Chapter 144: Li Luo's Proposal

Li Luo mentally noted a debt against Wang Wang Hejiu, but with thousands of new students packed together here, it wasn't convenient to go find Lv Qing'er, so he could only wait for now.

Dong!

Just then, from the treetop of the Phase Force Tree that vanished into the clouds, a melodious bell chime suddenly rang out.

As the bell rang, an instructor maintaining order at the base of the tree called out: "All students, you may ascend the tree now. Remember to check the leaf platform number on the nameplate in your hand—don't go to the wrong place."

All the new students craned their necks in anticipation, then, full of expectation, orderly ascended the winding, python-like tree path, climbing the ladders like ants on a tree.

Li Luo and the others followed the crowd upward, their feet stepping on wooden ladders as they climbed, wind whistling past their ears. Ten-some minutes later, they looked down to find the Holy Mystic Star Academy below had shrunk considerably; the height made one feel slightly dizzy.

On the climbing ladder, branches of the Phase Force Tree kept extending outward, and on those branches, Phase Force Leaves flashing with bronze, silver, and even golden light shone in concert.

These leaf platforms were twice the area of the Phase Force Tree leaves at Southwind Academy. Even from some distance away, Li Luo could clearly sense the world's energy continuously converging with those leaf platforms as its center.

"Truly a marvel."

Li Luo could only sigh sincerely at this. The towering majesty of the Phase Force Tree truly deserved the word "marvel." From this one could see the depth of Holy Mystic Star Academy's foundation. And the most terrifying thing was, a single Holy Mystic Star Academy was already this powerful—so how unfathomably deep must the so-called Academy Alliance behind it be?

At this, Li Luo could only say: truly worthy of being one of humanity's strongest powers.

While Li Luo was sighing in wonder, he suddenly saw the crowd ahead dispersing, and a familiar graceful figure came into view—who else but Lv Qing'er.

Lv Qing'er's figure was slender and delicate; her long legs beneath her short skirt, set off by smooth white stockings, looked even longer and straighter. But today she must have known she'd be climbing high, so she had taken off her outer jacket and tied it around her slim waist to avoid any wardrobe mishaps.

Yet this only made her look all the more youthful and pretty, and along the way, quite a few students were sneaking glances at her.

Her close-fitting short-sleeved top traced her exquisite curves—slender waist, rounded hips, long legs—paired with that uniquely snow-white, crystalline complexion, making one feel that since entering Holy Mystic Star Academy, her looks and bearing had improved yet again.

Li Luo caught up in a few quick steps and laughed: "Isn't this the golden flower who came out of our Southwind Academy?"

The voice that suddenly came made Lv Qing'er startle, but she quickly recognized its owner, and at once a smile appeared on her fair, lovely face.

She shot Li Luo a glance and said: "The young manor master still remembers me? I thought with your new classmate around, you'd long since tossed your old classmate out of mind."

Her words carried a hidden meaning; who that "new classmate" referred to was self-evident.

Li Luo said solemnly: "Nonsense. How could the bond between us be something some mere new classmate could compare to?"

Lv Qing'er's bright eyes glanced about coquettishly; she bit her pearly teeth into her lower lip and said: "What bond between us?"

Li Luo said earnestly: "The bond of comrades-in-arms between us is in no way inferior to that with Yu Lang and Zhao Kuo. I even have a proposal—the four of us form the Four Heroes of Southwind. That way, in the future, no one will dare come provoke us."

Lv Qing'er's bright smile instantly stiffened. She shot Li Luo a glare through gritted teeth, then couldn't be bothered to waste more words with him. Quickening her steps, she went straight up a wide branching tree path.

"Hmph, I'm here." A snort reached Li Luo's ears as Lv Qing'er hurried along the tree path toward her own Purple Jade Leaf Platform.

In her heart she cursed: "Li Luo, you absolute pighead!"

Four Heroes of Southwind, my foot! The three of you go be the Three Fools of Southwind!

"Sigh..."

Li Luo watched Lv Qing'er's huffy departing figure, somewhat helpless. He hadn't even gotten to ask her about that little poisonous bird yet—how did she just run off like that?

"Could there really be a flaw in my Four Heroes of Southwind proposal?" Li Luo frowned. This was clearly a pretty good idea—later, if anyone provoked Lv Qing'er again, they'd have ample reason to step forward.

"Maybe she's not feeling well today. I'll find a chance later and have a proper talk with her about my proposal..."

Li Luo shook his head, then continued up the wooden ladder. A few minutes later, he saw the direction indicated by the number on his nameplate.

Li Luo's gaze followed that direction, and a look of amazement rose in his eyes.

He saw, on one side of the wide tree path, purple qi swirling—it was a leaf platform several zhang across, emanating purple light. From afar, it looked as if it had been transformed from a piece of purple jade.

The world's energy was converging at a speed visible to the naked eye; Li Luo could even see faint mist flowing atop the leaf platform.

This mist was formed by the world's energy being overly dense.

Compared to the golden leaf platforms seen earlier, the world's energy gathered by this Purple Jade Leaf Platform was indeed on a higher level.

Greed rose in Li Luo's eyes; he was already itching to experience the cultivation effect of this Purple Jade Leaf Platform.

But just as he was about to follow this tree path toward his own Purple Jade Leaf Platform, he saw a back blocking the way ahead.

That swarthy skin, the heart-palpitating murderous aura emanating from the whole body—without even seeing the face, Li Luo knew who it was.

Qin Qin Zhulu.

Li Luo coughed once, and the Qin Qin Zhulu in front of him turned his head expressionlessly.

"Although I don't know what you're doing standing here, based on my wisdom, I'd judge that you've probably lost track of your Purple Jade Leaf Platform." Li Luo said slowly.

Qin Qin Zhulu was silent for a moment, then held out the purple jade tablet in his hand.

Li Luo hurriedly said: "I'm not swapping anymore!"

Qin Qin Zhulu's cheeks puffed out, and he said in a muffled voice: "Help me find where my leaf platform is."

Li Luo was a bit speechless. He sighed, took the jade tablet and glanced at it, then looked at some of the signposts along the tree path, and finally said: "Follow this tree path up for eight more junctions, then take the third branch path on the right, then turn left into it—you should be able to see your leaf platform."

Qin Qin Zhulu was silent for several seconds, then said: "Take me there."

Li Luo was dumbfounded, then said angrily: "I made it that clear and you still can't find it?!"

Is the only thing in that head of yours fighting? Don't you have even a shred of common sense for finding your way?

Qin Qin Zhulu took back the jade tablet, silently lowered his head, and turned to leave.

Li Luo saw this and truly had no temper left, so he could only say: "Hurry up, don't waste time."

Saying so, he walked ahead of Qin Qin Zhulu, quickening his steps to lead the way.

Qin Qin Zhulu hurriedly followed.

Li Luo led him forward for several minutes, and in the end very smoothly found where Qin Qin Zhulu's leaf platform was.

"There, this is it." Li Luo pointed, then turned to leave.

Qin Qin Zhulu's gaze came over; he hesitated, then said: "Thanks. Your dual phase is very special—sometime have a match with me."

Li Luo nearly laughed from sheer exasperation. Your way of thanking someone is wanting to beat them up?!

That brain circuit of yours has serious problems!

Fine, fine, consider it that I, Li Luo, am afraid of you. From now on, when I see you, I'll take the long way around!

"I'm truly thanking you."

Li Luo said curtly, then without further idle talk, he quickly retraced his path and returned to his own Purple Jade Leaf Platform.

On the Purple Jade Leaf Platform, faint mist drifted; entering this place made one feel refreshed, as if the flow of xiàng power within the body had begun to quicken.

At the center of the Purple Jade Leaf Platform stood a wooden stump, resembling a lotus seat.

Li Luo sat down upon it, gradually calming his mind, and slowly closed his eyes. For his first cultivation atop this Power Tree, he likewise harbored great anticipation.