Chapter 188: Birthday

Li Luo managed to control himself.

After unceremoniously stuffing the little bottle into his pocket, he heard Jiang Qing'e pulling out her own badges.

"I'll have one too," she said.

The mentor repeated the extraction process, handing her another drop of Royal Sap.

Jiang Qing'e took it and casually passed it to Li Luo.

"That's all I can get with the points I just earned. Don't worry, we'll get more eventually. You still have time," she said.

Li Luo stared at it and shook his head quickly. "I can't. It must be very useful to you too."

Royal Sap couldn't even be bought outside, even if one had the cash to splurge. Since Jiang Qing'e was on the verge of reaching the Heavenly Dipper General Stage, she definitely needed Royal Sap desperately.

"I can earn points much faster. Besides, I hear the Umbra Cave is opening this year. That's the real source of points. Don't worry about me." She dismissed it.

"Alright, enough nattering, let's go." She shooed them away.

Yan Lingqing gave him a sickly sweet smile. "Are you overcome with gratitude?"

Li Luo sighed. "I would dedicate my body to her if only I were given a chance."

Yan Lingqing rolled her eyes. "In your dreams."

"Now let's go. The others look ready to swallow you whole, Royal Sap included," she pointed out.

Li Luo noticed that many students were cracking their knuckles ominously in his direction and eyeing his Royal Sap. They had never imagined that something so precious could just be given as a gift.

Li Luo's life was surely too sweet.

And it was a gift from Jiang Qing'e, no less!

The engagement was enough to stoke their jealousy to the maximum, but after witnessing her hand him the Royal Sap that had been bought with her hard-earned points...

They were surely going to go crazy.

Not just the students, but the mentor as well. He was a man too, and he was once an Astral Sage College student as well, so he understood what incredible fortune it was to have the favor of such a girl.

This Li Luo... had he saved the world or something in his past life?

Feeling the heated glares, Li Luo decided to bail with Yan Lingqing before their emotions got the better of them.

Out of the Bank of Points, Li Luo, Jiang Qing'e, and Yan Lingqing left the Astral Sage College, moving towards the vehicle prepared by House Luolan.

House Luolan's finest bodyguards flanked it.

Once out of the Astral Sage College, all safety measures were up to the individual. And it was always better to err on the side of caution.

In front of the House Luolan carriage was a busty figure in a skin-tight qipao. She was looking sexy enough to warrant the security detail even without Li Luo around.

Who else was it but Cai Wei?

She smiled when she saw the three, waving her fan at them.

They waved back.

Cai Wei first greeted Jiang Qing'e and Yan Lingqing, then turned to Li Luo with an impish smile. "Well, young lord, how is school treating you?"

"I just wanted to cultivate in peace," Li Luo said blandly. "But things happened and I ended up first place in the monthly battles."

"Wow! Congratulations."

"But also, can you also settle up the shortage of secret watersource? Suncreek Villa, both Tianshu and headquarters, have been chasing me daily." She said sweetly but firmly.

Li Luo shuddered. Damn, holidays had just started, and already she was planning to squeeze him dry?

"Sister Cai Wei, do not worry. I'll get it done." He replied.

"Young lord," she said coyly from behind her fan. "A young man like yourself should be firm and vigorous. You wouldn't be going limp on me, would you?"

"I'm not limp at all!" Li Luo said outraged.

Jiang Qing'e felt the conversation was derailing quickly, and intervened. "Enough teasing, Cai Wei."

"Aww, Qing'e's so caring." Cai Wei tittered.

Li Luo rolled his eyes. He looked around but Lu Qing'er was nowhere to be seen. Strange... didn't they agree to head off together?

"Looking for Lu Qing'er? She was waiting here for you, but the Golden Dragon Bank people came, and she had to leave first." Cai Wei said.

Li Luo nodded. "Well, let's be off too then."

They departed.

Far behind, there was a luxurious carriage with golden dragons painted on it. A beautiful matron in red was eyeing the young girl by her side.

"Qing'er, you wouldn't have fallen for that Li Luo, would you?" She asked.

Lu Qing'er carefully masked the jolt in her heart. "Mother, what are you on about? Li Luo and I are just friends. He helped me a lot back in Southwind Academy."

Yu Hongxi narrowed her eyes. "That kid attracts beauties like a harem. He's definitely a playboy. Stay away from him."

Lu Qing'er wasn't too happy about that. Wasn't she one of the girls around Li Luo as well?

"That's nothing to do with Li Luo. Cai Wei and Yan Lingqing are both Jiang Qing'e's friends, and they also work at House Luolan. It's normal, isn't it." She replied.

"Well, who knows."

"Li Taixuan was no good, and his son's definitely no good as well." Yu Hongxi said primly.

Lu Qing'er looked at her, astonished. "Mother... you liked Li Taixuan?" "And so what? Li Taixuan might be a rotten character, but he's very skilled. Back then there were many high-born girls chasing him."

Lu Qing'er pondered this. "And they all lost to Tan Tailan? Even a great beauty like you?" Yu Hongxi reached out an ungracious hand to pinch Lu Qing'er's cheek. "Making fun of your mother?"

Lu Qing'er laughed and hugged her. "I just find it unbelievable. You're beautiful and extremely capable. Xia Kingdom's Golden Dragon Bank is run so properly. The accounts are flawless."

Yu Hongxi was mollified. "Well, I just had a soft spot for Li Taixuan back in the day, that is all. There's nothing much to regret there. Besides, Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan came to Xia Kingdom together. If I had gotten to Li Taixuan earlier, she wouldn't have stood a chance."

"And what about mentor Cao Sheng from Astral Sage College?" Lu Qing'er suddenly asked. "Mother, you know that he took me as his student right?"

"An admirer who failed to woo me. He only reached a Duke because of my help as well. He tried to court me after that, but I rejected him. He was heartbroken and went to Astral Sage College to be a mentor. I've not met him for many years."

"He looks like a slovenly and coarse character, but is sensitive to even the slightest setback. Like a child."

Suddenly her mentor's reputation seemed to darken a little.

"But he's not a bad person, and I guess he has a good eye, since he took you in as a student. Otherwise I wouldn't even bother with him again." Yu Hongxi continued.

"If not for mentor Cao Sheng, a 7th-grade like me probably wouldn't have a Violet Vibrance mentor." Lu Qing'er said dully.

Yu Hongxi patted her head. "7th-grade? Your birthday's in a few days time. Mother here hasn't been stinting on the spirit liquids and purifying lights. By my calculations, your ice resonance should be close to the 8th-grade now."

Lu Qing'er perked up, pleased. "Really??"

Back in Tianshu, her 7th-grade resonance had been exceptional, but now at Astral Sage College, she was again a small fish in a big pond. It was hard to do anything amazing with it.

Lu Qing'er didn't mind too much, except that Li Luo was shooting far ahead now, and she didn't want to fall too far behind.

Besides, Jiang Qing'e was a 9th-grade!

"I've been giving you plenty of quality spirit liquids and purifying lights ever since your resonant palace was opened. It's no surprise that you're reaching the 8th-grade," Yu Hongxi said with a satisfied tone. "Also, it will be your birthday present."

Yu Hongxi was the anchor of Xia Kingdom's Golden Dragon Bank. The resources at her disposal eclipsed House Luolan's by far. And for her precious daughter, there was no expense too great.

"Thanks, mum!"

Lu Qing'er hugged her fiercely. Still, there was one last shred of hollowness in her eyes. What she really wanted to talk to her mother about was her father.

She only had vague impressions of him from when she was a child. Her father had left, and then there had been no more news. However, the proud Yu Hongxi had treated him as dead, and ignored him thereafter.

All these years, Lu Qing'er had never dared to press the issue. When she did, her mother would fly into a temper, and so finally she had buried the issue deep within her heart.

"Mother, can I invite friends for my birthday?" Lu Qing'er whispered into her ear.

"I bet it's Li Luo."

"He helped me a lot before! You can't be biased against him just because of what happened in your generation."

Yu Hongxi shook her head, bothered. She was tempted to refuse, but it was Lu Qing'er's birthday.

"As you wish."

She saw Lu Qing'er's face brighten, and her own mood darkened in response.

This was an ill wind that could not be encouraged.

Li Taixuan had broken her heart, and so be it. Was her daughter to suffer the same fate at his son's hands?