Chapter 1112: The Expected Clash

The teams from the two ancient academies gathered here, and naturally there was no shortage of mutual sizing-up and comparison, and the atmosphere instantly grew heated.

As the strongest members on the Celestial Yuan Ancient Academy's side, Feng Lingyuan, Duanmu, and Li Hongyou naturally could not let their academy's prestige be diminished, so they all stepped forward two paces.

"Feng Lingyuan, Celestial Yuan Ancient Academy, Second Seat." Feng Lingyuan introduced herself flatly.

"Duanmu, Third Seat." Duanmu still had his hands stuffed in his pockets, his languid peach-blossom eyes carrying an appraising gaze as he sized up the three people opposite.

"Li Hongyou, Tenth Seat." Li Hongyou's cold, gorgeous face likewise showed no further expression.

The captains of the other teams did not stick their heads out at this moment; when two great ancient academies met like this, it was better to keep a low profile if one's seat was not in the top ten.

On the opposite side, Yin Yue Zhiyu crossed her arms over her chest, her pointed chin slightly raised, and spoke first: "Yin Yue Zhiyu, Holy Light Ancient Academy, Third Seat."

Clearly Wang Kong, whose seat was the highest, ended up last, but he did not show any displeasure, merely unhurriedly saying: "Wang Kong, Second Seat, greetings to all friends from the Celestial Yuan Ancient Academy."

Feng Lingyuan glanced at Wang Kong and asked, "You came here for this 'Black Marsh Water City' as well, I suppose?"

"What else would we come here for? When it comes to dealing with aberrations, our Holy Light Ancient Academy is still more adept." Yin Yue Zhiyu's bearing was extremely haughty, perfectly displaying the temperament of a spoiled young lady.

"You're a Light Phase?" Duanmu raised an eyebrow, for he sensed a sacred fluctuation from Yin Yue Zhiyu.

"Lower Nine-Rank, Light Phase." Yin Yue Zhiyu was somewhat proud of it, after all, when it came to dealing with aberrations, the Light Phase did indeed have an advantage.

The people from the Celestial Yuan Ancient Academy exchanged glances and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although this Yin Yue Zhiyu looked every bit the spoiled young lady, one had to admit that a Nine-Rank Light Phase would indeed play a considerable role here. With Yin Yue Zhiyu present, they would at least be able to more quickly sense the traces of some aberrations.

"Everyone, since you were able to get here, you must already know the difficulty of this mission, right?" Feng Lingyuan asked. The arrival of Yin Yue Zhiyu, Wei Chonglou and the others had indeed greatly strengthened their forces, so to complete the mission, both sides needed to cooperate.

"Naturally. We also encountered an attack from a Great Evil Specter before this." Wei Chonglou nodded slowly and said.

Yin Yue Zhiyu gazed into the distance at the "Black Marsh Water City," and her previously willful expression also turned solemn at this moment. As someone who possessed a Nine-Rank Light Phase, she could perceive even more keenly what terrifying power of malice was flowing within this water city before them.

"It seems that if we want to eradicate this city and rescue those captured students, we need some cooperation." Yin Yue Zhiyu spoke up.

"We share a common goal, so I hope we can cooperate sincerely from here on." Feng Lingyuan nodded. Both sides had the same objective, and although there was some inter-academy rivalry, it would not affect the bigger picture.

"When do we set out?" Wang Kong spoke up to ask at this moment.

Feng Lingyuan said, "Wait another stick of incense's time. If no other teams arrive, we'll begin the operation."

Everyone had no objections to this, and then each made their final preparations.

Only now did Li Luo withdraw his gaze from the Holy Light Ancient Academy's team. There was some disappointment in his eyes, because he had not seen Jiang Jiang Qinge.

It seemed she had gone to another mission point.

Seeing him in such a state, Feng Lingyuan asked, "Li Luo, didn't find your fiancée?"

Li Luo smiled and shook his head.

But immediately he sensed the three figures opposite suddenly pause at this moment, so Li Luo turned his gaze and saw that Yin Yue Zhiyu, Wei Chonglou, and Wang Kong had all cast their eyes onto his face.

"This student here is called Li Luo?" The first to speak was Yin Yue Zhiyu. A peculiar emotion welled up in her eyes at this moment, seeming to be a mix of scrutiny and amusement.

And Wei Chonglou's eyes also narrowed slightly at this moment, his gaze at Li Luo beginning to grow sharp and oppressive.

Only Wang Kong's gaze carried more curiosity and surprise.

The reactions of the three made Li Luo's heart stir slightly, but he kept his expression unchanged and said, "I am indeed called Li Luo."

Yin Yue Zhiyu stared at his face, the corners of her lips curving into a meaningfully suggestive arc, and said, "Your so-called fiancée wouldn't happen to be Jiang Jiang Qinge, would she?"

Behind her, a low murmur of surprise rose from the Holy Light Ancient Academy's team, and immediately, gazes filled with astonishment and scrutiny were cast toward Li Luo.

Previously they had not paid much attention to Li Luo, after all, judging from his phase force fluctuations, he was only at the Tian Zhu Jing, a level of strength that could only be considered average in the current setting. But who could have expected that he would actually be the fiancé Jiang Jiang Qinge had mentioned?!

Facing those numerous, now-sharpened gazes, Li Luo nodded with an unchanged expression and said, "My fiancée is indeed called Jiang Jiang Qinge, and she is also at the Holy Light Ancient Academy."

The playful meaning at the corners of Yin Yue Zhiyu's lips grew even thicker, and she said, "Li Luo, it's better to say less of such things. You have no idea how many people at our academy admire Jiang Jiang Qinge."

As she spoke, the corner of her eye also glanced at the expressionless Wei Chonglou, her meaning self-evident.

Li Luo smiled and said, "It's the truth. What's there not to say about it?"

"An engagement does not represent anything. For the sake of Qing'e's reputation, I hope this student will maintain some sense and not treat this matter as something to boast about." A low voice rang out at this moment—it was Wei Chonglou who had spoken. His gaze fixed sharply on Li Luo, and a strong, oppressive aura emanated from him.

Li Luo's eyes swept over Wei Chonglou once, and he sighed with a hint of pity.

This sigh of ambiguous meaning immediately made Wei Chonglou's gaze grow even colder: "What do you mean?"

"Nothing much. I've just seen too many like that." Li Luo said helplessly.

Over the years, he had long grown used to men who admired Jiang Jiang Qinge and then regarded him with hostility.

But what could he do about it?

Could he ask his own fiancée not to be so outstanding?

He couldn't control her—she'd hit him.

Although Li Luo's words were vague, the meaning behind them was clear to everyone, and immediately Wei Chonglou's expression turned grim.

A mere Tian Zhu Jing practitioner, even if he had some tricks, dared to directly provoke him, Wei Chonglou, here?

"This student Li Luo really does have quite a personality. I just wonder if your strength can match this personality of yours?"

Fiery-red phase force spread out from Wei Chonglou's body, and instantly the temperature in this part of the world climbed steadily. He stepped forward, and a terrifying wave of energy pressure roared out.

However, the moment he moved, Feng Lingyuan and Li Hongyou, who were standing beside Li Luo, almost simultaneously stepped forward half a pace. Two torrents of powerful phase force rampaged forth like floods, colliding with the wave of energy pressure sweeping out from Wei Chonglou's body.

Boom!

A muffled sound rang out, and the air above the lone peak kept exploding, forming rolling white shockwaves.

Students on both sides were startled, not expecting the two sides to suddenly come to blows.

Feng Lingyuan's expression turned slightly cold, and she said, "Wei Chonglou, what are you trying to do?"

Wei Chonglou's entire body was shrouded in crimson flames, and the stone beneath his feet was gradually melting. He said flatly, "I'm merely warning him not to speak recklessly. It's not his place as a mere Tian Zhu Jing practitioner to point fingers here."

Li Luo smiled and said, "This friend is awfully domineering. I don't much like cooperating with someone as domineering as you."

"Then you can leave. We're none the worse for one less Tian Zhu Jing practitioner." Wei Chonglou said with a cold laugh.

Li Hongyu said flatly, "I care."

Her future plans all relied on Li Luo, so for Li Hongyou, even if this mission failed, she still had to protect Li Luo at all costs.

Feng Lingyuan also shook her head helplessly and said, "If you want Li Luo to leave, then we really can't cooperate."

Once Li Luo leaves, Li Hongyou will run off too, and then her team will fall apart, so she must support Li Luo.

Duanmu stuffed his hands into his pockets, gave a cold snort, and said, "If you want to throw your weight around, go back to your Holy Light Ancient Academy to do it. That sort of thing doesn't fly on our side."

Although he wasn't particularly close with Li Luo, after all they were now on the same side, and this Wei Chonglou had attacked without distinguishing right from wrong—his domineering temperament was something he found disagreeable as well.

Wei Chonglou's expression grew increasingly sullen. He hadn't expected that Li Luo, an outsider, could make the people from Tianyuan Ancient Academy so protective of him.

Yin Yue Zhiyu was similarly a little surprised. Li Luo, with his Tian Zhu Jing strength, had actually earned the support of Feng Lingyuan and the others—seemed like quite the personal charm. After all, from what she knew, Li Luo wasn't even a member of Tianyuan Ancient Academy.

At that moment, Wang Kong stepped forward and said, "Everyone, let's rein in the tempers. With a great enemy before us, infighting right now is hardly the act of a wise person."

Yin Yue Zhiyu stared at Li Luo with a smile and said, "I don't mind at all. I just want to see what this fiancé of Jiang Jiang Qinge can actually do. I hope you can give me a little surprise next, and not give me the chance to laugh at Jiang Jiang Qinge's taste."

Li Luo didn't bother with her. He could tell that this Yin Yue Zhiyu seemed to be another woman who had been stung by Jiang Qing.

The standoff between the two sides gradually dissolved, and each party stepped back. However, after this, the atmosphere between them carried a bit more distance than at the very beginning.

Only, when the lone peak once again fell quiet, no one noticed that in the dim grove, on a grey-black tree trunk, an eye flowing with a cold, sinister aura was taking all of this in. The eye blinked once, then slowly closed, merging into the trunk and vanishing without a trace.