Chapter 405: Jiang Qing’e versus Zhao Huiyin
First battle of the Three Star Hall.
Jiang Qing’e versus Zhao Huiyin.
The matchup had been received with great interest by the two schools, and the students were all hyped up. This was perhaps even more antic.i.p.ated than for the Four Star Hall matches.
If nothing else, it was because both sides were sending their jewels out for a show.
In terms of strength, perhaps the two girls were not as strong as the First Princess, Gong Shenjun, Zhong Nan, or Liang Kui. But in terms of looks, they had them beat hands down.
On the viewing platform, a few of the elders were sitting up a bit straighter with their wizened backs. They were all watching Jiang Qing’e. Although Li Luo was formally the young lord of House Luolan, everyone knew that she had been the real heart and soul of House Luolan ever since Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan had disappeared.
And in her case, her strength was just as outstanding as her looks. She had carried House Luolan through turbulent times single-handedly, buying time for Li Luo to come into his strength.
With a ninth-grade light resonance, she was talent seen maybe once in a century. In a few years, she might well break Li Taixuan’s record for reaching Duke. At that time, House Luolan would rise to greatness again.
And now she was not alone. By her side, a new power in the form of Li Luo had emerged, with dual resonances. These two youngsters had House Luolan back on its feet. In some aspects, they had even started to overtake the era of Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan.
House Luolan was climbing daily, inexorably, a new sun in the morning sky.
Which… was not good news for the other houses.
“Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan are really blessed with such a disciple and son. House Luolan rises day by day. If the two of them return… hoho. House Luolan will be unstoppable,” Zhu Qinghuo said with a laugh that did not reach his eyes.
No one replied. Instead, their faces darkened as they read between the lines of his words.
The silence grew stiff, and it was Su Xin who replied, “Today is an important day for the Astral Sage College. That is why we are here today, and I would ask House Lord Zhu to refrain from bringing politics into it.”
“My mistake, Vice Princ.i.p.al. Please forgive me,” Zhu Qinghuo said hastily.
She nodded with a smile and said no more. She knew all too well the predatory designs that these schools had on House Luolan, and their heroine, Jiang Qing’e, who had saved the house. Jiang Qing’e, who had overwhelming potential—if not for how heavily the school valued her, grooming her for the Holy Grail Meet, someone would have secretly taken her down by now.
No one wanted to give a ninth-grade opponent time to mature.
But the Astral Sage College remained neutral in the house struggle. As long as Jiang Qing’e was with the school, these jealous forces were held in check, in fear of the wrath of the Astral Sage College itself.
Although the Astral Sage College could not extend such comprehensive protection to every student, they would go out of their way for the rare genius that they saw in Jiang Qing’e. She was an investment for them.
In the future, Jiang Qing’e would graduate, and her future was bright enough to see her leave the Xia Kingdom, and even the East Divine Continent. She would be a great power in the world. At that time, would she be grateful or hateful towards the Astral Sage College?
If not for the school’s need to remain more neutral, the Astral Sage College would have loved to put out the declaration loud and clear that they were backing Jiang Qing’e all the way.
Oblivious to the political dance happening on the platform, Jiang Qing’e was focused on her battle. Today she was clad in her usual outfit, navy shift and short battle skirt. She was no less beautiful for it.
Her ultimate weapon was her face, as if sculpted by the divine powers themselves. Arrange them into her usual, cool expression, and both guy and girl students alike were entranced.
“Jiang Qing’e!”
“Jiang Qing’e!”
They chanted her name enthusiastically when she stepped up. Her reputation and charm were all too evident in their adoration.
A figure in red walked up in front of her.
Zhao Huiyin.
She was a great beauty in her own right. In the Blue Abyss Sage College, she had her own fan club too. Red skirt cinched flatteringly around her hourgla.s.s waist, her figure spilled out voluptuously both above and below it.
Zhao Huiyin stood barefooted on a huge rock. “Oh, Qing’e, I’m afraid of pain,” she said coyly. “Please be gentle with me.”
“When you enter House Luolan, roughness will be unavoidable,” Jiang Qing’e replied casually. “Get used to it.”
Zhao Huiyin bit her lip. “I’m actually not that into Li Luo. If you become House Luolan’s lord though… I wouldn’t mind joining your house.”
The corner of Jiang Qing’e’s lip twitched. “Pity. I already promised Li Luo to take you down in this battle.”
Zhao Huiyin laughed. In the next moment, golden light burst from her body in spikes, and the rock she stood on was suddenly riddled with holes.
“Take me down, Qing’e? Try me.” She brandished a gleaming golden sword.
At the same time, the color of her skin started to fade away, becoming almost translucent. Her body looked like gla.s.s now, and the worldly natural energy could be seen circulating within her body.
At the moment, she looked less like flesh and blood temptation, and more like a priceless jewel.
“Wow!”
The crowd exclaimed in surprise.
This gla.s.sy appearance showed that Zhao Huiyin had surpa.s.sed the intermediate Fiend Body Tier, reaching the third and final Gla.s.s Fiend Tier of the Earth Fiend Stage. Zhao Huiyin dared to challenge Jiang Qing’e because she had the strength to back her words.