Chapter 1427: Lu Dian

Surging waves of energy still rippled outward through the arena in successive bursts, accompanied by rumbling booms.

Numerous shocked gazes fixed on the disheveled Xi Chi. A deep blade wound now marred his chest, and though he ceaselessly channeled his phase power to mend his flesh, the violent thunder leaping within the wound had blackened and charred the surrounding tissue.

The searing pain twisted Xi Chi's face into a mask of savage contortion.

No one had expected that Xi Chi, whose strength had reached the Lower Six-Pill Marquis Realm, would be wounded in a single slash by Li Luo, a mere Unparalleled Two-Pill.

Those with keener eyes cast wary glances toward the straight blade in Li Luo's hand, where Lei Guang flowed. The wild, razor-sharp aura emanating from it made their eyelids twitch.

A high-grade Marquis treasure!

Some eyes gleamed with greed. A Marquis treasure of this caliber was an immense boon to a Marquis-level strong practitioner; with it, one could even threaten an opponent a full grade above oneself.

And Li Luo was already an Unparalleled Two-Pill, wielding such a fearsome weapon to boot—no wonder Xi Chi had been wounded by his blade.

"I told you: the person stays." Li Luo's blade angled downward as he spoke slowly.

Xi Chi's features twisted savagely. "You think beating me means you can protect her? My Xi family didn't send only me to the Sky Mirror Pagoda!"

"Boy, an Unparalleled Two-Pill does have potential, but prodigies who die young are just as common!"

"Is she really worth it?"

Seeing the man still talking tough, Li Luo couldn't be bothered to trade more words. Thunder erupted violently along the blade, and a savage thunderous blade-light, swift as a thunderbolt, hacked toward Xi Chi.

Rolling killing intent coursed through the blade-light, leaving no doubt as to Li Luo's intent to kill.

Since he had already struck and enmity was forged, better to finish it cleanly.

Yet that thunderous blade-light never reached Xi Chi's body. A figure flashed into existence before him, extending a palm in which astonishing phase power condensed, then closing his fingers around the thunder-light. With a thunderous roar, the blade-light detonated within his grasp.

The sudden intervention made Li Luo's eyes narrow slightly. He looked at the newcomer, who was also wearing the instructor's robes of the Zhu Xuan Ling Ancient Academy.

His brows carried a faint golden hue, and a smile played across his face, lending him a rather distinguished air.

"My friend, a lesson should suffice—there's no need to move to kill, is there?" The man flicked his sleeves, sweeping away the scattered thunder-light, and smiled at Li Luo.

"Instructor Lu Dian!"

Xi Chi's face lit up with relief at the sight of his rescuer.

Meanwhile, exclamations rose from the many surrounding teams who had gathered to watch the spectacle.

"It's actually Lu Dian! He's a Seven-Pill Marquis Realm practitioner, and one of the seeded contestants from the Zhu Xuan Ling Ancient Academy this time."

"Xi Chi is, after all, representing the Zhu Xuan Ling Ancient Academy at the Sky Mirror Pagoda. Lu Dian naturally won't stand by and watch him get killed."

"..."

Amid the exclamations, the man named Lu Dian smiled and said, "Besides, killing him would be easy, but Xi Chi has an elder brother named Xi Li. He's the pillar of the Xi family's generation, and has served as an instructor at our Zhu Xuan Ling Ancient Academy for many years. His strength surpasses even mine. Why would you want to make an enemy of him?"

"Xi Li..."

At that name, Li Luo showed no reaction, but Instructor Xi Chan trembled slightly, a flicker of fear surfacing deep in her eyes. This Xi Li was the most outstanding in talent and strength among the Xi family's current generation. If he had also come to the Sky Mirror Pagoda, that would be a tremendous threat.

It would also bring trouble for Li Luo and Cao Sheng and the others.

For a moment, Instructor Xi Chan regretted coming to the Sky Mirror Pagoda at all.

After hiding for so many years, she still hadn't managed to escape.

Li Luo sensed Xi Chan's emotions. His brow furrowed slightly as he stared at Lu Dian. "No need to throw around backgrounds to pressure people, is there?"

Lu Dian couldn't help but laugh. Li Luo was clearly very young, nothing like the instructors who had taught for years. A prodigy like this was sharp and aggressive, but also a touch naive.

"Background is a form of strength too. Against the Xi family, which has a Dual Crown King backing them, your Holy Academy offending them is hardly wise." Lu Dian spoke earnestly.

"Is that so?"

Hearing this, Li Luo suddenly sheathed his Dragon Elephant Thunder Blade and exhaled in relief. "You should have said so earlier. I've been exhausting myself here, thinking I had to rely on myself to count."

Lu Dian was briefly taken aback, then smiled. This fledgling Unparalleled prodigy had, after all, come to his senses under the warning.

That was for the best.

But before he could speak, Li Luo's expression turned cold and arrogant. He looked at Xi Chi and said flatly, "Then allow me to introduce myself. My name is Li Luo, from the Dragon Fang Branch of Li Li Tianwang's lineage in Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou. My ancestor is Li Li Tianwang, my mother is a Grand Unparalleled Marquis. Your Xi family, with a Dual Crown King sitting in charge—how dare you use that to threaten me?"

The very picture of a pampered young lord.

The ferocity and savagery on Xi Chi's face froze in an instant.

The smile on Lu Dian's lips also slowly faded.

"Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou, Li Li Tianwang's lineage?" Xi Chi's eyes flickered wildly. He wanted to mock the other for dreaming, but recalling Li Luo's Unparalleled Two-Pill talent, he felt that what Li Luo said might actually carry some credibility.

If Li Luo's words were true, then his earlier attempt to threaten him with the Xi family's background was utterly laughable.

Lu Dian stared at Li Luo, as if recalling something, and said thoughtfully, "I seem to have heard that recently, among the younger generation in Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou, an Unparalleled prodigy has emerged. Could that be you?"

Li Luo replied offhandedly, "Perhaps."

Facing Li Luo's attitude, Lu Dian wasn't annoyed. He merely smiled and said, "Then I really am blind. I just didn't expect an Unparalleled prodigy from Li Li Tianwang's lineage to participate in the Sky Mirror Pagoda under the name of a Holy Academy."

"Today's matter was Xi Chi's rashness. He came to the Sky Mirror Pagoda with my team, so naturally I cannot let anything happen to him under my watch. I hope you don't take offense."

Lu Dian's smile was warm, and his words grew considerably more polite upon learning of Li Luo's background. Yet he did not truly become humble—after all, while Li Li Tianwang's lineage was formidable, it was entrenched only in Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou, and its reach did not extend to Zhu Xuan Ling Outer Shenzhou. Moreover, as a senior instructor of the Zhu Xuan Ling Ancient Academy, backed by the Academy Alliance, he truly did not fear Li Li Tianwang's lineage.

But the matter at hand had little to do with him, so Lu Dian had no intention of getting deeply involved. Offending a Li Tianwang lineage for no reason was hardly an entertaining prospect.

Li Luo understood this as well, and naturally had no intention of pressing the matter. He simply said, "So is this one still going to try to drag my instructor away?"

Xi Chi's face darkened. He cast a sullen, baleful glance at Li Luo and Xi Chan, said nothing further, rose, and left in disheveled fashion with his wounds.

His strength was no match for Li Luo, and now his background had been crushed too. Staying any longer would only invite further humiliation.

Lu Dian also prepared to turn and leave, but before departing, he smiled at Li Luo and said, "Instructor Li Luo, Xi Chi poses no threat, but if word of this reaches Instructor Xi Li, knowing his temperament, he may not let it rest."

"He's taught at the Zhu Xuan Ling Ancient Academy for many years, and his reputation and strength both surpass mine. So your Li Tianwang lineage background may not have much deterrent effect on him here in the Sky Mirror Pagoda. Making an enemy of him might not be wise."

"Of course... this is merely a personal piece of advice."

Hearing this, the smile vanished from Li Luo's lips. He stared at Lu Dian and said slowly, "Then please pass along a message for me, Instructor Lu Dian."

"This instructor of mine stood behind me when I needed help most, so she is extremely important to me. I don't care what entanglement or grudge she has with the Xi family, but if that Instructor Xi Li still comes to trouble her..."

"I hope he comes prepared to seek death."

Behind Li Luo, Xi Chan listened to the young man's calm yet murderous words. Her beautiful eyes couldn't help but look over, and she saw his tall, resolute back. Compared to when they first met at the Master Selection Tournament, the youth was no longer frail.

Her beautiful eyes couldn't help but redden slightly, ripples stirring within them.

Lu Dian was also slightly stunned; he could feel the killing intent in Li Luo's words, which showed that Li Luo's relationship with that Xi Chan was indeed extraordinary.

"I understand. I will pass it along for you."

Lu Dian nodded, no longer lingering, and turned to leave.

Only in his heart he sighed inwardly—if these words were truly passed to Xi Li, then if Xi Li were to encounter this Li Luo in the Heavenly Mirror Martial Discussion in the future, it would likely be a fight to the death.

Although this Li Luo was extremely talented, having reached Unparalleled Second Rank at such an age, if they truly fought, he now probably wouldn't be a match for Xi Li.

Perhaps, after two more years of tempering, would be the time to rise.

But these things, it seemed, had nothing to do with him, Lu Dian.

Li Luo's gaze followed Lu Dian's departing back, when suddenly his heart stirred. He abruptly turned around, his gaze directed not far away, where a stunningly beautiful slender figure in a cyan dress stood at some unknown time, a pair of ice-blue Binghu beautiful eyes quietly gazing at him.

That familiar face—it was an old friend who had come.

Meeting Li Luo's gaze, which was gradually filling with pleasant surprise, that cyan-clad figure spoke softly.

"Li Luo, it's been a long time."