Chapter 479: Who Is More Terrifying

Li Luo's muttering was not concealed at all; carried by the wind, it drew strange looks from many.

Was that "boring" remark aimed at himself, or at Jing Jing Taixu?

Everyone vaguely felt it was the latter.

After all, this ladder-climbing contest didn't really require such all-out effort; look at Sun Sun Dasheng and Lu Ming, aren't they quite leisurely at the rear?

At the top of the other cloud ladder, Jing Jing Taixu's expression, after shifting at the start, gradually calmed; he didn't know whether he had heard Li Luo's muttering, but he showed no reaction, his face as calm as if the fierce competition just now had never happened.

Buzz!

At this moment, in the two Spirit-Gathering Altar clusters where Li Luo and Jing Jing Taixu stood, the tightly shut gates slowly opened; instantly, extremely vast heaven-and-earth energy surged forth. This energy was far more gentle, no longer as violent and aggressive as before.

As this heaven-and-earth energy poured out, some drifted into the lake below; immediately, Jin Guang surged within the lake. One could see golden lotuses blooming out of thin air, and on the lotuses, Heavenly Spirit Dew gradually began to condense.

The archipelago instantly boiled over.

Then it descended into chaos, as academies from all sides began to curse and clash over seizing and occupying the golden lotuses.

Waves of Xiangli fluctuations erupted.

While chaos reigned on the lake surface, Qin Qin Zhulu, Bai Bai Doudou, and others snapped out of their earlier astonishment. They looked at Li Luo standing before the Spirit-Gathering Altar, exchanged glances, and each saw the shock in the other's eyes.

Li Luo had actually struck the Spirit-Gathering Bell a step ahead of Jing Jing Taixu, opening their side's Spirit-Gathering Altar cluster first.

"Tsk tsk, Li Luo really pulled off a big show this time."

Yu Lang wiped the sweat covering his head from resisting the energy pressure, then said proudly: "That Jing Shenxu still dares to compete with my brother Li Luo for the spotlight? He should have checked—whenever there's a chance to shine these past years, when has my brother Li Luo not been the brightest star in the whole venue?"

Bai Bai Doudou rolled her eyes at him and said: "It's just a ladder-climbing contest; don't get carried away. Li Luo still relied on some trickery. In a real battle, the opponent wouldn't be like those mindless energy torrents, letting him easily use their force against them."

Wang Wang Hejiu also nodded and said: "Jing Jing Taixu's strength is still very formidable. Moreover, since Li Luo fought him to this extent this time, he's likely to be held a grudge against; be more careful afterward."

Yu Lang pouted and said: "If that Jing Jing Taixu could take my advice and come apologize to my brother Li Luo right now, I think he might still keep some face in this Academy-level Tournament. Otherwise, once my brother Li Luo goes all out, he'll just become a stepping stone."

As for his shameless bragging, everyone could only pretend not to hear it; this fellow was truly arrogant beyond bounds.

Qin Qin Zhulu was too lazy to waste words and simply stepped forward. By now, the energy pressure on the cloud ladder had dissipated, so they ascended to the top with ease and reached Li Luo's side.

The teams from the other three academies also walked up, somewhat dazed.

In fact, they had originally held some pessimism about whether Li Luo could reach the summit and open the Spirit-Gathering Altar cluster; after all, Li Luo had seemed quite strained at the start, and no one knew whether he could truly last until the end.

But who could have imagined that Li Luo not only reached the summit and opened the Spirit-Gathering Altar, but even did so a step ahead of Jing Jing Taixu!

They had essentially picked up a huge windfall for nothing.

The team captains of the three academies all politely expressed their gratitude to Li Luo, with respect in their eyes.

Li Luo smiled gently and waved his hand, saying: "Everyone is simply taking what they need. Without your help sharing the burden of the energy torrents, our single academy alone couldn't have sustained it. Now that this Spirit-Gathering Altar cluster has been opened, you may first enter to survey the areas belonging to you, calculate the yield of Heavenly Spirit Dew, and then distribute according to the ratio agreed upon earlier."

"Heh, please don't think I'm taking advantage here."

When Li Luo had previously approached these three academies to cooperate, he had naturally negotiated the split ratio with them. For instance, the output of the core high-grade Spirit-Gathering Altar belongs exclusively to Saint Xuanxing Academy and will not be distributed; the other mid-grade and low-grade Spirit-Gathering Altars will be managed by these three academies, but upon final harvest, fifty percent of the yield must be handed over to Saint Xuanxing Academy.

This couldn't be called Li Luo being too ruthless; after all, it was everyone's consensus.

Being able to open the Spirit-Gathering Altar cluster, in terms of contribution, Li Luo earned the greatest merit, while the three academies, though they helped share the burden of the energy torrents, did not perform an indispensable task.

"What is this, Team Captain Li Luo? We certainly understand this point, and charging only fifty percent here is already considerate. The other three parties demand sixty percent." In response to Li Luo's words, the team captains of the three academies all hurriedly smiled.

Li Luo nodded with a smile, then glanced down at the chaos erupting on the lake surface below, clicked his tongue, turned around, and walked into the opened gate. He wanted to see just how luxurious this high-grade Spirit-Gathering Altar could be.

As for Jing Jing Taixu's side, he did not look again, though he could feel a gaze fixed on him from over there.

Jing Jing Taixu, with a calm expression, watched Li Luo enter the high-grade Spirit-Gathering Altar; his face was so placid it created a sense of oppression.

On the Saint Mingwang Academy side, the youth with graying eyebrows approached cautiously and said: "Brother Jing, are you alright? You don't need to take that Li Luo too seriously; this time he merely relied on trickery. In a genuine contest of blades, he could never possibly be your match."

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Jing Jing Taixu's face as he said: "Lu Chen, you must not underestimate this Li Luo."

"If you truly believe his surpassing me this time was merely due to trickery, then afterward you will likely pay an even more painful price."

"I have a premonition: in this Academy-level Tournament, the threat this Li Luo brings me will probably be even greater than Sun Sun Dasheng or Lu Ming."

The youth called Lu Chen was slightly startled; Jing Jing Taixu actually held such high regard for that Li Luo?

Jing Jing Taixu gradually withdrew his gaze, his eyes lowering slightly; in his faint voice, a chill began to flow.

"Therefore, to express the importance I attach to him, I feel it necessary to make some preparations."

With those words, he turned directly and entered that high-grade Spirit-Gathering Altar as well.

Lu Chen watched Jing Jing Taixu's back and secretly shivered; he mourned for that Li Luo, because he knew Jing Jing Taixu's character very well. That Li Luo this time seemed to have truly provoked him...

And from years of experience, anyone who provoked Jing Jing Taixu never met a good end.

If that Li Luo had precognition, coming over now to bow and apologize to Jing Jing Taixu would perhaps be the best outcome.

But unfortunately...

Lu Chen shook his head.

Li Luo, you have no idea how terrifying Brother Jing's wrath can be.