Shenyan finally decided to head to the Task Hall of the academy in order to get some missions and tasks that he can handle at his current level of strength. With a resolute expression, Shenyan stepped out of his room and made his way to the task hall. On his way, he saw students rushing about as they tend to their needs, but Shenyan ignored them as he focused and recalled the path that led to the task hall in memory. Last time, he and Wang Lei took a tour around the academy and found the location of the task hall. Due to wanting to someday come to this place, to take tasks and missions so that he could earn money to afford the luxurious food served in the cafeteria, Shenyan memorized the path leading to the task hall.
The cafeteria of the Deep-Frozen Academy does indeed provide free food to its students when it comes to normal foods, but if one wanted more serving, they would have to pay for the extra amount ordered. That was reason why Shenyan was worried that his little money would be spent. Let alone affording luxurious foods with spirit beast meat, with his current appetite, he might not be able to afford normal foods anymore. Shenyan was really determined to land a mission that would really suit his needs during this trip, hopefully not something too dangerous. Shenyan was thinking to himself as he suddenly heard footsteps behind him, followed by a sweet melodious voice.
"Hey Shenyan! What a coincidence meeting you here!" The sweet voice said and Shenyan immediately halted his steps. He immediately started thinking it was one of those students who kept bothering him. First, it was that random fellow student whom he does not know the name of, who gave him that weird nickname, and then that strange fellow student who kept staring at him as he practiced his sword techniques and then proceeded to say whatever he wanted and then left him hanging afterwards.
'Why can't you all leave me alone!" Shenyan screamed inwardly and then he unwillingly turned his head to look at the owner of the voice only to be surprised when he saw the owner of the voice, his eyes widen as he looked at the person in front of him.
'It's her again!'
'That girl from before, what does she want this time?'
'Wait! Does she want to treat me to some food again? I don't mind if that is what it is. Those meats were delicious after all."
Countless thoughts went through Shenyan's mind as he looked at the blue-eyed female student in front of him.
Shenyan suddenly stopped himself from having these shameless thoughts and then he asked with a nonchalant expression his face, "What do you want this time?"
The girl in front him was not surprised by his way of speaking, in fact she welcomed the indifference that Shenyan shows when he talks to her. After all, most people either bow or speak to her respectfully when they find out her true identity but Shenyan, despite being a commoner, he spoke to her with such indifference, even though he clearly knows that she was at most from a rich family judging by how she had a guard with her, when she visited the Heavenly Taste Restaurant two years ago.
"Nothing, I just noticed that you seem to be making your way to the Task Hall based on the route you were taking, and I happened to have some business there and thought that maybe we could head there together. You don't mind, do you?" Leng Lanyue said to him with a bright smile on her pretty face.
"…" Shenyan was silence for brief moment before thinking.
'This girl always tries to talk to me just because we met once, no, maybe twice now? That's not right either, this will our third time meeting; I don't know why but…'
"Well, do what you want… I don't mind." Shenyan let out a sigh under his breath and then said indifferently as he really did not mind going with someone who happens to be going in the same direction as him.
"Okay!" Leng Lanyue said in glee tone and proceeded to walk next Shenyan.
And so, the two of them made their way to the Task Hall. Soon they were in front of a building that did not appear too grand or too shabby, with only two floors and a sign board with characters that said, [Task Hall]. On their way here, the two of them did not talk much, only Leng Lanyue pointed at some buildings as she introduced them to Shenyan and Shenyan only nodded his head as he listened to her. As they stood in front of the building, Leng Lanyue spoke excitedly.
"We are finally here!"
And then she turned to Shenyan and asked, "So, what did you want come here for? Were you planning on taking a mission or a simple task?" Leng Lanyue asked as she was somewhat aware of Shenyan's situation, about him being unable to cultivate. So, she thought that Shenyan was here to pick some chore tasks to earn some money.
Shenyan did not understand why she asked such a question, but he replied briefly, "Mission task."
"What?! A-A mission task? Are you not afraid of death?" Leng Lanyue was shocked when she heard what Shenyan said. How could someone who had not been able to cultivate take a task meant for cultivators? Even some cultivators were afraid to take any task that may endanger their lives, so they chose to do menial tasks instead. But Shenyan who was not even a cultivator dare to take mission task?
Shenyan was confused by her reaction and hurriedly said, 'Of course, I am afraid of death. Who wouldn't be afraid when they fight against spirit beasts? But I am confident that I can handle low-leveled spirit beasts with my current skills."
Noticing the confidence coming from Shenyan's words, Leng Lanyue was stunned for a moment but shortly after, she let out a helpless sigh and then said, " But you are… not even a cultivator yet, right? How can you fight against a spirit beast?"
Shenyan's eyes widen as he heard her remark. Noticing this, Leng Lanyue realized that she should not have mentioned this, but if she had not, Shenyan might have lost his life by being careless, so she stood firm on her stance even if it would hurt Shenyan's pride, but what she heard shortly after shocked her senseless.
"Who said I was not a cultivator?" Shenyan said with a mild smirk on his emotionless face.
"W-What? But weren't you—" Leng Lanyue stopped her herself from talking when she suddenly noticed the aura radiating from Shenyan's body, shocking her greatly.
'He actually was able to cultivate this whole time, and he was already at the Sixth-Level Spirit Apprentice, but didn't the rumors say that he couldn't cultivate? Were those false rumors?'
Shenyan did not care what she was thinking at this moment, and he said, "Anyway, I am going to take a task, are you coming with me or were you going someplace else?"
"Huh? Oh… that's right, I came to report the completion of my mission, so let's go together." Leng Lanyue said with a flustered expression on her face as she led the way inside the building and Shenyan followed closely behind her.
…
As the two of them entered the building, countless pair of eyes immediately landed on them. Some were just curious who entered the building and immediately turned their heads shortly after, others were just jealous of the brat that was walking next to such a beauty. Meanwhile, those who knew the identity of the girl, trembled as they felt a chill down their spines.
'T-That is that 'Cold Beauty' who was rumored to be ruthless to guys that try to get close to her!' Someone inwardly screamed upon recognizing the female student.
The others who knew the female student's identity had almost the same reaction as they all turned their heads away from the female student, afraid they will also suffer her wrath like those other guys, if they get involved with her. While these students were busy making themselves inconspicuous, some student started speaking, clearly unaware of who he was dealing with.
"Hey, you brat, how dare you walk in here with a girl in tow… Are you looking down on us?" The student said with a sinister look on his face.
And then he continued, "Little girl, why don't you come with me instead. I am Very nice to pretty girls… Hehe. Way better than that scrawny brat next to you." The student said as he licked his lips and then he smacks his lips with an obscene look on his face.
Hiss!
Some students inhaled a mouthful of cold air. These were the students who were busy making themselves inconspicuous but when they heard what this unbridled student had said, they could not help but turn around and look at him with fierce look on their faces, almost like they want smother him to death.
'This fucking bastard is courting death!'
'How dare he try to drag us along with him. If you want to die, why don't you go outside and seek it yourself? Why involve us?'
'I really want to kill him right now myself before he gets frozen to death by the hand of that girl.'
'Fuck! How come the air is really cold all of a sudden!' One of students complained inwardly as he could feel that the temperature in the building had suddenly dropped, causing the air in the building to become stale and it is getting hard to breathe.