Chapter 1437: Lü Ruyan

The sudden appearance of this group caused Xi Chan, Cao Sheng, and others to frown deeply; the leading, alluring woman radiated overwhelming aura, clearly not here for friendly reasons.

She has come for Lü Qing'er.

Lü Qing'er's beautiful eyes exuded icy frost as she fixed her gaze on the alluring woman and said coldly, "Lü Ruyan, where I go is none of your business."

As Li Luo had suspected, the alluring woman before them was indeed Lü Ruyan.

Upon hearing this, Lü Ruyan curled her red lips into a mocking smile and said, "Coming back from some remote corner of Outer Shenzhou, you've learned no manners at all—surely you should at least call me sister."

Then her gaze swept over the Shengxuan Star Academy group and added, "But I truly don't understand why you'd be so foolish as to abandon the team your father arranged for you, and instead choose this Outer Shenzhou academy team—do you really think such a team can protect you?"

"Or have you already accepted that there's no hope, and thus given up?"

Lü Qing'er's eyes turned glacial, yet she refused to engage in petty verbal sparring.

"Cough."

But at that moment, Li Luo cleared his throat and said, "Miss, please don't launch baseless attacks against our Outer Shenzhou academy team—we've worked hard too."

Lü Ruyan's charming face grew cold as she glared at Li Luo: "Who are you calling 'Miss'?!"

Li Luo hesitated: "Calling you 'Auntie' wouldn't be right either?"

"You!"

Lü Ruyan's eyes turned icy—this boy had a handsome face but an utterly abrasive mouth, utterly detestable.

"I know you—you're Li Luo, aren't you? From Li Li Tianwang's lineage. Back in the Spirit Phase Cave, you ruined my plans." Lü Ruyan sized him up with a cold laugh.

"Lü Qing'er came to this Outer Shenzhou team mainly because of you, right?"

"I advise you: this is our Golden Dragon Mountain's affair. Best not meddle. Even Li Li Tianwang's lineage won't want to offend us."

Li Luo shook his head with a smile. "That won't do. She's my closest friend—when she's in trouble, I'll stand by her without hesitation."

Lü Qing'er gave him a calm glance, then said, "Lü Ruyan, no more empty words here. Our conflict will be settled in the Heavenly Mirror Duel."

Lü Ruyan giggled, her eyes playful as she looked at Lü Qing'er. "Little Qing'er, with your First Rank Marquis Realm, I truly can't fathom what courage you have to speak to me like this—this isn't Golden Dragon Mountain anymore."

"Or are you relying on him?"

Lü Ruyan's gaze flicked to Li Luo, then her crown erupted with spiritual light, forming six towering Marquis Platforms standing in the sky, unleashing rolling waves of energy pressure that engulfed the entire Shengxuan Star Academy group.

The moment the six Marquis Platforms appeared, countless eyes turned toward them; at their center, one platform blazed with extraordinary brilliance—its peak bore ten golden pillars.

It was unmistakably a Ten-Pillar Golden Platform!

Lü Ruyan wasn't just a Sixth Rank Marquis Realm cultivator—she had forged a Ten-Pillar Golden Platform!

Such depth was befitting of a top prodigy from Golden Dragon Mountain.

"That's Lü Ruyan of Golden Dragon Mountain!"

"Tsk tsk, such a stunning beauty—Lü Ruyan is among the 'Eighteen Heroes,' a top contender in this Heavenly Mirror Duel."

"Though she's only Sixth Rank Marquis, with that Ten-Pillar Golden Platform, she rivals even the top Seventh Rank Marquis."

"No wonder she made the 'Eighteen Heroes.'"

"......"

Around this area, countless gazes turned toward them, followed by a surge of shocked murmurs—Lü Ruyan carried immense fame within the Heavenly Mirror Tower.

Facing Lü Ruyan's overwhelming pressure, Xi Chan, Cao Sheng, and Mi Er all staggered back; Li Luo frowned, and two spiritual lights shot from his crown, forming two Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms.

The two Marquis Platforms hovered in midair, radiating a complete, perfect aura as they absorbed and expelled cosmic energy.

Simultaneously, Li Luo stepped forward, braving the surging tidal pressure, standing before Lü Qing'er—Lü Ruyan had forged a Ten-Pillar Golden Platform and was a Sixth Rank Marquis Realm powerhouse; Lü Qing'er was vastly outmatched.

The moment Li Luo's two Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms appeared, chaos erupted.

"Whoa! Two Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms!"

"This kid forged two Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms? Who the hell is he?!"

"This is the Outer Shenzhou academy zone—how could someone like this appear?!"

"Good thing he's only No. 2 in the Peerless Rank—otherwise he'd be in the 'Eighteen Heroes'!"

"......"

All factions cast stunned glances—prodigies who forged two Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms were exceedingly rare, even within the Heavenly Mirror Tower.

"No. 2 in the Peerless Rank—is that why Lü Qing'er chose you?"

Lü Ruyan narrowed her long, beautiful eyes. "If you'd reached No. 3 in the Peerless Rank, I might have some caution—but this No. 2? Still lacking!"

Her six Marquis Platforms roared, shaking the void violently as they devoured cosmic energy, forming crushing waves of pressure.

Under this overwhelming assault, the energy fluctuations from Li Luo's two Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms began to be suppressed and pushed back.

"Friend, this is the territory of the Eastern Domain Shenzhou academies—please don't press so aggressively," said Guo Guo Jiufeng sternly. Li Luo and the others were from Shengxuan Star Academy, and now all Eastern Domain academies stood united—Lü Ruyan's aggression made their faces burn.

As he spoke, he summoned his own six Marquis Platforms, attempting to share Li Luo's burden.

But the moment he moved, warriors from Lü Ruyan's group stepped forward, releasing their own Marquis Platforms—their momentum was no weaker than Guo Guo Jiufeng's.

"Hmph, this is Golden Dragon Mountain's affair—do you Eastern Domain academies dare interfere?" The Marquis Realm warriors glared coldly at Guo Guo Jiufeng and others, issuing a warning.

Upon hearing "Golden Dragon Mountain," Vice Presidents Guo Guo Jiufeng, Chen Chi, and Wang Xu all showed deep wariness—they knew exactly what level of power that represented.

For a moment, none dared to act.

Lü Ruyan, however, had never once glanced at Guo Guo Jiufeng and the others—in her eyes, these Eastern Domain academy vice presidents weren't even worth her attention.

She only fixed her gaze on Li Luo and smiled sweetly: "Li Luo, you're smart—Lü Qing'er isn't worth your support. If you stay out of our affairs, you'll earn my friendship. Otherwise..."

Li Luo sighed helplessly, and lightning flickered across his dorsal hand, ready to manifest as the Dragon-Elephant Lightning Blade.

Boom!

But at that instant, brilliant light exploded across the sky—a divine stream of Holy Flame surged through the heavens, carrying the power of purification, directly striking Lü Ruyan's figure.

The sudden, ferocious assault froze the alluring smile on Lü Ruyan's face—within that Holy Flame, even she sensed a trace of danger.

Instantly, she didn't dare delay—her six Marquis Platforms roared violently, unleashing rolling Marquis Spiritual Smoke, while icy cold winds howled through the heavens, forming bone-chilling currents that clashed with the Holy Flame.

Boom—

The violent energy shockwave raged outward, causing the void to tremble violently. Many of the surrounding experts were forced to retreat repeatedly, looks of shock on their faces.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the Holy Light Flame displayed an extremely terrifying purifying power, directly reducing Lü Ruyan's bitterly cold phase force into nothingness.

In the end, Lü Ruyan's coquettish smile was forced to vanish completely. She curved two fingers together, and boundless cold currents gathered, forming a sword gang of icy qi.

The icy sword gang slashed down, freezing the void, and only then did it completely dissolve the Holy Light Flame.

But Lü Ruyan's pretty face no longer held its former coquettish charm; instead, frost shrouded her as she gazed toward the distant sky, where a graceful figure could be seen stepping through the air.

Above her head, three ten-pillar golden platforms shone like great suns, radiating boundless light.

Lü Ruyan recognized the newcomer, clenched her silver teeth, and said coldly, "Jiang Jiang Qinge!"

Under the countless gazes of admiration, the graceful figure who had come treading upon light appeared above this green-wood platform. Her golden eyes, brimming with mystery and depth, looked calmly at Lü Ruyan, and a cold, clear voice rang out.

"Is your friendship all that precious?"