Chapter 1085: Learning the News

The next morning, when Li Luo came down from the small building, his gaze immediately turned with surprise toward the tea table by the window where the morning light was spilling in. Besides Instructor Xi Chan, sitting across from her was an unfamiliar woman. The woman wore a jade armor, and on her head was a crown seemingly woven from grass stems.

Her posture was casual, but just sitting there, she radiated an almost imperceptible, terrifying aura that inexplicably stirred a sense of dread.

A King-level powerhouse!

This kind of pressure was no longer unfamiliar to Li Luo, so he immediately guessed what an immensely powerful existence this woman was.

And while Li Luo was surprised, the woman in jade armor also raised her eyes to look over and said with a smile, "You must be Li Luo."

Li Luo walked over, cupped his fists, and said, "This junior is Li Luo, greetings, senior."

Instructor Xi Chan beside them smiled and said, "Li Luo, this is Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi."

Upon hearing this, joy immediately surfaced on Li Luo's face. He had finally found this person. Although he still wasn't clear on what her relationship with Dean Pang actually was, she certainly wouldn't be someone like Wu Yu. And within the Heavenly Yuan Ancient Academy, having a vice dean who could speak on their behalf would undoubtedly make their affairs much smoother.

"Finally meeting Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi." Li Luo bowed.

Lan Lan Lingzi gestured for Li Luo to sit, her gaze sizing him up as she said with a smile, "Not bad. This academy-level evaluation has really given your dean face. If that old fellow knew, he'd be very proud."

Li Luo said somewhat embarrassedly, "Dean Pang has treated me well, and I have deep feelings for the Holy Profound Star Academy. Now that I have the chance, I'll naturally give it my all to repay them."

Lan Lan Lingzi nodded and sighed in admiration, "A loyal little fellow. Old Pang really knows how to judge people."

"He told you to come to the academy to find me, right? Recently the academy has had extremely important missions, so I haven't been inside the academy either."

Li Luo blinked and said, "Mainly Dean Pang specifically instructed us that when we reached the Heavenly Yuan Ancient Academy, we must pay our respects to Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi, ask about your current situation, and at the same time express his longing for you. He said if you have the time, he'd like to invite you to the Holy Profound Star Academy for a visit to see what he's built over the years."

Instructor Xi Chan glanced at Li Luo. Did Dean Pang really say these things?

Li Luo, however, didn't mind. Judging by how Lan Lan Lingzi and Dean Pang addressed each other, the two clearly had a deep relationship, so of course he had to help Old Pang earn some goodwill. Moreover, if he could really invite Lan Lan Lingzi, this King-level powerhouse, to Great Xia for a trip, then the rotten situation there could also be kept in check.

Lan Lan Lingzi chuckled lightly upon hearing this and said, "If that old fellow with his stubborn, hard-nosed personality could actually say these things, then he wouldn't have left the Heavenly Yuan Ancient Academy to go to the Outer Shenzhou."

Li Luo immediately felt a bit awkward. Old Pang, you're unreliable. How is it that in Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi's mind, you have this kind of image?

"What's the relationship between Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi and Dean Pang?" Li Luo asked, brimming with gossip. Having dealt with Li Li Jingzhe too much in the past had caused him to have too little reverence even for King-level powerhouses.

Instructor Xi Chan beside them could only shake her head helplessly. This guy really has nerves of steel.

But Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi had a frank personality and said directly, "I once had a relationship with him that ended without conclusion."

Only then did Li Luo understand. So this was the "ex-girlfriend."

Instructor Xi Chan took over the conversation and said, "Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi, the Holy Profound Star Academy has suffered a great upheaval and now urgently needs the academy's resource assistance. We ask that you kindly help."

Lan Lan Lingzi nodded and said, "You obtained a first-class quota in this academy-level evaluation, so the resources will definitely be issued on time. At the same time, I'll do my best to have the academy increase the amount a bit more."

Li Luo interjected, "There's also the share that Vice Dean Wu Yu lost to me. Please help urge that along as well."

Lan Lan Lingzi smiled and said, "Don't worry. Although Wu Yu is arrogant, since he agreed to the wager, if he goes back on it, he'll lose a tremendous amount of face."

Li Luo took the opportunity to plant a seed of doubt: "When we first arrived at the academy, the Holy Ze Academy tried to snatch our Holy Profound Star Academy's quota, saying their dean is Vice Dean Wu Yu's clansman. There might be some personal grudge involved."

Lan Lan Lingzi's willow brows furrowed slightly as she said, "Is that so? I'll look into this afterward. If Wu Yu is involved, I'll impeach him before the dean for his poor management of the academy."

Only then was Li Luo satisfied in his heart. Although he knew that even in the end Wu Yu wouldn't receive too heavy a punishment, being able to displease Wu Yu a bit could be considered collecting some interest for being targeted this time.

Lan Lan Lingzi looked at the two of them and said with a light laugh, "Since Old Pang told you to come find me, if you need any help, feel free to speak up."

Xi Chan hesitated, then finally said, "Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi, the high-grade phase force tree at the Holy Profound Star Academy has already been destroyed. Without a high-grade phase force tree, the Holy Profound Star Academy's future development will be severely curbed, so..."

"A high-grade phase force tree, huh."

Lan Lan Lingzi pondered slightly and said, "The academy alliance controls the seeds of high-grade phase force trees extremely strictly. I can't make this decision alone. We'll need to wait until the dean and the others return for a 'Dean's Council.' However, I'll keep this matter in mind and push for it with all my might when the time comes."

Instructor Xi Chan quickly thanked her. She also knew that this kind of strategic-level resource couldn't be decided by Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi alone, and that Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi being willing to help push it forward would already save them a lot of trouble.

Then Lan Lan Lingzi's gaze shifted to Li Luo. She had already noticed his eager expression, so she immediately said with a smile, "Judging by your look, you seem to have something on your mind?"

Li Luo nodded repeatedly and said with utmost sincerity, "I do indeed have a small matter I'd like to trouble Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi with."

"Go ahead." Lan Lan Lingzi took a small sip from her teacup and said casually.

"The first matter: I want to borrow the academy's phase force tree to transmit something to the Holy Light Ancient Academy. This item is extremely important. I want to send it to my fiancée who is at the Holy Light Ancient Academy."

"The second matter: I'm extremely fascinated by that 'Three Dragon Heaven Banner Codex' at the Heavenly Yuan Ancient Academy. I wonder if Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi could let me take a look at it."

"And there's a third matter! I wonder if the phase force tree at the Heavenly Yuan Ancient Academy can produce any materials containing ancient, pure life energy?"

Li Luo expressed all his thoughts in one breath, then looked at Lan Lan Lingzi expectantly.

Lan Lan Lingzi nearly sprayed out the tea in her mouth. She glared at Li Luo in exasperation and said, "You really don't hold back at all."

"The first matter is easy enough. As for that 'Three Dragon Heaven Banner Codex,' that's a top-tier Marquis-grade art within the academy. How could I let you view it for no reason? That wouldn't make sense by any standard. As for the third matter, among the many derivative materials of the phase force tree, the one that contains vast life energy is none other than the phase force tree seed itself, right? And from what you're implying, what you need probably isn't ordinary life energy. Calculating it out, that should be a high-grade phase force tree seed, yes?"

Lan Lan Lingzi stared at Li Luo strangely and said, "I just explained how difficult it is to obtain a high-grade phase force tree seed and what procedures are required. Moreover, the academy alliance has never given a high-grade phase force tree seed to an individual. So for this one, you'd better not even think about it."

Li Luo was completely dumbfounded. He hadn't expected that what he needed would actually be a high-grade phase force tree seed. The Holy Profound Star Academy was currently begging for one and couldn't get it, so how could he possibly get his hands on one?

That "Creation Divine Sap" is way too all-encompassing!

Li Luo frowned and finally sighed. It seemed this matter could only be pursued slowly. If it didn't work out, he'd ask Li Li Jingzhe later if there were any substitutes.

"Then please trouble Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi to help me send something to the Holy Light Ancient Academy first," Li Luo said.

Lan Lan Lingzi thought for a moment and asked, "Your so-called fiancée is a student at the Holy Light Ancient Academy, right? What star-rank academy is she in? If she's at the Three Star Academy or above, then I think you might not need to transmit items through the phase force tree."

Li Luo was stunned. What did that mean?

"My fiancée should currently be at the Four Star Academy. No, with her talent, she might have already entered the Heavenly Star Academy of the Holy Light Ancient Academy. Her name is Jiang Jiang Qinge," Li Luo said quickly.

"Oh? Being able to enter the Heavenly Star Academy, she must be a top-tier prodigy."

Lan Lan Lingzi nodded slightly, then murmured the name Jiang Jiang Qinge a few times. Suddenly her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at Li Luo and said, "Are you certain your fiancée is Jiang Jiang Qinge from the Heavenly Star Academy of the Holy Light Ancient Academy?"

Li Luo nodded in confirmation. Instructor Xi Chan beside them also said, "His fiancée is indeed called Jiang Jiang Qinge. She used to be at our Holy Profound Star Academy. Calculating the time, she should have only been at the Holy Light Ancient Academy for about a year or so."

"What? Is there some problem?" Instructor Xi Chan carefully noticed that Lan Lan Lingzi's expression was somewhat strange.

Lan Lan Lingzi sized up Li Luo, and a look of interest surfaced in her eyes.

"As far as I know, there is indeed a girl named Jiang Jiang Qinge in the Heavenly Star Academy of the Holy Light Ancient Academy."

"The name Jiang Jiang Qinge, not to mention being known to everyone at the Holy Light Ancient Academy, even I have heard of her. She is currently the most sought-after student at the Holy Light Ancient Academy. The deans over there treat her like a treasure."

Li Luo was somewhat astonished. Jiang Jiang Qinge's talent was indeed stunning, but a Nine-grade Light Phase shouldn't be absolutely unique even at the Holy Light Ancient Academy, right?

Is Vice Dean Lan Lan Lingzi exaggerating too much?

Lan Lan Lingzi seemed to read something from Li Luo's expression and immediately let out a soft laugh.

"A dual ninth-grade Bright Phase before the Marquis Realm — this is definitely not something an ordinary monstrous prodigy can achieve. I really don't know where Old Pang got such fortune; to think a single Holy Academy could produce such a pride of heaven."

"Huh?!"

Both Li Luo and Mentor Xi Shuan revealed thick astonishment on their faces, crying out involuntarily.

"Dual ninth-grade Bright Phase?!!"