The chilling feeling continued to pulse out periodically from behind the ancient wooden door, putting fear into the students’ hearts.
A fear of the unknown.
As the door opened, Su Xin shouted her commands. “Besides the Violet Vibrance mentors tasked to protect the school, the rest will follow me in now.
“Students, sort out the pairings amongst yourselves.”
Streaks of resonant power shot forward, hovering in front of the door to the Umbra Cave.
These were the Violet Vibrance mentors, a formidable force commanded by the school.
“I’m going in too,” Chi Chan said to her squad. “Find a Three Star squad willing to pair with you. They will instruct you on the specifics of what to do inside.”
They could hear the concern in her voice, even though they could not see her expression behind the veil.
“I hope to come back and see you three safe.”
“You take care too, Mentor.”
She inclined her head and turned to join the others in front of the door.
And then the Violet Vibrance mentors disappeared through the gap.
“What a force…”
Li Luo marveled. These Violet Vibrance mentors were all Dukes. Seeing them move in force was an impressive sight. They could probably trample House Luolan’s special defensive wards without a second thought.
Such was the might of the Astral Sage College.
Vice Princ.i.p.al Su Xin herself entered, and now the students were left whispering amongst themselves.
The remaining mentors yelled for order. “All students, prepare! If you need to pair up, pick among yourselves now.”
They dissolved into a chaotic discussion.
Li Luo noted that the Four Star students remained above the uneasy mood. They quietly went about their preparations, their calm belying their experience in the Umbra Cave.
Still, the dangers of the Umbra Cave were not merely overcome with experience. Each purging mission saw casualties—both death and injuries. Once they entered, it was almost certain the same number of people would not be coming out.
Unlike the first years, the Four Star Hall students were already used to the casualties. Neither expulsion nor entering the Umbra Cave was an inviting option, but by their fourth year, many students had come to silently accept this deadly responsibility.
After all, they had all developed some sort of affection for the Astral Sage College after their years of cultivation here.
“Leader, are we going to go find a Three Star Hall team?” Bai Mengmeng asked anxiously.
From what Vice Princ.i.p.al Su Xin had said, a team as green as theirs would be much safer with a stronger Three Star squad.
All of the other Violet Vibrance squads were heading over to the Three Star Hall students.
The senior students were avoiding them scrupulously. Of course they would rather pair with the Two Star squads, even if the other option was the champion of the One Star Hall…
The additional responsibility of protecting new students was a very tiring one.
Of course, mentors were clarifying the additional rewards for successfully bringing back a newcomer team. It was making some of the Three Star squads reconsider.
Still, the truly elite Three Star squads did not care about such small handouts. As long as they had a free hand to do their culling in the Umbra Cave, they would earn points galore.
Burdens? No thank you.
The first year Violet Vibrance squads were hitting walls everywhere. They might well be the biggest fish of their One Star pond, but here they were small fry.
“Leader, the Three Star Hall students are ignoring us.” Bai Mengmeng fretted. Still, it was understandable. No One Star team had ever entered the Umbra Cave before.
Li Luo shrugged with uncertainty. Jiang Qing’e had said that she would take them, but back then he hadn’t understood the immensity of the danger… He didn’t want to drag Jiang Qing’e down. He would rather just chill at the entrance or something.
Get a little experience, even if he had to forgo the points.
Suddenly, a wide swath opened up in the Three Star Hall crowd. Jiang Qing’e’s sylph-like figure strode out.
Behind her, her two irate teammates.
She walked straight towards Li Luo.
“Senior Jiang.” A voice cut in. “For this purging mission, how about our Nature’s Cauldron Squad joins you?”
She paused, turning to see a Two Star squad stepping out into her way. The speaker was none other than Ye Qiuding.
He smiled with confidence. “Senior Jiang, we have worked with you together before. We understand each other well, and I don’t think we’ll let you down if we team up.”
He looked behind Jiang Qing’e with another confident pump of his eyebrows. “Senior Qiu? Senior Tian? What do you say?”
Qiu Bai and Tian Tian shrugged noncommittally. They would have been pretty happy with Nature’s Cauldron Squad, but their leader was too strong.
“Leader, do you wanna reconsider? Ye Qiuding’s squad would be a welcome addition for any Three Star squad. Li Luo and the others are getting into the Umbra Cave for the first time. It’s not necessary for them to follow us, actually. It might actually be more dangerous for them,” Qiu Bai said in a low voice.
According to the school rules, the Three Star squads only needed to take a junior squad, but not necessarily a One Star squad. It made sense to choose a Two Star squad that could actually help them out.
Jiang Qing’e just shook her head slightly, her golden eyes not even flicking an inch in his direction.
Li Luo needed a mountain of points for Royal Sap. He had no time to gain experience only in the Umbra Cave. 100,000 points. No risk, no reward.
With her, at least things would be in her control.
Maybe it wasn’t too fair to her two teammates, but Jiang Qing’e had sworn that she would cover their weaknesses with her own strength.
Jiang Qing’e shook her head again. “Sorry. Given your squad’s strength, I’m sure there are better squads out there to take you.”
She was already gone by the time her words were out, striding straight up to Li Luo and taking him by the wrist.
“You. And your squad. You’re coming with us.”
Bai Mengmeng and Xin Fu thought she was the coolest thing they had ever seen.
The Three Star Hall students stood in awe. And confusion.
Jiang Qing’e? Choosing a newcomer team?
Life was strange indeed.