"What?!" The students in the cafeteria exclaimed immediately after hearing about the identity of the supposed beauty that just walked into the cafeteria.
"You mean that Cold Beauty with the ice element— the one that was popular the moment she arrived at the academy six months ago? Some unbridled fellows were pestering her around— I heard this one guy got frozen solid in ice from trying to touch her. How can it be her?!" Someone exclaimed with incredulous expression on his face.
When the student thought about what happened to that unlucky fool, he felt a chill down his spine.
"That's right, it's her. I recognized those features anywhere because I was there when that guy got frozen in ice. The poor guy had to spend close to three months on bed due to frostbites and lack of warm; If not because he was cultivator, he would've been dead by now." The student who informed the other students confirmed.
"Shit, I better not get close her…"
All the students unanimously decided to turn their way from the direction of the supposed cold beauty, Leng Lanyue.
…
On the other side, Shenyan and Wang Lei followed Leng Lanyue and got themselves a free table and then they began to look through the menu provided by the cafeteria. Looking through the first page of the menu, they discovered that the normal food they serve here do not cost a thing— it was actually free.
But from the next page onward, the prices of the meal were steep, and it only got more expensive as they flip to the next page of the menu. Wang Lei was shaken by the prices of some of the meals. Even his family's yearly income could not compare to the price of some of the meals on this menu. Wang Lei was greatly astonished by these prices that seem so much just for single meal. How is that possible? Wang Lei shook his head to clear his thoughts and he decided to pick the normal meal on the first page.
Meanwhile, Shenyan was mesmerized by the new food on the next page of the menu— especially the ones cooked with spirit beast meat and special herbs. Leng Lanyue noticed the look on Shenyan's faces so after picking her own food, she then spoke to them.
"You guys can pick any food you like, it's my treat. You can think of it as a first time greeting or gift— although I met Shenyan before, but I never met you— Uh… Wang… That's right, what's your name again?" Leng Lanyue said. She then turned and asked Wang Lei of his name as she had forgotten.
Although, she had been watching the examination earlier, it was not like she was paying close attention to every single participant on the big platform, but she clearly remembered that Wang Lei had awakened a rare lightning element, so she remembered some of his name but immediately after seeing Shenyan, she got too excited when she finally met someone she actually knows in the academy and ended up forgetting Wang Lei's name.
As for Shenyan's results in the examination, she did not care too much about it— she had experienced firsthand that Shenyan had a special physique since he was able to resist a spirit pressure from her Peak Level Spirit Apprentice cultivation base from two years ago without having any cultivation base.
Even if Shenyan's examination results were fake like the white-beard dean announced, it does not matter as she would still be making a friend either way— she currently has no friends. Due to recent events most people were avoiding her, especially the male students.
Wang Lei felt awkward about the sudden inquiry, but he replied shortly after, "My name is Wang Lei."
"Right! Wang Lei with the lightning element, right?" Leng Lanyue said to him.
"Uhh…That's right." Wang Lei felt strange by the way she referred to him.
Wang Lei then thought of something and then he asked, "If you don't mind me asking, how did you come to know Shenyan?"
"Oh, I only met him in a restaurant two years ago, that's all." Leng Lanyue happily replied to Wang Lei.
"... I see. Anyway, I don't think we can bother you to pay for this meal… it's too expensive. We don't even know how to repay you afterwards." Wang Lei said to her with an apologetic expression on his face.
"…" Shenyan also kept his silence despite wanting to try this new dish.
"Like I said before, you don't have worry about the price and just order anything you want. Hmm…If you feel the need to pay me back, you can do that anytime— although I don't need you to repay me. After all, this is just a simple meal." She said. Dumbfounding Wang Lei shortly after.
'This is a simple meal? What is this girl's identity? Is she someone from some rich family? I thought about that possibility due to her bearing, but I didn't want to jump the gun without knowing anything. Anyway, it is strange how she is treating us like friends or something. Hmm… maybe I am thinking too much, after all this is the academy, discrimination from the higher statuses like aristocrats is strictly forbidden' Wang Lei thought to himself.
After that Wang Lei tried to persuade Leng Lanyue about them being fine with just the ordinary food but she insisted that they order some of the most expensive meals. Wang Lei had no choice but to give in seeing the other party's sincerity.
Shenyan on the other hand went along with the flow, although he was secretly hoping for Wang Lei to agree— which he did.
Soon, their dishes were delivered.
The sweet savory aroma along with the spirit energy coming from the meat of a spirit beast wafted through their nose and every pore on their bodies, giving them a refreshing feeling even before they took bite out of their food.
When Shenyan saw the meat dish, his eyes immediately lit up in excitement and he began eating without waiting for the others. Leng Lanyue was taken by surprise from the way Shenyan was devouring the food without even caring about whether it was hot or not.
They enjoyed their meal without a care— especially Shenyan he ended up ordering more servings, of course he asked Leng Lanyue beforehand, who happily agreed.
Wang Lei was troubled by the way Shenyan was not holding back on someone's wallet. After they all finished eating their food, Leng Lanyue guided them back to the center of the academy, which was where the big platform was located.
They said their goodbyes before they went their own separate ways. Before leaving Leng Lanyue said they see each other again. Overall, it was good experience for both Shenyan and Wang Lei—Indeed, the food made with the meat from spirit beast really was delicious.
…
Shenyan and Wang Lei waited for examination to end as they watch the remaining participants take their tests. When they came back, there were only about ten people left.
Soon, the end of the examination came and everyone who passed were given their identification tags with their names on it. After both Wang Lei and Shenyan received their identification tag, they were then brought to the student dormitory.
Each person is allowed a single roommate or more if they prefer. Shenyan and Wang Lei decided to be in the same dorm room. They decided to get to know more about the academy buildings to make it easier for navigation. So, they decided to take a tour around the academy when they were free. Just like that, time passed by.
…
One month later.
It has been a month since Shenyan, and Wang Lei came to Deep Frozen Academy. During this time, due to Wang Lei's rare lightning elemental affinity, he was taken in by principal of the academy as his personal student leaving Shenyan behind by himself.
Wang Lei wanted the principal to take in Shenyan, but the principal claimed that since he had no talent for elemental cultivation, and he was no expert in weapon cultivation, he cannot help Shenyan in his cultivation, so he can only rely on himself. However, Wang Lei was hesitant to leave but Shenyan reassured him that he would be okay before Wang Lei reluctantly left with the principal.
"Shenyan, I will come visit you when I am free, so you have to take care of yourself." Wang Lei said with concern.
"Okay, you too take care of yourself." Shenyan said to him.
And during this time, the entire academy found out that Shenyan cannot cultivate and although Shenyan himself asked the principal about the matter with his inability to gather spirit energy when he came to pick up Wang Lei. The principal could not find anything wrong with Shenyan's meridians or spirit core after inspecting Shenyan's body with his spirit sense— in fact, Shenyan's body was very healthy, and his meridians were functioning just as well.
The principal did not understand this phenomenon and only said that he would try to search the ancient documents for any records of Shenyan's symptoms, although he was certain that there was no such thing since he read those ancient records so many times that he had basically memorized the whole thing.
In the end, Shenyan ended up not being able to find a solution to his problem and now he only had about a year before he would be officially kicked out the academy. Just as Shenyan was lying on his bed thinking about what to do tomorrow besides practicing his basic sword techniques, he heard a noise in his head.
Ding!
[User Shenyan has fulfilled the requirement to unlock one of the Main Features of the Primordial Origin System. Would you like to unlock it now for free?] The mechanical voice resounded in Shenyan's head. He was immediately startled when he heard this familiar voice.
Shenyan jumped from his bed in surprise and expectation. This system had not been helping him like it said it would in the beginning and instead proceeded to ignore him for two years— even when he could not cultivate. And now this same system started speaking to him again. He was excited and full of expectations as the only possible solution to his problem might be this system, so he hurriedly read the words displayed in front of him.
'Hm? Main Feature? Unlock?'