Chapter 1098: Feng Lingyuan
Chapter 1098: Feng Lingyuan
Li Luo no longer wanted to look for someone from the Heavenly Star Hall to form a team with. However, Jiang Wanyu was stubborn and had made a promise, so she naturally had to follow through. Li Luo had no choice but to helplessly follow her with a rather demoralized line of people and Zong Sha in tow to look for the second seat of the Upper Hall.
They went straight to a small building that appeared to be a bit secluded. The door was wide open, so Jiang Wanyu went straight in.
The group traveled through the winding paths and secluded gravel paths until the view in front of them started to widen. A rockery appeared in their line of sight, and below it was a pool that radiated an intensely frigid energy. Someone stared at them from within a stone pavilion beside the icy pool.
Li Luo cast his gaze over to see that it was a woman garbed in mysterious clothes. She was svelte and slender, with hints of her pale skin peeping through her outfit. She wore a dark crimson mask that was engraved with shimmering arcane patterns, obscuring her eyes and forehead from view. Li Luo also felt a powerful pressure, one much stronger than the other students he had seen before.
The woman in front of him was apparently the second seat of the Upper Hall, Feng Lingyuan.
"Wanyu, why are you looking for me?" Feng Lingyuan glared at the line of people funneling into the area, her eyes cold as she spoke.
Jiang Wanyu was unperturbed at her attitude, having long been accustomed to her aloofness. She stepped forward and smiled. "Senior Sister Lingyuan, do you have a team for the mission yet?"
Feng Lingyuan didn't answer immediately, but glanced at Li Luo behind Jiang Wanyu and said indifferently, "You're here to find a team for Li Luo, right? Haven't you had enough of being rejected over and over?"
She knew about Jiang Wanyu's previous encounters, and it was obvious that she had quite a few eyes in the college.
Jiang Wanyu wasn't surprised and replied, "It seems like Hall Chief Wu Changkong has targeted him, so I simply brought him to you. After all, you're the only one that doesn't care about Wu Changkong's warnings."
Even when faced with Jiang Wanyu's praise, the eyes under the mask did not budge. They looked as deep as the bottomless pool next to her. She coldly retorted, "It's true that I don't care about Wu Changkong's warnings, but then why would I bother to make enemies with him for the sake of an unwilling person? It's not like he's someone to be messed with."
"Senior Lingyuan, although Li Luo is only from the Three Star Hall, I'm confident that he's stronger than some of the students in the Heavenly Star Hall. I'm sure you've heard of the results of the academic evaluation. He has strong potential and means; I've witnessed them in the Spiritual Resonance Cave myself, so he's definitely a qualified teammate." Jiang Wanyu tried her best to persude her.
Jiang Wanyu was quite familiar with Feng Lingyuan as they had carried out missions together in the past. She knew very well that Feng Lingyuan was the type of person who was rather antisocial and prioritized her own self-interest. She wasn't the type to meddle with other people's goals, but she also wouldn't allow others to affect her interests in the slightest. To put it mildly, she was a little bit stingy with every penny.
Feng Lingyuan stared at Jiang Wanyu and said, "I need to obtain three A Merits in the mission so I can redeem the Duke Art of my choice. I've been in the Heavenly Star Hall for a few years now, and this mission may be my last one."
Jiang Wanyu secretly smacked her lips. The Heavenly Origin Ancient College's mission system was divided into four grades: A, B, C, and D. Feng Lingyuan needed to complete three of the most difficult missions to earn three A Merits, and with this upcoming mission having extraordinary circumstances, A MeritS were bound to be even more difficult to earn.
"If that's your goal, I think that's even more reason to choose Li Luo. He will definitely be a surprise when the time comes," Jiang Wanyu said.
"I naturally know that the leader of this generation of the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li isn't weak," Feng Lingyuan said as her eyes finally turned towards Li Luo, who remained silent.
Ultimately, she still shook her head. "But... He has brought too many snakes with him. If he could get rid of those tails, then I would consider it."
Hearing Feng Lingyuan's words, Lu Ming, Jing Taixu, and Sun Dasheng all struggled to hold back their anger, especially Jing Taixu, who had always been arrogant. His face was extremely dark as he thought to himself that this trip to the Heavenly Origin Ancient College had dealt several blows to his confidence.
After some consideration, Lu Ming sighed lightly. She knew that Feng Lingyuan was right. Relative to Li Luo, the three of them were indeed a little useless.
"Li Luo..." Lu Ming started in a low voice.
However, before she could finish her sentence. Li Luo had already waved his hand while smiling at Feng Lingyuan. "I am thankful for your consideration. I actually don't have too much ambition in this mission, so I think it's better to forget about it."
It would have been fine if he hadn't agreed to team up with Lu Ming and the others before, but since it was already decided, he naturally didn't have the intention to suddenly give them up.
Hearing Li Luo's choice, Feng Lingyuan's eyes didn't change in the slightest and she just nodded casually.
Jiang Wanyu wanted to say something when she saw this, but she could only sigh helplessly in the end. It seemed to be an unresolvable situation as Li Luo didn't want to give up on his friends and Feng Lingyuan didn't want to bring them along with her.
But she also understood that Feng Lingyuan had only refused for purely practical reasons, because the only thing the Three Star Hall students would be good for in the mobilization mission other than acting as backup supports was to be energy packs.
Li Luo flashed a gentle smile at Jiang Wanyu and said rather apologetically, "Wanyu, I've really troubled you today."
Although he had only been met with rejection along the way, Jiang Wanyu had done her duty faithfully, which caused Li Luo's favor towards her to skyrocket.
Jiang Wanyu shook her head. She had the intention of maintaining good relations with Li Luo, but she did not expect such a result.
Lu Ming was a bit downcast and frustrated. "Li Luo, I'm really sorry. We're the ones who dragged you down. If we had known, we would have just found a random team to join up with."
Jing Taixu added, "You should just go and find your own team, Li Luo."
Li Luo smiled and shook his head. His main objective was to meet Jiang Qing'e. He would still have to find her before thinking of earning any merits.
Lu Jinci, who was beside them sighed and said, "If only Jiang Qing'e were here; we wouldn't need anyone else with the both of you teaming up."
The impression that Jiang Qing'e had left on Lu Jinci at the Holy Grail Meet was deep.
Li Luo smiled, but he did not reveal that his main objective of joining the mission was to find Jiang Qing'e.
"Let's go," Li Luo said to the crowd.
"Wait."
It was at this moment that Feng Lingyuan suddenly spoke, and the crowd couldn't help but cast puzzled gazes at her.
Feng Lingyuan gazed at Lu Jinci and said, "Did you just say... Jiang Qing'e?"
Lu Jinci nodded blankly.
"Jiang Qing'e from the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College?" Feng Lingyuan asked.
Lu Jinci didn't know how to answer at this time because all he knew was Jiang Qing'e of the Astral Sage College.
"Senior Feng, do you know her?" Li Luo replied quizzically.
"The Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College's newest peerless heavenly pride, carrying dual ninth-grade light resonances. In just a year's time, she ascended all the way into the top ten seats of the Heavenly Star Hall, breaking the records of the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College. She hasn't dueled anyone since entering the top ten four months ago, and everyone suspects that she's qualified to be one of the top three now. "
Feng Lingyuan's eyes finally changed.
"And their peerless heavenly pride is called Jiang Qing'e."
Lu Jinci and the others were filled with shock, then they swallowed back mouthfuls of saliva before muttering, "The Jiang Qing'e that we know of only has a single ninth-grade light resonance, so it might just be a coincidence..."
Li Luo smiled at them at this moment and said, "She did end up going to the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College. The person that senior Feng is talking about is indeed her."
Lu Jinci was dazed and disoriented. Jiang Qing'e was certainly strong and stunning, but there was always a sense that she was within reach if he chased hard enough. But now dual ninth-grade light resonances were simply too intimidating.
Feng Lingyuan stared at Li Luo and asked with some surprise, "What is your relationship with Jiang Qing'e?"
Li Luo thought about it but didn't try to hide it. "She is my fiancée."
Though they kind of had broken off the engagement.
When he uttered that sentence, Feng Lingyuan's cold and unflinching eyes finally widened in shock as she stared at Li Luo with disbelief.
"Fiancée?!"