Chapter 134: The Second Step

Under the focus of numerous gazes, the group led by Gong Gong Shenjun strode quickly to where Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge were, and a warm smile surfaced on Gong Gong Shenjun's handsome, heroic face.

"Junior Jiang, busy with cultivation today, you missed the excitement of the Mentor Selection Competition, but I've already heard that Junior Li Luo performed splendidly and was chosen by Mentor Xi Chan."

As his words fell, his gaze shifted to Li Luo, his voice warm as a spring breeze: "Junior Li Luo, what a stunning debut today—congratulations."

Li Luo's gaze lingered on Gong Gong Shenjun's face for several breaths. Facing such an attitude from the other party, he couldn't respond coldly either, as that would only make him look petty and laughable. So he smiled broadly and said: "Senior Gong, you flatter me. It's nothing worth calling a stunning debut—just a stroke of luck that caught Mentor Xi Chan's eye."

Jiang Jiang Qinge's exquisitely beautiful face remained perfectly calm as she said: "It's only a freshman Mentor Selection Competition, Senior Gong needn't offer such praise."

Gong Gong Shenjun laughed: "Junior Jiang's standards are too high. Not everyone can be born with a Tian Sheng Jiu Pin phase like you. In your Mentor Selection Competition, before it even began, several Purple-Glory mentors nearly came to blows over you—something no student of Shengxuan Star Academy has managed in the past century."

Gong Gong Shenjun was jade-like in bearing, extraordinary in poise, and his speech revealed excellent cultivation, making it hard to feel any ill will toward him. So even though Jiang Jiang Qinge knew his intentions, she couldn't just turn hostile and show disgust.

"Senior Gong, don't underestimate Jiang Jiang Qinge's fiancé. Though he's kept a low profile in the past, the rarity of his dual phases is in no way inferior to a Nine-Grade Light Phase." While they were speaking, an icy voice suddenly cut in. The crowd looked over and saw Duze Duze Honglian approaching.

She was tall and slender, with fiery red lips, alluring and captivating, drawing many gazes as well.

Jiang Jiang Qinge said coolly: "Duze Duze Honglian, your performance in that year's Mentor Selection Competition wasn't even as good as your younger brother's, was it?"

"If I remember correctly, the first opponent you met after the competition started was me, and then... you were defeated."

Duze Duze Honglian's willow brows rose slightly, about to retort.

But at this moment Gong Gong Shenjun spoke up helplessly, laughing: "Duze Honglian, it's the freshmen's first day today—do me a favor and don't argue here."

Hearing this, Duze Duze Honglian swallowed the words in her mouth. The look in her eyes toward Gong Gong Shenjun clearly carried some favor, after all, by any measure, Gong Gong Shenjun was indeed a very outstanding person.

Jiang Jiang Qinge had no interest in lingering to talk with them here. After exchanging a word with Gong Gong Shenjun, she took Yan Yan Lingqing and Li Luo and left directly.

Duze Duze Honglian snorted coldly and left in some annoyance. Today's events were full of bad luck—she hadn't managed to find trouble with Li Luo, but instead got herself covered in his mess, nearly making her explode with rage. Later in the Mentor Selection Competition, Duze Duze Beixuan also lost to Li Luo, which only filled her with more pent-up frustration.

Gong Gong Shenjun watched the two women leave with a warm smile on his face, and finally his gaze lingered on the gradually disappearing backs of Jiang Jiang Qinge and Li Luo, his eyes flickering slightly.

"Dual phases, huh... this young lord of House Luolan Mansion is not as mediocre as the rumors say." He murmured softly in his heart.

"Your Highness, your pursuit of Jiang Jiang Qinge is far too subtle. With your excellence, you're more than worthy of her." Someone close to Gong Gong Shenjun whispered beside him.

"Although that Li Luo has a marriage contract with Jiang Jiang Qinge, with Your Highness's resources, there should be plenty of ways to make him dissolve the contract willingly."

Gong Gong Shenjun shook his head and smiled lightly: "You see things too shallowly. Someone of Jiang Jiang Qinge's temperament cannot be bound by a so-called marriage contract. For those who truly see clearly, this contract has no practical effect whatsoever."

"What I want is Jiang Jiang Qinge's heart, and for a personality like hers, I can't rush it. I can only proceed gradually—push too hard, and there will never be another chance."

"As for Li Luo..."

He smiled and said: "There's no need for me to target him. If I truly want to win Jiang Jiang Qinge's heart, the more I target Li Luo, the stronger her aversion to me will become."

"So, if possible, I would actually befriend him. Others don't understand—getting close to Li Luo is actually the best way to truly get close to Jiang Jiang Qinge."

Gong Gong Shenjun smiled: "Although admitting this is a bit uncomfortable, before the goal is achieved, appropriate patience is necessary."

"The true winner belongs to the one who knows how to endure best."

"Moreover, I do have quite a bit of confidence in my own conditions, and I believe Jiang Jiang Qinge will eventually see them."

Having said that, he said no more and waved his hand.

"Let's go."

"This Gong Gong Shenjun is a bit troublesome." Li Luo followed beside Jiang Jiang Qinge as they walked out of Xinshengdian. He looked back twice and sighed.

This Gong Gong Shenjun clearly had designs on Jiang Jiang Qinge, yet his words and actions left nothing to fault, no offensive behavior, and he didn't come straight out threatening Li Luo to dissolve the marriage contract.

A person like this, on the contrary, left one with no way to make a move.

"His level is really quite high, you little kid—you're really no match for him." Yan Yan Lingqing said with some sympathy.

This Gong Gong Shenjun was a member of the Wang Zu. His father, Regent Gong Yuan, was currently the most powerful person in the Great Xia Kingdom, and his own talent was also outstanding—not only was he one of the Seven Star Pillars of Shengxuan Star Academy, he even showed a trend of contending for the strongest student. So from any angle, Li Luo seemed to have quite a gap compared to him.

Li Luo nodded, then said: "But no matter how high his level, he can only admit that his endpoint is actually just my starting point."

Yan Yan Lingqing was stunned for a moment, then thought about it and realized it was true. All that effort Gong Gong Shenjun put in—wasn't it just to end up with a marriage contract with Jiang Jiang Qinge in the end? But Li Luo, this guy, already had the marriage contract in hand when he was still playing with mud on the ground.

"I find you're quite good at comforting yourself." Yan Yan Lingqing said exasperatedly.

Li Luo spread his hands: "What else can I do? That guy really is very outstanding."

Jiang Jiang Qinge ahead suddenly stopped walking, turned her head, and said: "Don't sell yourself short either. Gong Gong Shenjun's status is indeed impressive, but so what about being Wang Zu? The Wang Zu still has to bow before King-level powerhouses, and facing Shengxuan Star Academy, the Wang Zu wouldn't dare have any ideas."

"So in the end, this world still bows to strength. He's one of the Seven Star Pillars of Shengxuan Star Academy right now only because he's a bit older than us, entered Shengxuan Star Academy earlier. With your dual phases, give you a few years and you may very well surpass him."

"Li Luo, in my heart, you won't be inferior to anyone."

Evening light fell on Jiang Jiang Qinge's exquisitely beautiful jade-like face, the sky filled with spectacular phase force trees stretching to the horizon, the background being the academy buildings of Shengxuan Star Academy rising one after another from the ground.

At this moment, even Yan Yan Lingqing had to admit that Jiang Jiang Qinge was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

The key was, she was just too good to Li Luo. Having known Jiang Jiang Qinge for so long, Yan Yan Lingqing had never seen her comfort and encourage any member of the opposite sex like this.

At this moment, even Yan Yan Lingqing inexplicably felt a sourness flowing through her heart.

And if Yan Yan Lingqing was like this, Li Luo didn't need mentioning. He touched his chest, felt his heartbeat quickening, then said: "Now I finally understand the meaning of the phrase 'crowning rage for a beauty.'"

"So, Sister Jiang Qinge, what exactly are you trying to say?" he asked.

Jiang Jiang Qinge laughed lightly and said: "Remember the promise you made with me before? You've completed the first step—entering Shengxuan Star Academy."

"Then for this second step, I want you to become the strongest freshman of Shengxuan Star Academy."

"Although Gong Gong Shenjun is very outstanding, I must let everyone know that compared to you, the only place he has an advantage is age—nothing more."

"So what if he's the Regent's son? My House Luolan Mansion's young lord won't lose to him by even half a point."

Li Luo was stunned, and stammered: "Strongest freshman? There's no need for that, is there?"

This time defeating Duze Duze Beixuan already counts as having used up the trump card of his second phase, and Duze Duze Beixuan was only ranked fourth. The three ahead of him are no pushovers, especially that Qin Qin Zhulu—he's quite terrifying.

The key was, Li Luo was already very satisfied with his current results. Becoming the strongest freshman would be too eye-catching—it really didn't match his low-profile style.

Jiang Jiang Qinge smiled and said: "If you complete this step, I can give you a reward."

"What reward?" Li Luo perked up immediately.

Jiang Jiang Qinge pondered slightly, tilting her head to look at him.

"The reward is pretending I didn't see you exchanging glances with that Lü Qing'er?"

Li Luo nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Jiang Jiang Qinge, don't think that just because you're pretty you can slander people however you like!