Chapter 1099: Ning Meng

Holy Light Ancient Academy.

On a grand, pure-white plaza stood row upon row of stone statues of figures, the air thick with the buzz of voices.

One after another, the most prominent figures of Holy Light Ancient Academy took the stage in the plaza, drawing countless gazes of attention.

Yet for all their brilliance, those stars still paled beneath the radiance of that single bright moon.

At the center of the plaza, a slender, tall figure stood like that very bright moon. She merely stood there quietly, yet she seemed to radiate a dazzling brilliance, drawing gaze after gaze toward her, and a feeling of self-conscious inferiority rose unbidden in every heart.

For she was the most dazzling new star Holy Light Ancient Academy had seen in over a year, her radiance eclipsing even those long-established prodigies of the Celestial Star Court who had reigned at the top for years.

Since Holy Light Ancient Academy's founding, the prodigies it had taken in were beyond counting. Even Regarding Li Luo, not every cohort produced one, but within any span of three cohorts there was a high probability of one appearing. So under such high-quality enrollment, few prodigies ever caused much of a stir within the academy.

After all, familiarity breeds indifference.

Yet even under such jaded eyes, the emergence of this new star still caused an enormous sensation within the academy.

Jiang Jiang Qinge, dual ninth-grade Light Aspects. Upon entering the academy, she was placed directly into the Celestial Star Court. In less than half a year, she had defeated the lowest-ranked member of the Upper Court to claim a seat there, pulling off an upset against a superior. Thereafter she issued a challenge every month, winning each time with overwhelming force, her edge so sharp it was terrifying—until four months ago, when she broke into the top ten seats and finally stopped fighting.

Four months of silent, bitter cultivation. No one knew how strong she had become now; they could only guess that perhaps she already had the power to challenge the top three seats.

Countless students within the academy were captivated by her bearing, and bestowed a title upon her.

Holy Light Goddess, Jiang Jiang Qinge.

On the bustling plaza, warm sunlight poured down, falling upon the girl who was being surreptitiously observed from every angle by countless gazes. A faint glow seemed to drape a veil of light over her; the curves beneath the sun were nearly perfect, and that exquisitely beautiful face looked like a masterpiece blessed by the gods, without a single flaw to be found.

Her long hair was simply pulled up into a high ponytail, clean and crisp, revealing her delicate ears and the long, elegant swan-like curve of her neck.

She wore the academy's standard robe on the outside, her long, slender legs bared to the air, seeming to flow with a jade-like luster.

She merely stood there with an utterly calm expression, paying no heed to all those furtive glances. Her mysterious, deep golden pupils radiated an indescribable charm; one could not help but sink into them at a glance, only to be startled back a moment later, the feeling of self-conscious inferiority in their heart growing all the stronger.

Such a perfect girl—who would dare approach her?

Yet at this moment, beneath all those watchful gazes, Jiang Jiang Qinge's eyes drifted absently over the stone statues ahead, while her mind was occupied with her own thoughts.

"It's been over a year. I wonder how Li Luo is doing in that Li Li Tianwang branch?"

"The Li Li Tianwang branch is a huge clan with many factions inside. Li Luo came back out of nowhere—will anyone bully him? How far has his cultivation progressed? If he slackens off, what about that five-year life limit?"

"Once I step into the Marquis rank, I should go find him. He's all alone out there; I really can't rest easy."

"..."

And just as Jiang Jiang Qinge was worrying over these things in her heart, a male figure stepped out from the crowd and walked toward her.

Many gazes around them noted this, and eyebrows rose.

"That's Senior Wei Chonglou. He's going to find Senior Jiang again."

"Wei Chonglou's got some nerve. I don't even dare speak to Jiang Jiang Qinge, and he still dares to pester her again and again."

"A fair lady is what a gentleman seeks. With a peerless girl like Jiang Jiang Qinge, if you meet her and give up just because the difficulty is too high, you'll surely regret it for the rest of your life."

"Our Brother Wei's conditions aren't bad either. He's currently the fourth seat of the Upper Court, and he comes from a Li Li Tianwang faction in Central Outer Shenzhou—his background fears no one."

"If they ended up together, it would be a fine tale, one that could be passed down in the academy for many years."

"..."

Amidst those low murmurs, Wei Chonglou walked toward Jiang Jiang Qinge with a smile. He stood tall and straight, a head of fiery red hair drawing the eye, while a scalding, blazing aura flowed across the surface of his body, faintly revealing a domineering presence.

"Junior Jiang, this conscription mission seems no simple matter. When the time comes in the Lesser Heaven, I may need to team up with you to purge the demons. After all, your dual ninth-grade Light Aspects are truly the bane of aberrations." Wei Chonglou stood before Jiang Jiang Qinge, smiling as he spoke, chatting easily, without showing any of that self-conscious inferiority the others displayed.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's thoughts paused. Her expression was cool; she did not look at Wei Chonglou, merely saying offhandedly, "We'll see."

Yet although Jiang Jiang Qinge was quite cold, Wei Chonglou was not discouraged. He continued to chuckle beside her, bringing up topics on his own initiative.

But he did not speak for long before an irritated voice suddenly sounded from behind him: "Move aside, will you."

Being so rudely urged all of a sudden, Wei Chonglou's words faltered for a moment, but no anger showed on his face. Instead, he quickly stepped aside, and at the same time looked at the person behind him with an apologetic smile: "Sister Meng."

Behind Wei Chonglou stood a girl, not tall, wearing a black-and-white hooded coat. The hood was pulled up over her forehead, and beneath its brim peeked a fair, clean oval face. Her eyes were always drifting lazily about, giving off a languid air.

She held a bamboo-tube-like cup in both hands, a straw sticking out of it, which she had in her mouth, sipping with a constant gurgle.

She actually gave off a rather cute impression.

But when Wei Chonglou saw her, his expression grew much more solemn, and the gazes cast their way from all around were likewise filled with awe.

Ning Meng, bearer of a mid ninth-grade Light-Chasing Beast Aspect, First Seat of the Celestial Star Court of Holy Light Ancient Academy!

The Light-Chasing Beast is a species of spirit beast that loves light above all else. It possesses terrifying power; among spirit-beast species, it is in no way inferior to great clans like the dragons and phoenixes. It is simply that their numbers are few, and they dwell in regions where light-attribute energy is most concentrated, so they are exceedingly rare in the outside world.

And not only does Ning Meng bear the Light-Chasing Beast Aspect, hers is as high as mid ninth-grade. An Aspect of this grade had not appeared within Holy Light Ancient Academy for several years now.

To Wei Chonglou's greeting, the girl named Ning Meng showed no reaction at all. Her drifting gaze beneath the hood locked straight onto Jiang Jiang Qinge.

Then she slowly shuffled her feet, stopping right next to Jiang Jiang Qinge, and a look of comfort spread across her face.

The Light-Chasing Beast loves pure light-attribute energy above all, and Ning Meng, who bears this Aspect, has inherited that fondness. And within all of Holy Light Ancient Academy, where could the light-attribute energy be purer than that of Jiang Jiang Qinge, who bears dual ninth-grade Light Aspects?

So ever since Jiang Jiang Qinge entered the Celestial Star Court, this First Seat of the Court had silently attached herself to her. Whenever they met, she would say nothing and stand beside Jiang Jiang Qinge like a ghost.

Jiang Jiang Qinge glanced at Ning Meng, and the latter's small mouth around the straw split open, revealing pearly white teeth.

"Xiao'e, have some Light Bamboo Spirit Juice." Ning Meng held out the bamboo tube in her hand.

Jiang Jiang Qinge shook her head. "No need, thank you."

"Oh!" Ning Meng nodded, then took another big gurgling gulp and said, "Then can I stand here for a bit?"

"Suit yourself."

Jiang Jiang Qinge was a little helpless. She knew about Ning Meng's Aspect, and combined with the latter's easygoing nature—usually a bit lazy and airheaded, yet without any of the arrogance befitting a First Seat—she actually felt some goodwill toward her.

Wei Chonglou, meanwhile, laughed on the side and continued, with tireless patience, to make conversation with the two girls.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's delicate brows knit slightly. Wei Chonglou's endless chatter was honestly a bit noisy.

And as if she had noticed Jiang Jiang Qinge frown, Ning Meng let one hand drop, her slender five fingers curling, and a deep cyan-colored stick materialized in her grip.

The stick was very plain, thin at the bottom and thick at the top, like a branch hacked off a tree, with chaotic yet mysteriously glowing patterns flowing across its surface.

Gripping the wooden stick, Ning Meng said earnestly to Wei Chonglou, "Stop talking, or I'm going to hit you!"

Wei Chonglou's voice cut off abruptly, and the smile on his face stiffened along with it.

Then he helplessly raised his hand and smiled. "Alright, I'll listen to Sister Meng."

Ning Meng had an easygoing personality, but the fact that she had been able to hold the position of top seat of the Upper Court of the Celestial Star Academy for so many years was not due to her harmless-looking face. Within that seemingly petite body of hers lay a power that made even many Da Tian Xiang Jing cultivators feel dread.

Wei Chonglou had once seen with his own eyes Ning Meng bring her staff down and smash a spiritual beast at the Da Tian Xiang Jing level—one that was extremely skilled in defense—into a pulp of meat. So even though he himself had a forceful and domineering personality, when facing Ning Meng, he could only yield three parts out of respect.

So he obediently shut his mouth.

However, the quiet here did not last long. A tall, graceful figure stepped out from the crowd amid many gasps of surprise, walking straight toward Jiang Jiang Qinge's position.

As she stepped out, a coldly proud and playful voice came from this graceful figure's lips, and its content was so explosive that it immediately stirred an uproar across the plaza.

"Jiang Jiang Qinge, I've found the intel on that fiancé of yours."