Chapter 475: Activating the Fourth

When Li Luo's figure landed on the first cloud ladder, a resounding roar erupted as expected at its summit, followed by a torrent of energy cascading down like a furious python surging along the ladder.

The air along its path was compressed by the energy torrent, emitting low sonic booms.

Li Luo stood on the ladder, his gaze sharp as he fixed on the roaring energy torrent; only when standing here himself could he clearly feel just how violent the torrent was.

Terrifying pressure surged like a mountain collapsing and a sea overturning, raising goosebumps on the skin.

On the Lake Archipelago, countless eyes now locked tightly onto Li Luo's figure.

Everyone wanted to know: was this newly risen so-called fourth contender truly as powerful as claimed, or merely a hollow reputation?

Lü Qing'er and Bai Bai Mengmeng, meanwhile, held their breath, gripping their hands tightly, their cheeks flushed with tension.

Boom—boom!

The dazzling energy torrent reflected in Li Luo's pupils; he clenched his palm, and the Jin Yu Zhu Xuan Xiang Dao materialized in his hand. The weathered, ancient straightblade appeared, causing the void to tremble slightly, as an unseen force surged into Li Luo's arm—the innate divine power effect of the Jin Yu Zhu Xuan Xiang Dao.

Li Luo's face turned solemn; within him, the two Xiang Palaces roared to life, unleashing his Xiang force without restraint.

Then the two streams of Xiang force merged.

A vast and brilliant Xiang force erupted within Li Luo, rising like smoke into the sky; the blue and green hues of his Xiang force blended seamlessly, appearing extraordinarily harmonious.

Upon the blade's surface, a ring of blue-and-green Xiang force slowly materialized.

The moment this Xiang force ring appeared, gasps erupted across the archipelago.

Even Lu Ming momentarily narrowed her long, elegant eyes, for she recognized this ring too well—it was the hallmark of dual-Xiang force at the He Yi Jing level. Clearly, this Li Luo possessed genuine ability.

But then again, it made sense: if he hadn't mastered dual-Xiang force at the He Yi Jing level, he likely couldn't have defeated three team captains of equal rank alone.

Yet… for some reason, Lu Ming sensed something odd about Li Luo's Xiang force.

It seemed his Xiang force flowed more rapidly.

As she felt this slight oddity in her mind, Li Luo moved.

Vast Xiang force flowed out, coating the blade; its surface shimmered with ripples, while water-like luminescence whirled at high speed along the edge, humming as it sliced through the air.

"Thousand Flowing Water Blade Art."

Li Luo slashed downward, and a dazzling blade light erupted violently into the sky—like a single line of ocean wave surging across the sea, erasing everything in its path.

The water-blade light radiated astonishing sharpness and penetration, directly colliding with the dazzling energy torrent.

Squeee!

The two forces clashed, violently eroding each other, emitting piercing, shrill sounds.

The dazzling energy torrent was continuously sliced apart, yet it seemed endless; as the water-blade light advanced, it dimmed further, until finally, with a violent surge of the torrent, it shattered into specks of light.

The remaining energy torrent roared forward, swallowing Li Luo whole.

But Li Luo showed no panic, for earlier, Jing Jing Taixu and the other two had failed to break the torrent in a single strike; his prior attack had merely aimed to weaken its momentum, creating a buffer for the upcoming direct resistance.

Vast Xiang force poured from his body, forming layer upon layer of Xiang force barriers, while water-like luminescence flowed over his skin, forming a thin veil of water-light.

"Heavy Water Veil."

Boom!

As Li Luo completed these defenses, the energy torrent struck—each layer of Xiang force barrier shattered almost instantly; seconds later, the torrent slammed into his body, and in that instant, Li Luo felt as if a primordial beast had charged him head-on.

The surface of the Heavy Water Veil rippled violently, clearly absorbing the terrifying impact.

But the Heavy Water Veil could not fully dissipate the force; immense power still pierced through, striking Li Luo's body.

His frame shuddered violently, then his steps were forced back step after step.

Clearly, in direct Xiang force resistance, Li Luo's Hua Xiang Stage Second Transformation ultimately could not match Jing Jing Taixu's three's Hua Xiang Stage Third Transformation.

Especially Jing Jing Taixu—when resisting with Xiang force alone, he retreated only one step, revealing the purity and depth of his own Xiang force.

Li Luo stepped back gradually, and only at the final step of the cloud ladder did his figure finally stabilize, fully and utterly withstanding the energy torrent's impact.

Yet he felt no joy; instead, his eyes grew thoughtful.

On the archipelago, a stir arose: although Li Luo's final resistance had been perilous, he had still stood firm on the ladder, not being swept away—meaning he had succeeded; the fourth Spirit Gathering Altar Cluster had been activated by him.

Many murmured in astonishment: Li Luo truly had ability—he'd activated the Spirit Gathering Altar Cluster with only Hua Xiang Stage Second Transformation power.

Amid the uproar, Li Luo turned and descended the ladder, landing back on the Sheng Zhu Xuan Star Academy's island; immediately, many teams dispatched personnel to follow closely, for if Li Luo could activate this Spirit Gathering Altar Cluster, then three other academy teams would still be needed to assist.

In an instant, the previously quiet island became bustling and chaotic.

Jing Jing Taixu gazed from afar at the commotion, smiling faintly.

"Brother Jing, no wonder Li Luo refused your goodwill—he truly wanted to claim one alone. But his strength is indeed formidable; he's only Hua Xiang Stage Second Transformation, yet he held back that level of energy torrent." A youth with white-speckled eyebrows chuckled.

"It's not surprising he could resist it—He Yi Jing dual-Xiang force can do that." Jing Jing Taixu smiled.

"Though he's only Hua Xiang Stage Second Transformation, in terms of Xiang force volume, even most Hua Xiang Stage Third Transformation cultivators can't match him."

The white-speckled eyebrow youth nodded enviously. "After all, dual-Xiang cultivators possess two Xiang Palaces—that's a natural advantage, and with dual-Xiang force enhancement, only someone like you, Brother Jing, with a ninth-rank Xiang, could suppress him."

Jing Jing Taixu smiled slightly, not pretending modesty: "I said most Hua Xiang Stage Third Transformation cultivators. Clearly, I, Lu Ming, and Sun Sun Dasheng are not among them."

"What about the Sheng Zhu Xuan Star Academy side? Brother Jing, you extended an olive branch earlier, but Li Luo refused—seems he holds resentment toward you. Now he's shown such strength…"

Jing Jing Taixu waved his hand.

"It doesn't matter."

"He withstood the first energy torrent, but barely. The torrent on the cloud ladder will grow even stronger—by then, he may not hold out… On this academy-level tournament, the only person I truly fear."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"There isn't one."

The white-speckled eyebrow youth nodded, smiling.

Time passed further; the commotion across the archipelago eventually settled, for the academies that had activated the four Spirit Gathering Altar Clusters had each selected their collaborators—after all, with so many academies here, such subordinate collaborators were the most abundant.

Li Luo's side also quickly made their selection, though theirs was casual: they simply had the competing academies draw lots, ultimately choosing three with good fortune.

The other academies that weren't chosen could only look on with regret, yet they didn't leave—because as the Spirit Gathering Altar Clusters opened, celestial energy would still flow into this Lake Archipelago, granting them some benefit, however meager; better than nothing.

Thus, amid countless envious gazes, the opening of the Spirit Gathering Altar Clusters finally began in earnest.