Chapter 0452: A Weighty Send-Off
The atmosphere at the Astral Sage College had an unusual gravity to it the next day.
Students had gathered under the branches of the Tree of Resonant Power, noisy as a concert crowd.
All of them were watching the smaller group in front, a group that was fully kitted out and armed.
The group that would represent the Astral Sage College at the Holy Grail Meet.
At every level, it was an overwhelming majority of Violet Vibrance students.
Li Luo was standing with his One Star Hall peers, looking out at the sea of black-haired heads and feeling a bit like a king.
"I feel like my life's really taken off now." He heard someone sigh happily from beside him.
Li Luo looked over to see Yu Lang red in the face and looking blissful.
"How much did you drink?" Li Luo snorted.
"Li Luo," Yu Lang said loftily, "you best not get cocky. I think that I might well become the most brilliant student in the One Star Hall before the Holy Grail Meet ends. Not just the girls in our year, but all the older sisters in senior years will be throwing themselves at me.
"I will walk back into the Astral Sage College, arms wide open," Yu Lang said beatifically. "They chant my name. 'Yu Lang! Yu Lang!' They rush me. 'My herooooo~.
"I will open my mouth to thank them for the welcome, but they will seal it with a kiss. I will try to raise my hand to acknowledge their welcome, but they will press it to their brea-"
"Heroes," Li Luo interrupted, "invite enemies like flies to rotten meat. You think you can handle the assassination attempts, saboteurs, and plotting?"
Yu Lang puffed out his chest. "I can handle anything. I am fearless. That's what it means to be a hero! Ah, Li Luo, you don't know what sort of iron I've built into myself after a year of training. I can weather any storm!"
Li Luo gave him a big thumbs up. "You’ve truly matured. I believe you'll do great things at the Holy Grail Meet!"
Yu Lang's eyes narrowed. "Sounds like you're trying to trap me," he accused Li Luo rudely. "Somehow, that’s discouraging."
“Li Luo you black-hearted scorpion, I wouldn't trust you any further than I could throw you.”
While the two continued their strangely-paced conversation, the students around them were getting livelier. Soon, it was buzzing with so much excitement that even Li Luo and Yu Lang looked up, sensing that the top brass had come. True enough, Vice Principal Su Xin was seen in front of the crowd, the others in tow.
With the whole of the school management present, there was no doubt as to how important the Holy Grail Meet was to the Astral Sage College.
On the elevated platform, Vice Principal Su Xin took a step forward, and the crowd fell silent.
"Beloved students," she said in a warm voice that rang clearly out to the edges of the crowd. "Today, our delegation leaves for the Holy Grail Meet. This is the highest interschool competition in all of the East Divine Continent. I think everyone here understands how important it is... but there is one person best suited to impress that importance upon all of you."
The students began to whisper confusedly. Who else could there be but Vice Principal Su Xin?
Vice Principal Su Xin lifted a crystal ball in her hands, and it floated into the air, flattening out like a mirror of water. The sparkling surface dimmed until there was nothing but blackness reflected on its oval surface.
Li Luo felt a chill run down his spine. Black was black, and yet that particular shade of black seemed ominously familiar to him.
From the blackness, a person emerged in the lotus position, and soon he was clear enough for all the students to see properly.
A fresh-faced middle-aged man clad in green.
He was sitting alone in the absolute darkness like a bodhisattva, ready to piece the world back together with patience even if it fell apart.
The man Li Luo had seen in the Umbra Cave—Principal Pang Qianyuan!
"Who else..." he thought dryly to himself. There was no one else who Vice Principal Su Xin would accord that much respect to.
But because he had not been seen in school for many years, many students did not react to the appearance of their principal. However, even through the mirror they could sense his aura, so they knew that he was someone strong.
Vice Principal Su Xin spoke again. "Dear students, I think I had best introduce him... this is the Astral Sage College’s principal, Principal Pang Qianyuan."
Now the surprise and amazement started to come.
“Wow!”
The crowd exploded with excitement.
They were hopping up and down now, pointing and gesturing excitedly. Their principal was a legend, and now he was right before their eyes. Those who had just entered the Astral Sage College had never even seen him before.
He had become a mythical figure, only spoken of but never actually heard or seen. And now this god had come to speak to them!
It was said that this man was the only King Stage expert in the Xia Kingdom!
King Stage... an unattainably far goal for many students. He alone was a big part of the reason why the Astral Sage College was so highly respected in the Xia Kingdom!
Even through the mirror, this was the honest-to-goodness principal!
"Principal!"
"Principal!"
They took up an enthusiastic cheer.
It was not just the students who were over-excited—even the Silver Spark and Gold Gleam mentors were overwhelmed by his appearance.
This man was faith itself in the halls of the Astral Sage College.
The man's weathered face creased into a graceful smile. He lifted his arms and patted the air gently with his palms once.
Instant silence.
Everyone stared at him eagerly.
"I apologize that this is the only way I can meet everyone. I confess that I'm not a very responsible principal. I hope you can forgive me," he laughed.
Even his laugh had a warm, sonorous ring to it that put them all at ease.
"Before I knew it, four years had passed, and it's time for the Holy Grail Meet again.
"Ordinarily, I would not appear, because I have to be cautious of my surroundings at all times. But for the Holy Grail Meet, and the Holy Grail Meet alone... that is the day that I have been waiting for for all these years.
"Do you want to know why?" he asked seriously.
"Because I need the Dragon Bone Holy Grail. The Astral Sage College needs the Dragon Bone Holy Grail.
"Of course, it's not just us. Every single school in the East Divine Continent is thinking the same way...
"But that's not our concern. All I know is that many brilliant, young students like yourselves die in the Umbra Cave each year. Bright futures, innocent lives, snuffed out in the darkness of the Umbra Cave. Their bodies are forever buried there.
"Do you know how many we have lost over all these years?"
Pang Qianyuan closed his eyes in pain.
In the still silence, a gentle breeze rustled through the Tree of Resonant Power, and many students lifted their heads to look at the whispering leaves. Every leaf in the southwest portion of the tree's canopy was marked with a face and a name.
The students who had passed in the Umbra Cave.
The leaves increased in number each year.
The silence took on a melancholy pall.
Up till now, they had been obsessed with glory, but Pang Qianyuan had laid out the bloody reality before them. The glory and riches were merely a prize the school had set, blood gold that they priced accordingly.
Each time the Umbra Cave opened, some of them would not come back alive.
The Holy Grail Meet's winner could take the Dragon Bone Holy Grail, which meant it determined their fate.
They looked upon their representatives in a new light now.
Li Luo could feel it, all the hopes and gratitude radiating their way.
Even Yu Lang's usual, cheeky grin faded away now.
"Can we win the Dragon Bone Holy Grail?" he whispered to Li Luo.historical
"Who knows?" Li Luo shrugged.
Yu Lang screwed up his lip.
"Li Luo."
"Hmm?"
"If I can be of help to you in the Holy Grail Meet, in any way, no matter the outcome—even if you use me as bait, I'll do it!"
Li Luo blinked, a little embarrassed by Yu Lang's outburst.
And then he clapped him on the back and laughed heartily.
"What are you saying, Yu Lang? Would I treat a brother like that?!"