Ten Jin of Food

The following day, as the serene chime echoed through the Zhi Ge department's new student hall, Lin Xi, seated cross-legged on his bed, blinked slowly. "This cultivation is indeed intriguing... but the replenishment of soul energy is rather slow..." After a few breaths and muttering this to himself, Lin Xi gradually opened his eyes and rose to freshen up. 

A flicker of excitement lingered in his brow. 

For him, the practice of cultivation in this world was undeniably fascinating. 

Last night, he had followed the method described by the one-eyed black-robed instructor, whose name he did not yet know, and engaged in meditation. Unbeknownst to him, he had remained seated in contemplation throughout the night, awakening only with the dawn. 

Aside from a slight numbness in his legs and an insatiable hunger, he felt invigorated, as if he had enjoyed a restful ten-hour slumber. Within his dantian, a warm current of energy had begun to manifest, though Lin Xi sensed that this flow was not as robust as the one he had experienced the previous day. 

After completing his morning routine, Lin Xi again focused on the gentle current within his dantian. However, despite his mental coaxing, the slender stream of energy meandered aimlessly within him, imparting a soothing warmth throughout his body. 

Suspecting that the issue lay with the black bow, he wasted no time and swiftly grabbed the letter he had prepared before entering meditation the previous night, tucking it into his sleeve. He exited his room, prompted by Tang Ke's reminder. 

All the new students rushed towards the dining hall on the west side of the first floor, resembling famished spirits. It was only when Lin Xi and Tang Ke settled at a table laden with food that they began to converse. 

"I knocked on your door last night, but you didn't respond. I thought you might be in meditation, so I didn't disturb you. That Instructor Tong didn't give you and Bian Linghan a hard time, did he?" Tang Ke asked, biting into a meat bun that was nearly the size of his head, attempting to satiate his overwhelming hunger. 

Before Lin Xi could inquire how Tang Ke knew the instructor's surname was Tong, a group of five girls, including Hua Jiyue and Bian Linghan, approached and joined them at the table. 

With no regard for decorum, Hua Jiyue seized a meat bun and took a hefty bite before answering the question she had overheard: "He and Linghan are quite close, but they managed to annoy Instructor Tong. Thankfully, their credits weren't deducted, but they'll have to do a month of labor." 

"Cough... cough..." Lin Xi nearly choked on a piece of date cake upon hearing this. 

"Hua Jiyue, don't speak nonsense," Bian Linghan said, her face slightly flushed as she feigned anger. "Instructor Tong only said we'd be penalized to help out in the medicine valley for an hour each day." 

"How do you know his surname is Tong?" Lin Xi finally interjected, catching his breath. 

Hua Jiyue, unabashedly munching on her bun, laughed heartily. "When we returned yesterday, we encountered a group of upperclassmen from the Literature department. They told me that Instructor Tong is quite strict. Although one can earn two credits from him by reaching the standard of a low-level soul practitioner, many new students lose credits under his watch." 

"By the way, Lin Xi," Hua Jiyue suddenly recalled, looking at him intently, "those upperclassmen mentioned that some clubs will be recruiting new members in the freshman trial valley the day after tomorrow, and they advised us not to miss out." 

Thinking back to the myriad of promotions and associations he encountered upon entering university, Lin Xi was not surprised. He rolled up a meat pie and asked, "What clubs are there?" 

"There's the Poetry and Painting Society, Sword Society, Physical Training Society, and Stealth Society, among others. They mentioned there are dozens of clubs, but those upperclassmen only told us about a few." 

"Stealth and Trap Setting—aren't those mandatory courses for our second year in the Zhi Ge department? What does the Stealth Society do? And what about the Physical Training Society?" Lin Xi inquired, intrigued. On the way back yesterday, he had also met some new students from the Spirit Ritual department, including Liu Yingtian, who had shared tales of their peculiar residence in a black building on a nearby hillside, filled with hidden rooms and bizarre symbols, creating an eerie atmosphere. He learned that they had also encountered some upperclassmen from the Zhi Ge department, who mentioned that stealth and trap setting were indeed part of their curriculum. These skills were particularly useful in the complex mountainous battlefields. 

"Most clubs cater to students with a strong interest in a particular subject. The Stealth Society is for those passionate about stealth techniques, where one might learn things not covered in class, enhancing their skills. The Physical Training Society focuses on unarmed combat without weapons." 

"Joining these clubs doesn't earn additional credits, but it does provide opportunities to meet more senior students and gain valuable guidance." 

"Is it true that practitioners have such enormous appetites?" Lin Xi asked. 

"Yes, generally, practitioners in the Border Army consume ten jin of food, which means eating ten jin of meat in a single meal." 

"Does that mean you've devoured all the mountain mice?" 

"Lin Xi, we're eating here; could you refrain from making jokes? You might choke us to death... Do you think everyone is a practitioner? Even in the renowned academies, only a select few manage to step into the realm of practitioners." 

"..." 

In the midst of their idle chatter, Lin Xi consumed a piece of date cake, five meat pies, three large buns, and an ample portion of cut grilled meat and fruits. 

Perhaps due to the meticulous selection of ingredients before being placed on the long tables, even a simple piece of date cake was extraordinarily soft and fragrant, far surpassing the so-called organic foods of his "previous life." 

"Although it's not quite ten jin, it must be at least two or three jin... I hadn't expected to become such a glutton." 

Feeling satisfied, Lin Xi patted his comfortably rounded belly, contemplating bringing some food to class. From what Instructor Tong implied, today's soul energy cultivation lesson would likely take place in that valley, and he and Bian Linghan were also set to undergo an hour of Windwalker training. The thought of climbing back while pressed closely together was rather daunting. 

However, over the past two days, Lin Xi noticed that while the Qingluan Academy provided bountiful meals, they seemed to accurately gauge the students' appetites, resulting in minimal leftovers at his table. Aside from Hua Jiyue, the other four girls, who ate more slowly, had yet to finish their portions. 

"Lin Xi!" 

At that moment, someone called out. Lin Xi turned to see Qiu Lu greeting him from the adjacent long table. 

Qiu Lu had likely just arrived, still clutching a meat pie and sipping from a basin of mare's milk, exuding warmth as if they were close friends. In a moment of surprise, Qiu Lu flashed a smile and exclaimed, "Good morning, the academy's most wasteful talent, Lin Zhen!" 

The expressions of Li Kaiyun, Hua Jiyue, and the others darkened immediately, realizing that Qiu Lu's overt friendliness was nothing more than a blatant provocation and insult. 

To their astonishment, however, Lin Xi did not react with anger but merely smiled in return, replying, "Good morning." 

Qiu Lu paused, taken aback, before regaining his composure. "Lin Xi, I didn't expect you to have such audacity, like a pig that doesn't fear boiling water!" 

"Qiu Lu, mind your words," Hua Jiyue interjected sternly. "Lin Xi is the chosen one designated by Vice Dean Xia and the professors of the six departments. To slander him is to mock their judgment." 

"I haven't said anything wrong," Qiu Lu retorted smugly. "I didn't deny he's the chosen one; I merely said he's the worst of the chosen, wasting precious elixirs." 

"Yesterday I learned that starting today, we can enter the new student trial valley. If you have the courage, would you dare to face me there?" After grinning, Qiu Lu ignored Hua Jiyue and fixed his gaze on Lin Xi, anticipation evident in his expression. 

Tang Ke stood up before Lin Xi could respond. "Qiu Lu, if you wish to belittle others based on your superior talent and the advantages of your elixirs, you can first come at me." 

"Lin Xi, are you too afraid to stand up for yourself?" Qiu Lu laughed heartily, ensuring everyone could hear him. 

"Look outside the window; there's a senior flying!" Lin Xi smiled slightly, suddenly pointing toward the distance outside the window with feigned surprise. 

"Where?" Everyone turned to look outside, but after a long while, they saw no one flying. The distant mountains remained unchanged, and the clear blue sky only occasionally revealed a bird soaring by. 

"Lin Xi, you!" 

Suddenly, Qiu Lu shouted in disbelief, his frustration palpable. 

"Pfft!" Hua Jiyue and the others could not contain their laughter. 

The table in front of Qiu Lu was completely empty. While he and the others searched for the flying senior, Lin Xi had already wrapped up the food into two bundles, stuffing his sleeves to the brim. 

Having arrived late, aside from the generous portions left by his few friends, the rest of the tables had been nearly cleared. What drove him to the brink of madness was that he had only eaten a single meat pie and was still far from full. 

"Lin Xi, hand over the food!" 

Seeing Lin Xi's innocent expression and his cheerful demeanor as he moved toward the exit, Qiu Lu was filled with rage, yet when he noticed Lin Xi smiling and not evading his grasp, he froze. He suddenly realized that if he acted against Lin Xi outside the trial valley, the academy's punishment would be beyond his capacity to bear. 

"Lin Xi, you shameless rascal! In the trial valley, I will make sure you're unrecognizable to even your own mother!" Thus, the furious golden-spooned youth could only shout at Lin Xi's retreating figure. 

Amidst Qiu Lu's exasperated cries, Lin Xi's thoughts drifted to the chicken wings he had just stowed away, and playfully, he began to hum, "Grilled chicken wings... my absolute favorite..."