who looked ordinary except for being somewhat handsome.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?! Is that... the world’s number one support Spirit? The Legacy Spirit of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Obvious ripples also stirred in Xie Yue’s calm eyes as his gaze fell upon Jiang Bai, filled with scrutiny and doubt.
Their reaction was as Jiang Bai expected.
The reputation of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was too great, and it belonged only to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; this was practically common knowledge in the continent’s Spirit Master’s world.
For someone with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit to appear at the Spirit Academy directly under Spirit Hall was extremely unusual in itself.
"That’s right, it’s that Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
Jiang Bai admitted frankly.
"But..."
Yan scratched his red hair, his face full of confusion.
"Isn’t the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda only held by members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? How could you... come to Spirit Academy?"
His question was blunt but without malice, driven purely by curiosity.
Although Xie Yue didn’t ask, his gaze was also locked on Jiang Bai, waiting for his answer.
Jiang Bai had long expected such a question.
Facing his two new roommates, a faint, somewhat complex smile appeared on his face as he explained calmly.
"I don’t know either. I only know I was born in a small village, and my mother passed away from illness last year. It was Spirit Hall that performed my Awakening and brought me here."
He stated the most basic facts.
Although the two still had doubts, it wasn’t appropriate to pry further.
The surprise in Yan’s eyes gradually faded. He nodded vigorously and said boisterously.
"It doesn’t matter, we’re friends now that we’re in the academy! My Flame Lord’s attack power is very strong. If you ever need to fight, I’ll protect you!"
What a simpleton...
Xie Yue also withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and gave a soft "Mm."
His personality was naturally cold and aloof; he wouldn’t pry too much into others’ private matters.
After the brief exchange about Spirits ended, a subtle silence fell over the dormitory once more.
Yan was clearly not used to such a silent atmosphere.
He glanced at the sky outside the window and immediately found a new topic.
"Hey, I say, you guys probably haven’t picked up your school uniforms yet, right?"
Yan patted the jacket he was wearing and then pointed at Jiang Bai’s washed-out coarse cloth clothes.
"Looking at the sky, it’s almost mealtime. How about we go to the Logistics Department to get our uniforms first, and then go to the cafeteria to eat together? I heard the academy’s food is pretty good!"
Jiang Bai indeed hadn’t collected his uniform and supplies yet. He looked out the window, estimated the time, nodded, and simply replied, "Alright."
Only then did Xie Yue look up, his voice still flat: "I won’t go for now. I’m waiting for my sister."
Yan shrugged and said readily, "Fine! Then we’ll go first. See you at the cafeteria later!"
Then he waved enthusiastically to Jiang Bai.
"Let’s go, Jiang Bai. I know where the Logistics Department is; I saw it when I came in earlier!"
Jiang Bai stood up, and the two left the dormitory together.
The Logistics Department was located in a separate red brick building behind the Administration Building.
With his student ID card, Jiang Bai successfully collected two sets of grey standard academy uniforms and a thin booklet titled "Academy Rules and Life Guide."
The uniforms were soft in texture and of a Body Integration cut, with a small Spirit Hall emblem and the words "Spirit Academy" embroidered on the left chest.
After picking up their things, the two headed straight for the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was a spacious and bright hall with neatly arranged tables and chairs. Quite a few students were dining there now, mostly older students, with a few freshmen like them who had just reported.
The aroma of food mixed with the murmurs of the crowd, creating a lively yet orderly atmosphere.
Although the meals weren’t exactly luxurious, they were certainly hearty and delicious.
The staples included white rice and multi-grain steamed buns. There were several types of seasonal stir-fried vegetables, and for meat dishes, there were options like stewed meat, grilled fish, and fried eggs. Beside them was a large pot of steaming soup of the day and an unlimited supply of fruit.
"This..."
When Jiang Bai carried his tray and looked at the generous portion of stewed meat, a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a bowl of fresh soup, and the extra apple he had taken, his eyes were full of disbelief.
Tuition fully waived, accommodation free, and now even the meals are free?
Isn’t this treatment a bit too good?
I’ve definitely come to the right place!
Your Holiness the Supreme Pontiff, loyalty!
Jiang Bai thought to himself half-jokingly, then found a relatively quiet corner to sit down and impatiently picked up his chopsticks.
The stewed meat was tender and flavorful, the vegetables were fresh and crisp, and the soup was delicious and warming.
For Jiang Bai, who had eaten simple fare for six years, this was simply a gourmet feast.
He buried his head in his food, eating with great relish.
After just a few bites, he felt Yan, sitting opposite him, nudge him twice with his elbow.
Jiang Bai looked up, still chewing his food, and looked at Yan in confusion.
Yan didn’t speak; he just raised his thick eyebrows and gestured with his eyes for Jiang Bai to look at the other side of the cafeteria.
Jiang Bai looked in the direction of his gaze.
He saw that Xie Yue had also come to the cafeteria at some point and was sitting at a nearby table.
Opposite him sat a girl about their age.
The girl had smooth golden-brown short hair that shimmered faintly under the bright lights of the cafeteria.
She was wearing the same grey academy uniform that Jiang Bai and the others had just collected.
At the moment, her back was to Jiang Bai’s side, so he could only see a straight back and a small part of her profile; her skin was fair, and her nose was elegant.
Xie Yue seemed to be whispering something to the girl.
Yan let out a low "hehe" chuckle, leaned forward, and lowered his voice, speaking to Jiang Bai with the excitement of sharing a secret.
"Hey, did you know? That’s Xie Yue’s younger sister, Hu Liena!"
Hearing this, Jiang Bai glanced at the girl’s back again, understanding.
"Don’t know her."
Jiang Bai withdrew his gaze and continued to focus on the stewed meat on his plate with a flat tone.
To him, filling his stomach was much more important than looking at a beautiful girl right now.
Moreover, familiar with the original plot, he didn’t have many special feelings toward the character of Hu Liena, let alone any ideas about her now.
"Aiya, you!"
Seeing Jiang Bai’s indifferent reaction, Yan got a bit anxious.
"I’m telling you, Nana is so beautiful! She’s the prettiest girl in our year—no, probably the entire Elementary Department!"
"Oh."
Jiang Bai took a sip of soup and gave a perfunctory response.
Yan seemed a bit depressed by Jiang Bai’s stubborn attitude, but then, as if thinking of something, he suddenly leaned in closer and lowered his voice even more, with a serious expression that was half-announcement and half-warning.
"Sigh, I’m telling you, I’ve already decided that I’m going to pursue Nana! You... you can’t compete with me once you see Nana’s face!"
...