Chapter 306: Taking the Back Door

Li Luo headed straight for the small building where Instructor Xi Chan resided.

In the courtyard stood lush green pines and cypresses; beneath them was a spacious pavilion with bamboo blinds rolled up on all four sides. As Li Luo walked in, he saw Instructor Xi Chan sitting behind a small table on one side of the pavilion, holding a cup of hot tea and listening to the sound of wind chimes stirred by the breeze.

Li Luo walked over, bowed to Instructor Xi Chan, and then sat down with a grin.

Instructor Xi Chan was wearing a long black dress, her long hair slightly damp as if she had just bathed. A thin veil covered her face, and her eyes held a hint of languor.

"Something the matter?" Instructor Xi Chan asked lazily.

"I'd like to ask Teacher to pull some strings so that Xiyang House can attend the invitation meeting at the Spirit Refinement Institute in a few days." Li Luo was very honest and direct, without any pretense.

Instructor Xi Chan was also amused by his directness and said, "You can be so righteous while asking to pull strings?"

Li Luo revealed a simple and honest smile: "Please help me out, Teacher."

Instructor Xi Chan pulled an object from her sleeve with her slender, jade-like hand and tossed it in front of Li Luo. With a clatter, Li Luo looked down to see a gold leaf engraved with an emblem, which appeared to be the seal of the Spirit Refinement Institute.

"Here, a ticket for the invitation meeting," Instructor Xi Chan said casually.

Li Luo was stunned. Was it that simple? Although he had largely expected Instructor Xi Chan to help, he hadn't thought she would be so straightforward.

"When the Spirit Refinement Institute was deciding on the invitees, I reserved a ticket for Xiyang House, but I didn't tell you because if you hadn't taken the initiative to ask, I wasn't planning on giving it to you."

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

Li Luo hesitated for a moment and said, "Is it because Teacher feels that even if Xiyang House attends this invitation meeting, it wouldn't have much significance?"

"You have quite a bit of self-awareness," Instructor Xi Chan smiled, her eyes curving into a bright, charming shape.

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

"Because you are very smart and don't do useless work. Since you understand the difficulty but 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 meeting, since you have this ambition and confidence, as your teacher, I will always give you a little support," Instructor Xi Chan laughed.

Li Luo's eyes welled up with tears: "Instructor, you really do love me."

However, Instructor Xi Chan had no reaction to his posturing. She tapped her teacup with her slender fingers and said, "I heard you want the academy to reward you with one hundred thousand academy points?"

Li Luo was startled. Had that brat Yu Lang already stirred up rumors so quickly? He certainly was efficient.

But he definitely couldn't admit it. He immediately shook his head and said righteously, "No. Although I performed a great service this time, it is my duty as a member of the Astral Sage College. Even if the academy didn't give me any reward, I would have absolutely no complaints!"

Instructor Xi Chan's veil fluttered slightly, likely hiding a playful smile. She certainly didn't believe Li Luo's words.

"Regarding your reward, there should be a result in the next two days. If Vice Dean Suxin asks for my opinion, I will help you," she said.

"Don't feel like you're asking for too much. You saved the lives of over a hundred people at a base this time; it wouldn't be right for the academy not to give you sufficient recognition."

Li Luo was deeply moved: "Instructor Xi Chan, do you know my father?"

"Hmm?" Instructor Xi Chan cast a questioning look.

"It seems you don't know him well. I thought my old man had too much charm, which is why you were being so good to me," Li Luo said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Instructor Xi Chan was silent for several seconds.

"Get out."

A cup of hot tea transformed into a scalding water arrow, shooting directly at Li Luo's face.

Li Luo scrambled to dodge in a panic and quickly admitted his mistake: "Instructor, I was wrong!"

Instructor Xi Chan rolled her eyes at this thick-skinned fellow, too lazy to bother with him.

Li Luo climbed up, gave Instructor Xi Chan a silly smile, and then respectfully pushed the teacup back to her. He suddenly asked, "Instructor, do you think there might be something strange about the Great Disaster-class Otherkind that appeared at Base Thirteen?"

"What do you mean?" Instructor Xi Chan's expression paused, and her willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly.

"Nothing in particular, just a pure intuition."

Li Luo smiled: "Could that Great Disaster-class Otherkind have been intentionally let through by someone?"

Instructor Xi Chan said, "You suspect Shen Jinxiao, don't you?"

"But suspicion is useless. The academy cannot investigate a Purple-light Instructor just because of your suspicion. Of course, the most important thing is that nothing would be found at all."

"So, even if you have suspicions, keep them buried in your heart. In the future, when you are strong enough to challenge him, you won't need evidence or anything of the sort."

Listening to Instructor Xi Chan's calm voice, Li Luo nodded gently. Indeed, even if he suspected Shen Jinxiao, it was useless. Without evidence, the academy could not investigate a Purple-light Instructor.

When he grew strong enough in the future to suppress Shen Jinxiao, he wouldn't need any evidence; saying "I don't like your face" would be more than enough.

Li Luo stood up, waved at Instructor Xi Chan, and left the small building.

In the pavilion, Instructor Xi Chan watched Li Luo's departing back, set down her teacup, and a trace of coldness flashed in her eyes.

Shen Jinxiao, could it really be you?

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

Five days later, at the Spirit Refinement Institute's invitation meeting, there would undoubtedly be many of the Great Xia's top Spirit Liquid and Wonder Light houses present. In such a fiercely competitive situation, it was clearly no simple matter for Xiyang House to attract the excellent spirit refiners from the Spirit Refinement Institute.

Although he would be able to obtain eighth-grade purity secret source water once he completed this evolution, Xiyang House's foundation was still far inferior to those top Spirit Liquid and Wonder Light houses.

The most direct factor was the gap in Spirit Liquid and Wonder Light formulas.

Currently, Xiyang House did not have a single formula that reached the four-star level.

Those Spirit Liquid and Wonder Light houses that could rank in the top ten in Great Xia all held one or several four-star formulas. Combined with their secret source water and source light, the Spirit Liquid and Wonder Light they produced were naturally beyond reach.

Therefore, if Xiyang House wanted to make a splash at the invitation meeting in five days, it would be truly perfect if they had some other cooperation.

And as for what that "other" was... it was, of course, a four-star formula.

"I can only go and urge Mengmeng. I hope she can understand my painstaking efforts," Li Luo thought to himself. He walked into the dormitory building, searched around, but didn't find Bai Meng. He only saw Xin Fu sitting in the shadows of the staircase, focused on wiping the sharp blade in his hand.

"Friend, where is Mengmeng?" Li Luo asked.

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

That wasn't right. He had just activated his Shadow Wall Art and hidden himself in the shadows. How did Li Luo see him the moment he arrived? Was his Shadow Wall Art that poor?

"Mengmeng is in the refining room. She went straight in after returning today," he answered simultaneously.

"Practice more. It seems you still have many shortcomings."

Li Luo nodded, gave a word of advice, and turned toward the basement. At the same time, the light in his eyes gradually faded, and a cold sneer curled his lips.

His Bright Light Eyes were specifically designed to break the Shadow Wall Art!

Letting this brat think about writing epitaphs for him whenever he had nothing to do—if he didn't give him something to keep busy, did he really think being the captain was just a title?

Behind him, Xin Fu watched his back, falling into deep self-doubt.

Li Luo hummed a little tune as he walked to the basement refining room. Through the transparent crystal wall, he saw a petite figure immersed in the study of Spirit Liquid and Wonder Light. On the recording board behind her, it was already filled with countless elegant characters.

Watching the exceptionally busy girl inside the refining room, Li Luo was silent for a while. Finally, he sighed in his heart, decided not to disturb her, and turned to leave.

It seemed he would have to stay up late these next few days to study that "Aftertaste Spirit Liquid" as well.

Otherwise, if she really managed to produce a four-star formula for him, and he couldn't even produce the medicine to treat her, that would be truly embarrassing.