The Tree of Resonant Power was as majestic as ever, its crown an entire canopy of its own that sheltered the school. And in its shade, Li Luo met Yu Lang again for the first time in a month.
The latter was looking up at the leaves and sunlight pensively. The wind blew his hair away from his face, leaving his melancholy bare for the world to see.
“What are you looking at?” Li Luo said, walking beside him and looking up curiously.
Yu Lang did not reply, continuing to look up.
Li Luo felt like something was not right, and tilted Yu Lang’s head back down. Li Luo saw that his friend’s eye was badly bruised, as though he had been given a solid punch in the face. “Who would do that to my big brother Yu Lang?!” he yelled.
Yu Lang waved him to silence. “Not so loud,” he said almost embarra.s.sedly.
He looked sidelong to where Bai Mengmeng was standing with Bai Doudou. “Leader thinks I haven’t been improving much lately. She’s been giving me some tough love. These are marks of her whipping me into shape.”
“So that’s what all this moody acting is about,” Li Luo grumbled.
Yu Lang coughed and puffed up his chest. “Thanks to the love of my leader, I’ve already reached First Pattern.”
“You’ve changed,” Li Luo sighed, shaking his head. “You’re no longer that arrogant Yu Lang of the past.”
“F*ck, if you were beaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, you’d lose your appet.i.te for arrogance too,” Yu Lang said tearfully.
Li Luo clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s for the best,” he said encouragingly. “Next time you’ll be better at surviving. You’re a Violet Vibrance student too, so I’m sure you’ll take part in the Holy Grail Meet. You’ll know how important it is to be strong then.”
Yu Lang looked quizzically at him. “I wouldn’t give two sh*ts about Holy Grail Meet. And even if I was entered, I’d just go there to get by. As if the school would expect any glory out of me.”
Li Luo smiled mysteriously at him.
Yu Lang felt a cold chill run down his spine. “Li Luo. Have you done something that you should apologize for?”
“My brother, you are as dear to me as an arm or leg,” Li Luo said piously. “What would I ever do to you?”
“Hey!” Yu Lang shouted. “That used to be my line!”
The friendly bicker broke out almost immediately, and was interrupted a while later when Bai Doudou came up to them, holding Bai Mengmeng’s hand. “Li Luo,” she said gratefully, “thank you.”
Li Luo looked at Bai Mengmeng’s red eyes and guessed that it was for restoring her sense of taste. He waved easily. “It’s nothing much. Mengmeng helped me a lot as well. This was just what I promised her in return.”
“No, I owe you one,” Bai Doudou said seriously. “If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll repay you.”
She turned and left, tugging Bai Mengmeng along by the hand.
Yu Lang stared at him in astonishment. “Li Luo, what on earth did you do? How did you make that old tigress into such a warm little kitty?” “I just helped Mengmeng solve a little problem of hers,” Li Luo shrugged. “Hey, you heard it, Bai Doudou owes me one. Shall I tell her to beat you up a little less?”
Yu Lang perked up, then quickly deflated. “Ah forget it. It’s for my own good anyway.”
“Are you in love with the beater?” Li Luo asked, looking at him strangely. “Do you think I, Yu Lang, am that sort of person?! I, I have the hardest bones in the whole of Astral Sage College! The whole school knows that!” Li Luo rubbed his chin. “Do you think my good looks will work on Bai Doudou, you think?”
“Li Luo, you’re too ignorant. You might be just slightly more handsome than I am, but none of that will work on Bai Doudou. She’s not that superficial.” Yu Lang laughed. He had no idea what Li Luo was getting at, but for the moment he seemed back on solid ground.
“My charisma, my talent, and my efforts… I think they’re much more outstanding than yours though…” Li Luo continued.
Yu Lang’s face changed. “Alright, brother Luo. I admit that you are handsome. So there’s no point going for that fis.h.!.+”
Li Luo gave him another hearty slap on the back. “Yu Lang,” he said, amused. “I didn’t know that you liked that type…”
He really was in love with the beater.
Yu Lang’s internal struggle continued on for a bit. “I’m not, I actually like the soft and cute type…” he mumbled as a final protest.
“Forget the cotton candies,” Li Luo advised him. “Bai Doudou is a headstrong one. She might not be opposed to you at the moment, but still far from actually being fond of you. Best work hard and look ahead.”
Yu Lang considered this for a moment. “Hey, Bai Doudou can’t be more headstrong than senior Jiang, right? Teach me, brother Luo – how are you hooking up with so many girls even with a fiance like that?” Li Luo glared at him. “Friend, you can eat sh*t if you so please, but talking sh*t will get you punched. I only make honest friends.h.i.+ps.”
Yu Lang was about to reply when a familiar voice interrupted them from behind. “What are you guys talking about? What hook ups?” Li Luo’s head whipped around with a wide, cheesy smile for Lu Qing’er. She was clad in Astral Sage College’s uniform today, custom-made to a flattering cut for her pet.i.te frame. She was also in her signature white lace socks. “Yu Lang said he wants to hook up with Bai Doudou,” Li Luo said without missing a beat. “He asked me to help him make a plan.”
Lu Qing’er was immediately interested. “You like Bai Doudou?”
Yu Lang stared at them, aghast and speechless. Finally he surrendered to Lu Qing’er’s curiosity and decided to run away.
“He always said that he liked the soft and cute type, but now he’s fonder and fonder of the one that beats him,” Li Luo chuckled.
Lu Qing’er c.o.c.ked her head. “Bai Doudou’s not a bad person. She treats him strictly, but it’s for his own good. Yu Lang probably senses that. But I think she does it because she’s the leader. Kindness out of interest in him as a partner? I doubt it’s that strong yet. If Yu Lang wants this, he’d better work hard.”
Li Luo agreed. Out of the many girls in One Star Hall, Bai Doudou might lose out to the greatest beauties like Lu Qing’er and Bai Mengmeng, but in terms of popularity, she was up there with them. Especially among the girls, Bai Doudou’s elan was highly respected.
With her refres.h.i.+ng candor and impressive abilities, many girls saw her as an idol.
“Oh, how’s it going on your end? I mean that Lin Suo…” Li Luo asked.
“Not paying attention to it,” Lu Qing’er laughed. “But given my mum’s personality, he probably won’t see the light of day ever again.”
Li Luo nodded without much sympathy. Lin Suo had made a vicious attempt on Lu Qing’er’s life and future. This was the price he paid.
As for the powers backing Lin Suo, that was none of his concern as well. He would leave Yu Hongxi to her own troubles.
At this time, the One Star Hall Violet Vibrance squads were all gathered. Li Luo spotted w.a.n.g Hejiu and Duze Beixuan looking warily at him. They had also heard the rumors that Li Luo had reached Fifth Pattern. He was ahead of them now.
Both were extremely disheartened by this news. When school had started, they had been overwhelming ahead of him.
Li Luo was not feeling very heartened himself. “Seems like the other students have been improving a lot as well. The legendary Golden Dragon Dao Fields might have brought Qin Zhulu and I to Fifth Pattern, but Bai Doudou, w.a.n.g Hejiu, and the others are pretty close behind still.”
“That’s because while we were in the Golden Dragon Dao Fields, the Violet Vibrance mentors were working hard on their students as well,” Lu Qing’er replied. “The Violet Vibrance students are important seeds that are nurtured with all the school’s resources. Astral Sage College’s cultivation resources cannot be underestimated.”
“Besides, I don’t think your estimation is accurate,” she continued with a smile. “From what I know, even w.a.n.g Hejiu only managed to reach Fourth Pattern just a few days ago. Which means that their resonant patterns are not as well marked as yours or Qin Zhulu’s. The dao-gold cultivation breakthrough gave us a full double breakthrough, cutting no corners. Which means that they’re early-Fourth Patterns, whereas you and Qin Zhulu are late-Fifth Patterns.”
Li Luo snorted. “There’s no such thing, though.”
“It’s just a way to visualize it. In any case, you and Qin Zhulu will definitely reach Evolving Resonance tier first, at this rate.”
“I hope so,” Li Luo said, as he looked up to see the Violet Vibrance mentors approaching.
Next, they were probably going to enter Angelwood Hollow… he was indeed curious to see how good this precious resource was, that Astral Sage College usually kept closely guarded.