Xiao Che’s footsteps froze. Steeling himself, he turned around.

“Senior Sister Bai, what a coincidence. I… I’m in a hurry to get back and cultivate!” He forced a strained smile onto his face.

“Cultivation can wait a moment.” Bai Ling walked over with light, graceful steps. The number of disciples stealing glances from the sidelines only increased.

“But Junior Brother, the way you’re acting… It’s almost as if you’re afraid of me.”

“Not at all, not at all!”

Xiao Che waved his hands frantically, subconsciously taking a half-step back. “Senior Sister is approachable, kind, and amiable!”

“Is that so?”

Bai Ling arched an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “Then why are you hiding?”

“I… I have an urgent need to relieve myself!”

Xiao Che squeezed out a reason, completely abandoning his image. “Senior Sister, I’ll take my leave first!”

Before Bai Ling could react, he activated the entry-level *Seven Star Steps* and vanished in a puff of smoke. His retreating figure looked more than a little pathetic.

Bai Ling stood in place, watching him flee. She couldn’t help but laugh again, shaking her head.

“This guy…”

Not far away, several academy disciples who had witnessed the entire scene huddled together in excitement.

“Did you see that? Senior Sister Bai Ling went out of her way to corner him! And he still ran!”

“What do you call that? That’s called playing hard to get! Brilliant! Truly brilliant!”

“Senior Sister Bai Ling even laughed. She looked so happy. I’ve never seen her act like that toward any guy.”

“This Xiao Che is truly a paragon of our generation. I have no choice but to be impressed!”

Xiao Che ran all the way back to Tingzhu Pavilion. He closed the door with lingering fear, only then letting out a sigh of relief.

Not long after, his Tianshu True Inheritance Token vibrated. It was a message from Mu Xinlan, inviting him to have lunch at the academy’s Dining Hall at noon. Shi Zhongshan was also going to be there.

“Sure, I might as well go and have a taste.”

Xiao Che replied to the message.

Although one could rely on Fasting Pills after reaching Foundation Establishment, his modern stomach still held some expectations for the food in the cultivation world. Since arriving at the academy, he had been doing nothing but gnawing on medicinal pills.

…

Noon.

The Dining Hall.

The place was bustling with people, and the aroma of food wafted through the air.

A dazzling array of dishes was on display. Although they weren’t legendary delicacies, each one contained a trace of Spiritual Qi, giving them a unique flavor.

By the time Xiao Che arrived, Mu Xinlan and Shi Zhongshan had already found a table by the window. Several exquisite small dishes were laid out, their colors vibrant and their scents mouth-watering.

“Senior Brother Xiao, try these ‘Stir-fried Jade Bamboo Shoots’. They use tender shoots grown near the spiritual spring on the back mountain,” Mu Xinlan introduced enthusiastically.

“And this ‘Braised Red-Tailed Carp’. It’s quite beneficial for one’s blood and Qi,” Shi Zhongshan added with a recommendation.

Xiao Che took a bite. The flavor was fresh and delicious, and threads of Spiritual Qi dissolved into his body. It was indeed much better than dry Fasting Pills.

“Mm, not bad!”

He praised them sincerely, then asked casually, “By the way, how many spirit stones does this meal cost? Or do they take contribution points?”

Hearing this, Mu Xinlan and Shi Zhongshan looked at each other and smiled.

“This is Senior Brother Xiao’s first time here, isn’t it?”

Mu Xinlan said softly, “The spiritual meals on the first floor of the Dining Hall are free. It’s considered basic support provided by the academy to all disciples. You can eat your fill, but the benefits to one’s cultivation are limited.”

“If you want to enjoy true delicacies that can actually assist in cultivation, you have to go to the second floor. That requires contribution points, and the price… is not cheap.”

Xiao Che realized the situation and nodded.

“I see. The basic version is free, but the upgraded version costs money.”

He muttered to himself, finding the setup quite reasonable.

After all, there were thousands of disciples in the academy. Even if the academy were wealthy, it couldn’t afford to provide high-level spiritual food to everyone for free. Providing free basic meals ensured that disciples could cultivate without worries, while using high-level resources to motivate everyone to work for contribution points.

“I must say, even the free stuff tastes pretty good.”

He took another bite of the bamboo shoots, thinking to himself. *Next time I have a chance, I should bring Qing’er here to try it too.*

He was starting to feel that life in the academy was quite humane when it came to food and drink, aside from the whole “debt evasion” issue.

Halfway through the meal, another commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance of the Dining Hall.

Xiao Che’s heart skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling.

He turned his head stiffly. Sure enough.

There was Bai Ling, wearing that same tender-colored Liuxian dress that made her face look as radiant as a peach blossom. She was walking toward them with a beaming smile, her gaze sweeping through the crowd before landing on him once again.

*Why is she here again?*

*She’s like a lingering ghost!* Xiao Che felt like the spiritual rice in his mouth had suddenly lost its flavor.

Bai Ling walked straight over. Wherever she passed, disciples turned their heads to stare, and the volume of the whispered discussions instantly jumped an octave.

“Look! Senior Sister Bai Ling is looking for him again!”

“How long has it been since they parted? They’re practically inseparable!”

“I’m so jealous. Just what kind of bewitching spell did Xiao Che cast on the Senior Sister?”

“A ‘chance encounter’ at the Dining Hall? I know this routine!”

Mu Xinlan and Shi Zhongshan also stopped their chopsticks. They looked at Bai Ling, then at Xiao Che, their expressions becoming subtle.

Bai Ling reached the table and gave a slight nod to Mu Xinlan and Shi Zhongshan as a greeting. Then, she looked at Xiao Che with a smile.

“Junior Brother Xiao, having lunch?”

Xiao Che put down his bowl and chopsticks, steeling himself.

“Senior… Senior Sister Bai, you’re here for lunch too? What a coincidence.”

He forced a smile, screaming in his heart: *Let me go! I’ll definitely pay you back once I earn some contribution points! Don’t come debt-collecting during mealtime!*

“It’s not a coincidence. I came specifically to find you.”

Bai Ling blinked. “Regarding that matter…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Che’s face turned pale, and he suddenly clutched his stomach.

“Ouch! Senior Sister… I’m so sorry! My… my stomach suddenly feels upset! It might… it might be that I’m not used to the spiritual food!”

He went into full acting mode, his expression pained. “I need to get back quickly! Senior Sister, Junior Sister Mu, Junior Brother Shi, please enjoy your meal!”

With that, he stood up abruptly, activated his movement technique, and sped out of the Dining Hall, leaving behind only a panicked silhouette.

Bai Ling stood there blankly, watching his retreating figure disappear once more. Her practiced smile finally faltered, replaced by a look of confusion.

She knit her elegant brows slightly.

“He ran again? This time, he didn’t even bother to make up an excuse about ‘peeing’ and went straight to a ‘stomach ache’?”

Little did she know that the gossip inside the Dining Hall had completely boiled over.

“Did you see that! Senior Sister Bai Ling came to the Dining Hall specifically for him, and before she could even say two words, he ran again!

“What was the excuse this time? A stomach ache? Hahahaha!”

“I get it! This is the most brilliant form of ‘push and pull’! He’s making the Senior Sister chase him!”

“The expression on Senior Sister Bai Ling’s face just now was clearly one of heartache and helplessness! Incredible!”

“This Xiao Che is truly a god among men! His methods are supernatural!”

Xiao Che ran all the way back to Tingzhu Pavilion. He shut the door and finally let out a long breath.

“What a mess…”

He sat at the table with a long face. “It looks like I won’t be able to stay in this academy unless I pay off that debt.”

But he had just spent all his contribution points. Earning more would take time.

For now, improving his strength was the fundamental priority.

He shook his head, pushing the troubling thoughts aside for the moment. He returned to his cultivation room and settled his mind to continue pondering the *Seven Star Steps*.

An hour later, just as he was focusing his mind to sense the mysterious power of the stars, the wards outside his courtyard gate were suddenly triggered.

Xiao Che’s movements paused. His heart sank.

*Again?*

He quietly sent out his divine sense. When he “saw” the figure outside the gate clearly, his vision momentarily went dark.

It was Bai Ling again, and she had changed back into that flamboyant pink neon dress.

*It’s over! She’s cornered me at home! There’s nowhere left to hide!*

*Is she just changing her skin to keep stalking me?*

Bai Ling seemed to be very patient. She gently triggered the wards once more, her meaning very clear: *I know you’re inside. Open the door right now.*

***

NOTES

Session Glossary Updates (Memorized):

– 膳堂 = Dining Hall

– 禁制 = Wards / Protective Array

– 辟穀丹 = Fasting Pill (Bigu Pill)

Footnotes:

TN1: “Changing her skin” (換了個皮膚): A modern gaming slang reference used by the protagonist, referring to a character changing their cosmetic outfit or “skin.”

Translator’s Note: Frednadro Steph, here. Xiao Che is discovering that the “debt collector” tag is much harder to shake than he thought, especially when the collector is the academy’s top beauty. The “push and pull” (拉扯) dynamic is a classic webnovel trope where the crowd misinterprets every rejection as a high-level seduction tactic.

Ink Hub, Frenadro Steph, your translator. Enjoy, and drop feedback; it sharpens the blade.