There was only an hour left before the hall-level competition. Vice Principal Su Xin gathered the students for a final information consolidation.
Over at the One Star Hall side.
Everyone was looking at Yu Lang, as he was their representative scout. All the information was with him, and he had just finished exchanging information with the scouts from the other halls as well.
“Ahem.”
He coughed loudly, puffing up his chest. “Hearken-“
“No nonsense. Only information,” Bai Doudou interrupted him bluntly.
Yu Lang was devastated. She never let him have any fun… Cringing a little, he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. “Well, there’s a lot of information, but all of you are probably most worried about the elites to take note of.
“There’s a lot of fake information out there, but there’s a good consensus regarding the three hot favorites to take special note of.”
“Is Li Luo among them?” Lu Qing’er asked.
Yu Lang pursed his lips. “No. Li Luo is not among them. Student Li Luo, please reflect seriously on your shortcomings.”
“Leader just hides it well.” Bai Mengmeng twinkled.
Yu Lang wasn’t at all happy that all these girls were fawning over Li Luo. “Well,” he said irritatedly, “the three people are the Enlightened Sage College’s Jing Taixu, the Sacred Summit Sage College’s Sun Dasheng, and the Heavenly Inferno Sage College’s Lu Ming. My information suggests that all three are already at the Third Changing.
“These three are in a league of their own. If we encounter them and we’re alone, the wisest course of action would be to run. Heroics won’t work against them.”
Third Changing. Li Luo nodded to himself.
These three had surpassed all of them, himself included.
Li Luo had just reached the Second Changing, but it was worth mentioning that his woodearth resonance had managed to reach the sixth-grade recently.
Now he had a lower seventh-grade waterlight resonance and a sixth-grade woodearth resonance.
He probably had one of the best resonance advantages among the Second Changing students throughout the East Divine Continent. Jing Taixu and the others might be a level stronger than him, but it was thanks to the copious resources that their schools had showered them with. Of course, they had definitely earned it through their own merits within the system. The Holy Grail Meet was indeed something special. All the schools were going all out for it.
Plus, it seemed like the level was increasing from meet to meet as well. The current level with three Third Changing students was much higher than the past three iterations.
“Besides these three, I also compiled the information on the eight people that are most talked about. They can also be considered to have a good shot. Of course, there might still be more dark horses lurking around besides them…
“Treasure Sage College, Zang Mei, with an upper eighth-grade fire resonance. Second Changing.
“Thicket Sage College, Lu Qingmu, with an upper eighth-grade wood resonance.
“Lupine Sage College, Ao Fei, lower eighth-grade lightning wolf resonance.”
Yu Lang continued rattling off his list until he came to the last item. He paused.
He grinned, then he frowned. He hesitated, chewing his lip and thinking it over. He shrugged and was about to continue speaking, then he stopped again. Finally, he steeled himself and soldiered on.
“Astral Sage College…”
Lu Qing’er, Bai Mengmeng, and the others perked up.
“Astral Sage College, Yu Lang.”
What.
Bai Doudou rolled her eyes. “Yu Lang, this isn’t the time…”
He pulled a long face. “It really isn’t! This is what the findings are! Which son of a gun sabotaged me!?”
He showed them the paper. Indeed, “Astral Sage College, Yu Lang” was written on it.
But Yu Lang was the weakest of them. How had he made it into the list of experts?
They looked around, confused.
If not for the fact that the four halls had compiled the information together, they would have suspected Yu Lang of pranking them. But the information could be trusted. In the whispers and rumors going around the schools, Yu Lang’s name was on their minds. And these people would be constantly targeted from the starting gun.
For the strong ones, it was a real limiter on their strength. For a weak guy like Yu Lang? He would be crushed.
They could already see the scene in their minds: Yu Lang being buried alive and screaming for his mommy and daddy about five seconds into the competition.
Li Luo stepped forward with the innocent expression of a newborn. He clapped Yu Lang on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, my good brother,” Li Luo said with great sincerity.” I will protect you.”
Yu Lang was touched.
Truly a good brother he could count on.
Dong!
A loud bell sounded in their ears.
All discussions ceased.
Vice Principal Su Xin stood up. “The competition will start at any moment. All students, prepare.”
Five minutes later, when the energy vortex appeared at the moat outside their tower, the students were all neatly assembled and ready, assembled by hall.
“You have all the information you need regarding the hall-level competition,” Vice Principal Su Xin said. “Remember: strength in numbers. Fighting alone puts you at an unnecessary disadvantage. I think even the Enlightened Sage College’s Jing Taixu would be eliminated if he were to go up against two or three Violet Vibrance squads alone.
“Save your heroics for the second half at Dragonbone Island. That will be the time and place for it.
“Besides that, each hall will have a leader to oversee the entire strategy. All squads must listen to the leader.
“Li Luo, Zhu Xuan, Jiang Qing’e, Gong Shenjun. You four will take charge.”
They nodded.
Clapping her hands, beams of white light flew out to the students.
Li Luo looked at the two light spheres in front of him. One of them was a white gourd, glowing faintly. The other was a crystal compass.
“The anima gourd is used to collect anima dew. The crystal compass will guide you accordingly. It also marks all your locations as shining dots. You can confirm each other’s locations and act accordingly.”
Vice Principal Su Xin gave them a final, encouraging smile.
“Enough words… I look forward to seeing what all of you can do.”
Dong!
Another gong sounded out, signaling the beginning of the competition
“Enter as a squad, and you will be transported to your respective locations. Remember that your first goal should be to group up with each other.
“Go!”
The four hall leaders led the way. Li Luo looked back past Zhu Xuan to Jiang Qing’e, and they shared encouraging smiles.
Li Luo leaped in.
Xin Fu and Bai Mengmeng followed.
All around, students were leaping into energy vortexes, disappearing with flashes of light into the arena.
The Holy Grail Meet had finally begun for real.
