On the other side, Xiao Wu had successfully claimed half of Tang San's bedding. In this situation, Tang San was actually the most awkward and shy one.
Wang Sheng was injured, but even injuries could not stop him from eating. At this moment, he shouted loudly:
"It's time for lunch. Let's all go to the cafeteria together."
Wang Li had eaten dry rations with hot water in the morning and was already hungry by now, so he also said:
"Sure, this is a good chance to get familiar with the campus."
Hearing this, Tang San lowered his head. He had no money. The money Tang Hao earned from blacksmithing was all spent on alcohol. He had never eaten his fill at home, let alone had money to eat at the cafeteria. Therefore, he said coldly:
"You go ahead. I'll just eat some coarse flatbread."
Xiao Wu hesitated and said:
"Don't you need soul coins to eat at the cafeteria?"
Wang Sheng was stunned when he heard this. Of course eating required soul coins. He looked at Tang San, then at Xiao Wu, and roughly understood their situation. Two words: no money.
Two geniuses with innate full soul power, and exceptionally strong fighters. Wang Sheng endured the pain in his heart, patted his chest, and said:
"Let's go. We'll eat together. I'll cover your meals for the next two days. Consider it a celebration that our working-student group has grown larger."
Xiao Wu immediately jumped up, full of energy, and said excitedly:
"Yay!"
Seeing that Xiao Wu agreed, Tang San hesitated for a moment and then said:
"Thank you."
This time, all the working students set off together. It was also a way for them to survive. If they could walk together, they would. They would never easily go alone.
On the way, Wang Sheng looked at Wang Li and suddenly scratched his head, saying:
"Wang Li, why does it feel like the bruises on your face have faded? Did you recover that quickly?"
Wang Li looked at Wang Sheng's face, which was still covered in bruises of blue and purple. Naturally, he would not tell the truth and instead said:
"Probably because you held back, so I recovered especially fast."
Wang Sheng knew very well that he had not held back at all when they fought, but it was not a big deal, so he quickly put it out of his mind.
Wang Li did not explain further. Some secrets only needed to be known by oneself.
…
School cafeteria.
It was a two-story building, large enough to accommodate more than three hundred teachers and students dining together, so the area was naturally quite spacious.
Everyone had been chatting and laughing, but after entering, they heard someone shouting rudely:
"Tsk, isn't this Wang Sheng's group of poor losers!"
The speaker stood between the first and second floor stairway, about eleven or twelve years old. He looked fairly good, but at this moment, the malice, contempt, and disdain in his eyes were completely undisguised, clearly telling everyone that he was a villain, the kind destined to get humiliated sooner or later.
Xiao Wu had once been the boss of the Star Dou Forest, with a Titan Giant Ape on her left and an Azure Bull Python on her right. She was never someone who would stay silent after being insulted. Moreover, Wang Sheng was paying for her meals for two days. She stepped forward, put her hands on her hips, raised her delicate brows, and shouted angrily:
"Where did this mad dog come from, barking nonsense!"
The person on the stairs lit up at the sight of her. People on the Douluo Continent matured quickly, and at eleven or twelve, they already understood everything. He did not care about what Xiao Wu said and instead spoke to himself:
"What a cute little girl. Wang Sheng, I'll let you off today. Another day, we'll get to know each other properly."
After saying that, he led a group of followers upstairs, laughing loudly.
Xiao Wu wanted to chase after them, but Wang Sheng quickly stopped her. He was very pleased with Xiao Wu's willingness to stand up for everyone, but his money pouch was limited, and he dared not let her go to the second floor. He said:
"Sister Xiao Wu, the second floor is for ordering individual dishes. It's very expensive. We can't afford it. They can casually go up there, but we'd better not."
Xiao Wu had no concept of money, but seeing Wang Sheng like this, she calmed down.
On the other side, Tang San walked up to Yu Xiaogang, who had arrived later, and respectfully called him "Teacher." Yu Xiaogang wanted to take him upstairs, but after glancing at Xiao Wu, Tang San did not go.
When Tang San returned, Wang Sheng quickly spoke up:
"Tang San, the Master is not a teacher, so don't address him incorrectly. He isn't a teacher of the academy, just a guest. He neither leads classes nor teaches students on a daily basis. He's like someone who eats without paying. Trying to please the Master is useless."
Hearing this, Tang San's brows furrowed, and his voice turned cold:
"Wang Sheng, the Master is my teacher. If you show any more disrespect toward my teacher, don't blame me for being rude to you."
After saying that, he no longer felt like eating and left in large strides without looking back.
As for Wang Sheng, who stayed behind, he scratched his head. He had meant well for Tang San, yet ended up being scolded. He could not help but mutter:
"Crazy."
Wang Li witnessed everything, but he remained silent the entire time. What interested him more was what the cafeteria food was like.
From his observation, most of the self-funded students also ate on the first floor. Only a handful of students could go to the second floor, and their families were certainly either rich or noble.
The first-floor food was unlike the second floor, where dishes could be ordered individually, but there were still more than ten options to choose from, including both meat and vegetables, with prices clearly marked.
Meat dishes generally cost four to six copper soul coins, vegetable dishes usually one to two copper soul coins, rice cost one copper soul coin, porridge cost one copper soul coin, and there were also various noodles at different prices. Considering that working students earned ten copper soul coins per day, there truly was not much room for choice.
Even without Tang San, everyone still ate as usual. Wang Li paid for himself, spending six copper soul coins on the simplest combination of one meat dish and one vegetable dish. Even this level of food made many working students envious enough to drool.
After finishing the meal, under Wang Sheng's guidance, they took a walk around the academy, found the classroom where they would attend lessons in the future, and also the garden south of the training field that needed to be cleaned.
Returning to the dormitory, most of the working students began cultivating. They all came from humble backgrounds. Only by cultivating to level ten within the six years at the academy could they become soul masters and truly graduate. Otherwise, the academy would not even recognize them as students of Notting Academy.
Wang Li was no exception. He indeed had no basic meditation method, but having obtained twenty-six points of experience, he still had to try finding a way to increase his soul power.
He sat on the bed and assumed a cultivation posture, but in reality, he was communicating with the interface. At the position labeled "Soul Power: Level 3 (54%) +," he touched the "+" with his will.
Very quickly, the entire interface shifted to "Do you want to begin increasing soul power? (Yes/No)."
Wang Li once again touched the word "Yes" with his will.
In just an instant, earth-shaking changes occurred within Wang Li's body. All of his soul power was immediately drawn by an invisible force.
It surged forth wildly, like dragons and serpents.
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