Clash of Academies
From a man's perspective, anyone bold enough to name their establishment "Origin Mall" must be either a reclusive peak cultivator or someone utterly ignorant of their limits.
Considering the shop was tucked away in such a remote alley, the second possibility seemed nearly certain.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of the man's lips.
He decided to step inside and see if this so-called Origin Mall lived up to its lofty name.
As he entered the shop, his gaze swept across the shelves made of crystal-clear glass and the futuristic décor.
He couldn't help but gasp. "What extravagance!"
The colored glazed materials used for the shelves alone were unimaginably expensive.
But what exactly did this shop sell?
His curiosity turned toward the young man inside, seated calmly as if he had all the time in the world.
"Are you the owner of this shop?" the man asked, his brow furrowing slightly.
Luo Chuan's youthful appearance was beyond his expectations. He had envisioned an elder steeped in wisdom and power, not this young man who seemed barely in his twenties.
"Yes, I am the owner," Luo Chuan replied flatly, his tone indifferent.
The man opened his mouth, intending to speak further, but a surprised voice from the shop entrance interrupted him.
"Xia Yuan? Why are you here, in the boss's shop?"
The man turned to see Ying Wuji standing in the doorway, his usual calm demeanor showing a flicker of surprise.
Behind Ying Wuji were seven students from Soaring Cloud Academy, all gazing at Xia Yuan with curious expressions.
It was clear from their reactions that Ying Wuji knew this man well.
Soaring Cloud Academy had sent a total of fifteen students to Nine Stars City for this trip. However, because Origin Mall only had ten virtual gaming seats, the students had been divided into two groups. One group came in the morning, while the other, led by Ying Wuji, arrived in the afternoon.
Xia Yuan gave a casual response, "I came to Nine Stars City for a stroll and happened to find this place."
Ying Wuji frowned. "So, you're the mentor leading Mystic Moon Academy's team this time?"
Mystic Moon Academy, a rival to Soaring Cloud Academy, stood equally at the pinnacle of the Azure Continent's academic world. That left no doubt about Xia Yuan's identity—he was a mentor from Mystic Moon Academy.
Xia Yuan nodded. His academy's approach to entering Nine Stars City was more low-key than Soaring Cloud Academy's, but their arrival had only been a few days apart.
Looking at the students behind Ying Wuji, Xia Yuan's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Why bring your students to this shop, Ying Wuji?"
Knowing there was no point in concealing the truth now that Xia Yuan was here, Ying Wuji replied indifferently, "To play games."
Without further explanation, Ying Wuji walked past Xia Yuan, nudging him aside, and entered the shop with his seven students.
Among them were Gu Yunxi and Jiang Wanshang, both eagerly following behind their teacher.
The other five students, too, gazed at Ying Wuji with admiration.
Their teacher's straightforward attitude was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
As for Xia Yuan, left standing outside, he hadn't fully processed what he had just heard.
"Did I hear him wrong?" Xia Yuan muttered to himself, frowning deeply.
Ying Wuji, a respected mentor, claimed to have brought his students to this remote shop just to play games?
The idea seemed so absurd that Xia Yuan's first instinct was disbelief.
"What a joke!"
Yet, as he stood there, a wave of indignation surged within him. Was Ying Wuji mocking him?
He clenched his fists in frustration, feeling the sting of being treated like a fool.
Even if they were acquaintances, was it necessary to make up such a ridiculous excuse?