With his breakfast interrupted, and not wanting to remain where Zhao Long could easily find him, Ye Chen decided it was best to retreat to his assigned dormitory.
He followed the map on his phone through the sprawling campus until he reached the residential complex.
The building was clearly one of the older structures, with paint peeling in places, and the exterior showing signs of wear that the more prestigious dorms didn't have.
His grandmother had spent everything—sold off all their properties, and exhausted their final reserves—just to secure him a spot at Tianlong University.
But she'd only been able to afford the lowest tier of accommodation. That meant sharing a room with two other students rather than enjoying the private quarters that wealthier students took for granted.
When Ye Chen pushed open the door to Room 307, he found his roommates already settled in.
The room was modest but functional, with three bunk beds, three desks, and a shared bathroom visible through an open doorway.
Two young men looked up as he entered.
The first was lean and athletic, with sharp eyes that suggested discipline and focus. He stood and offered a respectful nod.
"You must be our third roommate. I'm Li Qiang, eighth level of Qi Gathering." There was quiet pride in his voice.
"I was the top student at Twin Peaks Martial Arts Academy. The grandmaster himself wrote my recommendation letter to get me accepted here."
Despite the hint of pride, there was also something humble in Li Qiang's demeanor. The bearing of someone who'd worked hard for everything he'd achieved.
The second roommate was round-faced and pleasantly plump, with an easy smile that immediately put Ye Chen at ease.
He waved enthusiastically from where he sat cross-legged on his bed, surrounded by a few books.
"Fatty Wang!" he announced cheerfully, patting his substantial belly without shame. "Peak of Qi Gathering realm."
"I'm here to study alchemy and pill making. My family runs an apothecary back home, so it's in my blood." His grin widened. "Though I spend more time eating pills than making them, if I'm being honest."
Ye Chen couldn't help but smile. "Ye Chen. Fourth level of Qi Gathering."
He left out the part about his Fourth Grade physique. There was no need to invite complications or jealousy from the people he'd be living with. "Just arrived today."
"Fourth level? Don't worry about it," Li Qiang said encouragingly. "Cultivation is a marathon, not a sprint. Talent and hard work matter more than where you start."
"Exactly!" Fatty Wang agreed, gesturing with a half-eaten spiritual fruit. "Besides, we're all bottom-tier students here anyway. No fancy families and no powerful backing. We've got to stick together!"
The three of them fell into conversation as Ye Chen unpacked his meager belongings.
The rapport built naturally, with Li Qiang discussing training techniques, Fatty Wang sharing stories about exploding cauldrons and ruined pill batches that had his family tearing their hair out.
As Ye Chen settled onto his assigned bunk bed, a thought crystallized in his mind.
These two could become genuine allies.
With Zhao Long and whoever else Professor Wu Tao sent after him, he needed friends. People who would have his back. And the best way to solidify friendship quickly was through generosity.
He pulled out his phone and opened a food delivery app. "Hey, I didn't get to finish my breakfast because of... an incident in the cafeteria. How about I order us an early lunch? My treat. We can celebrate being roommates."
Li Qiang's eyes lit up with surprise and appreciation. "You don't have to—"
"I insist," Ye Chen said firmly. "Consider it my way of saying thanks for the warm welcome."
Fatty Wang practically bounced on his bed with excitement. "Now we're talking! Brother Ye Chen, you're already my favorite roommate! Order extra meat dishes. I know the best ones on the menu!"
Ye Chen grinned and placed a generous order, selecting a variety of meat dishes, qi-infused vegetables, and even some expensive desserts that Fatty Wang enthusiastically recommended.
The potential friendship was worth the money.
When the food arrived twenty minutes later, the three of them spread it out on the small table in the center of their room.
The aroma filled the space, making Ye Chen's stomach growl despite the interrupted breakfast.
"To new friends!" Fatty Wang declared, raising a cup of tea like it was fine wine.
They ate together, laughing and joking. Fatty Wang praised everything with theatrical enthusiasm, declaring Ye Chen a "brother of the highest caliber" between mouthfuls of honey-glazed chicken.
And so, time passed, with the three of them enjoying themselves and celebrating their new friendship.
***
Ye Chen blinked awake, feeling well rested for what felt like the first time in a long time.
Blinking sleep from his eyes, he sat up on his bunk to find Li Qiang already awake, moving through what appeared to be martial arts sequences in the limited space between the beds.
His movements were flowing into each other, with each strike and stance executed with practiced discipline.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, but his breathing remained steady and controlled.
Li Qiang noticed Ye Chen stirring and gave him a brief nod of greeting, never letting his focus slip from the movements.
The dedication was impressive. Most students would sleep in until the last possible moment, but Li Qiang was already training before dawn.
From the bunk across the room, Fatty Wang's thunderous snores filled the air as he scratched at his belly in his sleep. The contrast between his two roommates was almost amusing.
"Good morning," Ye Chen whispered, stifling a yawn and stretching his arms above his head.
Li Qiang completed his sequence before responding with a quiet, "Morning," and reaching for a towel to wipe his face.
Today was the first official day of classes at Tianlong University. Orientation was over, and now the real work would begin.
Ye Chen felt a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
But more importantly than classes, today was the second day of his perfect life.
The System had already transformed his circumstances once. What would it grant him today?
As if responding to his thoughts, the familiar translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes, invisible to Li Qiang who had moved to the bathroom.
[Good morning, host. Would you like to sign-in?]
Ye Chen's smile grew in anticipation.
Yesterday had given him a Fourth Grade physique, ten thousand spirit stones, and a Third Grade cultivation technique. What rewards awaited him today?
"Yes," he whispered eagerly.