Chapter 159: Training Between the Two Teams

"Oh? Someone else sent Li Luo breakfast too?"

When Student Xin Fu's voice fell, a faint shift crossed Lü Qing'er's expression, a trace of a smile surfacing on her captivating face as she asked.

Student Xin Fu nodded seriously: "It was Senior Jiang."

Lü Qing'er's eyes flickered, then she said: "Senior Jiang has a special relationship with Li Luo, so it isn't strange that she'd send him a meal."

She gave a light laugh, then suddenly said to Student Xin Fu: "Student Xin Fu, your talent is outstanding—surely plenty of girls send you breakfast too?"

Under his hood, Student Xin Fu's somewhat pale face stiffened, an indescribable sorrow rising within him. Since arriving at the Sacred Sublime Star Academy, apart from Bai Bai Mengmeng, Lü Qing'er was actually only the second female classmate to speak to him.

And why did Lü Qing'er's words seem gentle on the surface, yet actually carry a hidden edge?

Student Xin Fu's gaze swept toward Li Luo, his expression complicated—was this Lü Qing'er counterattacking on behalf of the captain? His earlier hint hadn't stirred up any sparks, and instead he'd only ended up burning himself?

Something felt off.

Normally, the one who should be having a headache right now should be the captain... A girl as outstanding as Lü Qing'er, by all reason, should be rather aloof and proud.

But what was this now... helping the captain counterattack him?

Was Lü Qing'er's vision just that grand, or were the captain's methods just that brilliant?

But no matter what, Student Xin Fu knew he had lost, so he cast an admiring look toward Li Luo—Captain, you truly are a model for us all.

And Li Luo, seeing Student Xin Fu's deflated look, secretly delighted—You rotten melon, always trying to set up the captain, and now you've finally gotten your comeuppance.

Pleased at heart, he cast an appreciative glance toward Lü Qing'er.

But to his gaze, Lü Qing'er acted as if she hadn't noticed, her eyes cool and indifferent, seeming utterly different from the joyful, gentle manner when she had first entered.

Li Luo was a bit helpless about this—the hearts of girls were truly hard to fathom. Forget it, better to bury himself in his meal.

While eating, Seeing Yu Lang mentioned something: "Right, Mentor Mentor Mi Er and Mentor Mentor Xi Chan seem to be planning to have our two teams hold a training match today."

Both Li Luo and Student Xin Fu were startled, looking up: "Our two teams?"

Mentor Mentor Mi Er's team was obviously Bai Bai Doudou, Qiu Luo, Seeing Yu Lang.

"I did hear Mentor Mentor Xi Chan mention this yesterday. She said this kind of sparring training would let us understand each other better and improve together." Bai Bai Mengmeng also said.

Li Luo nodded and said: "Then I'll spar with Seeing Yu Lang when the time comes."

"Get lost!" Seeing Yu Lang was furious—picking soft persimmons to bully is way too obvious! Today I'll only fight Bai Bai Mengmeng; I'm perfectly willing to be pummeled by her little fists!

"Captain, you'd better play with my sister instead." Bai Bai Mengmeng said with a beaming smile.

"Bai Bai Doudou is the captain, and you're also the captain—have you no shame making us team members go?" Student Xin Fu also shot Li Luo a look and said.

Li Luo felt a bit melancholy—Bai Bai Doudou was no easy mark. Sparring with her meant he couldn't relax even half a bit.

"What's Bai Bai Doudou's current strength?" Li Luo asked.

Seeing Yu Lang had no reason to hide it, after all there was no need: "She's already reached the second stage of the Resonant Master realm, the Pattern Birth stage, should be the first pattern."

"So she really has reached the second stage..."

Li Luo sighed, though he wasn't really surprised. During the Mentor Selection Tournament, she had only just planted the heavy white seed, and now in less than a month she had reached the heavy floral seed stage. Though Xiang Xi deserved some credit, that speed was absolutely extremely fast.

And Bai Bai Doudou had already been at the upper heavy floral seed stage during the Mentor Selection Tournament, so her cultivation advancing to the second stage over this period was normal.

But don't think the gap between the upper heavy floral seed stage and the Pattern Birth stage is just one minor stage—the difference between them isn't small. The Pattern Birth stage means the resonant power seed within the Resonant Palace has begun to reach minor completion, dense resonant power transforming into resonant patterns that emerge on the seed's surface. Compared to the Seed Opening stage, this is a qualitative leap.

The Pattern Birth stage has five levels, each forming one resonant pattern on the resonant power seed, so it's also called the Five Patterns Realm.

It seemed that if he really did spar with Bai Bai Doudou today, he would have to go all out, otherwise getting beaten up would damage his dignity as captain.

After finishing breakfast, Li Luo took Lü Qing'er and Seeing Yu Lang on a tour of the living quarters.

When they reached Student Xin Fu's place on the second floor, Li Luo had originally planned to breeze past, but Lü Qing'er and Seeing Yu Lang suddenly noticed the canvas on the easel.

Their gazes sharpened, and Seeing Yu Lang immediately let out a wail, saying in anguish: "Li Luo, you bastard, what are you and Bai Mengmeng doing?"

Lü Qing'er's pretty face also cooled slightly, and she gave a soft huff: "A lone man and a lone woman, alone in a room together, and you even kept a painting as a memento? Young Master, isn't that a bit too romantic of you?"

Li Luo was dumbfounded, barely holding back a roar—these are clearly just two stick figures, how can you tell it's him and Bai Bai Mengmeng?

He could only offer a strained defense: "Student Xin Fu drew this on a whim, what could you possibly see in it?"

Seeing Yu Lang jabbed at the canvas with his finger, excitedly saying: "The figures are so obvious, they're practically missing only your names written on them—how could we not tell?"

Lü Qing'er crossed her arms, bit her lip, and looked at Li Luo with a faintly resentful, peeved expression.

Li Luo felt utterly exhausted—had his aesthetic sense really gone wrong? Why did he only see some randomly scribbled lines, while Seeing Yu Lang and Lü Qing'er saw straight through it at a glance?

What on earth was wrong with this world?

Student Xin Fu, who had seemed nonexistent all this while, suddenly spoke up: "Captain, when one person questions you, it might be their problem, but when everyone questions you, you should reflect on yourself!"

Li Luo rolled his eyes irritably at this troublemaker, then, clutching his self-doubt, finally finished the tour of the small building with the two of them.

Because of the upcoming training between the two teams, Seeing Yu Lang stayed on, while Lü Qing'er needed to go back to cultivate, so she left in a slightly sulky mood.

Leaving the small building, Lü Qing'er walked along the lakeside. The morning mist had not yet dispersed, drifting across the lake in front of the small building, lending a special elegance.

Lü Qing'er wore a thin jacket, her slender, straight legs beneath a short skirt, her snow-like skin crystalline and translucent, her exquisite, captivating features veiled by the mist with a hint of dreamy allure.

Occasionally students passed by, their gazes drawn to her again and again.

But her mood wasn't particularly high. She casually plucked a twig, tearing the leaves off one by one—a maiden's heart, poetic as a painting.

The leaves were soon stripped bare, and she gave a soft sigh, lifting her gaze—then froze slightly.

Because she saw, on the lakeside path ahead, two figures standing, their eyes looking right at her.

The two graceful figures were no strangers—they were unmistakably Jiang Jiang Qinge and Yan Yan Lingqing.

Lü Qing'er's gaze met Jiang Jiang Qinge's for a moment, and in that instant the air seemed to stiffen. She hesitated, yet did not turn and leave; instead she stepped forward, a smile surfacing on her fair, lovely face.

"Senior Jiang."

(One update today.)