Chapter 304: Stoking the Fires

After the funerals were complete, the Violet Vibrance mentors took their leave, and the poignant mood gradually lifted.

Besides the first years like Li Luo, the other students had been through this at least once, so they could bounce back with resilience.

Many of them left already looking forward to their futures, discussing news and hauls from their Umbra Cave trip.

News about purified spot 13 spread to the others, with the names of Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e loud in the mix.

Everyone heard that they had been targeted by a Heavenly Disaster Class Other.

It was quite sensational news.

All the students knew how terrifying a Heavenly Disaster Class Other was. Being targeted by one could spell doom for the entire purified spot.

Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e hadn't even made it out of the courtyard before a figure broke in a run over to them.

"Li Luo, are you alright?"

Lu Qing'er had come looking for him the moment she heard the news.

Seeing her beautiful features tight with anxiety, Li Luo gave her a reassuring smile. "Healthy as can be, as you can see."

"Junior Qing'er is very concerned about Li Luo, I see," Jiang Qing'e stated.

Lu Qing'er met her eyes squarely. "I am always very concerned about my friends."

"And I am pleased to express gratitude for your concern on Li Luo's behalf."

"It's nothing," Lu Qing'er said with a thin smile.

Li Luo was getting the sense that there was something odd going on between the two, but Lu Qing'er strode away huffily before he could say anything.

Some Two Star Hall students watched the exchange.

"Li Luo, you're so much stronger now!" a loud, roaring voice called.

Qin Zhulu.

Li Luo smiled and nodded. "I’ve grown a little, I guess."

His eyes widened as he looked at Qin Zhulu properly. "You're... at Third Pattern too?"

He could sense that Qin Zhulu's resonant power was much stronger than before as well.

In fact, he felt that this guy was already at the limit of the Third Pattern, ready to break through to the Fourth Pattern at any time.

But that was not surprising. He was a Second Pattern back when Li Luo was still an Upper Flowering. Li Luo had managed to shorten the gap thanks to the onyx lake, but he hadn't fully closed it yet.

"He went to hunt white eroders by himself all the time in the Umbra Cave. He almost died a few times," Lu Qing'er explained. She had lingered around when she saw her leader make his way over.

Li Luo bit his tongue. This guy was a lunatic. Even when Others were concerned.

"Li Luo, when can we fight? You're the only worthy opponent in One Star Hall now," Qin Zhulu said, his eyes burning bright with excitement.

Although Li Luo was strong before, the cultivation stage disparity had left him behind. But now Li Luo was also a Third Pattern. Their battle would be legendary.

He had long wanted to face dual resonances in battle.

Li Luo felt a little uneasy being stared at so hungrily by this beast of a man. "Er, some day, I'm sure."

Qin Zhulu was about to press him, but suddenly a loud wail came from behind.

"Li Luo! Oh, Li Luo! My goodest brother!"

Li Luo scowled as he turned to the familiar voice. "Are you crying?" he asked a sniveling Yu Lang.

Yu Lang wiped away his tears as he staggered towards Li Luo in relief. "My brother, I was worried to death when I heard you met a Heavenly Disaster Class Other."

He clapped Li Luo on the shoulder and then turned to Bai Mengmeng beside him. "Mengmeng, are you alright? Are you hurt? Do you need me to check your body?"

"..."

“Horny mongrel, are you even concerned about me at all?!”

Bai Mengmeng took one look at Yu Lang, then sidled away until Li Luo shielded her from him.

Yu Lang started to swing Li Luo around when another sharp voice cut in. "Out of the way."

He turned furiously, but then he shrank back when he saw Bai Doudou stomping over.

"So, er, you guys really met a Heavenly Disaster Class?"

Li Luo nodded.

"Since you're alive, then you must have been tenderly treated by Senior Jiang, eh?" he said with a knowing wink and nudge.

Li Luo ignored him.

"And I hear that you extorted a lot of Royal Sap. Are you short on it? Want me to lend you a bottle? But I have to say it first—you have to return it eventually. It's hard for me to get points as well," Yu Lang said.

Li Luo was surprised that word of his Royal Sap payments at the onyx lake had traveled so far. And how the hell had it become extortion?! He smiled and shook his head.

"Keep it for yourself. I have what I need." Yu Lang might be a loose sort of guy, but he was very loyal to his friends. A bottle of Royal Sap was 5,000 points. It might not be much to Li Luo, but it was probably Yu Lang's total savings so far in the last half a year.

Although the purification towers at purified spot 13 had all gone dark again because of the Heavenly Disaster Class Other, the school had not treated it as a failure, but awarded points according to the map records. Which meant that even without any additional rewards, Li Luo was flush with points.

Meanwhile, Bai Mengmeng had taken her little sister's hand, fussing over her. Her stomach dropped from fear when she initially heard that a Heavenly Disaster Class Other had appeared where her beloved sister was.

"Senior Jiang, many thanks to you," Bai Doudou said with deep feeling. Surely she was the reason that Bai Mengmeng and the others had returned safely.

Bai Mengmeng giggled. "Sis, Senior Jiang did a lot, but it was my leader who did the most. It was he who sealed the Heavenly Dipper General Class great spirit beast at the end as well."

Bai Doudou and Yu Lang almost fainted, while Lu Qing'er and Qin Zhulu looked at Li Luo with identical expressions.

Bai Mengmeng proudly told them the whole story. The reaction was predictable.

Li Luo had been the one to solve purified spot 13's crisis...?

Li Luo waved it away modestly. "I just did as I should. I might have risked my life, but for the lives of my peers, I was willing to do it.

"Besides, I think the school will acknowledge my contributions."

He gave Yu Lang a humongous elbow dig to the ribs. "Understood?"

"Understood fully, Boss," Yu Lang said without missing a beat. "The school will definitely reward you richly, as you should be. And if they don't, even humble bystanders like myself will get very angry. We would start protests and other things of that sort.

"I think this should be worth at least 30,000 points."

Li Luo coughed. "Dream bigger, young man."

"Er, 50,000 points?"

"Very conservative you are, young man."

Yu Lang stared at him. How greedy was this guy? Aren't you afraid the school will expel you for daylight robbery?

"100,000?!"

Li Luo nodded smugly, giving Yu Lang an approving nod. I'll leave this matter to you. Since he didn't know if the principal had passed on his request, he had to stoke the fires on his side as well.

Still, it was best that it wasn't him to do it personally. Which was where Yu Lang came in.

“My goodest brother, do this for me, and I'll treat you right in the future as well.”

After a quick, covert discussion with Yu Lang about the details, Li Luo looked up to see someone else calling out to him again.

This time it was Yan Lingqing.

Jiang Qing'e drew his attention. "Go to Lingqing first, there's news."

"What is it?"

"Aren't you concerned about how to expand the Suncreek Villa? Some of the higher grade resonance artificers are graduating this year..." She smiled.

Li Luo's eyes lit up.

The Astral Sage College's Resonance Artificers Hall had the best and brightest talents. Those that graduated each year would become prime targets. He had dreamed of snatching them up for a long time now.

With high-quality resonance artificers, the Suncreek Villa would be firmly set on the right track to fortune.

A stronger Suncreek Villa would mean a stronger House Luolan. Of course, this meant stronger defensive wards... which would be crucial when turbulence came to House Luolan in half a year's time.

This was an opportunity that could not be passed up.