Shu Feng said, "I get it! But Linga, I really haven't been thinking about her today."
Linga said, "I already heard about what happened yesterday. Ah Feng, take my advice. Zhong Jietong doesn't care about you at all. You're just wasting your time and emotions by continuing to pursue her."
Shu Feng said, "Alright, let's go."
Just then, Xu Gang, the class's resident heartthrob and captain of the junior high soccer team, strode over to Shu Feng. His eyes fell on the two patches on Shu Feng's clothes, and a flicker of contempt crossed his face. "Shu Feng, Jietong and you are from two different worlds. Jietong and I will get into Nanyuan First High School together, and then Shen Hua University after that. You, on the other hand, are destined to struggle at the bottom of society."
"So stay away from Jietong. Don't disturb her while she's preparing for the high school entrance exams. A toad like you could never hope to win her affection, but just having you hanging around her drags her down. It's disgusting!"
"He's so arrogant!"
"Xu Gang is too much! We're all classmates. What gives him the right to be so arrogant and overbearing?"
"His dad's on the school board, and his uncle is the dean of academics. He ranked fifteenth in the grade on the last major exam, plus he's the soccer team captain. You definitely don't want to get on his bad side."
"..."
The students of Class 53 at Lei Jiang Third Middle School all stood off to the side, none of them daring to speak up for Shu Feng.
"Xu Gang, that's going a little too far!"
Wang Lu frowned slightly, about to step forward and intervene.
Zhong Jietong immediately pulled Wang Lu back and shook her head. "Lulu, it's better this way. It'll put an end to his delusions. Let him focus on preparing for his exams."
Shu Feng gritted his teeth, his blood boiling. He almost wanted to smash his fist right into Xu Gang's handsome face, but he suppressed the urge with all his might. If he hit Xu Gang, the Xu Family would use their power to have him expelled without a doubt. He couldn't disappoint his parents like that.
His parents' greatest hope was for him to get into a good university and bring honor to their family.
"Shu Feng, I knew you were still here!"
A voice like a silver bell rang out in the classroom, drawing everyone's attention.
"Ding Xiaoxue? What's she doing here?"
"Is she here for Shu Feng?"
"That Shu Feng guy... did he get incredibly lucky or what?"
"..."
The students of Class 53 at Lei Jiang Third Middle School watched, wide-eyed, as Ding Xiaoxue—the goddess of the entire school—walked up to Shu Feng. She boldly took his right hand, flashed a captivating smile, and said, "A new Tyrus Ice Cream Shop just opened on Phoenix Street. Their mixed fruit ice cream is amazing, but they only make twenty a day. Come on, I'll treat you!"
"Get out of the way!"
Ding Xiaoxue, still holding Shu Feng's hand, spun around. She arched an eyebrow and glared at Xu Gang, her voice cold and imperious, radiating the aura of a queen.
Xu Gang instinctively stepped aside. He had once attended a party with his father where he personally witnessed the mayor of Lei Jiang City acting deferential and trying to curry favor with this very girl. It was obvious her background was terrifyingly powerful; a single careless word from her could probably send him and his entire family to their ruin.
Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, Ding Xiaoxue led Shu Feng by the hand, leaving the classroom resolutely and without a backward glance, leaving them all in her dust.
Linga stared, dumbfounded, a flicker of envy in his eyes. 'That guy, Shu Feng... when did he get involved with Ding Xiaoxue? I'm so jealous.'
Wang Lu frowned slightly, a look of disbelief in her eyes as she muttered under her breath, "Ding Xiaoxue and Shu Feng... what a strange pair."
Although Ding Xiaoxue wasn't ostentatious at school, the clothes she wore were all from top designer brands. She was widely considered the untouchable beauty of Lei Jiang Third Middle School, someone in a completely different league from Shu Feng. For her to take his hand of her own accord was simply unbelievable.
Zhong Jietong frowned slightly, a strange discomfort welling up inside her. It felt as if something that belonged to her had just been snatched away—even if it was something she didn't particularly value.
Ding Xiaoxue didn't let go of Shu Feng's hand until they were outside the school grounds.
Shu Feng said gratefully, "Thank you, Ding Xiaoxue."
"It was nothing! Shu Feng, you're a Spiritualist—a one-in-ten-thousand Spiritualist. You need to be more confident. Come on, let me introduce you to the world of Spiritualists!"
Ding Xiaoxue gave a carefree smile and turned, heading in the direction of Beining Street.
'What a beautiful, kind, and cool girl,' Shu Feng thought. 'No wonder so many people like her.'
Watching the girl, who looked so dazzlingly beautiful bathed in the twilight glow, Shu Feng felt a warmth spread through his chest and silently followed her.
Beining Street was one of the bustling commercial streets in Lei Jiang City. After crossing a few blocks with Ding Xiaoxue, they arrived in front of a clean, tidy, but somewhat remote alley.
"Shu Feng, welcome to the world of Spiritualists!"
Ding Xiaoxue smiled charmingly, then took out a gold-colored card and swiped it through the air.
A ray of golden light shot out from the card, striking the wall of the alley.
Ripples spread across the surface of the wall, and a black door, three meters tall and two meters wide, materialized. Ding Xiaoxue stepped through it.
The moment Shu Feng stepped through the door, an entirely new street appeared before his eyes.
A four-meter-tall Steel Giant, its black body inscribed with countless mystical runes, strode toward them.
A synthesized, mechanical voice emanated from the Steel Giant. "Greetings. This is Beiling Street, Lei Jiang City. Please present your identification."
A look of shock flashed in Shu Feng's eyes. "Is that a robot?" he asked, full of curiosity.
Ding Xiaoxue smiled. "This is a Steel Golem Puppet. It's a golem puppet powered by Spirit Stones and integrated with our world's technology to become an Extraordinary creation. This particular Steel Golem Puppet is a specialty product from the Gulondo World, one of the Three Great Realms we're in contact with."
Shu Feng asked curiously, "The Three Great Realms? Which three are they?"
"The Gulondo World, the Andoras World, and the Black Tortoise Realm. Those are the Three Great Realms we've made contact with inside the Erosion Realm. Each one has its own unique civilization, and some are even protected by Divine Spirits. They're all wondrous places."
As she spoke, Ding Xiaoxue took out a white card and swiped it through a slot on the Steel Golem Puppet's body.
"Identity confirmed. Ding Xiaoxue, may I ask who this individual is with you?"
A female voice suddenly emanated from the Steel Golem Puppet as two camera lenses on its body focused on Shu Feng.
Ding Xiaoxue said, "His name is Shu Feng. He's a recently awakened Spiritualist. I brought him here to register for his identification and formally join the world of Spiritualists."
The female voice said, "Shu Feng, welcome to Beiling Street."
"Let's go!"
Ding Xiaoxue led Shu Feng deeper into Beiling Street.
Shu Feng asked curiously, "I've lived in Lei Jiang City for over ten years. How have I never heard of a Beiling Street near Beining Street? Where exactly is this place?"
Behind that little alley, there should have been a huge commercial street, but now it was Beiling Street, a place with incredible Steel Golem Puppets. The whole situation left Shu Feng both curious and shocked.
"Beiling Street is a separate Space located above Beining Street, one that's sustained by a World Tree Seedling and the Earth Vein Spiritual Power of Lei Jiang City."
"The entirety of Beiling Street is protected by an incredibly powerful Barrier. Any Void Demon that enters will be greatly weakened by it. If that Void Demon Dog I killed in the botanical garden dared to set foot in here, it would be instantly Purified."
"This is also the safest place in Lei Jiang City. The Space isn't large, but real estate prices are sky-high. If you wanted to buy a place, it would cost about ten million per square meter," Ding Xiaoxue said.
Shu Feng was stunned. "Ten million per square meter? Doesn't that mean a hundred-square-meter apartment would cost a billion? The prices here are way too high! Who could possibly afford that?"
His family's entire annual income, without spending a single cent, was just over forty thousand. They could work hard for ten thousand years and still not be able to afford a place here.
The most luxurious villas on Half Mountain in Lei Jiang City only cost a few tens of millions. A mansion like that probably wouldn't even be enough to buy a bathroom in one of these Beiling Street apartments.
"Powerful, high-level Spiritualists earn a lot of money. The Erosion Realm is fraught with danger, but if you discover the coordinates to a New World in there, you can earn a bounty of ten billion."
"On top of that, the Erosion Realm is home to many Extraordinary Demons, and their body parts are all extremely valuable."
"Let me give you an example. In the Gulondo World, a complete Giant Dragon sells for thirty billion in our world," Ding Xiaoxue said.
Shu Feng looked incredulous. "Why would it be that expensive?"
"Bathing in a Giant Dragon's blood can significantly enhance one's physical constitution. Its bones are suffused with powerful Extraordinary Power, making them prime materials for forging Extraordinary Secret Treasures. Its Dragon Scales can be crafted into Extraordinary Battle Armor and shields, and the Giant Dragon's Heart can be used to create a Top-Level Magic Potion."
"A single bottle of a Top-Level Magic Potion, created by a Master of Magical Potions using a Giant Dragon's Heart as the primary ingredient, can sell for upwards of fifty billion. So, thirty billion for an entire Giant Dragon is actually a bargain," Ding Xiaoxue explained.
It sounded like something out of a fairy tale to Shu Feng. "Fifty billion for a single magic potion? Who could afford that?"
"There are more rich people in this world than you can imagine. That one bottle of Top-Level Magic Potion can take a man in his seventies or eighties and restore him to his thirties, extending his life by decades. Potions like that are always in short supply. The moment one becomes available, it's snatched up by the heads of major conglomerates. Do you understand now just how much money high-level Spiritualists can make by exploring Otherworlds?" Ding Xiaoxue said with a light chuckle.
Shu Feng thought for a moment before replying, "You're right. If I were the head of a massive conglomerate with that kind of money, I'd definitely buy a potion for myself too."
The heads of those world-class conglomerates control hundreds of billions, or even trillions, in capital. They would absolutely be willing to pay an enormous price for a Top-Level Magic Potion. To them, fifty billion is nothing more than a year's profit.
Trading one year's profit for decades, or even a century, of extra life and a healthy body? No one would turn down a deal like that.
As they chatted, Ding Xiaoxue led Shu Feng into a luxurious, hundred-meter-tall government building.
"Su Yi, I've got a newly awakened 'wild' Spiritualist here! He's a classmate of mine!"
Ding Xiaoxue pulled Shu Feng over to a service window, smiling at a young woman dressed in professional office attire.