Chapter 1463: The Trial Battle of the Four Great Ancient Academies

As the contested crossing battle of the Inner Shenzhou Holy Academies' war zone concluded, countless gazes turned toward the Ancient Academies' war zone in the very core region—after all, among the three war zones, the quality of the Ancient Academies' side was undoubtedly the highest.

And regarding the four great Ancient Academies that formed the core of the Academy Alliance, people from the other major Holy Academies had always held a certain yearning and reverence for them.

After all, no matter how much they usually criticized the Ancient Academies for monopolizing too many cultivation resources, they still had to admit that it was precisely because of the four great Ancient Academies that the Academy Alliance had stood unshaken since its founding.

Countless top-grade Marquis-level strongmen had emerged from here, becoming the backbone of the Academy Alliance.

Most importantly, the number of King-level strongmen who had come out of here was far beyond what any other Holy Academy could compare to.

Therefore, when the competition among the four great Ancient Academies began, this contested crossing battle truly reached its climax.

"Now this is the main event."

Even Li Luo perked up, and at the same time complained, "We've been fighting on our Outer Shenzhou side for half a day, making a huge fuss, and in the end it was just one Seventh-Rank battle—truly a shallow pond full of turtles."

Hearing his words that even insulted himself, Instructor Xi Chan and the others nearby were all at a loss between laughter and tears: "How can those even compare? Outer Shenzhou was originally the weakest of the three war zones."

Li Luo shrugged his shoulders—he was just saying it casually. If Outer Shenzhou really produced a Marquis-level strongman with deep foundations at the upper Seventh Rank, then he would be the one complaining.

His gaze turned toward the platform where the Holy Light Ancient Academy was located, or more precisely, it landed on Jiang Jiang Qinge.

Jiang Jiang Qinge was too dazzling. Even within the Holy Light Ancient Academy, where prodigious talents gathered like clouds, her bearing was impossible to ignore. Among the team she led, Li Luo only recognized two people: one was Ning Meng, and the other was Yin Yue Zhiyu, whom he had met back in Xiao Chentian.

When Li Luo's gaze looked over from afar, Jiang Jiang Qinge, as if sharing a tacit understanding, also raised her exquisitely beautiful face. Their eyes met, and on her usually composed and calm expression, a faint smile immediately appeared, stunning many gazes that had been secretly observing her.

Behind Jiang Jiang Qinge stood a man whose appearance was not exactly handsome, but the gentle smile on his face did give one a rather comfortable feeling.

The man was named Xiao Feng, a senior instructor of the Holy Light Ancient Academy, currently at the strength of a lower Seventh-Rank Marquis Realm. From the surface, he could be considered the person with the highest phase force grade in Jiang Jiang Qinge's team.

Of course, when it came to true combat power, he was no match for Jiang Jiang Qinge.

Xiao Feng looked at the rare smile on Jiang Jiang Qinge's pretty face and laughed, "The captain and Li Luo really do have a great relationship."

"I grew up with him since childhood, we've been through countless experiences, naturally our bond is good." Jiang Jiang Qinge rather liked hearing what Xiao Feng said, so she replied.

"Childhood sweethearts, truly enviable." Xiao Feng sighed with emotion, while at the same time skillfully concealing the dimness and bitterness deep in his eyes.

Jiang Jiang Qinge smiled faintly. When the team was being formed earlier, Xiao Feng had voluntarily requested to join her team, citing his appreciation of her potential. In truth, however, Jiang Jiang Qinge knew the real reason. Although he hid his emotions very deeply, how could he possibly deceive her, who possessed the Heart of Light?

Still, Jiang Jiang Qinge did not refuse his joining, after all it would indeed strengthen the team's overall combat power.

Moreover, this Xiao Feng was a smart man; he knew where the boundaries of their relationship lay. If he had been so foolish as to reveal his true feelings, then Jiang Jiang Qinge would rather have the team lose a member and reduce its combat power than keep him around, lest he be an eyesore.

"Prepare yourselves well. What comes next is the real tough battle. My requirements are quite strict—before we encounter a team led by an Eighth-Rank Marquis-level strongman, I hope we won't suffer a single defeat." Jiang Jiang Qinge reminded everyone.

According to the competition rules of the four great Ancient Academies' war zone, once a team lost two matches, it would be eliminated. The final ranking of the trial would be calculated by which Ancient Academy's team accumulated the most total victories.

Jiang Jiang Qinge wanted to secure as many victories as possible, because this would raise the team's contribution value, and when the Heaven Mirror Sand was distributed according to contribution later, they would be able to receive more.

Boom!

Accompanied by the deep rumble of war drums echoing through the Ancient Academies' war zone, the teams of the four great Ancient Academies all began drawing lots to select their opponents.

Then, as pillars of light descended one after another, numerous teams successively entered the contested crossing spaces to compete.

Fierce battles immediately erupted.

The atmosphere instantly became heated. Whether they were Holy Academy teams from Inner Shenzhou or Outer Shenzhou, all watched the intense battles erupting within those contested crossing spaces with full concentration.

Among them were fierce clashes between upper Seventh-Rank Marquis-level strongmen.

As for the four harvesting teams led by Eighth-Rank Marquis-level strongmen, they had not yet drawn each other for the moment, but as more and more teams were eliminated, this was only a matter of time.

Li Luo did not pay attention to the other teams, only locking onto Jiang Jiang Qinge's small team.

In the very first hour, the small team led by Jiang Jiang Qinge could be said to be unstoppable; every team they encountered was cut down without the slightest effort, earning them victories.

However, as time went on, the strength of the teams they encountered also began to rise continuously.

Until one time, they encountered a top team from the Tianyuan Ancient Academy. This team possessed two Seventh-Rank Marquis-level strongmen—one upper Seventh-Rank Marquis, one lower Seventh-Rank Marquis.

In this clash, Jiang Jiang Qinge and that upper Seventh-Rank Marquis-level strongman fought with exceptional intensity. Her Unparalleled Third Rank revealed an extraordinary dominance at this moment. Wherever the sacred light phase force shone, no matter how fierce the offensive that upper Seventh-Rank Marquis-level strongman unleashed, it was all purified away.

This battle attracted considerable attention.

Even above the ten-thousand-zhang golden platform, the three King-level strongmen—Wang Xuanjin, Elder Jinxi, and Elder Bai Yu—all focused their gazes intently. They looked at Jiang Jiang Qinge's graceful figure, undisguised surprise in their eyes.

"Three Middle Ninth-Rank Light Phases—such talent must be the highest to appear in the Heaven Mirror Tower trial in decades. It seems given time, the Holy Light Ancient Academy may well see a new 'King of Light' as they wished." Elder Bai Yu flicked his forked tongue, emitting a soft, thin voice.

"Li Luo's talent is also extraordinary. Although the grade is not as high as Jiang Jiang Qinge's, he possesses both a main and an auxiliary phase, so his future potential is equally remarkable. And these two little ones seem to be a young married couple—tsk tsk, the Dragon Fang Lineage is blessed." Wang Xuanjin laughed.

"What a pity it would be if they were both members of our Academy Alliance. In the future they would surely become the backbone of the Alliance." Elder Jinxi said.

"Elder Jinxi, your thinking is too narrow. On the matter of opposing the Other, all races stand in the same camp. Whether they are members of our Academy Alliance or of other powers, in the end they will all fight side by side." Wang Xuanjin said.

Both Elder Jinxi and Elder Bai Yu slowly nodded. When the Others descended, whether the humans of the ten great Shenzhou or other races, they all shared the same stance.

While these three King-level strongmen conversed, the fierce battle in the contested crossing space where Jiang Jiang Qinge was located was already nearing its end. Relying on the foundation of her Unparalleled Third Rank, as well as the "Tracing Ancient Phase Mark" condensed from three Middle Ninth-Rank Light Phases, she ultimately defeated that upper Seventh-Rank Marquis-level strongman, securing victory for her team.

"A 'Tracing Ancient Phase Mark' condensed from three Middle Ninth-Rank Light Phases—it's simply terrifying." Countless people exclaimed; this was the first time they had seen a 'Tracing Ancient Phase Mark' stacked from three Middle Ninth-Rank Light Phases. The amplification it brought Jiang Jiang Qinge was extremely astonishing.

And after Jiang Jiang Qinge's small team secured their victory, their win count had reached ten, placing them in the top ten on the light stele above the four great Ancient Academies.

However, as time went on, more and more teams began to be eliminated, and the number of remaining teams dropped sharply, which also began to intensify the difficulty of securing victories.

Until after Jiang Jiang Qinge's small team secured their twelfth victory, they finally drew the worst possible lot.

Their opponent was the top powerhouse team led by that Eighth-Rank Marquis-level strongman named Zhou Jun from the Xuanling Ancient Academy.