Chapter 617: Jiang Jiang Qinge's Challenge

While Student Xin Fu and Bai Bai Mengmeng each went back to rest and change clothes, Li Luo was pulled aside by Mentor Xi Chan into the underground chamber, where she ran some tests on him. After Li Luo passed every one of them, the satisfaction in Mentor Xi Chan's eyes grew even richer.

"Not bad. Your phase force is robust, with no sense of emptiness. It seems you didn't use some kind of overdraft secret technique to force a breakthrough," Mentor Xi Chan said, as if relieved.

"Mentor, you really don't trust me enough," Li Luo grumbled.

So Mentor Xi Chan's whole operation was because she suspected he had used some kind of overdraft-type secret technique to squeeze out his potential. But how could he possibly do something so short-sighted as draining the pond to fish? After all, such secret techniques would damage his foundation and potential, and once used, he could forget about ever making further progress in the future.

No wonder the mentor had wanted to send Student Xin Fu and Bai Bai Mengmeng away earlier. Perhaps she didn't want to hurt his prestige as captain in front of the two of them if she truly discovered Li Luo had used some kind of overdraft secret technique.

Mentor Xi Chan said calmly, "Although I believe you wouldn't do such a thing, in special moments, I'm afraid you might act on impulse."

Li Luo understood that the special moment she referred to should be the Luo Lan Mansion's Mansion Sacrifice.

"Don't worry, Mentor. I've said it long ago: although Luo Lan Mansion is my parents' lifework, I believe the two of them would rather see it destroyed than watch me throw my life away trying to protect it. So while I'll do my best, I won't be stupid enough to actually perish together with Luo Lan Mansion. After all, I still have plenty of retreats. Even if Luo Lan Mansion is destroyed, as long as Sister Jiang Qing and I are still here, there will be plenty of chances to rebuild it." Li Luo said earnestly.

Mentor Xi Chan nodded slightly. Li Luo did see this point very clearly and thoroughly, which was rather reassuring.

"Now that you've broken through to the Sha Palace Realm and even set a record, I can help you apply to Vice Principal Suxin for some 'Yuan Sha Pills' when we get back," Mentor Xi Chan said.

"Yuan Sha Pills!"

Hearing the name, a glint immediately flashed in Li Luo's eyes. The so-called "Yuan Sha Pill" was a type of cultivation pill specifically targeted at the Earth Sha General Stage realm. Consuming and refining such a pill would grant a wisp of Earth Sha energy neutralized by the medicinal properties. This Earth Sha energy was relatively gentle and easier to refine, so the "Yuan Sha Pill" was considered the favorite pill of Earth Sha General Stage experts, as it could increase cultivation progress.

The "Yuan Sha Pills" Mentor Xi Chan mentioned were refined internally by the academy, and their quality was even better than those on the market. However, these "Yuan Sha Pills" were generally only exchangeable by Three Star House students, and because the quantity was limited, each time only some outstanding students in Three Star House would get a turn. Other ordinary students could only drool over them.

"Even Three Star House can't meet the demand for Yuan Sha Pills. Would it really be my turn?" Li Luo asked eagerly.

"Normally, no. But for outstanding students like you who break through to the Earth Sha General Stage before Three Star House, the academy will still give some extra rewards as encouragement."

"Us?"

Mentor Xi Chan seemed to smile slightly and said, "Mm, that Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan from Two Star House also broke through to the Void General Stage this time, so he's also trying hard to apply for this batch of extra 'Yuan Sha Pills.' But the quantity of Yuan Sha Pills is limited. If you also apply, then only one of the two of you will get what he wants."

"That means you'll have to compete with that Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan."

Hearing this, Li Luo showed a sympathetic expression and sighed, "Poor Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan again. This junior student really can't bear it."

A smile also surfaced in Mentor Xi Chan's eyes. Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan was indeed quite unlucky. He had originally thought that breaking through to the Void General Stage this time would let him hold his head high, but who knew he'd run into the monster Li Luo, who directly broke the record while in One Star House and officially broke through to the Sha Palace Realm.

"Fairy Wood Strange Fate"

When the two were compared like this, the gap was truly enormous, so Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's sweet dream was likely to fall through again.

Carrying deep sympathy for Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan, Li Luo and Mentor Xi Chan left the underground chamber, then joined Bai Bai Mengmeng and Student Xin Fu, who had changed, and the four of them left the small building together.

The group headed straight for the plaza in the center of the academy.

Along the way, one could already see surging crowds of people. Countless students, visibly excited and thrilled, were heading in the same direction. After all this time fermenting, everyone was full of anticipation for today's grand event.

"If Senior Jiang can successfully claim a Seven Star Pillar position today, I'm afraid her prestige in the academy will surpass even the First Princess," Bai Bai Mengmeng couldn't help sighing at the sight of such momentum.

Student Xin Fu also nodded in agreement. After Jiang Jiang Qinge won the Holy Grail War's title of Three Star House's strongest student, her already top-tier prestige in the academy had already been on par with the First Princess. If she accomplished this record today, then truly no one could match her.

"Captain, do you know who Senior Jiang will challenge?" Bai Bai Mengmeng asked curiously.

This time, even Mentor Xi Chan looked at Li Luo, clearly somewhat interested in this question as well.

Hearing this, Li Luo shook his head helplessly and said, "She didn't say."

"If we're talking about the probability of a successful challenge, Si Si Tianming and Ye Ye Chengying might be the best choices. Within the Seven Star Pillars, apart from Gong Gong Shenjun and Gong Luan Yu, only the two of them are Four Star House students. The other three are all seniors from an even earlier year. Although they're a bit weaker than Gong Gong Shenjun and Gong Luan Yu, their foundations cannot be underestimated," Mentor Xi Chan said.

Bai Bai Mengmeng and Student Xin Fu also nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Li Luo said nothing. Although from the standpoint of success rate, Si Si Tianming and Ye Ye Chengying were indeed the best choices, based on his understanding of Jiang Jiang Qinge, she probably wouldn't choose that way...

"Mentor, has the strength of the Seven Star Pillars ever been ranked?" Li Luo asked.

"Within the Seven Star Pillars, Gong Gong Shenjun is unquestionably the strongest, followed by Gong Luan Yu. For third place, it should be Zhong Taiqiu, fourth is Wang Chao, and fifth is Qiao Yu." Mentor Xi Chan thought for a moment and said.

Li Luo nodded thoughtfully.

While they were talking along the way, the plaza with its towering, roaring sounds had already appeared ahead. Mentor Xi Chan flicked her sleeve and directly swept the three of them up into the air, landing on a high platform in the plaza.

At this point, all the Purple Light Mentors of One Star House were gathered here, and Li Luo also saw other Purple Light students like Qin Qin Zhulu, Lv Qing'er, and Yu Lang.

Seeing Li Luo, Lv Qing'er immediately waved at him in greeting.

Li Luo also smiled at her, then his gaze swept toward the center of the plaza. There, seven stone pillars stood tall, with the stars of the heavens inscribed upon them. As mystic light flowed across them, they looked extraordinarily grand.

And at this moment, atop each of the seven starlight stone pillars sat a single figure.

They were precisely this generation's Seven Star Pillars of the Holy Mystic Star Academy.

The seven sat quietly, their expressions calm. Their robes fluttered in the wind, and an invisible pressure emanated from them.

Inside the plaza, countless students looked at them with eyes full of awe, because these seven represented the highest achievement of students in the Holy Mystic Star Academy. This awe came not from any status they held, but simply from their strength alone.

On the high platform, Vice Principal Suxin appeared, then raised her slender jade hand slightly.

A stream of light descended from the sky, landing in the center of the plaza under the gaze of ten thousand eyes.

As the figure was revealed, that slender, graceful, absolutely beautiful form, and a countenance of unmatched elegance, immediately triggered a tsunami-like cheer from the crowd.

It was Jiang Jiang Qinge!

"Today, Jiang Jiang Qinge of Three Star House will formally challenge the Seven Star Pillars." Vice Principal Suxin's voice, warm as spring breeze, rang in everyone's ears, and at the same time made the earth-shaking cheers surge even higher.

"Everyone already knows the challenge rules, so I won't go over them."

Vice Principal Suxin gazed at that absolutely beautiful figure in the center of the plaza, unconcealed satisfaction and admiration in her eyes, and said, "Jiang Jiang Qinge, which of the Seven Star Pillars do you wish to challenge?"

The roaring sounds in the arena quietly fell silent at this moment, as countless gazes turned toward Jiang Jiang Qinge.

This was the answer everyone most wanted to know.

However, many people also had their guesses. After all, Jiang Jiang Qinge was still only in Three Star House, and it seemed she was only at the Extreme Sha Stage now. But all of the Seven Star Pillars had stepped into the Tian Zhu Jing, and there was a huge gap between the two. Even though Jiang Jiang Qinge possessed a Nine Grade Light Phase, it probably wasn't very likely for her to defeat an opponent crossing such a large gap, since these Seven Star Pillar holders were no pushovers either. They were likewise the most top-tier students in the academy, possessing extremely strong talent.

Therefore, if Jiang Jiang Qinge wanted to challenge the Seven Star Pillars, she should probably start from the weakest.

For example, Si Si Tianming.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, Jiang Jiang Qinge's gaze also slowly swept across the Seven Star Pillars. Finally, she stopped on one figure, and the next moment, a clear, cold voice rang out calmly.

"I choose to challenge... Zhong Taiqiu."

The instant her voice fell, the entire arena erupted.