Chapter 582: The Final Score

Li Luo's unconsciousness lasted for an unknown amount of time.

Within that slumbering consciousness, his mind seemed to be permeated by a blood-red intent of slaughter, his own sanity constantly eroded as waves of killing intent surged again and again, attempting to extinguish his awareness. Fortunately, Li Luo's own resilient character held firm, tightly guarding the last shred of clarity, refusing to let himself be drowned by this killing intent.

However, just as Li Luo was struggling to hold on, a sudden surge of sacred and warm power flowed in. That power blazed like a great sun, radiating light, and under its illumination, the killing intent began to recede like the tide.

Li Luo's consciousness seized this chance to regain control of his body once more.

Those heavy eyelids began to slowly open.

What met his eyes was the sky permeated with purifying power. A sweep of his peripheral vision revealed the ruined city, utterly devastated by the great battle.

Bones and corpses were scattered all over the ground.

"Are you awake?" A familiar voice reached his ears. Though the voice was calm and clear, a trace of worry within it was rather obvious.

Li Luo turned his head and saw, sitting cross-legged on a large rock nearby, a graceful, slender figure. Her long hair was tied up, giving her a somewhat dashing air. Her features remained as exquisite and flawless as ever—no matter the angle, her contours were heart-stirring, her skin smooth and supple as fine jade.

On her cheeks, her moth-brow brows were lightly drawn, her delicate nose was pert and upturned, rising and falling like distant hills. Jiang Jiang Qinge's features were already exquisite, but the most striking of all were those golden eyes.

Mysterious and profound, radiating a unique charm.

Li Luo's gaze drifted downward, suddenly landing on the rosy lips of the girl before him, and he stared in a daze as he noticed that at the corner of her mouth, there was actually a bite mark that was slowly fading.

As if someone had taken a bite out of her.

Li Luo's heart suddenly gave a violent leap, recalling the vague sensation from when his consciousness had been dim.

That tender, soft touch, and the light phase power that had suddenly surged into his body.

Could it be...

Li Luo's heart shook wildly, then his eyes suddenly closed weakly, his face twisting in struggle, as a pained groan escaped his lips.

Sister Jiang Qinge, I still need treatment from your light phase power!

"It seems you've already been corrupted. In that case, to spare you some pain, I'll personally send you on your way." Just then, a ghostly voice echoed, and immediately after, Li Luo heard the sharp sound of a sword blade slicing through the air.

Li Luo's heart went cold. With a sudden kip-up, he flipped up from the ground in an instant, and said without changing expression: "This corruption is truly terrifying, but fortunately my disposition is extraordinary, and I managed to dissolve it by force in the end."

Jiang Jiang Qinge heard this and said noncommittally: "If you really can't bear it, you can tell me, and I can help make it quicker for you." Li Luo said with a bitter face: "Sister Jiang Qinge, you're way too cruel."

Jiang Jiang Qinge snorted coldly and said: "Weren't you the one putting on an act for me first?"

Li Luo gave a dry laugh, his gaze sneaking another peek at Jiang Jiang Qinge's rosy little mouth, and asked knowingly: "It was Sister Jiang Qinge who saved me just now, right?"

Jiang Jiang Qinge's pretty face remained calm as she gave a slight nod: "The fierce baleful energy in your body was extremely heavy, so I used light phase power to help purify you a little. Besides, your physical injuries were also very serious, and light phase power has healing properties, so to help you recover, I also exhausted almost all of my phase power."

"Sister Jiang Qinge, thank you." Li Luo was immensely grateful.

Jiang Jiang Qinge was just about to shake her head when she saw Li Luo brazenly leaning closer, grinning as he asked: "Sister Jiang Qinge, how exactly did you transfer the light phase power to me?"

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Qinge gave her heavy sword a shake, and suddenly an object appeared on the blade. Li Luo looked and was immediately startled, because it was actually a bewitching face—none other than the Blood-Tail Other. Only now, that face was deathly pale, utterly devoid of life.

"I used its mouth pressed against yours to transmit the light phase power," Jiang Jiang Qinge said.

Li Luo's pupils dilated, the color draining from his face in an instant, and he stammered: "No way?"

Then he saw Jiang Jiang Qinge's half-smiling expression and immediately begged for mercy: "Sister Jiang Qinge, stop teasing me, this joke isn't funny at all."

Jiang Jiang Qinge retracted her sword tip, and the Blood-Tail Other's face vanished. Then, with a wave of her jade-like hand, the heavy sword whistled out and suddenly embedded itself in a wall not far away. Only then did Li Luo see that hanging on that wall was a corpse with its life force dispersed. Looking closely, his pupils contracted.

It was none other than the Red Armor General!

Only now, the Red Armor General was thoroughly, completely dead.

"Then tell me, who was it that grievously wounded this Red Armor General?" Jiang Jiang Qinge asked, her gaze scrutinizing Li Luo intently.

Li Luo was taken aback, and stammered: "Actually, I'm not too sure either. Earlier I seemed to see an old grandpa descend from the sky, and without a word he grievously wounded this Red Armor General. I suppose it might be someone from the Academy Alliance? After all, this Red Armor General actually did something so universally despised as fusing with an Other—he really is detestable."

He didn't really want to tell Jiang Jiang Qinge about the Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but because this power was too dangerous, and he didn't want Jiang Jiang Qinge to worry.

However, Jiang Jiang Qinge merely glanced at him, clearly not believing this clumsy lie in the slightest, and said thoughtfully: "This power is extremely baleful, and feels somewhat familiar... Could it be the Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf we encountered in the Dark Cavern before? Did Dean Pang help you seal this thing?"

"The First Evolution"

Her gaze fell upon the crimson bracelet on Li Luo's wrist: "He helped you seal the Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf, and you used this power when dealing with the Red Armor General just now?"

Li Luo stared at Jiang Jiang Qinge in astonishment. You guessed that too?! Are you a monster, you big white goose!

"When Dean Pang left you this sealing bracelet back then, I already had my suspicions," Jiang Jiang Qinge said calmly.

Li Luo gave a bitter smile.

"Dean Pang is really being reckless. The Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf possesses the strength of a peak Da Tian Xiang Jing, and is even charging toward the Marquis Realm. How could such a ferocious creature be suppressed by someone at the Phase Master Realm? Its energy is extremely baleful—if you use it too many times, your mind will be eroded by slaughter, and that would be a truly enormous problem!" Jiang Jiang Qinge frowned, speaking somewhat displeasedly.

"Sister Jiang Qinge, I just wanted to help share some of the pressure for you," Li Luo said somewhat helplessly.

"The House of Sacrifice isn't far off. With my current strength, normal cultivation won't allow me to give you much help, so I could only take an unorthodox path. But don't worry, I know what I'm doing; I won't recklessly use this power."

Jiang Jiang Qinge gazed at Li Luo, and a hint of softness also rose in her golden eyes. How could she not know why Li Luo was taking such a risk? Just as Li Luo wanted to share her burden, she too was worried about Li Luo getting hurt.

"Then from now on, you must be even more careful."

In the end, Jiang Jiang Qinge didn't say anything to make Li Luo give up the Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf, because since Li Luo had made this choice, she would naturally choose to support him. Although it would inevitably be extremely dangerous, she still had confidence in Li Luo's ability and character.

Li Luo nodded and smiled: "But about the Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf, Sister Jiang Qinge still has to help me keep it secret."

Then he pointed at the Red Armor General's corpse and said: "His death has nothing to do with me."

Jiang Jiang Qinge understood what he meant and said: "I can say it was I who slew him. A ninth-grade light phase is special after all—even if others have their suspicions, they won't guess it was you. But if that's the case, then this credit and honor will fall on my head."

"Bah, honor can't be eaten. We're on the same team, whatever rewards are due won't short me."

Li Luo didn't really care about this, and then he couldn't help but lick his lips, grinning as he said: "Besides, what credit or honor can compare to the benefit I just got?"

Jiang Jiang Qinge turned her head away, and Li Luo noticed that a faint blush seemed to flash across her jade-white cheeks, so beautiful it was breathtaking.

But before he could take a longer look, Jiang Jiang Qinge changed the subject.

"Take out the Spirit Mirror and have a look."

Hearing this, Li Luo immediately took out the Spirit Mirror, his gaze sweeping toward the scoreboard first thing, and then his eyes went wide as he sucked in a sharp breath.

On that scoreboard, their team still occupied first place.

And what caused Li Luo to lose his composure was the score figure behind the team.

A full 1.2 million points!