Chapter 306: Pulling Strings

Li Luo headed straight for the small building where Mentor Xi Shuan was.

In the courtyard stood verdant pines and cypresses, and beneath them was a spacious open-air pavilion with bamboo curtains rolled up on all four sides. When Li Luo walked in, he saw Mentor Xi Shuan sitting behind a low desk on one side of the pavilion, holding a cup of hot tea, listening to the wind chimes stirred up by the passing breeze.

Li Luo walked over, bowed to Mentor Xi Shuan, then sat down with a grin.

Mentor Xi Shuan wore a black long dress, her long hair still slightly damp, as if she had just bathed. A thin veil covered her face, and a hint of languor lingered in her eyes.

"Something you need?" Mentor Xi Shuan asked lazily.

"I wanted to ask the teacher to pull some strings, so that Xiyang House can attend the invitation gathering at the Material Refining Institute a few days from now." Li Luo was very honest and direct, without any hedging.

Mentor Xi Shuan couldn't help but laugh at his bluntness. "Pulling strings and you still have the nerve to act so righteous about it?"

Li Luo put on a simple, honest smile: "Please, teacher, help me out."

Mentor Xi Shuan's slender jade-like hand slipped out from her sleeve and tossed something in front of Li Luo. With a clatter, Li Luo looked and saw it was a golden leaf, upon which was engraved an emblem — it looked like the Material Refining Institute's crest.

"Here, the ticket to the invitation gathering," Mentor Xi Shuan said casually.

Li Luo was stunned. That's all it took? Although he had mostly expected Mentor Xi Shuan to help, he hadn't thought it would be this straightforward.

"When the Material Refining Institute was deciding on its invitation targets, I set aside a ticket for Xiyang House, but I didn't tell you, because if you hadn't come to ask for it on your own, I wasn't planning to give it to you."

Mentor Xi Shuan took a light sip of hot tea and glanced at Li Luo: "Do you understand why?"

Li Luo hesitated, then said: "Is it because the teacher feels that even if Xiyang House attends this invitation gathering, it won't really mean much?"

"Quite the self-awareness." Mentor Xi Shuan smiled, her eyes curving into a bright, charming look.

"Then why give it to me now?" Li Luo asked, puzzled.

"Because you're clever, and you won't waste your effort on something pointless. Since you understand the difficulty involved but still haven't given up, it means you intend to do something."

"Although I don't know exactly how you plan to achieve your goal at the invitation gathering, since you have this ambition and confidence, as your teacher, I'll still give you a bit of support." Mentor Xi Shuan said with a smile.

Li Luo was moved to tears: "Mentor, you really do love me after all."

But Mentor Xi Shuan showed no reaction to his theatrics. Her slender fingers tapped the teacup as she said: "I heard the academy is rewarding you with a hundred thousand academy points?"

Li Luo froze. That kid Yu Lang had spread the word that fast? Truly efficient.

But he certainly couldn't admit it. He immediately shook his head and said righteously: "No, although I rendered a Tian Da De Gong this time, this is the duty expected of me as a member of the Sacred Mystic Star Academy. Even if the academy gives me no reward at all, I would have absolutely no complaint!"

Mentor Xi Shuan's veil trembled slightly — beneath it was surely a playful smile. Of course she didn't believe a word of what Li Luo said.

"As for your reward, there should be a result in the next couple of days. If Vice Dean Suxin asks for opinions, I'll put in a good word for you," she said.

"Don't feel like you're asking for too much. You saved the lives of over a hundred people at an outpost this time. It would be inexcusable for the academy not to give you proper recognition."

Li Luo was overwhelmed with gratitude: "Mentor Xi Shuan, do you know my father?"

"Hmm?" Mentor Xi Shuan cast him a puzzled look.

"Then it seems you don't know him well. I thought my old man's charm was so great that was why the mentor treats me so well." Li Luo said with a sigh of relief.

Mentor Xi Shuan was silent for several breaths.

"Get lost."

A cup of hot tea transformed into a scalding water arrow and shot straight at Li Luo's head.

Li Luo rolled aside in a sorry scramble to dodge, hurriedly admitting his mistake: "Mentor, I was wrong!"

Mentor Xi Shuan shot a look at this thick-skinned fellow, too lazy to bother with him.

Li Luo scrambled to his feet, gave Mentor Xi Shuan a sheepish grin, then respectfully pushed the teacup back in front of her, and suddenly asked: "Mentor, do you think there's anything strange about the Great Calamity-grade Other appearing at Outpost Thirteen this time?"

"What do you mean?" Mentor Xi Shuan's expression paused, then her willow-leaf brows knitted slightly.

"Nothing in particular, just a gut feeling."

Li Luo smiled: "Could that Great Calamity-grade Other have been deliberately released?"

Mentor Xi Shuan said: "You suspect Shen Shen Jinxiao, don't you?"

"But suspicion is useless. The academy won't investigate a Purple-Glow Mentor based on just your suspicion. And most importantly, there'd be nothing to find anyway."

"So even if you have your doubts, keep them locked inside. In the future, when you're strong enough to stand up to him, evidence or no evidence... won't matter anymore."

Listening to Mentor Xi Shuan's calm voice, Li Luo nodded lightly. Indeed, even if he suspected Shen Shen Jinxiao, it was pointless. Without evidence, the academy wouldn't investigate a Purple-Glow Mentor.

When he grew strong enough in the future to suppress Shen Shen Jinxiao, he wouldn't need any evidence either — just saying "your face annoys me" would be more appropriate.

So Li Luo stood up, waved to Mentor Xi Shuan, and left the small building.

In the pavilion, Mentor Xi Shuan watched Li Luo's departing figure, set down her teacup, and a trace of coldness flashed through her eyes.

Shen Shen Jinxiao, could it really be you?

After leaving Mentor Xi Shuan's small building, Li Luo headed straight for the dormitory building.

At the Material Refining Institute's invitation gathering five days from now, there would surely be many of the Great Xia's top Spirit Water Wonder Light Houses in attendance. In such fierce competition, it was no simple matter for Xiyang House to attract those outstanding Material Refiners from the Institute.

Although once he completed this evolution, he would be able to obtain the Mi Fa source water of De Ba Pin purity, Xiyang House's foundation was still far inferior to those top Spirit Water Wonder Light Houses.

The most direct gap was in their Spirit Water Wonder Light formulas.

Right now, Xiyang House didn't have a single formula that reached four-star grade.

And those Spirit Water Wonder Light Houses ranked in the top ten of Great Xia all held one or several four-star grade formulas. Combined with their Mi Fa source water and source light, the Spirit Water Wonder Light they produced was naturally beyond anyone's reach.

So, for Xiyang House to make a stunning impression at the invitation gathering five days from now, a little something extra would truly make it perfect.

And that "something extra"... was, of course, a four-star grade formula.

"I can only go urge Bai Bai Mengmeng along. Hopefully she can understand my good intentions." Li Luo thought this to himself as he entered the dormitory building. He looked around but didn't find Bai Bai Mengmeng, only seeing Student Xin Fu sitting in the shadow of the stairs, intently polishing the sharp blade in his hand.

"Friend, where's Bai Bai Mengmeng?" Li Luo asked.

Student Xin Fu looked up, somewhat startled: "You can find me?"

That's not right. He had just activated his Shadow Wall Art, hiding himself within the shadows. How did this Li Luo spot him the moment he arrived? Was his Shadow Wall Art really that bad?

"Bai Bai Mengmeng is in the refining room. She went straight in as soon as she got back today," he answered at the same time.

"Practice more. It seems you still have plenty of shortcomings."

Li Luo nodded, gave a word of advice, turned and walked toward the basement. At the same time, the light in his eyes gradually faded, and the corner of his mouth curled into a cold smirk.

His Bright Light Eyes were specifically meant to break through Shadow Wall techniques!

That kid has nothing better to do than think about writing my epitaph—if I don't give him something to do, does he really think the title of captain is just for show?!

Behind him, Student Xin Fu stared at his retreating back and fell into a deep spiral of self-doubt.

Li Luo hummed a little tune as he walked down to the underground refining chamber. Through the transparent crystal wall, he saw a petite figure immersed in the study of Spiritual Water Marvels, and the recording board behind her was already covered in countless elegant lines of writing.

Gazing at the unusually busy girl in the refining chamber, Li Luo fell silent for a moment, then finally sighed softly in his heart. He did not disturb her, but turned and left.

It seemed he would have to burn the midnight oil these few days studying that "Lingering Spirit Solution" as well.

Otherwise, if she really came up with a four-star formula for him while he still couldn't produce a remedy to treat her, that would be truly embarrassing.