Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

Bai Ruolin looked puzzled: "What?"

"It's nothing, you're very beautiful." Lin Ran quickly diverted Bai Ruolin's attention.

"You're being very presumptuous by speaking like that!" Bai Ruolin said, slightly embarrassed.

Lin Ran remained unfazed: "I just have a pair of eyes that are good at discovering beauty."

"Hehehe... You're really interesting." Bai Ruolin turned around and went back to her seat.

Lin Ran kept dozing off during the rest of the class.

At noon, after school, Lin Haozhe came over and called Lin Ran to go to the cafeteria for lunch.

The two walked out of the classroom and saw several students gathered at the end of the corridor, whispering about something.

The group dispersed as soon as they saw Lin Ran come out.

The cafeteria is located on the first floor of the main building. It is quite large and is divided into a general dining area and a special area for martial arts students.

The students in the martial arts class have different meal standards than regular students, with three times the amount of protein and plant-based ingredients.

Lin Ran picked up his tray and sat down in a corner.

Just as I picked up a piece of braised pork, the chair opposite me was pulled away.

Bai Ruolin sat down opposite me, carrying a salad. "You don't mind me sitting here, do you?"

"Whatever." Lin Ran took a bite of meat.

Bai Ruolin didn't pay attention to Lin Ran's attitude. She fiddled with the lettuce leaves in her bowl and casually said, "Sun Jingyao might come and cause you trouble later."

"How did you know?" Lin Ran looked up.

"His underlings have been keeping watch in the cafeteria. They saw you come in and just went to inform him."

"Is Sun Jingyao very famous at school?"

"He is indeed very famous. After all, he has an A-level fire talent and his explosive power is comparable to that of other elemental types' S-level talents. He can be considered a genius."

Bai Ruolin spoke casually, seemingly unimpressed by the word "genius."

"Thanks for reminding me, but why are you helping me?" Lin Ran pressed.

"Hehehe... You just complimented me on my looks, and I find you pleasing to the eye too."

"So...you want to date me?"

"puff……"

Bai Ruolin spat out a mouthful of rice, but luckily Lin Ran dodged in time, otherwise it would have been a truly horrific sight.

"Cough cough cough... What nonsense are you talking about? What I mean is, I help you because I like you!"

"Oh, it seems my charm isn't enough." Lin Ran nodded.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion arose at the entrance of the cafeteria.

A boy who was nearly 1.9 meters tall strode towards them, followed by four or five followers.

He had a very short buzz cut, an arrogant expression, and his school uniform was open, revealing a black vest and solid muscles underneath.

"They're here." Bai Ruolin pouted.

The man walked up to Lin Ran's table, glanced down at Bai Ruolin, and then shifted his gaze to Lin Ran.

"You're Lin Ran?"

"What's up?"

"My brother asked me to collect some interest from you for him." Sun Jingyao propped himself up on the table with one hand, his knuckles cracking.

The students around them quickly moved their trays away.

Several cafeteria ladies exchanged uneasy glances.

Lin Ran put down his chopsticks and wiped his hands with a napkin.

"How do you plan to collect it?"

"Come with me to the ring for a match." Sun Jingyao straightened up and pointed his thumb toward the training hall behind him.

Lin Ran crumpled up a napkin and tossed it into the plate: "Is there a lucky draw?"

"What?"

Why should I fight you if there's no prize?

Sun Jingyao was stunned for two seconds before reacting, then sneered, "You think you can win?"

"Just tell me if there's a prize involved."

"Alright!" Sun Jingyao took a crystal core from his pocket and slammed it on the table. "This is a Tier 3 mutant crystal core, worth 200,000 on the market. If you win, it's yours. If you lose..."

"I'll give you two hundred thousand."

"I don't want money." Sun Jingyao's eyes were sinister. "You lost, so kowtow to me three times."

Lin Ran shook his head and refused: "That won't do. It's only two hundred thousand, it's not worth it."

"You..." Sun Jingyao paused slightly, then realized that Lin Ran was now the young master of the Lin family, so naturally he wouldn't make this bet for 200,000.

After much deliberation, he decided to compromise for the time being: "Fine, if you win, the crystal core is yours. If I win, you give me two hundred thousand."

As long as Lin Ran is willing to go to the arena with him, his goal will be achieved.

As for the prize, it was Lin Ran who suggested it, so it doesn't matter whether it's there or not.

Lin Ran glanced at the crystal core on the table. It was the size of a quail egg, with a light red surface and flame-like patterns.

I don't know if the "Ten Thousand Treasures Spirit Forging Technique" can absorb the spiritual power in the crystal core.

"Brother Ran, you can't fight him!" Lin Haozhe arrived late: "He's an A-level fire-type awakener who has already advanced to the Qi Opening Realm. You can't beat him."

Before Lin Ran could respond, Sun Jingyao turned his gaze to Lin Haozhe and said fiercely, "What, Young Master Lin wants to stand up for him?"

"Sun Jingyao, I'm warning you, Lin Ran is my brother. If you hurt him, the Lin family will not let you off the hook!" Lin Haozhe said righteously.

"Hmph, I'm giving a proper challenge, not bullying a classmate. What can your Lin family do to me?"

Sun Jingyao stepped forward, displaying the aura of a cultivator at the Opening Aperture Realm: "Don't think that just because the Lin family holds the title of the richest family, they're so great. In this world, martial artists ultimately call the shots!"

Lin Haozhe's expression changed several times, but he couldn't utter a rebuttal.

"Oh?" Lin Ran revealed a playful smile: "So, your Sun family is quite powerful?"

Sun Jingyao tilted his head back: "Enough with the nonsense, do you dare to fight me!"

"Fight! Why wouldn't I fight? Someone's offering me money, why would I refuse?"

After saying that, Lin Ran turned and walked towards the training hall.

Bai Ruolin finished the last bite of her salad and followed Lin Ran.

"A-level fire-type ability at the Qi Opening Realm, with a core temperature reaching 1200 degrees Celsius. Can you withstand it?"

Lin Ran said calmly, "Am I just supposed to stand there and take a beating?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Ruolin raised an eyebrow: "You were born with superhuman strength, not superhuman speed. Do you really think you can outrun the speed of someone in the Qi Opening Realm?"

"Is the speed of a fire-type awakened person in the Qi Opening Realm much faster than that of a speed-type awakened person in the Body Tempering Realm?" Lin Ran asked rhetorically.

Bai Ruolin paused slightly, as if she understood something, and a smile appeared on her lips: "It's really hard to say."

Lin Ran and Zhao Meng had a match in class before. As a speed-type awakener, Zhao Meng was defeated by Lin Ran with just one punch.

While Zhao Meng's carelessness played a part, it cannot be denied that Lin Ran was fast enough.

Since he can match the speed of a speed-type Awakened, he shouldn't be unable to dodge Sun Jingyao's attacks.

After all, Sun Jingyao is a fire-type awakener, and speed is not his forte.

Even if he is already at the Tongqiao Realm, he cannot be faster than Zhao Meng, who is a speed-type character.

As the group left the cafeteria, students on the road automatically made way for them.

Someone recognized Sun Jingyao and whispered to their companion.

"Isn't that Sun Jingyao? Is he going to the arena again?"

"Who's that in front? He looks unfamiliar."

"He's a new transfer student, I think his name is Lin Ran."

"Oh? It's him! The young master of the Lin family who went missing eighteen years ago?"

"Yes, yes, yes! It's him! He beat up Zhao Meng this morning!"

"Zhao Meng? That Zhao Meng from the B-rank speed class?"

"That's right, I heard he was sent flying with a single punch!"

The news spread very quickly.

When Lin Ran arrived at the entrance of the training hall, there were already thirty or forty students following behind him who had come to watch the excitement.