16. First combat class. Making friends

After exploding out of the classroom like a herd of wild beasts, the students of Elite class, also marked as 1-E (That one surprised Yin. She was actually expecting the class to be 1-A) travelled towards the cafeteria in a near-run. After the first students entered the door and started looking at the offered menu they suddenly stopped, rooted in shock.

- Oh my good, look at the menu! They have spiritual meals - Shouted someone.

Spiritual meals weren't anything rare, just food made from Qi-receptive beasts and plants raised in special facilities and could only be used as supplement. They would save you 2-5 days of cultivation per substage in Core Formation stage at best, which, considering one substage took anythibg between 6 and 8 months, wasn't anything to write home about.

What was worth noting, was the statement of prestige those meals represented. A well-off middle class family couldn't afford meals like that aside from special occasions. Top class families could afford to feed only one or two members.

Being able to feed every student with those meals showed just how prestigous #1 High was.

'Look at everyone collecting their jaws from the floor. I don't buy it, they wouldn't be able to afford this. The school must own some farming facilities.'

After picking up some fried chicken and vegetables she took her place at a 4-seat table.

'I wonder if being ranked 1st will scare others off. '

She pondered, her thoughts almost immidiately answered when she saw a round figure carrying a literal mountain of food sit opposite to her.

Before she could try to get some small talk going she felt a tug at her arm and turned around to see Rou You carrying a bowl of soup. The ice cold beauty quitly asked:

- Are those seats permanent? If so, could I eat with you in the future? There are so many people bothering me.

Yin looked at Fatty Hao who stopped shoveling the mountain of food to look at her and nod, before starting to shovel again.

- Sure, let's make this arrangement permanent. As you might've heard I'm Long Yin, nice to meet you.

- I'm Fatty Hao, as I said in class, nice to meet you.

- I'm Rou You. As long as you keep your boundaries we can be friends.

- And I'm Long Tian. Hey Sis, can I sit with you? Everyone keeps kicking me out because they think I'll get demoted to Regular soon.

Yin looked at her codiners, who nodded their heads.

- They agree. You can sit with us, but don't be a nuisance and don't make trouble.

- Who do you think I am, sis? You know how I am, there won't be any trouble.

'It is precisely because I know you that I am convinced you'll cause trouble, you idiot... '

Surprisingly, the lunch break passed by without interruptions as they continued their small talk, getting to know each other. Unsurprisingly, as soon as her brother left them he was challenged by a group of students offended because he talked to their "goddess" Rou You. She decided that "out if sight is out of mind" and left him to his trouble as she went in the direction of combat training gym.

'Leaving my brother to his trouble turned out to be a not very good idea ' - mused Yin as she watched other students gasp for breath as they ran on the track with weights equipped. She would could be suffering with them, but as Body Refiner she would need at least 3 times their weight to put a tiny strain on her muscles. They were running a murderous punishment routine because her brother and the deliquents that were bothering him were late for their lesson. After the last student aside from her collapsed, theacher Tang gave her a knowing look that filled her with dread before proceeding with the actual combat lesson.

The combat lessons were simple, with their aim being preparation for university exams. They got Advanced Foundational Techniques, which were another set of exercises meant for building a stable foundation, that they had to train to perfection during next 4 school years. Aside from that, everyone demonstrated their combat arts. Those, who were deemed to be using low-grade arts, were pointed in the direction of combat arts library for better techniques. Those, whose combat arts level was deemed satisfactory would get a short one on one session with Teachee Tang, who would learn specifics required to master their arts, then give pointers to help them improve.

Yin's one on one session was very fruitful. She formed her fourth claw, reaching Minor Accomplishment of Dragon Claw Art and her Astral Slip finally started becoming fluid during movement, instead of being rigid, forcing her to stop when changing directions, which meant she was nearing Minor Accomplishment. Her Double Slash didn't have any visible improvement but she finally managed to redirect the second slash in opposite direction to the first one, even if it immidiately fizzled out. Her Star Shattering Fist was still stuck at Initial Stage of 2x gravity, because further stages required higher cultivation base.

After the lesson finished they were shown to the dormitories, which were built on top of gigantic Qi Gathering Array, making others extatic, since it would provide them with a boost of cultivation speed even in early stages of Foundation Establishment. Yin used the commotion caused by the students to slip away, intending to use her scholarship privilege to break through to Core Formation Second Substage. As top 5 in each year of Elite class got private rooms, she didn't have to worry about waking up a roommate by coming back late.

AN:Releases will slow down as I fucked up my main hand.