After the brief confrontation between Tie Zhu and Bing Meifeng, word quickly spread around the school about what had just happened, leading many to question Tie Zhu's sexuality. Not only did the Ice Queen actually ask someone to be her boyfriend, she was actually rejected! This had become a hot topic around the whole school, causing much unnecessary attention being drawn towards both Tie Zhu and Bing Meifeng.

Naturally word of this event had also reached Tao Keke's ears. When she had heard that Bing Meifeng asked Tie Zhu to be her boyfriend she thought at first it must have been a mistake, however as more people spread the word around she felt irritated. This was because many considered Bing Meifeng to be the schools top beauty. Not only were her looks on par with hers, Bing Meifeng had a bigger chest and more plump buttocks! Additionally she consistently achieved the highest grades in her school and everyone knew that she came from a wealthy background. She could be considered almost perfect if it wasn't for her cold personality, however for some that just added to her charm.

However when she heard that Tie Zhu resolutely rejected her and told her that he had already liked someone she felt a bit of warmth flood her heart. However this did not stop her sense of urgency as she felt that Bing Meifeng would not let this matter go so easily although she was not sure why. Because of this her mood was still somewhat sour.

'Out of all the people why did she have to choose Tie Zhu!' She thought to herself angrily, thinking that if Bing Meifeng continued to pursue Tie Zhu he might actually give in to her temptation. listing all of all of Bing Meifeng's positive attributes in her mind she herself couldn't help but feel somewhat inferior. 'No! I have to make Tie Zhu mine. I can't let other people have him!' She thought to herself resolutely, however she was unsure about how to go about this.

* * *

Aside from the morning drama, the rest of the morning classes progressed as normal, however instead focusing on his english and mathematics classes, Tie Zhu was occupied with questioning Wang Yazhu about cultivation.

"You mentioned earlier that i'll be able to cultivate easier in places that are more attuned with nature, around 25 km from here there is the Lake Taihu and there is also many small islands within the lake, with the largest being the Xishan National Forest Park. Furthermore there are also many rumours about that place, whether it was completely natural or not due to its unnaturally round shape. Many thought it was due to a meteorite that fell millions of years ago but there is no proof." Tie Zhu said, as it was one of the more uninhabited places he could think of.

"Hmm, that's interesting. From what I've seen just from that girl before, this world does indeed have hidden figures. That lake could very well have been man made or be hiding secrets of its own. Chances are though that whatever secrets it could have been hiding have already been discovered. Although that lake is still close to this city, the spiritual essence density should at least be slightly higher than here. I recommend you explore it as soon as you can." Wang Yazhu replied giving his honest thoughts, as he was interested in how deep this small world was.

After hearing Wang Yazhu's response, Tie Zhu felt his excitement build up as he was eager to finally begin his cultivation, however when he looked at the clock that was slowly passing time, impatience was visibly plastered his face. "Why is it so slow, I can't wait all day like this' He thought impatiently. Although he was once a top student, and actually enjoyed studying currently his mind was just too distracted.

Unable to wait any longer, he immediately feigned a severe headache. "Ahh, Mr Chen, I have a really bad headache, can I go to the infirmary?" He asked putting painful expression that looked realistic.

When Chen Yuhan saw Tie Zhu's expression he thought for a second before allowing him to go. Although Tie Zhu's grades were not what they used to be, he was not a trouble maker and acted honestly. "Fine, go ahead. Hopefully you will feel better soon and be able to make it back" He said.

"Thanks Mr Chen" Tie Zhu replied as he dragged himself to the infirmary surprised at how easy he got away with that. Once he arrived he then convinced the middle aged school nurse to allow him to go home on sick leave putting his acting skills to the test once again.

After getting permission for an early dismissal, he breathed a sigh of relief. 'Foundation Establishment here I come!!' he thought to himself smiling as he did so, as he waited for the bus that would take him to Taihu Lake!

* * *

The time was currently only 11 am, so many people were bustling around in the streets as the bus finally arrived at the lake. Today the weather was surprisingly good, the skies were clear blue and the sun reflected off the vast expanse of water. The area around the lake was very busy as it was a scenic spot that many local and foreign tourists gathered around. "So, how does the spiritual essence here compare with inside the city?" Tie Zhu asked curiously.

"Although the essence here is still not that abundant it is still around 2 times more dense here, however it might be more concentrated if we go to the island inside the lake." Wang Yazhu responded.

Hearing his response Tie Zhu was not dejected but rather felt that the trip was well worth it. To reach the Xishan National park, there were 2 main options, one would be to take a taxi and the other was by ferry. The island was located around 5 km inside the lake and measured around 10 km in diameter so walking was not a very convenient option. Weighing his options, Tie Zhu decided that taking he would just take the ferry. Although he would have to wait a little longer he would at least be able to save around 15 Yuan! 'Maybe one day I can afford to take the taxi' He thought to himself while sighing.