My talent panel can be increased.

Chapter 146 Conflict at the Welcome Party
Yinghui Building

A magnificent crystal chandelier hangs from the dome, casting a soft, warm light throughout the hall, while light music and the aroma of food fill the space.

A long table was laid out, laden with a multitude of delicacies, all sorts of food filling the hall. A berry tower leaped like flames, an ice crystal cake glistened with frost, and exotic meat steaks steamed with strange aromas.
For psionicists, preparing some ordinary food is actually quite simple. As long as it doesn't involve adding attributes or providing any special bonuses, even a lot of food won't cost many psionic points. This is a welcome party for exchange students, so a basic level of formality is necessary.

The number of people at the banquet was actually not large; the school only invited the more capable students. Even so, the atmosphere at the banquet was still somewhat noisy.

However, this commotion suddenly came to an abrupt end at a certain moment.

"Tang Ruobing has arrived."

Suddenly someone spoke.

Soon, everyone's gaze turned towards the banquet entrance. Inside Chenghai No. 2 Middle School, everyone knew that Tang Ruobing was now the strongest mage and the strongest student in the entire school, but very few people had actually seen her.

Because she studied so diligently, she stayed in her private training room every day to improve her strength as quickly as possible, reaching level 9 and surpassing Feng Xinglie.

Therefore, given the opportunity, most students would love to meet this elusive and powerful mage. If they could connect with him and team up to explore the spirit world, that would be even better.

Countless gazes fell upon the girl in the blue robe with gold patterns standing at the door. Her face was as cold and aloof as the crescent moon over a frozen lake, and her long, azure hair cascaded down, making her skin appear even whiter and more translucent. She exuded a unique aura of coldness and tranquility.

Not far from her, a tall, upright young man in the ordinary uniform of No. 2 Middle School walked alongside her. He was dressed plainly, but he naturally exuded a powerful aura, which was not a deliberate display of power, but a natural manifestation of his own strength.

Who's that guy next to her?

"It seems to be Ye Mingqiu from the support class."

"This guy has a strong aura. Just by looking at his walking posture, I can feel that he is terrifyingly strong. He doesn't seem like an ordinary support type."

"Maybe it's just a nominal appointment; they'll be directly admitted in the end, and the department they're in won't matter at all," Feng Xinglie said from a corner, speaking in a voice only his friends could hear, a look of helplessness in his eyes.

Under everyone's gaze, Ye Mingqiu and Tang Ruobing walked side by side, their expressions unchanged. They didn't seem to care much about what others thought of them; this welcome party was just a formality for them.

Not far away, a male student wearing the uniform of No. 1 Middle School looked at the two of them, a hint of hostility flashing in his eyes.

Then, to his surprise, Ye Mingqiu suddenly turned his head, his sharp, hawk-like gaze locking onto him directly, following the hostility. His eyes revealed an incomparably pure killing intent, which was without any impurities, as if he simply wanted to extinguish the source of hostility simply because he sensed it.

What terrifying perception!
The law student broke out in a cold sweat instantly. If he had encountered this guy in the spirit world, he would have doubted how long he could have lived.

His name is Lin Luofeng. He is the strongest mage in the school and a level 9 hero-class psionicist. He has excellent talent and strength and knows a little about Ye Mingqiu's affairs.

But not many

Lin Luofeng knew very well that Ye Mingqiu's leveling speed had exceeded normalcy, which meant that he was probably not a normal student, but rather a young master from a hidden force who had come to replace someone else.

As it happened, he had heard before that people from reclusive families had come here. It must be him.

"Whoo~"

Lin Luofeng took a few deep breaths, trying his best to remain calm. After all, this was a welcome party, and Ye Mingqiu was unlikely to lay a hand on him here. At most, he just didn't like him.

Restrain hostility and control your emotions.
Damn it! This guy is outrageous! My hostility was only a little bit, but he still managed to detect it.

He's a monster!

"what happened?"

Tang Ruobing frowned and asked.

"It's nothing, I just sensed a hint of hostility."

Ye Mingqiu turned around and answered calmly.

If this were not the mortal world, but the spirit world, he would definitely kill the other party based on their hostility. As for why the other party was hostile, or whether they would directly become his enemy, that would not matter.

There was no particular reason; Ye Mingqiu simply didn't care. Eradicating the source of hostility was just a trivial matter for him.

Tang Ruobing followed Ye Mingqiu's gaze and looked out, accurately locking onto Lin Luofeng. She then said, "His hostility towards you is most likely because of me. I'm sorry."

"fine."

Ye Mingqiu smiled and asked, "I don't care. Compared to such unimportant things, I'm actually quite curious whether someone with your background carries any trump cards to protect themselves."

"."

Tang Ruobing fell silent for a moment. As a mage, she was incredibly intelligent, and her thought process was similar to Ye Mingqiu's. She now roughly understood what this guy was thinking.

However, she didn't stop him. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, "Yes, there are some. I have one on me, and he should have one too. If nothing unexpected happens, I hope we don't have to use it."

"That's what I hope for too."

Ye Mingqiu replied.

Soon after, Ma Xiaowen, an exchange student from the auxiliary department of No. 1 High School, came to the two of them with two crystal clear fruit drinks. She smiled and handed one to each of them, saying, "I've heard so much about you two! Try this, Star Dew Fruit Tea, it tastes quite good."

"Thanks."

Ye Mingqiu took both cups directly, then handed one of them to Tang Ruobing. The latter showed no change in expression, but after taking it, she took a sip and said softly, "The taste is indeed quite good."

Seeing their natural interactions, Ma Xiaowen instantly realized that their relationship was not simple, and Lin Luofeng's plan would probably be difficult to carry out.

However, she still smiled and said, "I'm also a support-type student. Can you teach me how to level up the fastest? I'm so worried, I just can't seem to level up!"

"First, use a team creation card to create your own team. Then, challenge the unlimited difficulty solo and kill all the monsters. This way, you can get the maximum 120% upgrade experience. You can level up more than once by entering the Spirit Realm once," Ye Mingqiu answered based on his personal experience.

"."

Ma Xiaowen's smile froze, and she felt like cursing inside. Team creation card? Was that something she could possibly get? Unlimited difficulty solo challenge? You might as well just let me commit suicide.

He's probably just making fun of me!

Thinking about this, her mindset changed slightly, but for the sake of the plan, she quickly calmed herself down and said with a dry laugh, "Haha, you're so funny. How could I possibly do that? You'd better use this kind of improvement method yourself."

"Yes, I'm using it, and it's working very well."

Ye Mingqiu nodded in reply.

"."

Ma Xiaowen fell silent again. Although Ye Mingqiu seemed to be telling the truth on the surface, each sentence he uttered was more outrageous than the last and could not possibly be true. To be able to say such things with such a calm and sincere attitude, this guy was not simple.

She quickly composed herself and asked, "Oh, by the way, I heard you took down all five opponents in the previous match, is that true?"

"real."

"But aren't you a support type? Why do you have such strong combat power?"

"I am a support class because my profession has support abilities, which is a characteristic of my profession. I also have combat power to defeat enemies, which is my strength. There is no conflict between the two."

Ye Mingqiu paused slightly before continuing, "Psionicists will grow stronger as they explore and settle accounts in the Spirit Realm, and they will acquire more and more abilities. When resources are overflowing, it is a good choice to slightly increase their output capabilities."

"Ah ha ha"

Ma Xiaowen chuckled dryly. She felt that what Ye Mingqiu said was already considered heretical for a support class.

This is not a proper conversation at all!
Tang Ruobing, who was drinking Star Dew Fruit Tea with her head down, secretly smiled, but quickly recovered as if nothing had happened.

Ma Xiaowen took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and said, "Um, I'm an exchange student from No. 1 High School, so I'm not very familiar with the environment of No. 2 High School. Could you take me for a walk around outside?"

At this moment, her tone wasn't particularly enthusiastic; she sounded like an NPC who wanted to finish her lines quickly and then leave work.

"Sorry, after dinner I need to review the basic theory and practice of magic with her. Practicing magic skills every day is very important," Ye Mingqiu replied.

"Spell techniques?"

Ma Xiaowen frowned.

"Yes, as a support character specializing in mental magic, it's normal for me to know a little bit of magic, right?" Ye Mingqiu replied matter-of-factly.

Ma Xiaowen was completely speechless. She smiled helplessly and then went to the seafood table next to her to continue eating. It wasn't her problem that she couldn't get the person to leave, but rather that the other party was too difficult to deal with. There was nothing she could do.

Continuing to hang around here is just a waste of time. I might as well just start eating and have some good food. Once I finish my work, I don't care about the results. I'm going to eat and eat!
As Ma Xiaowen left, Lin Luofeng's expression gradually darkened.

The two have a very good relationship, and it's unlikely that they can be separated temporarily by someone else. Now, they have no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

"Whoo~"

Lin Luofeng downed half a cup of fruit tea in one gulp, strode forward, and a familiar yet nostalgic smile instantly spread across his face. He looked at Tang Ruobing and said with a smile, "Ruobing, long time no see. How's everything at home lately? I remember..."

"We're not that close."

Tang Ruobing interrupted her directly, her voice cold and her eyes filled with icy intent, and continued, "If you dare to use such an intimate term in public again, I will consider it a provocation. You should know the consequences."

"."

Lin Luofeng's expression changed drastically.

Tang Ruobing's attitude was more aggressive and emotional than he had imagined; such a response was hardly that of a rational mage.

Is that guy really that important to you? You're willing to disregard family ties?

You must understand that our two families have business dealings. In the future, I will inevitably become the master of the Lin family. Offending me now will surely put your family in a disadvantageous position in business and trade in the future.

unless
He can offer you greater benefits!
Compared to emotions, Lin Luofeng believes more in the power of interests. As a mage, he is rational, but also somewhat too rational. He has always disregarded emotions and only believes in the connection of interests.

More importantly, Tang Ruobing is also a top-tier mage, full of wisdom.

In his view, the more intelligent a person is, the less likely they are to be swayed by emotions. Lin Luofeng believes that he and Tang Ruobing are the same kind of people. Only people like them can reach such a high level in the field of magic.

We are the same, even though.
You are clearly not worthy.
Lin Luofeng clenched his fists secretly. In fact, he himself did not realize that he might not be as rational as he thought. His previous rationality was simply because he felt that those things, events, and people were not that important to him, so he took them lightly and reacted indifferently.

"Sigh! You really don't hold back. We've been friends since childhood, and now we can't even use the way we used to call each other," Lin Luofeng sighed. "I never asked you to use that term of endearment."

Tang Ruobing mercilessly delivered the final blow.

But Lin Luofeng nodded in agreement as if it were commonplace, saying, "Alright, alright, you're right. I've never been asked to address you like that before. It must be a special way of addressing you, my friend, right?"

"Is he your boyfriend?"

Lin Luofeng tilted his head slightly and asked. Although family scandals should not be aired in public, he still managed to learn from rumors that Tang Ruobing was being punished by her family for dating Ye Mingqiu.

He didn't know the reason, because the specific reason was too outrageous to be spread.

Therefore, all he knew was that Tang Ruobing's family had rejected their relationship, and he believed that Tang Ruobing would not admit it in public, meaning that she certainly wouldn't now.
"For now."

Tang Ruobing gave a simple answer, while casually taking Ye Mingqiu's arm and laughing lightly as if in a show of defiance.

They admitted it.
Why would you admit it!

How could you admit to something like that!

Why are you two so close?

In an instant, Lin Luofeng's composure crumbled, but the word "temporarily" helped him regain some composure. He personally believed that Tang Ruobing's current close relationship with Ye Mingqiu was for certain reasons, and that it was only a temporary confirmation of their relationship, not a permanent commitment.

But in fact
Tang Ruobing meant that it was temporary because she had failed to steal the household registration book before, so she couldn't get a marriage certificate directly. Therefore, he could only be her boyfriend for the time being. Once she became stronger and her infiltration skills improved, she would definitely be able to steal the book and get the marriage certificate in the future.

Feeling the warmth from her arm, Ye Mingqiu understood her determination. He smiled, looking at Lin Luofeng as if he were looking at a clown.

Look, he's getting anxious.

The countless classmates who were listening intently to the gossip were also heartbroken, but they weren't too sad because they weren't very familiar with Tang Ruobing to begin with, and her relationship with Ye Mingqiu had always seemed quite close, so this situation was entirely expected.

Halfway through the dinner, the aroma of food mingled with the noise of the crowd, and the atmosphere seemed to ease a bit.

Lin Luofeng was in a bad mood. He drank several glasses of strong liquor that he would never normally drink, and an abnormal flush appeared on his face. His head was spinning.

As a mage, he always believed that alcohol was poison, that drinking would reduce a mage's rationality and thinking ability, and that drinking was tantamount to suicide. But now he was in a bad mood, and there happened to be some strong liquor nearby.

As if possessed, he, who had never drunk alcohol before, picked up the bottle and downed several glasses of strong liquor.

I feel less uncomfortable now.
He recalled the "weakness" he possessed about Tang Ruobing, something he had never intended to reveal. As for why he didn't use it, why he didn't speak up, the alcohol-fueled Lin Luofeng had forgotten his reasons. Now that he remembered, he felt he could use it to threaten and manipulate her.

Who says alcohol always affects rationality and thinking ability? I don't experience any!

Lin Luofeng smiled dismissively, then walked directly through the crowd, heading straight for Ye Mingqiu and Tang Ruobing. His actions were simple and direct, without any unnecessary thought.

"Ye Mingqiu".

He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Come out with me for a moment, I have something I want to talk to you about."

Ye Mingqiu didn't take this to heart.

He slowly and deliberately placed a translucent ruby-like berry onto Tang Ruobing's plate, his movements as leisurely as if he were taking a stroll in a garden.

Then, Ye Mingqiu looked up at Lin Luofeng beside him, his gaze as indifferent as if he were looking at an unimportant decoration, and his tone was completely calm as he said, "Say it here."

How contemptuous! How arrogant!
Lin Luofeng's heart raced, and his Adam's apple bobbed violently. Under the influence of alcohol, his anger surged instantly.

Then, he turned to Tang Ruobing and said, "Come out with me for a bit. You don't want him to know about those things, do you?"

"Ok?"

Tang Ruobing picked up the berries Ye Mingqiu had given her, put them in her mouth and chewed, while looking at Lin Luofeng with a puzzled expression, as if she were looking at an idiot.

Although she didn't like this guy before, she didn't particularly hate him because he was a sensible person who wouldn't continue to act rashly if she felt uncomfortable, nor would he do anything illogical.

Now, Lin Luofeng seems to have changed; his style of doing things has changed.

"What's wrong with you? Be normal."

Tang Ruobing said.

"Going crazy? Me, going crazy?"

Lin Luofeng looked on incredulously. The current situation was completely different from what he had imagined, which made him feel extremely uncomfortable and painful.

He didn't understand why this was happening. His predictions had never been wrong before. No matter the circumstances, he could always make the most correct judgment. Why had things turned out this way?

Why? Why!
Lin Luofeng stood there, his body trembling slightly. The string of reason had snapped completely. He breathed heavily, looked at Ye Mingqiu, and said with wide eyes, "Hoo~ You know what? She's not as good as you think."

"."

Ye Mingqiu recalled Tang Ruobing drooling on his lap, and how she frantically explained things to him while citing examples of ordinary people being sentenced. A smile crept onto his face as he whispered:

"What's going on?"

"!!"

Lin Luofeng was even more furious and said angrily, "She didn't intend to maintain this relationship with you forever. She already said before that for now, you're just boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Oh, what's up?"

Ye Mingqiu's expression remained calm, but he was clearly starting to get impatient.

"Don't you care?"

"What's going on?"

"hu~hu~"

Lin Luofeng completely exploded, no longer caring about anything else, and said, "Ye Mingqiu, you are a support type, a mental specialist, and Tang Ruobing is also a mental specialist."

"But do you know what? Behind your back, she secretly used your resources to buy items that boosted her strength and agility, and the effects weren't very strong. Do you know what that means?"

Lin Luofeng stepped forward and continued, "She's using your money to support a useless warrior."

"Damn it, who are you calling trash!"
Ye Mingqiu's expression turned cold. He made up his mind that if this guy dared to say another word, he would directly use his life-saving item.

It’s not over, right?
Am I not allowed to participate in the welcome party?

On the other side, Lin Luofeng stared intently at Ye Mingqiu's face, but the shock, anger, and collapse he expected did not appear. Ye Mingqiu simply looked at him calmly, a hint of impatience and anger flashing in his eyes.

Why wasn't he angry?
This is wrong!

Lin Luofeng couldn't accept reality. His chest heaved, and he lost control of his emotions. Pointing at Tang Ruobing, he shouted, "Do you know? She's already used the power of the Ancient God! The Ancient God! The Ancient God! She's already tainted by the curse! It won't be long before her beautiful face..."

Before he could finish speaking, a powerful hand reached out to grab him with incredible speed.

The next moment, Lin Luofeng's earrings shone, emitting a blue light that formed a shield. The shield was a self-reacting shield that could automatically protect its owner and prevent the owner from being ambushed and killed.

But
"Crack!"

A crisp cracking sound rang out as a long, powerful hand pressed down on the shield. With Ye Mingqiu's angry gaze and fierce pressure, the shield was instantly shattered.

Then, the large hand precisely gripped Lin Luofeng's throat, and the terrifying force pulled him up, lifting his feet off the ground, completely engulfing him in the feeling of suffocation and pain.

Lin Luofeng struggled in vain, using both hands and feet, completely losing the elegance and rationality of a mage. The feeling of impending death almost turned him into a beast.

Even so, his body's instincts still compelled him to unleash an instant spell. A wind blade grazed Ye Mingqiu's neck, but caused no harm.

"Crack!"

Ye Mingqiu twisted Lin Luofeng's neck with force, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Lin Luofeng landed with his neck twisted, his eyes wide open, and only distorted sounds coming from his throat. Finally, his body disappeared and then reappeared not far away, panting heavily.

He knelt on the ground, completely enveloped by the terrifying feeling of death, the side effects of alcohol being countered by the life-saving item.

The next moment, a shadow enveloped him.

Lin Luofeng looked up and found that it was Ye Mingqiu. He subconsciously released a magical shield, but the temporary shield was easily pierced by the other party's big hand, and then, just like before, he grabbed his neck and lifted him up.

Oh no! I'm going to die!

I'm really going to die!

Lin Luofeng reacted quickly, taking out an item from his storage space and crushing it. Golden light enveloped his body, forming a protective barrier.

"Ok?"

Ye Mingqiu frowned slightly. At this moment, he was surprised that he hadn't been able to kill him directly.

At the same time, the entire Yinghui Building seemed to have been muted.

The music stopped, the laughter and chatter ceased, leaving only the occasional clinking of plates and countless astonished gazes.

Ye Mingqiu acted too quickly. Before anyone realized it, he had already casually killed Lin Luofeng. If Lin Luofeng hadn't reacted quickly, he would be dead now.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, he lifted Lin Luofeng with one hand, suspending him in mid-air. Golden light protected Lin Luofeng. Once he was safe, he quickly cast a spell, and countless wind blades and fireballs fell on Ye Mingqiu, but they could not cause any effective damage.

Because a golden shield also appeared on Ye Mingqiu's body. It was a radiant shield cast with [Divine Power]. Although the shield strength was not much, only about four hundred, it could still play a fairly good role under the high fixed damage reduction bonus of Ye Mingqiu himself.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, he held the strongest mage in one hand. The mage was wearing life-saving items and frantically casting spells, but still could not cause him any effective damage.

This scene shocked everyone.

(End of this chapter)