Chapter 723: Before Parting

After the Eldest Princess and the Little King took their leave, the old residence of House Luolan Mansion welcomed another wave of guests the next day.

These guests were all old acquaintances as well, led by Vice Principal Suxin, with Lv Qing'er, Yu Lang, Bai Bai Mengmeng, Bai Bai Doudou, Zhao Kuo and others following behind her.

When Lv Qing'er and the others saw Li Luo, their gazes were all a little complicated, because by now they already knew about Jiang Qing'e's matter, so they all understood that Li Luo's heart must be full of pain.

"Li Luo, I have already gone to South Wind Academy to inspect it, and I also discussed things with that Principal Wei. South Wind Academy is indeed a good place for transformation, so in the future, the Holy Mystic Star Academy might first be established in South Wind City," Vice Principal Suxin said.

However, the real reason for choosing South Wind Academy was more out of consideration for Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e, after all, among the many prefectures in the south of Daxia, it was not as if they only had this one choice.

"That Principal Wei would be only too happy."

Li Luo said with a delighted smile. The Holy Mystic Star Academy choosing South Wind City was indeed good news for him, because it would cause South Wind City to become the center of southern Daxia in the future, which would also benefit the development of House Luolan Mansion. At the same time, if the aberrations of Daxia showed signs of running rampant in the future, South Wind City would also become safer because of the Holy Mystic Star Academy's presence.

"Li Luo, you should be leaving soon, right?" Vice Principal Suxin sighed and asked the same question as the Eldest Princess.

Once these words came out, Lv Qing'er, Yu Lang, Bai Bai Mengmeng and the others also turned their gazes toward Li Luo.

Li Luo first smiled at them, then nodded and said calmly, "In the next few days, I suppose... once everything here at House Luolan Mansion is settled, I will go to Outer Shenzhou with Aunt Yun."

The crowd fell into a moment of silence.

Vice Principal Suxin, on the other hand, nodded slightly and said, "For you, today's Daxia is indeed not a good place for cultivation. You and Qing'e both suit a better stage."

The Holy Mystic Star Academy could be said to have suffered an unprecedented heavy blow this time. The high-grade phase force tree that served as the academy's foundation was destroyed, which was almost a crippling blow. After all, many of the academy's cultivation conditions relied on the existence of the phase force tree.

In the days to come, even if the Holy Mystic Star Academy were rebuilt, it was unknown how much time it would take to recover to its former glory.

"Daxia here will become increasingly chaotic in the future. The split of the Daxia royal court and the spread of that evil force—although Principal Pang's methods have limited the scale of that evil aura, as time goes by, more and more aberrations will inevitably be born..."

"Daxia will not be peaceful in the future," Vice Principal Suxin said with a soft sigh.

"Can't we report this to the Academy Alliance? They are so powerful. If they could send a king-level powerhouse, the crisis in Daxia would be resolved," Li Luo asked.

Vice Principal Suxin shook her head and said, "The Academy Alliance is currently overwhelmed with its own problems. When you go to Inner Shenzhou in the future, you will understand that the crisis they face is far greater than here in Daxia. So if we are waiting for them to send a king-level powerhouse, who knows how long that will take."

Li Luo fell silent. It seemed that although Inner Shenzhou was the most prosperous place in this world, it was apparently not as peaceful as it appeared on the surface. But on second thought, it made sense. The dark world of aberrations was so terrifying. The Academy Alliance was certainly powerful, but compared to the aberrations of that dark world, perhaps they were only barely holding on. Otherwise, after all these long years, the aberrations would not have been allowed to continue existing.

"If they cannot send a king-level powerhouse to support us, what about a high-grade phase force tree? If we could ask them to support us with another phase force tree, the academy could truly be rebuilt," he asked again.

In response to his somewhat naive words, Vice Principal Suxin could only smile bitterly and say, "The value of a high-grade phase force tree is beyond your imagination. Even the Academy Alliance needs to pay an enormous price to cultivate one. Back then, this phase force tree was something Principal Pang begged for through countless hardships, and only then did the Holy Mystic Star Academy come into being."

"And according to the Academy Alliance's rules, once a high-grade phase force tree is destroyed, the academy it belongs to will also be punished. So in the future, if we want to obtain resources from the Academy Alliance again, the difficulty will increase greatly, and we might even be refused."

"Li Luo, the reason I came to find you this time is also because of this matter."

Vice Principal Suxin hesitated for a moment and said, "You will be going to Outer Shenzhou, and there is an ancient academy there called the 'Outer Shenzhou Ancient Academy.' Like the Holy Light Ancient Academy, it belongs to the founders of the Academy Alliance. I want to ask you—if you have the chance in the future, you can go to the 'Outer Shenzhou Ancient Academy' and look for someone."

"Her name is Lan Lan Lingzi. She is the principal's... old acquaintance. I hope you can find her, and then ask her to help lift the punishment on the Holy Mystic Star Academy, and also fight for some resources for the academy in the future. After all, if the academy wants to rebuild, these cultivation resources are indispensable, otherwise the academy will grow weaker and weaker..."

"Originally, this kind of thing should have been done by me, but with the academy in its current state, I really can't leave."

Hearing Vice Principal Suxin's request, Li Luo was slightly stunned for a moment, then silently repeated the name "Lan Lan Lingzi" in his heart. When Vice Principal Suxin mentioned this name, her emotions seemed very complicated.

Lan Lan Lingzi is the principal's old acquaintance? Could she be an old flame?

Li Luo glanced at Vice Principal Suxin. Hmm, this one seems to have always had feelings for the principal as well.

Now they still have to go find the principal's old acquaintance for help... it's a bit messy.

"Vice Principal, rest assured. I am also a member of the academy, and the academy has helped me before. So if it is within my ability, I will definitely help the academy." However, Li Luo did not hesitate, and agreed readily. As for the Holy Mystic Star Academy, he had actually always felt a measure of gratitude.

Back when he still had an empty phase, Jiang Qing'e single-handedly held up the tottering House Luolan Mansion, and it was the academy that gave Jiang Qing'e shelter at that time, which made those forces coveting House Luolan Mansion wary and unwilling to play dirty tricks against Jiang Qing'e. Otherwise, Jiang Qing'e might really not have been able to grow up smoothly.

And during the mansion sacrifice afterwards, although the academy maintained neutrality, Mentor Xi Chan did step in. If Vice Principal Suxin had not tacitly approved it, she could never have left the academy.

So the academy had done Li Luo a favor. Now that it needed his help, he naturally considered it his duty.

At Li Luo's readiness, Vice Principal Suxin also showed a look of relief. Then her gaze swept over Yu Lang, Bai Bai Mengmeng, Zhao Kuo and the others, her lips moved slightly, and a voice only Li Luo could hear fell into his ears.

"After you leave, the academy will also devote all its resources to cultivating your friends. This can also be considered a small token of gratitude from the academy."

Li Luo's eyes moved slightly. He knew Vice Principal Suxin was returning the favor, so he smiled and nodded. This was also a pretty good outcome. Yu Lang, Zhao Kuo and the others did not have much background, but they all had a streak of resilience. If the academy could pay them more attention in the time to come, perhaps it could allow them to go further in the future.

He was about to go far away. Doing his best to secure some additional cultivation resources for these friends now could be considered his last token of regard.

"Alright, next you little ones can say your goodbyes on your own."

Vice Principal Suxin did not say much more. She waved her hand, turned around and left first, leaving a group of companions staring at Li Luo with resentful gazes.

"Li Luo, ditching your brothers to go eat and drink well in Inner Shenzhou like this is really not playing fair," Yu Lang shook his head, looking accusatory.

Li Luo sighed and said, "There's no choice. I originally thought I was just an ordinary rich young master who inherited a House Luolan Mansion, but then suddenly some mysterious super force pops out, says I have their bloodline, and tells me to go acknowledge my ancestors. What can I do?"

Yu Lang's face stiffened, and he said darkly, "Brother, that's going too far."

Lv Qing'er and Bai Bai Mengmeng on the side could not help but burst into laughter.

However, after the two of them made such a fuss, the atmosphere eased up considerably. Bai Bai Mengmeng's bright, sparkling big black eyes looked at Li Luo, her pure and sweet little face full of reluctance, and she said, "Captain, after you leave this time, when will you come back?"

Li Luo was silent for a moment and said, "I'm afraid it will take a few years."

A hint of sadness flashed through Bai Bai Mengmeng's eyes. A few years later, the boys and girls here would have grown up, and by then, who knew if things would have changed. She really liked the leisurely and peaceful life at the academy, but unfortunately, this memorable time was even shorter than she had imagined.

"Captain, after I develop new Spirit Water Marvelous Light formulas in the future, I will give them all to Xiyang House," Bai Bai Mengmeng said softly.

"There's no need to do that. In the future, House Luolan Mansion won't really be counting on growing that well. If you have new formulas on your side, you can give them to your Bai family," Li Luo said with a smile. In the past, he was obsessed with Spirit Water Marvelous Light formulas because he needed to feed the protective marvelous formation of House Luolan Mansion. Now that the formation was gone, and he was about to leave, it did not matter whether Xiyang House could continue to grow.

Upon hearing this, Bai Bai Mengmeng shook her head stubbornly and said, "This was our agreement back then. I can't give up halfway."

Seeing this, Li Luo could only nod helplessly.

Then his gaze shifted, and he looked toward Lv Qing'er, who had been standing aside the whole time without speaking, just quietly watching him.

The girl wore a light blue-green dress, her figure slender and graceful. Her beautiful face was like a flower just out of the water, delicate and lovely. Her rounded, slender legs, wrapped in white silk stockings, looked even straighter, as if flowing with light.

Seeing Li Luo's gaze, the girl did not speak, only gave him a faint smile.

But Li Luo could sense her somewhat downcast mood.

He could not say anything, only gave her a comforting smile, then said to everyone, "It happens that I have time today. Everyone can have a good drink at the mansion tonight. Consider it a farewell banquet."

Everyone happily agreed upon hearing this.

So Li Luo gave the order, and a small banquet was held at the old residence that evening.

Yu Lang, Zhao Kuo and the others all got thoroughly drunk.

"Luo-ge, just go ahead and conquer Inner Shenzhou without worry. Let those geniuses of Inner Shenzhou see that the geniuses who come out of our Holy Mystic Star Academy are not weaker than them!" At the banquet, Zhao Kuo roared with a flushed face.

"Li Luo, I will help rebuild the academy, and I will cultivate hard. When you return again, you'll find that my name, Yu Lang's, will also resound throughout the Great Xia! I will become the hero who saves Great Xia!" Yu Lang was also drunk, his eyes glazed, and he said this while slapping the table.

Li Luo wore a smile, nodded, and raised his cup to them.

As for the girls like Lv Qing'er, Bai Bai Mengmeng, and Bai Bai Doudou, they didn't drink much, only watching the howling crowd with a touch of melancholy.

When the night grew deep, Li Luo ordered people to drag the drunk Yu Lang, Zhao Kuo, and the others away, while Bai Bai Doudou took Bai Bai Mengmeng and left first. Finally, with a hint of wine in him, he saw Lv Qing'er all the way out of the old residence.

At the door of the old residence, Lv Qing'er stood prettily, the lamplight falling on her, making her fair features all the more charming.

"Li Luo..."

Lv Qing'er gazed at Li Luo with starry eyes and said softly, "Don't worry, Senior Sister Jiang will be fine."

They all knew about Jiang Jiang Qinge's situation, but today everyone deliberately avoided bringing it up. Only now did Lv Qing'er finally broach the topic.

Li Luo nodded and smiled, "I think so too."

Lv Qing'er lowered her eyes slightly, her dejected mood no longer concealable, and said, "Li Luo, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to help you with anything."

Li Luo was taken aback, then shook his head and said, "You've already helped me a great deal. If it weren't for you, why would Madam Fish be willing to lend a hand? In the past, the many materials needed for the development of House Luolan Mansion were all provided with great convenience by the Golden Dragon Treasure House because of you."

Lv Qing'er shook her head and said, "My strength is too weak. If I were a Marquis-tier powerhouse, I could stand by your side and help you."

"Actually, I feel that after entering the Sacred Mystic Star Academy, I've become too relaxed."

"I won't be like this anymore in the future."

She seemed to be muttering to herself, and finally took a deep breath. Under the lamplight, she was fair-skinned and elegant, like a being of jade.

"Li Luo, take care. The Inner Shenzhou is full of outstanding talents, but I believe that no matter where you are, you will shine with your brilliance. I look forward to the day your name resounds throughout the Inner Shenzhou."

When her words fell, without waiting for Li Luo's reply, she turned and walked down the steps, heading straight for a carriage from the Golden Dragon Treasure House that had been waiting at the door for a long time.

The carriage set off, traveling along the street and gradually disappearing into the night.

Li Luo watched the carriage depart into the distance, stood still for a long while, then softly said.

"Take care, Qing'er."

May we meet again, and you will still be as fair and lovely as ice and snow, with an unrivaled beauty.