25: How much are you paying?
The trio gratefully sent Shen Yi off and no longer pursued the matter of being scammed.
It wasn't that he didn't tell them; he felt that Luo Ming deserved it, and if the trio went looking for trouble again, he might be exposed, and he might have endless trouble himself in the future.
He was someone who disliked trouble; the less trouble, the better.
By the time he returned home with the soy sauce and batteries, it was already noon.
"Buying soy sauce took you a whole morning. Where did you go wild again?" Feng Shuyue grumbled when she saw Shen Yi return.
When he first encountered the trio, the system rewarded him with a talent upgrade.
He called up his attribute panel.
【Name: Shen Yi】
【Talent Level: C-level】
【Spirit: 14】
【Strength: 14】
【Ability Level: First Order Six Stars】
【Ability Type: Fire (Hidden Ability not awakened (21/100))】
【Ability Technique: Reconnaissance (Proficiency: 0/100)】
【Allocatable Attribute Points: 0 points】
Unbeknownst to him, his talent had already reached C-level. As long as his cultural studies weren't too bad, he could attend some relatively good Ability universities.
His Spirit and Strength had each increased by one point. The last time they tested, the strongest in their fire-type Ability class, Li Siqi, only had a Spirit strength of 12. Could he now walk sideways in the class?
Thinking of this, Shen Yi felt delighted.
He returned to his room and began to digest the knowledge in his mind.
The next morning, Shen Yi walked into the classroom just as the bell rang.
"Students, the cultural lessons are mostly finished. For the next year, our main task is cultivation. Strive to raise your Ability Level by one more order before the college entrance examination. Even if it's only one star, it will bring you unexpected benefits in the future."
Zhou Chunhua stepped into the classroom and said to the students in the class.
"Our school's cultivation rooms will be open to you second-year students starting this afternoon. You will have four hours of meditation time daily."
Each cultivation room in the school required a large sum of money to build, and the otherworldly crystals consumed within them were countless. Basically, the school only opened them when second-year students were about to enter their third year. First and second-year students could only cultivate using the otherworldly crystals in the classrooms.
"Moreover, due to this year's special training, the school has applied for an opportunity for all students with qualified spiritual strength to learn an Ability Technique. This will be taught before entering the secret realm."
Zhou Chunhua announced another major piece of news.
"Wow!" The students below cheered when they heard this.
"Alright, starting today, you will meditate in the classroom in the morning and go to the cultivation rooms in the afternoon." Zhou Chunhua gestured for the students to quiet down.
He activated the otherworldly crystals in the classroom, and a mysterious aura undulated within the room.
Shen Yi felt the spiritual energy in the classroom was particularly active.
With his previous talent, he could only vaguely sense the spiritual energy, unlike now, where he felt it exceptionally clearly.
As he closed his eyes and meditated, he could distinctly feel the spiritual energy being absorbed by his body, strengthening him little by little.
Any Ability user's cultivation involves absorbing spiritual energy, which then enters the body and is transformed into corresponding Ability energy through their Ability.
Shen Yi cultivated and cultivated until he drifted off to sleep.
"Is Student Shen Yi here?" A clear voice came from the quiet classroom, and the meditating students all stopped.
Standing at the door of Class Three was an exceptionally beautiful girl. Even in a simple school uniform, she was striking.
"Wow, isn't that Su Lanqing, our Three Middle School's school beauty? What is she looking for Shen Yi for?" The boys in the class looked at the girl before them, their eyes lighting up.
"Could it be that she was beaten unconscious by Shen Yi during their last spar, and now she's here for revenge?"
"Very likely. There's a good show to watch."
The students in the class whispered among themselves.
"Is Student Shen Yi here?" Su Lanqing asked again.
"Someone's looking for you." Huang Ren saw Shen Yi sleeping with his head on the desk and nudged him with his arm.
"Who? Disturbing someone's sleep is murder. Don't bother me while I'm sleeping. Go back where you came from." Shen Yi lay on the desk, not moving, and mumbled drowsily.
Although his voice wasn't loud, in the quiet classroom, everyone could clearly hear Shen Yi's voice.
Su Lanqing stepped into the classroom and came to Shen Yi's side.
She bent down, her face slightly flushed, and pushed Shen Yi: "Student Shen Yi, I have something to talk to you about. Can you come out for a moment?"
Shen Yi waved his hand, hitting Su Lanqing with a "thwack," and mumbled drowsily.
"Hmm? What's that? It's quite elastic."
"Ah ~"
Su Lanqing gasped, took a step back with a "whoosh," her pretty face flushed crimson.
"Holy crap..." Huang Ren's eyes widened as he looked at Shen Yi, his face full of disbelief.
Shen Yi was woken by the gasp and looked up to see everyone in the classroom staring at him.
"Why are you looking at me? I'm still very handsome." Shen Yi touched his face, and after finding nothing wrong with himself, he spoke.
He turned his head and saw a girl with a flushed face standing beside him—Su Lanqing. Why was she here? Was she here to cause trouble for him?
"Didn't I just knock you out during our last spar? Do you have to be like this, even coming to my class?" Shen Yi said, looking at the girl before him.
Su Lanqing's face was crimson, and she said softly: "Student Shen Yi, you misunderstood. I... I came to find you about something. Can we talk outside?"
Shen Yi said vigilantly: "You're not trying to trick me outside to have someone deal with me, are you? You can't trick me, no way."
"No, I'm not. After our last spar, I felt that Student Shen Yi's mastery of combat techniques was exceptionally good. I wanted to ask you for guidance." Su Lanqing quickly waved her hands, explaining, her face growing redder as she spoke.
Shen Yi listened to Su Lanqing's explanation, still a little disbelieving. Had he perhaps damaged her brain last time? She clearly had a big problem.
"It won't take up much of your time. I won't let you teach me for free." Seeing that Shen Yi hadn't spoken, she thought he disagreed and quickly added another sentence.
Looking at Su Lanqing's anxious explanation, Shen Yi believed her a little and said: "That's not what I meant. Our teachers have always taught us that classmates should help each other. This is only right. Saying that makes you seem like a stranger."
"Thank you, Student Shen Yi. When do you have time?" Hearing Shen Yi agree, a happy smile immediately appeared on her face.
Shen Yi waved his hand and said: "No need to be so polite, we're all classmates. I'm available anytime. How much money are you prepared to pay?"
"??? What money?" Su Lanqing was confused. Did they just talk about money?
"Didn't you say you wouldn't let me teach you for free? You're not going to renege, are you?" Sure enough, Zhang Wuji's mother was right: the prettier the woman, the more she lies. She just said she wouldn't teach for free, and now she's denying it.
Su Lanqing: "......"