Early the next morning,
Lin Xing, still deep in sleep, was suddenly struck hard in the chest by a heavy object, and a clear, ringing voice exploded by his ear!
“Get up, get up, get up! Why are you still sleeping? Hurry up! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Didn’t you say there’s some competition today? Quick, quick, quick! I, the great… I can’t wait any longer!”
The voice that had sounded crisp and pleasant yesterday was, for some reason, especially sharp and piercing today!
Lumiya, wearing a mischievous expression, was stepping on Lin Xing’s chest in the form of a little dragon. She’d woken up early.
Given her knowledge of Little Green, that bird would never let anyone sleep in!
Seeing that Lin Xing was starting to wake up, Little Green lightly pecked the tip of his nose with her sharp beak, but didn’t stop talking,
“That’s right! Hurry up! I already thought up my entrance pose last night. Once I take on my Human Form, I have to let everyone see my dazzling entrance! Oh, oh, and Lumiya isn’t going to steal my thunder, right?”
With his head pounding from the racket, Lin Xing rubbed his eyes helplessly and sat up, only to see Lumiya flick her dragon tail and jump off the bed, craning her neck to eye the sausage wrappers on the table.
Little Green fluttered over, and the two little creatures started chattering away about snacks.
Watching the pair, whose eyes were only for snacks, Lin Xing could only smile wryly and resign himself to washing up and heading out.
He took the two little ones to the breakfast shop downstairs from the dorm.
There, at a window seat, sat a young man in white.
In front of him was a plate of buns and soy milk, and by his side lay two Qilin, each the size of a puppy.
One was pure white, with a lustrous jade horn on its forehead and an aura of gentle spiritual energy swirling around it;
The other was jet-black, its scales glinting faintly, with a tail tipped in a hint of gold.
The youth seemed to sense Lin Xing’s gaze, and immediately his eyes lit up.
He set down his spoon and waved enthusiastically, his smile bright.
“You must be Lin Xing, right? I’m Lingering Cloud from the Main Academy! Never thought I’d run into you here!”
He scratched the white jade Qilin’s chin lightly, his tone lively.
Lin Xing looked at the overly familiar white-clad youth before him, feeling puzzled. And… the Main Academy?
“You know me?”
“Of course! I only learned about you last night! After all, we’re both Stage 1 now. I think it’s necessary for us to get acquainted!”
Lingering Cloud, acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world, walked straight up to Lin Xing.
“I heard you have two Human Form contract beasts! That’s amazing! Are these the two?”
He peered closer, eyes shining as he stared at Lumiya in Lin Xing’s arms and Little Green perched on his shoulder.
“This little blue-green bird must be the famous spatial-type Emerald Sky Bird! And to think it’s a rare Human Form!
And this little dragon…? I heard its type is unknown? Incredible! Really incredible!”
Upon being recognized, Little Green immediately fluttered her wings with pride and soared onto Lin Xing’s head, looking extremely pleased with herself.
Lumiya, on the other hand, remained motionless in his arms, completely unconcerned.
Noticing Lingering Cloud inching ever closer, eyes shining as if emitting light, Lin Xing subconsciously frowned and took half a step back without making it obvious.
“Ah! Sorry, sorry!”
Lingering Cloud instantly caught himself, stopping abruptly and scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
“My friends always say I lose all sense of boundaries when I’m excited about something. Don’t mind me!”
He straightened up, seriously introducing himself.
“Let’s properly get acquainted. Lingering Cloud, new student from the Main Academy, Stage 1.
These are my contract beasts. The white one’s called Little Jade, and the black one’s Little Ink.”
No sooner had he finished than he added mysteriously,
“By the way! My Little Jade is a Human Form beast too~”
With that, he crouched down and gently rubbed the head of the white jade Qilin.
The little Qilin gave a dissatisfied snort and bit his hand lightly, but still obediently let a soft white glow envelop her body.
When the light faded, standing in her place was a little girl in a robe patterned with drifting clouds!
Her hair was done up in twin buns, topped by a lustrous little white horn. Her cheeks were adorably round, but her lips were pursed in silence.
Those clear almond-shaped eyes swept coolly over everyone, a perfect picture of “Keep away, strangers.”
Lin Xing’s eyes lit up instantly. He found himself no longer wary of Lingering Cloud.
Hmm, how bad could a guy with a loli contract beast possibly be~
“You seem to know me pretty well already? Then I’ll skip the self-introduction. How did you hear about me?” Lin Xing asked.
“What? You haven’t checked your phone? News of your breakthrough is blowing up the competition Forum!”
Lingering Cloud was stunned! Was there really still someone who didn’t check their phone before bed or upon waking?
Lin Xing was caught off guard.
Last night had been too overwhelming. He’d been so caught up reminiscing before sleep that he never touched his phone.
And waking up had basically been a forced boot-up. His mind was still groggy, and he hadn’t checked his phone yet.
He hurriedly pulled it out. Over 99+ notifications were about to explode!
Hmm, better eat first.
Lin Xing chose to dodge the issue. After buying breakfast for everyone, he finally scrolled through his messages at a leisurely pace.
Lingering Cloud, who’d been ignored, didn’t mind. He’d already achieved his goal by showing up early to say hello.
Seeing Lin Xing’s brain-dead look, he didn’t bother him further, leading his white and black Qilin away.
They’d see each other again after the Finals anyway!
Lin Xing shuffled toward the competition grounds, distractedly checking his messages as he walked.
He nearly crashed into a utility pole, but Little Green reacted in a flash, grabbing a lock of his hair and yanking him back just in time.
By the time he reached the arena, Lin Xing had learned that news of his breakthrough to Stage 1 had exploded on the Forum.
Lingering Cloud’s progress, on the other hand, had been deliberately hidden by the Main Academy, making Lin Xing the only new student at Stage 1 on the surface.
The competition committee had almost disqualified him for being too strong.
Plus, after the Finals, he and Lingering Cloud were slated for an inspirational Exhibition Match.
And best of all—he’d actually received an extra Reward! And the contents were nothing to scoff at.
The monetary prize was quite generous, too!
Sitting in the waiting area, the side effects of his forced wake-up gradually faded, and as the joy of his Reward settled in, Lin Xing’s eyes filled with disbelief.
That guy had a Human Form contract beast, too! And he was Stage 1 as well! How did he manage that!?
He was catching up to someone with a cheat like him? Just who was the protagonist here?
Lumiya couldn’t be bothered to care what Lin Xing was fussing about.
Even if she knew, it wouldn’t matter—this Lingering Cloud fellow was just another “child of destiny” produced by this world. What was so special about that?
But the fact that Lin Xing had actually said he lost last night—Lumiya, since becoming a dragon, had never lost a single match!
That Lin Xing! Time for another round with that silly Little Green bird!
She wouldn’t lose anyway. As for her, the great Lumiya, she intended to have a nice, beauty sleep!