Chapter 0390: Woodearth Evolution

When the third absinthe puppet faded away into green mist, Li Luo, Qin Zhulu, Lu Qing'er, and Xin Fu all plopped down to the floor, completely spent. They exchanged excited and tired smiles.

They had overcome all expectations and beaten level 40 first!

A result that would make anybody doubt their eyes.

This was going to be a huge feather in their cap once word got out. The Two Star Hall students would not dare to assume any superiority over them just because they were seniors; they would probably be a lot more humble after this.

A brief minute after Li Luo's side won, Wang Hejiu's side finished up their battle as well.

But there was no celebration for them—they knew that they had lost this race.

Since Li Luo's alliance had beaten level 40 first, they would get the full amount—far more absinthe energy than second place would.

Wang Hejiu and Duze Beixuan kicked out at the ground in disgust and anger. They had paid a heavy price and even endured the insults of their peers, all to secure the help of Ye Qiuding's squad to beat level 40 first and indulge in the bonanza of absinthe energy that awaited the winner. But now all that abuse was for nothing.

Like going for wool and coming back shorn.

They were completely devastated, and Ye Qiuding was equally aghast. Although their loss here did not affect them too much, they had trashed the reputation of the entire Two Star Hall. Their peers would definitely hate them for it. Why would you stick your nose in other halls' business if you couldn't handle it?

"F*ck!" Ye Qiuding swore colorfully. He had already lost much of his reputation after the fiasco that was the Umbra Cave. After this, he would be the fool of the Two Star Hall.

Li Luo was really a f*cking demon!

On the other side, the f*cking demon was busy high-fiving his friends and enjoying their much-anticipated rewards of absinthe energy.

After the three advanced absinthe puppet corpses faded away, the absinthe energy rained down upon them, thick columns of pure energy that encompassed them within.

Li Luo and the others sat in the lotus position, allowing the absinthe energy to wash over them.

Even split between the two squads, the energy was plentiful for all of them.

Soon enough, their bodies were teeming with energy.

Li Luo was busy filling his two resonance palaces to the brim with the powerful and pure energy. Soon enough, both his resonance seeds were shining and full.

The five patterns on his resonance seeds were already as bright as could be.

Both of them glimmered and shimmered, as if on the verge of transformation. And yet... not yet.

Li Luo still could not reach the breakthrough.

He did not fret. Instead, he started to try other methods. He put the absinthe energy equally into both his resonant palaces, trying to get them to trigger the evolution at the same time to get him into the Evolving Resonance Tier.

So far, he had underestimated the tremendous amount of energy he needed to fill two seeds.

The ticket match was nearing. If he wanted to represent One Star Hall, he had better haul his ass over to the Evolving Resonance Tier. Even if he failed, he could still fight his way there, of course... But sometimes, cultivation level spoke loudest.

Best to get this breakthrough here and now.

Li Luo hesitated no more and switched his energy direction—he plugged his waterlight resonance and sent all of the energy towards his woodearth resonance.

Li Luo's new plan was to first get his woodearth resonance to the limit. Since the resonance grade was lower, it would require less energy.

And once the woodearth resonance evolved, he would be in the Evolving Resonance Tier. Even if the evolution was not complete, he should be able to bring his waterlight resonance through sooner rather than later.

Wave after wave of absinthe energy.

They flowed into his brownish-green resonance seed, flushing it with energy until it was shining like a star.

Li Luo could feel that it was on the verge of bursting, unable to take any more energy.

He did not stop, continuing to force feed more energy in. More. More.

Soon enough, his woodearth resonance seed was quivering, the patterns on its surface spreading like lava overflowing from a volcano.

Li Luo knew that the limit had been reached.

Crack!

He heard something breaking apart, and Li Luo instinctively felt his woodearth resonance seed give way.

He was not alarmed, but instead triumphant.

This had to be the evolution.

More and more cracks started to appear along the patterns of the seed, then an emerald-green resonant power oozed out.

Slowly, the resonant power formed a little sapling of jade.

Its roots were planted firmly in the resonance seed. It laid down more and more, until the entire seed was covered with the roots.

Roots digging deep, the sapling grew into a tree that replaced the resonance seed, silently taking its place in the resonant palace.

This was an affinity evolution—no longer raw, shapeless power, but a manifested symbol of the element.

Basically all wood resonances grew trees. For the Duke experts, their wood resonant power manifested as an entire forest, so bountiful was their power.

Li Luo only had one handsome, little tree for now, but there was an additional patch of brown dirt at the base of the tree.

The dirt was also glowing with life.

Li Luo knew that the tree was the manifestation of his wood resonance, while the dirt was the manifestation of his earth resonance.

His woodearth resonance's manifestation might look similar to other wood resonance users, but the little patch of dirt could not be underestimated. It was a base for his tree to grow even stronger, making it more difficult to uproot.

Within his resonant palace, the little tree swayed happily.

As it swayed, resonant power fell from its leaves, and the resonant power... it was even stronger than that which came from his waterlight resonance, even though the latter had the higher grade.

Such was the power of the Evolving Resonance Tier.

Of course, strictly speaking, it was his woodearth resonance that had kicked him over the line...

Li Luo sighed with relief. In the end, the copious amount of absinthe energy from level 40 had managed to get him over the line.

Although his dual resonances had allowed him to enjoy some ridiculous advantages in battle, it sure was a pain in the ass to upgrade.

Still, the hard part was over now.

[TN: The last member of the Duze Beixuan-Wang Hejiu squad is a girl called Qi Luozi. She had some vine resonant power and has been completely forgotten by the author...]