Chapter 1449: Fang Xingyun

In the center of Tianjing City, on the Qingmu Platform where Dongyu Shenzhou was stationed.

Suddenly, beams of light flashed, and figures were teleported onto the platform, all faces filled with dazed euphoria.

Because in this first round, they had defeated Cangming Shenzhou, ranked second overall in strength!

At this moment, above the region of the Outer Shenzhou platform, a luminous stele appeared, bearing the names of the six Outer Shenzhou; behind Dongyu Shenzhou's name, the characters "One Win" had appeared, indicating their current score.

When the Dongyu Shenzhou team appeared, countless astonished gazes immediately turned toward them, for the great battle within the "Crossing Space" had already been sensed by outsiders.

No one had expected that the team from Dongyu Shenzhou's Sacred Learning Academy would defeat Cangming Shenzhou, whose strength was superior.

Especially... the combat power displayed by Li Luo was truly terrifying.

Solemn gazes were all fixed on the young, upright figure on the Dongyu Shenzhou platform— a Wushuang Second Rank defeating a Sixth Rank Marquis; this achievement was genuinely shocking.

On the Cangming Shenzhou platform, many Sacred Learning Academy teams were also expelled from the Crossing Space, but unlike the euphoria on Dongyu Shenzhou's side, the oppressive atmosphere here was nearly suffocating.

Everyone's expressions were dazed, as if they had not yet awakened from this devastating defeat.

Cangming Shenzhou had lost to Dongyu Shenzhou, one of the lower three Shenzhou?!

This defeat would directly send Cangming Shenzhou into the losers' zone; in short, this Tianjing Tower trial had already doomed them to return in disgrace.

Just imagining the grim faces of the heads of the major Sacred Learning Academies upon their return, the Cangming Shenzhou competitors felt their breaths grow tight.

"Damn it! How could we lose to them?!"

"Li Luo and Guo Guo Jiufeng are despicable—they ganged up on one!" As leader of Cangming Shenzhou, Shui Baoping's face turned livid with rage, her composure shattered as she cursed aloud, venting her fury and resentment.

But Shui Baoping knew this anger was baseless—Li Luo and his team had broken no rules—so she glared at Yan Feng of the Sacred Tortoise Academy and snapped: "Yan Feng, if you'd just delayed Li Luo for a moment longer, I could have dealt with Guo Guo Jiufeng!"

Facing Shui Baoping's outburst, Yan Feng's expression darkened: "That boy is equipped with top-grade Marquis relics and has mastered a high-tier Heaven's Mandate Marquis Art— even you couldn't block his two arrows. How could I?"

Shui Baoping snapped: "My main strength was focused on defending against Guo Guo Jiufeng! Otherwise, how could Li Luo possibly break through my defense?!"

Hearing their quarrel, Deputy Dean Zhang Yu sighed helplessly: "What's the use of saying this now? Can we restart the match?"

Shui Baoping clenched her teeth, finally suppressing her resentment: "If I'd known this would happen, I should've used the final infusion of the Phase Tree's Mi Fa before coming—perhaps I could've broken through to Seventh Rank Marquis Realm!"

Zhang Yu sighed: "No need to push so hard—that technique drains potential severely."

Shui Baoping's expression was listless: "So what? Do you think we even have a chance at King Realm?"

Zhang Yu fell silent. This defeat had clearly crushed Shui Baoping, but he could offer no comfort—only let her regulate her own mindset.

While the atmosphere on Cangming Shenzhou's side grew oppressive, on the distant Leihuo Shenzhou platform, a white-robed man with silver eyes gazed calmly outward.

He was Fang Xingyun, deputy dean of Leijie Sacred Learning Academy of Leihuo Shenzhou.

He was also the only deputy dean among the six Outer Shenzhou's Sacred Learning Academies who had Ta Ru Qi Pin Marquis Realm.

"I never expected Shui Baoping and the others lost to Dongyu Shenzhou," Fang Xingyun spoke slowly, his voice carrying the low rumble of thunder, shaking the soul.

On either side of Fang Xingyun stood a man and a woman, both mainstays of Leihuo Shenzhou's Sacred Learning Academies, each at Upper Sixth Rank Marquis Realm.

The middle-aged man had crimson hair that flowed like flame; his name was Meng You, deputy dean of Leihuo Shenzhou's Sacred Smoke Academy. He spoke: "Dongyu Shenzhou produced a Wushuang Second Rank youth—this variable changed the outcome."

"Normally, even a Wushuang Second Rank could at best match a Fifth Rank Marquis—but Li Luo outright defeated an Upper Sixth Rank Marquis... this is a 'leap of four ranks.'"

"Such a feat is top-tier even among Wushuang prodigies."

"I simply don't understand how someone like this emerged from Dongyu Shenzhou's Sacred Learning Academy."

"It seems this time, our rival for the title of Outer Shenzhou's top will be Dongyu Shenzhou."

The beautiful woman in the red dress, Deputy Dean Gu Fei of Baihua Sacred Learning Academy, smiled seductively: "Whether it's Cangming Shenzhou or Dongyu Shenzhou, it doesn't matter—we have Deputy Dean Fang as our pillar of heaven."

Her name was Gu Fei, deputy dean of Baihua Sacred Learning Academy.

Meng You, with his crimson hair, also smiled. Fang Xingyun was Lower Seventh Rank Marquis Realm—far beyond Shui Baoping's reach. So while Dongyu Shenzhou's sudden rise was surprising, it wouldn't change anything.

"Deputy Dean Fang, if we meet Dongyu Shenzhou later, let me lead the team to intercept Shengxuan Star Academy. Rest assured—I won't be as foolish as Yan Feng," Meng You chuckled.

The white-robed, silver-eyed Fang Xingyun listened, his gaze fixed on the young figure across the way on Dongyu Shenzhou's platform, then shook his head slightly: "If we meet them, our Leijie Sacred Learning Academy will face Shengxuan Star Academy directly."

Meng You and Gu Fei were both startled—they hadn't expected Fang Xingyun to intend to strike Shengxuan Star Academy head-on. Was he overestimating them?

Leijie Sacred Learning Academy's overall strength was formidable: besides Fang Xingyun, the Seventh Rank Marquis, they had another Sixth Rank Marquis. Their combined strength nearly crushed Shengxuan Star Academy.

"Even a lion hunting a rabbit uses full strength. I won't let myself drown in a ditch like Shui Baoping did—so we must strike with our utmost power, gathering thunderous momentum to crush them outright," Fang Xingyun said coolly.

"I won't give him even a sliver of chance."

Both Deputy Deans Meng You and Gu Fei nodded slowly, a touch of malicious delight in their eyes—Fang Xingyun's choice showed his regard for Li Luo, but it also meant Shengxuan Star Academy was terribly unlucky.

Their dark horse journey would likely end here.

Still, even second place would be enough for them to return with face.

As Leihuo Shenzhou plotted to halt Li Luo's rise, Li Luo himself rested quietly—he discovered the platform beneath his feet seemed to rapidly heal wounds and restore Phase Power, clearly the Sacred Learning Alliance's doing.

Feeling his Phase Power restore swiftly, his gaze turned toward the core of this region.

There lay the territories of the Four Ancient Academies.

Above them, another luminous stele recorded scores, but unlike the Outer Shenzhou system, the Four Ancient Academies competed in direct team clashes, forming an alternative tally.

Thus, many team names on the stele kept shifting.

Li Luo quickly found a familiar name near the top.

Shengguang Ancient Academy, Jiang Jiang Qinge's team: four wins, zero losses.