Volume One, Chapter 103: The Dragon Court

Mod quickly withdrew his gaze and awkwardly cleared his throat twice. Ivanoti glanced curiously at the senior students beside him—could it be that they had caught a cold?

Yu Jiuchuan, seated between Ivanoti and Mod, closed the booklet in her hands and took out another from her bag to continue studying. To her, this winter camp trip held no special significance; every spare moment was simply spent reviewing her lessons as usual.

Unlike the carefully dressed Su Ziwen and Ivanoti, Yu Jiuchuan wore a simple red tracksuit, the open collar revealing a white T-shirt underneath.

The vehicle drove from the Qing Mountain district toward the Anjie exit in the northern part of Qin City, passing by the city’s only two gifted high schools—the prestigious Longting High School.

Mod was somewhat curious why the junior Feng chose not to attend the closer Longting High but instead transferred to Tianshui High. Yet, unfamiliar with Ivanoti and himself, he refrained from asking.

“Qin No. 2 did well this time, with two students selected for the winter camp. That really surprised both me and Old Cheng,” Feng Shichu remarked casually, gazing at the grand Longting High outside the window.

The three youngsters in the back row all curled their lips slightly. Old Feng’s words were blatant boasting. Longting High, as large as it was, only secured two spots, while their own Tianshui High claimed four—a rare achievement among gifted schools.

“Qin No. 2” referred to Longting High’s nickname, meaning it ranked second among gifted schools in Qin City.

Naturally, “Qin No. 1” was their own Tianshui High.

In truth, Longting High was simply founded later, thus earning the second rank by default.

Qin City had four gifted high schools in total, but only “Qin No. 1” and “Qin No. 2” had been rivals for years, locked in fierce competition.

Tianshui High boasted a long history and had nurtured many outstanding talents and several top gifted individuals. Longting High, meanwhile, had abundant financial resources, with superior faculty and facilities compared to other schools in the city.

Notably, Yu Heping, the current homeroom teacher of their class 20, had switched from Longting High to Tianshui.

The three in the back listened to Feng Shichu recount how, at Longting High’s founding, some of their veteran teachers had been lured away by money and never returned, remaining at Longting ever since.

Ivanoti admired the peaceful scenes of Anjie City outside the window, a serene contrast that fascinated her after leaving the troubled lands behind, still captivating her gaze.

Yu Jiuchuan continued studying, eyes fixed on the fine print in her booklet.

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By Mod’s right, Su Ziwen’s breathing had grown steady and deep; she seemed to have fallen into a sound sleep.

As for Mod himself, his eyes watched his nose, nose watched his mouth, mouth watched his heart—Old Feng’s ramblings about old stories simply went in one ear and out the other.

He was quietly practicing his metal ability, focusing his mind inward.

The driver, accustomed to Old Feng’s chatter, remained silent, steadily driving the black van toward their destination.

By noon, they arrived at the Anjie barrier exit. The driver’s skill was undeniable, the ride smooth and steady, never losing speed.

The convoy arranged by the committee was parked nearby, and everyone disembarked to rest and replenish their energy.

Mod stopped others from waking Su Ziwen, instead carrying her, blanket and all, onto the bus.

After placing Captain Su at the back and confirming she was still sound asleep, Mod stepped off to join Old Feng and the others for a quick meal.

Since little Su had difficulty eating, Feng Shichu had prepared five bowls of instant noodles—one each for the driver, himself, and the three students.

Meals on the road were simply to get by.

Yu Jiuchuan finally put down her booklet, brushed her loose hair back, and started eating her noodles with gusto—utterly efficient, without a shred of reserve.

Ivanoti rarely ate such portable foods and was curious about the instant noodles handed to her by Old Feng.

After her first bite, a flush appeared on her pale face. She hadn’t expected the firm noodles paired with the rich, warming broth to be so flavorful. She ate quickly, slurping even faster than Mod.

New and novel foods always sparked Ivanoti’s interest.

“Ho ho, isn’t this Old Feng from Tianshui?” a voice called from behind. Mod lowered his wrist and looked back, spotting a man descending from a black sedan approaching them.

Feng Shichu did not hide from Mod’s group; upon hearing the voice, he rolled his eyes before setting down his noodles and turning with a broad smile to greet the newcomer. “Hey, Old Wan, what wind blew you here?”

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“You really ask questions you know the answers to,” the approaching portly middle-aged man smiled warmly, shaking hands with Old Feng. “Whatever you’re here for, we’re here for the same.”

Mod glanced at the two seasoned veterans locked in sharp rivalry, then turned back to his noodles.

Yu Jiuchuan had finished eating and resumed studying.

Junior Feng ate noodles while curiously observing the seemingly friendly interaction between the two men.

She recognized the plump man—he had once visited her after her transfer to Tianshui High, trying to persuade her to attend Longting High nearby.

She had simply refused out of inconvenience. Besides, her enrollment at Tianshui was arranged by Eleven, and her classmates treated her well.

“We? We’re here to send off specially invited students to the winter camp hosted by the Committee of the Gifted University. Are you here for the same?” Old Feng’s warm smile was sincere, but his words left Wan Kongcheng speechless.

Glaring at the silver-haired young beauty standing behind Feng Shichu, Wan Kongcheng’s heart bled. He didn’t understand why this foreign girl had chosen to live in Qing Mountain district yet attend the more distant Tianshui High. Had Ivanoti enrolled at Longting High, it would have been his turn to taunt Old Feng.

“Greetings, Teacher Feng,” two voices called from behind Wan Kongcheng. It was the pair of Longting High students selected for the camp, stepping forward to greet Feng Shichu.

“Ah, Xiao Yan and Xiao Du, not bad, not bad. Your cultivation is progressing smoothly. Looks like Old Wan hasn’t held you back these days,” Feng Shichu replied kindly, showing no sign of annoyance.

Wan Kongcheng, hearing this veiled slight, felt his eyes darken with frustration.

Indeed, he was always a step behind, losing ground bit by bit. In just a few days, Old Feng’s tongue had grown even sharper.