For Ye Xinglan, the honor of Shrek Academy was above all else. She would never allow anyone to look down on Shrek Academy.
Not just her; most students of Shrek Academy shared the same sentiment.
In this aspect, Shrek Academy did an excellent job. Despite being just an academy, it managed to instill a sense of belonging in its students that surpassed even that of disciples to their sects.
Even a top-tier organization like the Spirit Pagoda couldn't compare.
Ye Xinglan cast a disdainful glance at Xia Yi and spoke to Xu Lizhi with a hint of disgust, "Do you even understand your identity? As a student of Shrek Academy, associating with these bumpkins—don't you feel it's beneath you?"
"Sister Xinglan, I was wrong. But I'm so hungry! You see, if I don't eat enough, I won't have the strength to go back with you, right?" Xu Lizhi said timidly, as if he were a mouse encountering a cat, barely daring to breathe in front of Ye Xinglan.
Hearing this, Ye Xinglan's gaze fell on Xia Yi, Gu Yue, and Tang Wulin. "So, it was you who lured him out here to eat?"
Her brows furrowed. In her eyes, the trio must have ulterior motives for bringing Xu Lizhi out since they hailed from Shrek Academy.
Xia Yi rolled his eyes at her without replying and turned to shout toward the kitchen, "Boss, is our yellowfish ready yet?"
"It's ready. I'll bring it over right away," the boss replied, carrying out two yellowfish, each over half a meter long.
The moment the fish arrived, its enticing aroma filled the air.
Xu Lizhi's eyes lit up instantly.
Even Ye Xinglan couldn't help but swallow quietly. Though she had tasted many delicacies, Shrek City was inland and lacked the unique seafood flavors of a coastal city like Tianhai City.
Looking at Tang Wulin, Xu Lizhi, and Ye Xinglan, the boss kindly asked, "Do you need me to divide the fish for you?"
Initially, he had worried that Xia Yi and Gu Yue might not finish such large portions. Seeing the newcomers, he finally understood the situation.
"No need. They're just here to watch," Xia Yi replied, ignoring Ye Xinglan's secretive gulping and Xu Lizhi's intense gaze, then lowered his head to feast.
"Hey, do you have any sense of gentlemanly manners?" Ye Xinglan protested. The tip of her Star God Sword glimmered as she sliced Xia Yi's fish, plate and all, neatly in half.
Without waiting for Xia Yi's consent, she took the larger half for herself.
Then, she divided it again, giving the bigger portion to Xu Lizhi before sitting down to devour her share.
"This isn't right, Sister Xinglan," Xu Lizhi said, his lips twitching. After all, they had only just met Xia Yi.
In fact, they couldn't even say they knew him, as they hadn't exchanged names yet.
Taking food so directly—anyone would think they were bandits.
"This is the price for looking down on Shrek Academy," Ye Xinglan declared. While she felt slightly uneasy, she was more annoyed by Xia Yi's lack of consideration for her status—making her watch him eat while she sat there.
She wanted to teach Xia Yi a lesson.
To Gu Yue's surprise, Xia Yi didn't react at all. After finishing his small portion of fish, he stood up and left.
"He could endure that? Coward!" Ye Xinglan thought, slightly disappointed. She had been waiting for Xia Yi to get angry so she could use it as an excuse to teach him a lesson.
She wanted to show Xia Yi the gap between Shrek Academy and ordinary schools.
But Xia Yi's silent endurance ruined her plans.
As Xia Yi left, Gu Yue stood up and followed him.
Once they exited the restaurant, Gu Yue gave Xia Yi a peculiar smile. "Did you forget to pay the bill?"
"Why pay? Someone else will," Xia Yi replied with a smile.
"True! After all, this amount is nothing for students of Shrek Academy," Gu Yue chuckled.
Little did they know, neither Xu Lizhi nor Ye Xinglan had brought any money.
After leaving the restaurant, Gu Yue led Xia Yi to the Spirit Pagoda in Donghai City. This was her main reason for seeking him today.
Ever since coming to the human world, she had been curious about Xia Yi's mental power, given that he awakened his intelligence at just ten years.
However, Xia Yi had spent the past month running to the Blacksmiths' Association after school to learn from Mu Xi, leaving her with no chance. Tomorrow was the start of the Tianhai Alliance Tournament, and Gu Yue was eager to know Xia Yi's mental power level.
Tianhai City was one of the eighteen first-tier cities on the continent. Its Spirit Pagoda was one of the Spirit Pagoda organization's eighteen major branches, known as the Eighteen Sky Pillars.
From afar, the towering structure was already visible, standing over a hundred stories and 400 meters tall. Even amidst the high-rise buildings of Donghai City, it was a landmark.
The base of the Spirit Pagoda was triangular, with a broad foundation. It narrowed every ten floors, culminating in a sharp spire at the top.
Even at night, its grandeur was unmistakable.
"If the branch tower is already like this, what kind of massive structure must the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, the so-called Heaven Spirit Pagoda, be?" Xia Yi marveled.
"You'll find out once you visit Shrek City," Gu Yue said with a smile.
Entering the Spirit Pagoda, they were immediately struck by its luxurious interior. The floor was paved with dark golden stone adorned with dazzling natural patterns. Massive stone pillars supported a ceiling several dozen meters high, and intricate, colorful frescoes decorated the pillars and ceiling.
These golden frescoes, present in every Spirit Pagoda, depicted the life of the first Pagoda Master, Huo Yuhao.
"How can I help you two?" A staff member approached as Xia Yi and Gu Yue stepped inside.
"We'd like to test our mental power," Gu Yue said, handing over a card.
Seeing the card, the staff member's demeanor instantly became respectful. "Miss Gu Yue, please follow me."
Under their guidance, Xia Yi and Gu Yue were led to a modern room filled with various instruments.
"Miss Gu Yue, please wait a moment while I call a Spirit Master," the staff member said courteously.
"No need. We'll handle it ourselves. You may leave," Gu Yue said, not wanting Xia Yi to attract the attention of the Spirit Pagoda's higher-ups.
After the staff left, Gu Yue gestured for Xia Yi to sit in a metal chair. A helmet-like device descended, connected by mechanical arms, covering Xia Yi's head.
"Relax and stay calm. You might feel slightly dizzy, but that's normal. Just stay relaxed," Gu Yue instructed.
"Got it," Xia Yi replied, equally curious about his mental power.
When Gu Yue pressed a button, a faint humming sound began. Soft white light emanated from the helmet as numbers flickered on a nearby Soul Guidance screen.
At first, the numbers fluctuated rapidly. Gradually, they stabilized, and Gu Yue's expression turned surprised.
"183, Spirit Connection Level," she murmured, taking a deep breath. Her own mental power was around 280.
The difference might not seem large, but she remembered that when she had a soul power level of 12, her mental power was only about 150.
In other words, Xia Yi's mental power at the same level was stronger than hers as the Silver Dragon King.
By comparison, someone like Xie Xie, a Rank 20 Soul Grandmaster, only had a mental power of 50 or 60.
"Let's go." After deleting the test record, Gu Yue led Xia Yi out of the Spirit Pagoda.
(End of Chapter)