Chapter 19

Three days had elapsed since Cai Wen had established his new routine of visiting the library after classes. The vast knowledge he was absorbing from the hallowed halls of the library had begun to eclipse the teachings of his professors, making him question the necessity of attending class. He had already surpassed his peers in understanding, and the lessons had begun to feel redundant.

The bell had just rung, signaling the end of another day's class. As Cai Wen stepped out of the sterile classroom, he was immediately embraced by the warm sunshine and the familiar clamor of students dispersing to their various after-school activities. He set off, as usual, towards the library.

As he meandered through the sprawling school grounds, a sudden commotion caught his attention. It was coming from one of the training grounds. He turned his head and saw a familiar face among the fray. It was Hu Liena, accompanied by two boys who seemed a year or two older than her. Their faces rang a bell in his head, but he couldn't quite place them. They seemed to be on the brink of a skirmish with another group of students.

The tension between the two groups was palpable as they faced off. All six students released their spirit rings and martial spirits, their faces etched with determination. The fight commenced, but it was alarmingly one-sided. The confrontation barely lasted a minute before Hu Liena's group emerged victorious.

Hu Liena, with a graceful flick of her wrist, activated her first spirit ring ability, charming the opposing group and leaving them defenseless. The boys with her seized the opportunity. One, armed with weapons resembling dual crescent moons, launched an attack on an adversary. The other, his body adorned with horn-like protrusions and claw-like hands, grabbed the heads of the remaining two opponents and smashed them together, instantly incapacitating them.

A supposed referee, standing on the sidelines, gestured towards Hu Liena's team, declaring their clear victory. He immediately called for medical assistance for the defeated students, and another adult arrived to debrief and disperse the onlooking crowd.

Throughout this spectacle, Cai Wen had been a silent observer, rooted to his spot near the library. He was intrigued; his own battles had only ever been against spirit beasts, and his encounter with Li Huo had been too effortless to be considered a 'fight'.

Hu Liena seemed distracted for a moment, her gaze wandering away from her victory and sweeping over the crowd. Her eyes locked with Cai Wen's, and they instantly lit up with recognition and delight. She rushed toward him, leaving her flabbergasted teammate who was trying to gain her attention. The other boy, equally puzzled, followed her gaze to Cai Wen and understood her sudden departure.

"Junior brother, I didn't expect to see you here!" she exclaimed, her smile radiant against the setting sun.

"Me neither, big sister Nana," Cai Wen replied softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

Their interactions had been sparse lately. Apart from their shared morning walking to the academy, their paths barely crossed. Cai Wen spent most of his time engrossed in books in the library, while Hu Liena was adjusting to her new academy schedule. On returning home, both would retreat to their rooms for cultivation and rest.

As they engrossed themselves in their conversation, her two teammates slowly approached them. One of the boys observed the pair, curiosity his eyes as he tried to discern who Hu Liena was talking to. The other boy, previously left mid-conversation, wore a mask of jealousy as he stared at Cai Wen.

A hostile glare was directed at Cai Wen, prompting him to swivel his head towards the source. Hu Liena followed his gaze to find her two teammates closing the distance. She caught the gaze of the jealous boy and found him suddenly flashing her a smile.

Cai Wen stifled a laugh, amused by the boy's swift shift in demeanor.

"Nana, would you mind introducing us to your friends?" The quiet observer finally broke his silence.

"Ah, I apologize, brother. Junior brother, meet my brother Xie Yue. Our family names differ as I carry our mother's while he carries our father's," Hu Liena introduced her companions, further clarifying the difference in their last names. "This here is Yan, my new classmate and teammate."

Yan shot Cai Wen a smug glance, taking pleasure in being introduced first.

"Brother, meet Cai Wen, my junior brother and teacher's new disciple," Hu Liena introduced Cai Wen, her excitement palpable. "Did you know Cai Wen has defeated numerous spirit beasts without even possessing a spirit ring?"

She eagerly narrated some of Cai Wen's achievements, her smile blossoming with pride. Yan's smug demeanor evaporated, replaced by a simmering jealousy as he watched his crush lavishing praise upon another man.

Xie Yue remained unaffected, merely listening before commenting, "You truly live up to the reputation of the pope's disciple."

"Thanks," Cai Wen replied, finally placing the two boys as Hu Liena's teammates from the fight against Shrek. He barely recognized them as they hadn't had much of an impact on the story apart from the finals.

As Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Cai Wen conversed, Cai Wen began to understand Xie Yue's character. Xie Yue was similar to Cai Wen in that he didn't speak much and was generally quiet, like an emo kid without the edginess. He preferred to keep to himself.

Xie Yue was a bit surprised by Cai Wen as well. He thought of Cai Wen as a mature kid, but upon recalling his sister's comment that Cai Wen was an orphan like them, he felt a sudden connection.

Yan, who was also part of the group, was suddenly forgotten. He was already fuming with jealousy and anger, glaring at Cai Wen. It didn't help that his Martial Spirit was known as the Flame Lord, a beast-type soul with a strong fire attribute. Those with a strong fire attribute were known for being impulsive.

However, Yan surprisingly managed to calm himself down. Looking at Cai Wen with a small, malicious smile, he seemed to have a plan in mind.