Chapter 326: Riding Together with the Princess

When Li Luo walked out of the Exchange Hall carrying a green-wood box, behind him many students and instructors could still be seen wearing stunned expressions.

That reaction was normal—after all, even those instructors had probably never seen a student whip out a hundred thousand points to exchange for Imperial Dew.

That's way too extravagant, isn't it?!

Are all the new students this wild nowadays?

"Looks like I've done something shocking to the academy again." Li Luo said with a smile to Jiang Jiang Qinge.

Jiang Jiang Qinge walked shoulder to shoulder with him toward the outside of the academy, and she said softly, "The problem of your damaged foundation should be considered resolved for now, but you can't let your guard down either. After all, you know your own condition best."

Li Luo naturally knew she was still referring to the matter of the five-year marquisate seal, which was tied to his lifespan, so he kept it constantly in mind—after all, he truly didn't want to become a short-lived ghost.

"The plan I set for you before was that by year's end you must reach the second transformation of the Manifestation Stage, and that was only the baseline. If you can surpass that baseline, then it would finally let a person breathe a sigh of relief." Jiang Jiang Qinge continued.

Li Luo made a quick estimate—thanks to the Dark Spirit Pool in the Dark Cave this time, his strength had taken a small leap forward, crossing into the third pattern of the Pattern Birth Stage.

This leap would undoubtedly save him at least a month of bitter cultivation, which did buy him some time.

But even so, reaching the second transformation of the Manifestation Stage by year's end was still extremely difficult.

Because among the last ten batches of new students, those who could complete the Pattern Birth Stage and step into the Manifestation Stage by the end of the One Star House were already quite rare, let alone reaching the second transformation of the Manifestation Stage.

As for surpassing it... that was even harder.

"I'll do my best."

But Li Luo didn't feel any fear or retreat; instead, he nodded seriously, because this concerned his own life—he simply had no reason to back down.

Fortunately, he had the Lu Lan Mansion behind him. Although the Lu Lan Mansion's prestige wasn't what it used to be, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse, and it could still provide him with large amounts of high-quality cultivation resources. Combined with the points earned from the academy, it could support his lavish spending and consumption.

"The Dark Cave purification mission is temporarily over, and the academy side will have an easier time for a while. Next, you still need to focus all your efforts on preparing for the 'Golden Dragon Arena.' This is a rare opportunity, and if you grasp it well, it should let your strength leap forward again." Jiang Jiang Qinge reminded him.

Li Luo nodded. He was also somewhat curious about the "Golden Dragon Arena," because the Golden Dragon Treasury's strength far exceeded his imagination—it was an existence that surpassed all the powers of the Great Xia, and even the Holy Mystic Star Academy couldn't be mentioned in the same breath as the Golden Dragon Treasury's headquarters.

And the "Golden Dragon Arena" built by the Golden Dragon Treasury was surely no ordinary thing.

"What are you planning to do next?" Li Luo asked Jiang Jiang Qinge.

"Rest for a few days, then I'll apply to enter the Dark Cave again." Jiang Jiang Qinge thought for a moment and said.

Li Luo was startled: "Going to the Dark Cave again?"

He knew the Dark Cave's environment all too well—it made one dare not relax for a moment, and the oppressive, eerie, cold atmosphere gnawed at one's heart constantly.

Other people entered the Dark Cave each time looking as if they were facing death, and if possible, many would surely avoid it like the plague. Yet now that the purification mission had finally been completed, Jiang Jiang Qinge actually wanted to go in again on her own initiative?

"The Dark Cave is also a good place for cultivation." Jiang Jiang Qinge merely replied softly.

Li Luo's expression grew somewhat complicated. How could he not know why Jiang Jiang Qinge was cultivating so desperately... it was still because the Lu Lan Mansion's situation was not good, especially the great tribulation half a year from now.

She was clearly doing everything in her power to raise her own strength, willing to enter the extremely dangerous Dark Cave to temper herself for it.

In the end, however, he said nothing, only resolving in his heart that afterward, when entering the Golden Dragon Arena, he too had to seize every opportunity to improve himself. He couldn't let Jiang Jiang Qinge bear the burden of the Lu Lan Mansion alone.

The two walked out of the academy together, and then they saw a golden carriage parked outside the academy's main gate, with a noble golden phoenix emblem on its body.

That was the Princess's carriage.

In front of and behind the carriage were elite guards on wolf-back, their gazes cold and sharp.

And when Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge approached the carriage, the Princess also stepped out from within it, smiling as she came to greet them.

"Your Highness, I'll leave Li Luo in your hands." Jiang Jiang Qinge said.

The Princess pursed her lips in a faint smile and said, "Rest assured, Jiang Qinge, I'll return him to you in one piece."

Jiang Jiang Qinge smiled, chatted with the Princess for a while longer, then waved to Li Luo and turned to leave with crisp decisiveness.

"Junior Li Luo, please." The Princess made an inviting gesture, a bright smile appearing on her fair and pretty oval face.

Li Luo, however, felt that the gazes from all around were a bit blinding. Quite a few passing academy students were looking at the scene with knife-like eyes, most of them belonging to the Four Star House—after all, within the Four Star House, the Princess's prestige was truly too high.

Although no one believed there was anything between the Princess and Li Luo, over the years, it seemed Li Luo was still the first male to be invited by the Princess to board her carriage?

Truly enviable.

Li Luo couldn't stand those sharp gazes and quickly boarded the carriage. The interior was unusually spacious and tidy, with a row of bookshelves placed at the back, and a stick of red incense burning on the tea table, its faint fragrance lingering in the cabin.

The Princess also came in, sat down gracefully on one side of the tea table, and at the same time beckoned Li Luo: "Please, sit."

Li Luo wasn't timid either. He sat down on the other side and said with a smile, "Your Highness has drawn another wave of hatred for me."

The Princess laughed and said, "You already carry too much hatred on you; a little more won't matter."

She picked up the teapot and personally poured Li Luo a full cup of hot tea.

Li Luo quickly accepted it and joked, "I'd gladly die for Your Highness."

The Princess shook her head and said, "Words don't match the heart."

Although she enjoyed winning people's loyalty, she understood that Li Luo appeared gentle and approachable, but in truth was extremely proud within. Winning him over was probably an impossible task, so from the very beginning she hadn't harbored such an intention, and instead regarded Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge as possible future partners.

The Princess didn't dwell on this topic any longer, and after thinking for a moment, said, "Junior Li Luo, can the Young King's congenital defect be resolved within half a year?"

Upon hearing this, Li Luo scratched his head and said, "I can't be sure of that. Your Highness should also know that although I can treat the Young King's congenital defect, my own phase force is too weak, so I can only take it slowly."

He looked at the Princess, whose dark brows were slightly furrowed, and asked, "Your Highness... are you in a hurry?"

The Princess's eyes flickered slightly, and she shook her head: "Being able to resolve it as soon as possible is naturally best."

"Then I'll do my best." Li Luo said with a smile. He could tell the Princess carried some hidden worries, but matters of the royal family didn't warrant asking too much.

Then the two changed the subject and began talking about things within the academy. The Princess's affability was clearly off the charts, and under her deliberate guidance, the two got along quite pleasantly, the atmosphere in the cabin harmonious.

The carriage, meanwhile, sped all the way and finally entered the Wang Cheng area. At the palace gate, although there were tight guards, under the Princess's carriage, passage was unimpeded.

The carriage finally stopped before a grand sleeping palace. Led by the Princess, Li Luo entered it, and along the way guards knelt to pay respects one after another, which let Li Luo experience a taste of royal grandeur.

Upon entering the hall, Li Luo saw the figure of the Young King.

The Young King wore a bright yellow dragon robe, and indeed carried an air of nobility, but his face was overly fair, delicate, and tender, lacking a bit of authority.

When the Young King saw the Princess, delight immediately showed on his face, and when he caught sight of Li Luo, that delight grew even stronger, because he knew Li Luo's arrival must mean he had come to treat his illness.

"Sister!"

The Young King ran over and took the Princess's hand.

The Eldest Princess gently stroked his head, spoke with him for a while, then said to Li Luo, "Shall we begin?"

Li Luo smiled and nodded.

Then the Eldest Princess arranged for the little king to be moved to the rear of the hall to make some preparations. When Li Luo entered again, he saw that the little king had already changed into a thin sleeping robe.

Li Luo did not stand on ceremony. He sat cross-legged behind the little king and said at the same time, "Please take off your upper garment, Your Majesty."

The little king hesitated for a moment, but obediently removed his upper garment, revealing a somewhat frail upper body. On his back, a lotus pattern woven from numerous meridians appeared shockingly in Li Luo's line of sight.

Li Luo's expression did not change, but he felt that the little king's skin seemed to have become a little fairer than before.

"I'm going to begin."

He gave a reminder, then slightly closed his eyes. The phase force within his body surged, and he began this treatment.

On the bed, the luster of phase force slowly blossomed.

The Eldest Princess sat upright on a chair, her gaze never leaving the two of them, quietly waiting for this treatment to end.

Time slowly passed, and in the blink of an eye half an incense stick's worth of time had gone by.

And just then, a guard suddenly walked in, came to the Eldest Princess's side, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, the Regent has come to visit the king."

The Eldest Princess's gaze flickered, and she said softly, "Keep watch over the king here."

She seemed to be talking to herself, and no one in the hall answered. It was only as if a gaze was projected out from the shadows.

Then she finally flicked her sleeve and rose, walking out of the great hall with a calm expression.