Chapter 55: Mist

As the academy's grand examination gradually entered the elimination stage, the jumping and shifting of points on the enormous crystal wall outside White Spirit Mountain began to quicken, revealing just how intense the contest within had become.

Countless gazes converged on the crystal wall, periodically erupting into exclamations and wails of lament, everyone watching the scores of their own academy's students.

Cai Wei and Yan Yan Lingqing were also keeping a constant eye on their young mansion master, and when they saw Li Luo's points steadily climbing, smiles appeared on their pretty faces.

"The young mansion master isn't bad at all," Cai Wei said with a light wave of her flower-clustered cattail fan and a charming laugh.

"Right now he probably hasn't run into any strong enemies yet. As the elimination stage drags on, those who remain will all be tough opponents. Only then will we see his true level," Yan Yan Lingqing analyzed cautiously.

Cai Wei nodded slightly, her smile blooming like a flower: "But I believe the young mansion master can definitely do it."

"That much faith?"

"Because looks are justice." Cai Wei said with perfect seriousness.

"Boring." Yan Yan Lingqing lightly adjusted her silver-framed glasses, too lazy to bother with her.

In the dense forest.

Ding!

Li Luo and his two companions surrounded an unlucky fellow, and under his despairing gaze, the three of them scraped his points clean, then swaggered off, leaving the poor wretch in tears.

"Our points have all reached fifteen hundred."

Li Luo glanced at their respective crystal plates. Those fifteen hundred points were the fruits of their efforts for most of the morning, and beneath them lay a school of greedy, unlucky fish.

"But it feels harder and harder to fish," Zhao Kuo said with some worry. Just now, in the past hour, only this one unlucky fellow had taken the bait.

"Because our fishing reputation has already spread," Li Luo said.

During this morning of fishing, they hadn't been entirely without mishaps. Some fish were extremely slippery and quite capable, so a few had escaped, and these escapees had spread the word about Li Luo's fishing.

So the students still in this area probably wouldn't take the bait so easily.

"Fishing endlessly was never realistic to begin with. As more and more people get eliminated, earning points from here on will require real fights," Li Luo said, unbothered. After all, he had never truly expected to keep fishing forever.

Zhao Kuo and Seeing Yu Lang nodded; they understood this point as well.

The three chatted as they walked, but their feet never stopped, still maintaining vigilance as they pressed forward. Yet as they advanced, they suddenly noticed a thin mist beginning to spread through the dense forest.

The mist was rapidly thickening.

Li Luo's steps halted, his brow furrowing. "Something's off. Fall back."

The three immediately turned and swiftly retreated along their original path.

After running for several minutes, Li Luo suddenly turned his head, only to discover that Seeing Yu Lang and Zhao Kuo, who had been following behind, had vanished at some unknown point.

Li Luo pondered for a few breaths, then searched the nearby bushes, and finally spotted clusters of gray mushrooms — it was precisely these mushrooms that were continuously spewing mist.

"Mist Mushrooms."

Li Luo was somewhat helpless. The mist spewed by these Mist Mushrooms could rob a person of their sense of direction. Clearly, without realizing it, they had stepped into a Mist Mushroom zone.

And just now, Seeing Yu Lang and Zhao Kuo must have lost their sense of direction while running, and gradually fallen behind as they walked.

"What a hassle."

Li Luo raised his foot and crushed the Mist Mushroom. Though this mist was troublesome, it should have a time limit. As long as he waited for the fog to thin a bit, he should be able to find the two of them.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mist.

Zhao Kuo and Seeing Yu Lang had ended up walking together. They too had noticed they'd lost Li Luo, and were a bit dumbfounded. Glancing at each other, they could only continue forward cautiously.

After walking for a while, they heard footsteps ahead and were immediately delighted. Zhao Kuo tentatively called out: "Luo-ge?"

The footsteps grew clearer, and then a figure appeared in their field of vision. But when they got a clear look at the other party, their expressions shifted slightly at once.

Because it wasn't Li Luo, but someone they had encountered before.

It was precisely the Qin Lian's Weight from East Abyss Academy who had previously tried to snatch their Ghost Face Fruit!

And at this moment, that Mansion's Qin Lian Weight stared at the two with a cold smirk: "Li Luo didn't show up, but I ran into two little lackeys first."

Zhao Kuo and Seeing Yu Lang split up and fled without hesitation. The other party lying in wait here clearly meant they had prepared long ago, and their target was most likely Li Luo.

But the moment their figures moved, they saw two figures step out from each of their escape routes, perfectly cutting off their retreat.

The other side actually had four more people.

And judging by the crystal plates on their chests, they were all from East Abyss Academy.

"Fight them to the death!" Zhao Kuo's eyes flashed with ferocity.

But Seeing Yu Lang raised his hand and hurriedly said: "We surrender, we surrender!"

That Qin Lian's Weight was briefly stunned, then a mocking smirk curled at the corner of his mouth: "South Wind Academy people have such soft bones?"

Zhao Kuo roared: "Seeing Yu Lang, what are you doing?! You think surrendering means they'll let you go?!"

"Zhao Kuo, they're after Li Luo, it doesn't have much to do with us," Seeing Yu Lang said.

"Damn you, you piece of trash!"

Zhao Kuo's face flushed with fury, and he threw a vicious punch.

Seeing Yu Lang hurriedly dodged, his expression also somewhat ugly: "You're going too far. We're really not Li Luo's little brothers."

He then looked at the Mansion's Qin Lian Weight, who was watching the show, and said: "Brother, let me off the hook."

Qin Lian's Weight laughed: "Didn't you tell me before that you and Li Luo were sworn brothers unto death?"

Seeing Yu Lang said awkwardly: "That was a joke, just polite talk. If you're willing to let me off in the end, I can help you find Li Luo. He set up a special way to keep in touch with us before."

Zhao Kuo's eyes were nearly splitting with rage, and he charged over madly, ready to pummel Seeing Yu Lang to death, but was intercepted by two students from East Abyss Academy.

Qin Lian's Weight narrowed his eyes, staring at Seeing Yu Lang: "You think I'll believe you?"

Seeing Yu Lang's eyes brimmed with tears: "If you've done your homework, you'll know that Li Luo and I actually have a deep grudge. During South Wind Academy's preliminary exam, he used vicious methods and beat me into Became Heavy. I was bedridden for many days, and even now, on rainy days, my body still aches faintly."

"Earlier I was just unlucky to run into the two of them, and was coerced and threatened, so I had no choice but to team up with them."

One East Abyss Academy student whispered in Seeing Yu Lang's ear: "I've heard of this guy. He's famous at South Wind Academy as someone who'd do anything for money. During the preliminary exam, he really did get beaten badly by Li Luo. I heard from my friend at South Wind Academy that Li Luo beat him until blood was flowing everywhere — anyone who saw it wept."

Qin Lian's Weight furrowed his brow, then at that moment heard Seeing Yu Lang's voice again: "Actually, I was already hinting at you before."

"Hinting at what?"

Seeing Yu Lang revealed a subtle smile. "I'm telling you to pay more. As long as you pay more, I can help you out."

Qin Lian's Weight was stunned for a moment. Seeing Yu Lang had indeed said that at the time, but how could he possibly believe it? Yet thinking about it again now, combined with the rumors about Seeing Yu Lang, could this really be a hint?

If that was the case, this guy was truly shameless enough.

Qin Lian's Weight crossed his arms over his chest and said coolly, "If you can really lure Li Luo here, I can let you off easy."

Whether this guy was telling the truth or not didn't matter—as long as he could lure Li Luo here, that was enough.

Seeing Yu Lang was overjoyed and said, "No problem!"

"This Zhao Kuo has an extremely good relationship with Li Luo. We can use him as a hostage. When we lure Li Luo here, we can use him as leverage to make Li Luo hesitate." Then he helpfully offered suggestions.

Hearing this, Qin Lian's Weight couldn't help but stare at Seeing Yu Lang for a moment and said, "Selling out your teammate—that was awfully smooth, wasn't it?"

Seeing Yu Lang revealed an awkward smile.

"Seeing Yu Lang, you won't die a good death! Just you wait, I won't let you off!" Zhao Kuo roared furiously.

"Tie him up and gag his mouth." Qin Lian's Weight waved his hand.

Four students from the East Abyss Academy swarmed forward and tied Zhao Kuo up.

Qin Lian's Weight stood beside Seeing Yu Lang, then laid a blade across the latter's neck and smiled. "Now use your contact method to get Li Luo to come find me."

"If he doesn't come, you can all be eliminated directly."

Seeing Yu Lang slapped his chest, his face solemn.

"Brother, don't worry. That Li Luo will definitely take the bait. When you guys capture him, you must slap his face hard. I've hated his absurdly good looks for far too long!"

Hearing this, Qin Lian's Weight touched his own rough, ordinary face, then seemed to think of something, and a flash of irritated hatred welled up in his eyes.

Because he also hated the most those pretty boys who made a living off their looks!

Seeing Yu Lang's words had struck right at the heart of what he felt.

You can lose a fight, but handsome guys must die! And someone as handsome as Li Luo must be cut into a thousand pieces!

(End of chapter)