Chapter 1065: Wu Yu, Qing Man

After thoroughly reviewing the information on the other Holy Academies' teams participating in this "Academy-Grade Evaluation," Li Luo called for Mentor Xi Chan, then followed Senior Zong Sha and the other, heading straight for the center of the academy.

A massive Gao Ta stood here. The Gao Ta was actually a branch that had grown out of this ancient phase force tree, but this branch was so enormous—roughly a hundred meters tall—that the academy had carved it into a dark-greenish giant tower.

This place was precisely the seat of power within the Ancient Tianyuan Academy, and so it was also called the "Tianyuan Tower."

Senior Zong Sha delivered the two to the front of the tower before taking his leave, since under normal circumstances even they, as students, could not enter the "Tianyuan Tower." Fortunately, there were guards at the tower's entrance who, having apparently received prior notice, led the two into a council chamber on one of the tower's upper floors.

The moment Li Luo and the other stepped into this council chamber, they abruptly sensed an extremely terrifying pressure surging from the surrounding void. For an instant, the two felt as if they had been locked onto by some dreadful primordial fierce beast, inspiring fear in their hearts.

Li Luo's brow furrowed, and his gaze turned toward the very front of the spacious council chamber. There, upon a high-backed stone chair, a figure sat upright, and the terrifying pressure was emanating precisely from that person's body.

It was a burly middle-aged man. On his brow was a flame-like marking, from which fire tongues continuously leapt up. At this moment he leaned against the chair back, and in one palm he was turning two crimson beads; every collision of the beads caused cracks to appear in the void.

The moment he saw this middle-aged man, Li Luo knew his identity.

The vice-principal currently in charge of affairs within the Ancient Tianyuan Academy—Wu Yu.

And at this moment, Vice-Principal Wu Yu was staring at the two with flat, unruffled eyes, no ripples whatsoever in his gaze.

But that terrifying pressure did not recede; instead, it showed signs of gradually intensifying.

Mentor Xi Chan's willow brows drew tightly together. She too was bearing tremendous pressure at this moment, but she still stepped forward half a pace to shield Li Luo. Behind her, the void trembled, and a Marquis Platform flickered in and out of view.

She had also seen it now—Vice-Principal Wu Yu seemed to want to give them a show of force.

And the moment Mentor Xi Chan stepped forward like this, the oppression surging from the void instantly grew even more terrifying. Within just a few breaths, it caused fine beads of cold sweat to appear on her smooth brow.

Anger rose in Li Luo's eyes. He was about to speak when his expression suddenly shifted; he immediately raised his palm, and a beam of faint light rose from the spatial orb at his wrist.

Within the faint light was unmistakably an archaic token. At the token's center, an ancient character "Li" circulated with an unfathomably mysterious luster.

When this token sensed the pressure emanating from a king-tier powerhouse, it seemed to awaken from slumber, and along with it stirred a wisp of an indescribably majestic aura.

Under this aura, the king-tier pressure radiating from Vice-Principal Wu Yu's body instantly melted away like remnant snow meeting lava, vanishing at great speed.

Moreover, that aura was rapidly tracing back toward Wu Yu himself.

The expressionless look on Vice-Principal Wu Yu's face finally changed. He abruptly stood up, completely withdrawing that king-tier aura, which had been like a heaven-shaking storm, cleanly and utterly.

Only then did the trembling Tian Wang Ling slowly calm down, and it fell back into Li Luo's spatial orb.

Within the council chamber, the atmosphere fell into silence.

Vice-Principal Wu Yu's expression flickered between shades. He had not expected that he had merely wanted to intimidate Li Luo and Xi Chan, only to provoke the appearance of a token imbued with a Tian Wang's aura.

He also recognized it—that Tian Wang Ling should represent that Li Li Tianwang.

But such a precious object, given just like that to a mere junior at the Tian Zhu Jing? Was the internal affairs of Li Li Tianwang's lineage really this casual?

Li Luo was also surprised by the appearance of the Tian Wang Ling, after all, under normal circumstances even he could not activate it. Could it be that only king-tier powerhouses could trigger it?

That made sense—the Tian Wang Ling represented their ancestor Li Jun, a majestic existence standing at the very pinnacle of heaven and earth. The pressure of ordinary powerhouses could not possibly arouse its instinct for Zi Wo Feng Yin.

Li Luo looked at Vice-Principal Wu Yu and said, "Vice-Principal Wu Yu, is this the Ancient Tianyuan Academy's way of receiving guests?"

Questioned by Li Luo, Vice-Principal Wu Yu's brow creased reflexively. In his daily life he occupied a lofty position; even marquis-tier powerhouses did not dare speak loudly in his presence. Now being questioned face-to-face like this by a mere Tian Zhu Jing junior, his conditioned reflex was to rebuke—

"Hehe, young friend Li Luo, don't be angry. It's just that you're so young, and you've come representing Li Li Tianwang's lineage. Vice-Principal Wu Yu was merely wanting to confirm your identity." But just at this moment, a gentle, laughing voice suddenly rang out.

Li Luo and Xi Chan looked over and saw, at the second-floor position, a beautiful woman in blue walking down. The woman's eyes were a clear blue-green, her entire body radiated a vigorous vitality fluctuation, and her cascading long hair was pinned up by green vines.

As her footsteps fell, verdant vines and tendrils sprouted from the ground. She descended the stairs, smiled at Li Luo and the other, and said, "I am Vice-Principal Qing Man."

"Greetings, Vice-Principal Qing Man." Both Li Luo and Mentor Xi Chan nodded and bowed.

Then Li Luo turned his gaze back to Vice-Principal Wu Yu and asked calmly, "Then may I ask whether my identity has been confirmed now?"

Vice-Principal Wu Yu's expression recovered, and he said flatly, "Then I do not know what business Li Li Tianwang's lineage has, coming to our Ancient Tianyuan Academy to deliver a visiting card?"

Li Luo said, "I am both a member of Li Li Tianwang's lineage and a student of the Holy Shenzhou Star Academy."

Mentor Xi Chan also spoke at this moment, "Vice-Principals, our Holy Shenzhou Star Academy had its advanced phase force tree destroyed by the Unification Cult and the Otherworlds. And to hold back the Otherworld Kings' advance, Principal Pang resorted to Zi Wo Feng Yin to seal them away. We humbly ask the Ancient Academy to extend a helping hand."

"Pang Pang Qianyuan." Vice-Principal Qing Man's expression shifted slightly, and she sighed, "That fellow..."

Vice-Principal Wu Yu lowered his eyes, his tone utterly flat: "Our Ancient Tianyuan Academy cannot spare any personnel right now, and the Outer Shenzhou is too far away. Our reach does not extend that far."

At his formulaic answer, Mentor Xi Chan grew somewhat angry and said, "Does the Ancient Academy truly not care whether the Outer Shenzhou Holy Academies live or die?"

Yet Vice-Principal Wu Yu could not be bothered to reply.

Only Vice-Principal Qing Man sighed and explained, "Don't be impatient. Although the Ancient Academy is large and well-established, the problems we face are beyond your imagination. Even now, within the academy, only the two of us vice-principals remain to hold down the fort. Much of the time, it is not that we do not wish to send aid, but that in recent years too many places have run into trouble. We are putting out fires on all sides and exhausted from running ourselves ragged."

Xi Chan's eyes dimmed.

Seeing this, Li Luo knew that reinforcements could not be requested for now, so he settled for the next best thing and said, "Then may I ask whether the Ancient Academy could provide a batch of cultivation resources, to help the Holy Shenzhou Star Academy get through its most difficult moment?"

Vice-Principal Qing Man was about to speak when Vice-Principal Wu Yu said flatly, "Vice-Principal Qing Man, the one in charge of affairs in the academy is still me, isn't it?"

Vice-Principal Qing Man glanced at Wu Yu and said with a faint smile, "Naturally."

Vice-Principal Wu Yu looked at Li Luo and the other and said, "I express my regret and sympathy regarding the matters of the Holy Shenzhou Star Academy. However, the Ancient Academy has its rules. Many Holy Academies are watching how we distribute our resources. If I make an exception for you here, how can I maintain authority over the rest in the future?"

Mentor Xi Chan had now fully sensed Vice-Principal Wu Yu's targeting of them, and so frost filled her eyes.

Li Luo, however, remained quite calm and said, "Then what does Vice-Principal Wu Yu think should be done?"

Vice-Principal Wu Yu shook his head and said, "It's not about what I want. Just follow the rules, and that will be enough."

His gaze swept over Li Luo and he said, "Aren't you planning to represent the Holy Shenzhou Star Academy alone in the 'Academy-Grade Evaluation'? I think that's commendable courage. Quite good."

The last two words carried a hint of casual indifference.

Li Luo smiled, "I also think it's quite good."

His words paused briefly, then Li Luo said again, "I wonder if Vice-Principal Wu Yu might be interested in making a wager?"

Vice-Principal Wu Yu neither affirmed nor denied, and did not answer.

Presumably, in his view, given his status and strength, were it not for Li Luo's background in Li Li Tianwang's lineage, he truly would not have exchanged even half a sentence with Li Luo.

Li Luo, meanwhile, continued speaking on his own, "I come from the Holy Shenzhou Star Academy, and I do believe Principal Pang's abilities are extremely high. So I believe that even alone, I can represent the Holy Shenzhou Star Academy in achieving a first-tier result at the Academy-Grade Evaluation."

Hearing his words, "Principal Pang's abilities are extremely high," Vice-Principal Wu Yu finally cast him an expressionless glance and said, "Young and brash. What if you don't secure first tier?"

"If I don't, then our Holy Shenzhou Star Academy will return empty-handed this time," Li Luo said.

"But... what if I get it?" Li Luo asked with a smile.

The flame markings on Vice Dean Wu Yu's brow seemed to grow even more blazing at this moment, and the crimson bead in his hand slowly rotated, emitting crisp clinking sounds.

After several breaths, an indifferent voice came through.

"If you get it, I'll give you double the resources. The extra portion will come out of my own pocket."