Chapter 463: The Defense Battle

After deciding on their next course of action, Li Luo and the others did not delay further, but chose to activate the Spirit Gathering Altar directly.

The one chosen to activate it was Bai Bai Mengmeng, because the activator must remain motionless and continuously channel their Xiang force into the Spirit Gathering Altar to stir the ambient celestial energy within, thereby serving as a catalyst.

Among all of them, Bai Bai Mengmeng's strength was indeed the weakest; after all, she was never a combat-oriented member, but rather leaned heavily toward support, so having her handle the activation was ideal—since everyone else needed to fight outside and block teams from other academies.

Under the gaze of the group, Bai Bai Mengmeng's slender frame leapt gracefully like a butterfly to the center of the pond, her skirt falling like a blooming cluster of flowers, floating upon the water's surface as she sat cross-legged atop it.

"Begin." Li Luo nodded to her.

Bai Bai Mengmeng nodded lightly with her snow-white, delicate chin, and then starlike Xiang force radiated from her body, surging into the Spirit Gathering Altar.

As her Xiang force flowed in, the altar immediately reacted violently: multicolored celestial energy burst forth in dazzling light, the previously still water began rippling with waves, and tendrils of energy mist continuously emerged from the pond's depths, absorbed by the twenty-three exotic flowers.

On the petals, droplets of moisture became increasingly distinct.

This was a sign of Tian Ling Dew forming.

Yet none of them paid attention to this—they all turned their gazes upward toward the valley's summit, for as the Spirit Gathering Altar activated, the brilliant radiance shot outward, piercing through the energy membrane above the valley and illuminating the sky.

Now, the disturbance could be clearly seen for a hundred li around.

"What a massive commotion," Li Luo sighed.

"This damn system is practically begging every academy to beat each other's brains out," Seeing Yu Lang cursed.

"The Holy Cup War was designed to determine the strongest students and academies—it was never meant to be easy," Bai Bai Doudou said, showing no sense of unfairness.

Li Luo nodded with a smile. "Everyone, the Spirit Gathering Altar is activated. Now comes the hardest part. This commotion will surely draw many academy teams here—we're bound to face overwhelming odds."

"Unless we're willing to find a partner and share the Tian Ling Dew—but I've already said this isn't the time for sharing. This is our academy-level competition's first major battle; if we show weakness now, the road ahead will grow even harder, and no one will fear us."

"So this difficult battle is to ensure that in future struggles for Spirit Gathering Altars, other academies will hold greater caution toward us."

"I believe any academy truly aiming to reach the end holds this same mindset."

Everyone nodded. In this academy-level competition, where champions gathered, if you wished to prove you were a lion, not an ordinary wolf among the pack, you had to demonstrate absolute strength and carve your way out of the wolf herd.

Li Luo clearly intended to become the lion others feared—so the path ahead would be smoother.

"Our mission is to use any means necessary to hold back enemies coveting this Spirit Gathering Altar. As long as we can hold until dawn tomorrow, the Tian Ling Dew will form—then Bai Mengmeng will immediately collect it. Once the Tian Ling Dew is sealed inside a Spirit Gourd, it cannot be stolen; at that point, other academy teams will naturally withdraw."

Notably, in this academy-level competition, once the Tian Ling Dew is taken and sealed inside a Spirit Gourd, it cannot be seized—even if you're eliminated afterward, not a single drop can be taken from you.

But this makes sense: the Holy Cup War exists to train students and motivate academies to cultivate superior ones—it's not the outside world, where one must resort to any means to seize treasures.

Academies still retain a measure of restraint.

As for mutual training, the Spirit Gathering Altar's mechanism has already achieved that.

After all, if an academy can hold this altar through an entire night without being breached, they naturally deserve the benefits it provides.

"Bai Mengmeng, once you obtain the Tian Ling Dew, send the signal," Li Luo said to the girl at the pond's center.

"Got it. And thanks, everyone—I'll take a little rest here," Bai Bai Mengmeng smiled sweetly, her pure face glowing.

Seeing Yu Lang's eyes lit up instantly—what a heart-stopping smile.

Beside him, Bai Dou shot a sharp glance and said, "If you dare look at my sister with that idiotic grin again, I'll kill you."

Seeing Yu Lang's smile froze instantly.

"Alright, everyone, let's go outside—we need to prepare defenses."

Li Luo clapped his hands, then turned and walked toward the valley's exit.

The others quickly followed.

As the rosy light from the valley surged into the sky, certain teams gathering in the surrounding woods all looked up.

"Radiance spilling outward—definitely a Spirit Gathering Altar. Given its brilliance, it might even be a medium-sized one," said a young man in yellow robes, gazing hungrily at the radiant glow rising deep within the forest.

Those around him also wore expressions of greed and longing.

"Liu Xiao, it seems your intelligence was accurate."

The yellow-robed youth turned his gaze toward a pale figure—Liu Xiao.

During the earlier chaotic battle, Liu Xiao had skillfully escaped, but he clearly bore serious injuries.

The yellow-robed youth himself was the overall team leader of Chi Sha Holy Academy's First Star Division—Zhao Zhao Xingying, a Second Transformation Xiang Phase cultivator, among the very top of the entire First Star Division.

"Although a medium-sized Spirit Gathering Altar offers great rewards, it's already occupied by Sheng Zhu Xuan Star Academy. As I've just reported, they may have two 'Dual-Phase' cultivators," Liu Xiao said, voice hoarse.

Zhao Zhao Xingying's eyes narrowed slightly. "For one academy to produce two Dual-Phase cultivators across all four divisions is already extremely rare. Now Sheng Zhu Xuan Star Academy has two in just the First Star Division? Frankly, I'm skeptical."

"I'm skeptical too."

Liu Xiao nodded. "I don't know much about Seeing Yu Lang, but Li Luo—he's definitely a Dual-Phase. His strength is formidable."

Zhao Zhao Xingying's gaze grew thoughtful. At least one Dual-Phase… even one is already hard to handle. If Li Luo's Dual-Phase cultivation has reached the level of Lu Ming from Tian Huo Holy Academy, he's a truly dangerous opponent.

He couldn't be certain of victory alone.

And there's still that second, unconfirmed Dual-Phase.

"Overall Leader, do we take this Spirit Gathering Altar?" Liu Xiao asked nervously.

Zhao Zhao Xingying smiled faintly. "Since we've encountered it, how could we possibly abandon it?"

"Whether Sheng Zhu Xuan Star Academy's Dual-Phase intel is true or not, we still have an advantage—we can call for reinforcements."

As he spoke, he looked toward another direction, where figures leapt swiftly through the forest, converging rapidly toward their position.

"Friends over here—are you from Chi Sha Holy Academy? I'm Zheng Zheng Fuxing, overall team leader of Sheng Long Yu Holy Academy," one figure stepped forward—a burly youth like a steel tower.

"I'm Ding Chi, overall team leader of Tian Tong Holy Academy," added another youth with fiery red hair, bowing toward Zhao Zhao Xingying with a smile.

These two academies had been among the teams Li Luo's group had just crushed, so they arrived fastest.

Zhao Zhao Xingying looked at the newcomers and broke into a bright smile.

He returned the bow.

"I'm Zhao Zhao Xingying, overall team leader of Chi Sha Holy Academy. Friends, would you care to discuss the ownership of this medium-sized Spirit Gathering Altar?"

The two overall team leaders laughed upon hearing this.

"Delighted to do so."