Lu Yiming was slightly startled—he hadn't expected the other party to actually respond, and with such confidence.
He turned to glance at Song Jie, who stood beside him, calm and composed.
"Alright then, I'll give Imperial Capital Academy some face," Song Jie said casually. He knew Old Man Deng wanted to show off, so he simply gave him the chance.
Lu Yiming almost burst out laughing at the remark! Fortunately, he managed to hold it in—barely.
"Good, good. Then I'll look forward to seeing how much 'face' you give us," Lu Yiming said with a polite smile. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he left.
As he walked away, Jiang Yunming couldn't help but chuckle. "That guy definitely thinks we're just bragging."
Old Man Deng smirked. "Whether we're bragging or not, they'll find out soon enough. Song Jie, don't mess this up—we're all counting on you."
No one disagreed. After all, they all knew just how strong Song Jie was.
Old Man Deng clapped his hands. "You've been traveling all day. Go rest up and prepare for the competition."
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison before returning to their rooms.
That evening, Song Jie was cultivating quietly on the sofa when he heard a knock at the door.
When he opened it, he saw Mu Lei standing outside—with Ding Yumian and Huo Yumeng behind him.
"We're heading out for dinner," Mu Lei said. "You coming?"
"Sure," Song Jie nodded. It was just about dinnertime anyway.
The four of them left the apartment and strolled along the campus road toward the school gate.
Imperial Capital Academy's grounds were lively—students were coming and going everywhere.
Once outside the gate, the aroma of grilled meat immediately filled the air. The streets were lined with barbecue stalls, each packed with students laughing, chatting, and eating together.
After wandering around for a bit, they found an open table at a bustling barbecue restaurant and sat down.
"I wonder if the barbecue here is better than the one near Pearl Academy," Mu Lei said as they ordered.
Soon, plates of sizzling skewers arrived. As they began to eat, several male students nearby couldn't help but glance repeatedly in their direction—specifically at Huo Yumeng. Her cute Lolita outfit and bright presence were hard to miss.
However, Huo Yumeng politely turned down every attempt from them to strike up a conversation.
Song Jie sighed inwardly. Yep, they've got good taste.
Before long, the first batch of skewers—freshly grilled lamb—was placed on their table.
"Eat up before it gets cold!" Mu Lei said enthusiastically.
Just then, two graceful figures approached their table.
"You must be students from Pearl Academy, right?" one of them asked with a friendly smile.
Song Jie and Mu Lei looked up.
The speaker had long golden hair styled into twin braids by her ears, with the rest elegantly coiled behind her head.
Her eyelashes were long, her eyes bright, and her lips—painted a soft cherry red—were captivating. A small beauty mark near the corner of her mouth made her charm even more distinctive.
Her outfit was bold, revealing snow-white shoulders and a slender, perfectly proportioned waist.
Song Jie studied her carefully and suddenly realized—he'd seen her before!
The girl smiled. "We're also here for the exchange program, from Hancheng Academy. I'm Jiang Shaoxu, and this is my best friend, Liu Xiaoxiao."
So it's her, Song Jie thought. Jiang Shaoxu.
There was room for eight at the table, and since no one objected, Mu Lei stood up and invited them to join.
Once seated, Jiang Shaoxu quickly began chatting.
"It seems like Pearl Academy is going to have a magic competition with Imperial Capital Academy, right?"
Mu Lei nodded. "That's right."
Jiang Shaoxu had recognized them earlier that day when they arrived at the academy. Her team from Hancheng had arrived a bit earlier and moved into the apartments first.
Liu Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "Then why do you all look so calm? Don't tell me Pearl Academy has already given up?"
Mu Lei and the others simply smiled.
Jiang Shaoxu blinked, puzzled. "What's with that smile?"
Mu Lei chuckled. "You'll find out in a few days."
That only made the two girls more curious. "Come on, give us a hint!" Jiang Shaoxu said, leaning forward eagerly.
"That might not be possible…" Mu Lei said, glancing toward Song Jie.
Noticing his gaze, Jiang Shaoxu turned her attention to Song Jie as well.
Could this be Pearl Academy's trump card? she wondered.
And she had to admit—he was quite handsome.
If Song Jie could've heard her thoughts, he would've said, If you can talk that nicely, say more!
Liu Xiaoxiao chimed in, "We're all against Imperial Capital Academy anyway. Just give us a little clue."
Indeed, the students of Imperial Capital Academy were famous for their arrogance—and unfortunately, they had the strength to justify it. Naturally, the other academies tended to unite against them.
Jiang Shaoxu moved closer to Song Jie, looping her arm through his as she shook it playfully.
"Classmate~ Just tell us a little bit. We promise not to tell anyone else!"
Before Song Jie could answer, Huo Yumeng slid in on his other side, refusing to be outdone.
"If Song Jie doesn't want to say, you can't just charm him like that!" she said, wrapping her own arm around his.
The next moment, both girls were clinging to him—Jiang Shaoxu on the left, Huo Yumeng on the right.
"So your name is Song Jie," Jiang Shaoxu said with a smile. "Nice to meet you."
But Song Jie was dying inside. On his left was a soft "ball," and on his right was another "ball." Who could survive this kind of pressure?!
He could only endure it—half enjoying it, half suffering.
Mu Lei stared in envy before speaking up. "Let me put it this way—Song Jie can take on a whole group of Imperial Capital Academy students without a problem."
Jiang Shaoxu froze in surprise, while Huo Yumeng only tightened her grip on Song Jie's arm.
Inside, Song Jie cried out, It's squishing! It's actually squishing!
Liu Xiaoxiao blinked in disbelief. "Are you sure you're not exaggerating?"
Mu Lei smirked. "See? You don't believe it anyway. So there's no point in asking."
Jiang Shaoxu and Liu Xiaoxiao exchanged glances—this time, neither of them said another word.
...
Author's Note:
The first half (completed version) of Versatile Mage: My Magic Has Gone Beyond Limits! is now available on Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your continued support! 💙