Chapter 174 Face-off

Li Xuantong.

When the name came out of Luo Li’s rosy little mouth, the originally noisy public square instantly became deathly silent. The expression of the surrounding Goddess Luo Association members became stiff before their eyes bulged out in fear and disbelief.

Li Xuantong? Heavenly Ranking’s Rank 2 Li Xuantong?

Gasp.

Everyone looked at each other in dismay before fiercely inhaling a mouthful of cold air. He truly is an influential figure among the students of Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, very different from these freshmen who recently arrived. He had stood at the top of countless students for a long time. Many even look at Li Xuantong with reverence and admiration.

This mysterious and elusive personage had unexpectedly appeared before their eyes?

Mu Chen stared attentively at this handsome, long-haired youth in front of him. Although he was startled by his counterpart’s identity, his eyes contained no reverence or fear but remained undisturbed.

“You really came to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.” Li Xuantong smiled faintly before his gaze flit across Mu Chen who was by Luo Li’s side, an unfathomable expression in his eyes.

Luo Li’s head gently nodded and then turned silent, having no intention of carrying on a conversation.

“You still have that temper or yours.” Li Xuantong was a little helpless as he smiled. His expression gradually became solemn as he watched Luo Li attentively and chided. “You should not have come here.”

“This is my business.” Luo Li replied as her fine eyebrows slightly knitted.

When the surrounding people heard their conversation, a look of suspicion appeared on their faces. There seem to be some history between Luo Li and Li Xuantong.

“Is that news true?” Li Xuantong pursed his lips and slowly continued. “I really didn’t expect that you would also have impulsive moments.”

Luo Li remained silent and slightly lowered her eyes, but her sparkling, glass-like eyes were still shining brightly. She had never regretted the things she had done.

“Is it because of him?” Li Xuantong said indifferently as his gaze finally rested on Mu Chen.

Luo Li’s eyes narrowed as she walked forward half a step to stand in front of Mu Chen, but a hand abruptly extended out to hold her tender, lily-white hands. She was slightly dazed when she saw Mu Chen shaking his head and smiling at her.

He is clearly not going to stand behind her in this situation and have her deal with this line of questioning. That’s not something a man can do.

Mu Chen held Luo Li’s lily-white hands and then looked toward Li Xuantong and said. “This Mu Chen greets Senior Li Xuantong.”

Li Xuantong acknowledged Mu Chen but did not speak; however, the students in the public square nevertheless could detect an oppressive aura slowly spread out from Li Xuantong’s body, causing the air flow in the public square to slow down.

Some of the students nearby could not help but step back before the stifling sensation in their heart slightly eased.

Mu Chen’s expression remained calm and his figure remained unmoving. Although Li Xuantong is giving him an oppressive sensation similar to a devastating tornado, he did not retreat back an inch.

That suffocating atmosphere emerged quickly and disappeared just as quick. But when that oppression dissipated, even Zhou Ling and the others felt a cold sweat running down their back and their hearts begin to tremble soon after. Just how strong is Li Xuantong? He did not even move and yet he had already exhausted their strength and their fighting spirit.

Li Xuantong’s eyes suffused with a faint light as he looked at Mu Chen and said. “If you didn’t take action just now, I would have lost any interest in talking to you.”

“It was my pleasure.” Mu Chen gave a noncommittal smile. This Li Xuantong seems like a mischievous person but actually have a penetrating-to-the-bones sense of pride. His abilities also possesses this unyielding quality.

“However,” Li Xuantong slowly withdrawn his gaze and continued, “For your own good and also her own good, you had better leave her.”

A chill suddenly flit across Luo Li’s clear glass-like eyes. She wanted to speak but Mu Chen dissuaded her. He gazed at Li Xuantong, smiled, and said. “This request, I’m afraid that you will have to forgive me for not obliging. You treat me as if I’m chasing something too great for me. I know that it will be very difficult and maybe I will be beaten black and blue, but...”

He held Luo Li’s penetratingly ice-cold but exceedingly tender and lovely hands before smiling. “Some things are worth pursuing. Even if this road will be difficult, I will still continue walking.”

Li Xuantong creased his brows and slowly said in a cold voice. “You don’t have the slightest idea what burden she has to bear. This world has never been fair and that is why she can never be like ordinary girls.”

“Her coming to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy should be because of you. Did you know that time is extremely precious to her? So much precious time was squandered because of you. You indulge in the time you spend together with her, but did you even know what kind of price she had to pay in return?”

“Your conduct is what one would consider as selfish and nothing more.”

Li Xuantong sneered. “So you do not deserve her.”

Mu Chen wrinkled his brows at this time. He could feel the delicate hand in his grasp gradually becoming colder as he asked. "What do you mean?”

“In order to gain her freedom these past two years, she had to pay a heavy price.” Anger and heartache flashed in the depths of Li Xuantong’s eyes as he solemnly answered.

Zing!

Before his voice died out, the sharp and clear sound of a sword unsheathing suddenly echoed out. All of the Spiritual Aura in the area seems to frantically fluctuate at this time

An indescribable sword light soared up toward the sky and blossomed into a flower before everyone’s eyes. Soon after, Luo Li already appeared in front of Li Xuantong unsheathing a black colored long sword. Right when the sword left the scabbard, the sword point that is reflecting an incandescent sword light halted in front of Li Xuantong. The sword point was still trembling and appeared to even cut apart the empty air.

“Li Xuantong, although we can be considered friends, you are interfering too much in my business. I don’t want to fight you so don’t force me.” An icy aura rushed forth from Luo Li’s clear glass-like eyes, her voice penetratingly cold.

Li Xuantong looked at the trembling sword point in front of him but did not move as he stared at the young girl’s delicate complexion. This is the first time in all the years he had known her that he had seen her get this angry, and to defend a man no less.

But that man was not him.

An imperceptible darkness swept past Li Xuantong’s eyes before he slowly said. “For him, is it worth it? Your situation, you understand what will happen if this continues.”

Luo Li looked at Li Xuantong wordlessly as she lightly nodded her charming and delicate chin. A soft look appeared in the depths of her clear glass-like eyes. She did not care if it was worth it or not. She only knows that since he appeared, her previously colorless world had become full of life. What she had once thought was just dull and dry cultivation had now become a source of hope and anticipation.

She knows that when they are together, she was able to gently laugh.

Mu Chen pursed his lips and walked forward unhurriedly. Placing his fingers upon the sword, he pressed it down while looking over at Li Xuantong. “Senior Li Xuantong, I do not know what kind of compromise she had to make to come here, but when she told me in the Spiritual Road that she wants to stand by my side and even blocked a cold arrow for me, I knew that I will stand by her side in the same way that she will stand by mine, no matter what may come.”

Li Xuantong stared indifferently at Mu Chen, shaking his head and said. “I can’t agree with you right now. What qualifications do you have to stand in front of her and take on her burden? Those things are still too far from you.”

“So I’ll become strong.” An unwavering and persistent smile appeared on the young and handsome face. He may not be strong enough right now, but he believes there will be a day that he will possess the qualification.

“Confidence is a good thing, but the reality is crueler than you think.”

Li Xuantong frowned as he stared at Mu Chen and said. “I won’t change my mind because of your words. In my eyes, you do not deserve her so I will stop you.”

“In that case.” Mu Chen smiled, his black eyes gradually becoming chilly. “Then I will have to defeat you senior, so that you will not casually interfere again. ”

“You are too arrogant.”

Li Xuantong faintly smiled and said. “But like I said, you currently do not have the qualification. If you want to challenge me, at the minimum wait until you are able to become the number one freshman. If you can’t even accomplish this much, you don’t need to challenge me. I can’t afford to lose this person.”

Luo Li’s icy cold eyes stared at Li Xuantong.

“Luo Li, this is a problem between men. At the very least, I have to commend his courage to challenge me. If he didn’t even have courage, I would have directly kick him out of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy even if that will make you angry at me. So this kind of challenge, you don’t have to get involved. If I can’t at least do this much, then how can I protect you?” Li Xuantong said as he looked at Luo Li’s eyes.

Mu Chen pulled Luo Li’s small hands as he stared at Li Xuantong and softly said. “Then I’ll have to ask senior for your patience, I’ll take your position on the Heavenly Ranking.”

Li Xuantong smiled indifferently and wordlessly waved at Luo Li before turning around and slowly walks away.

“I’ll attend the Freshman Competition tomorrow. I hope that your performance will be able to impress me. Luo Li’s insight should not disappoint me. Otherwise, I’m afraid that you will face extremely difficult situations from now on at Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.”