Jiang Qing'e choosing Li Luo's team was a shocking decision for the other students.

The Black Swan Squad was the strongest in the Three Star Hall. Each time they entered the Umbra Cave, they basically cleaned the most corruption, killed the most Others, and earned the most points.

For a squad of their caliber, it was all about efficiency.

An efficiency that would inevitably be hampered by a newcomer team, which would trip them up.

It was expected that the mid-level teams would be the ones accepting the newcomers. They were not strong enough to worry about efficiency, not weak enough to have no headroom to spare... A sweet spot where the trade off with the point reward was just about right.

Still, surprise turned to jealousy soon enough.

Jiang Qing'e, choosing to protect Li Luo.

To the point where she would give up a ton of points.

The purging missions in the Umbra Cave also ran according to a leaderboard. The first ranked team would always be showered with rewards.

In the past few purging missions, the Black Swan Squad had always dominated in the Three Star Hall. With a burden this time, the other squads smelled opportunity.

Which made the other Three Star squads happy enough with this arrangement.

"Lovey-dovey, aren't they?"

Duze Honglian sneered. Jiang Qing'e was really giving up a lot for Li Luo.

Still, it was all because she could completely thrash her two squad mates, quashing any dissent with sheer power.

"Nobility has its price, and for you it'll be the first place reward." She chuckled. Her younger brother, Duze Beixuan, was also involved in the purging mission, but she had not teamed up with him.

Firstly, she might be the leader of her group, but the power dynamic here was not so imbalanced that her whims could rule the squad.

Secondly, she wasn't that arrogant. Newcomers were weak, even if they were Violet Vibrance squads. They would definitely only slow down the Three Star Hall students.

The right way was for these newcomers to get familiar with the Umbra Cave in their own way. When they were stronger, it would be a pleasure to work with them… But until then, they should stay out of everyone else's way.

Jiang Qing'e ignored the crowd, pulling Li Luo along with her towards where the mentors stood, straight past the Four Star Hall students.

The First Princess had noticed this as well—she was always aware of Jiang Qing'e's movements.

"She is a little too sweet to Li Luo. But I wonder if the silver spoon in his mouth is really the best way to help him grow," Gong Shenjun remarked.

The First Princess' red phoenix eyes were thoughtful as she recalled how Li Luo had surprised them again and again at crucial times.

"Why do you think Li Luo will be a burden?"

Gong Shenjun started. "A Three Star squad's culling will definitely involve Disaster Class Others... You know the danger of that," he said with a disbelieving laugh. "Li Luo's only a First Pattern right? The gap is huge." 

"Perhaps." The First Princess smiled mysteriously.

Gong Shenjun looked at her again. For some reason, he felt like the First Princess had been paying special attention to Li Luo lately.

"Li Luo's handsome, but surely that's not it..."

 he thought to himself. If there was one thing that was certain about his royal younger sister, it was her ambition. Li Luo's dual resonances might be unique, but to her highly-set sights, they were merely above average.

There should not be anything going on between the two.

While Gong Shenjun pondered this, Jiang Qing'e had already led Li Luo's squad over to a mentor and registered them.

The mentor handed each of them a plaque of green wood.

Li Luo turned the greenwood plaque carefully in his hands. It was cool as ice to the touch, leaching the heat slowly away from his palms with a slight stinging feeling that was somehow comforting at the same time.

"This is made from the Tree of Resonant Power. It's called a greenwood comforter, and it will guard your heart against the corrupting influence of the Others. Wear it at all times in the Umbra Cave," Jiang Qing'e warned them.

Noob Li Luo, Noob Bai Mengmeng, and Noob Xin Fu nodded obediently.

"When in the Umbra Cave, we'll all be one team. Let's get to know each other," Jiang Qing'e said.

Li Luo looked over at Jiang Qing'e's squad mates, smiling respectfully. "Please take care of us inside, senior brother and sister."

Both Qiu Bai and Tian Tian kept their doubts to themselves. The matter was settled, and they had to commit to their leader's decision, for better or worse.

"Stick to us inside. Don't do anything crazy," Tian Tian said with a kind smile.

"We have time now. The Violet Vibrance mentors will probably take half a day to open the path before we are cleared to enter," Jiang Qing'e said.

Li Luo's squad nodded.

...

The chaos eventually began to settle, the One Star teams finding willing teams after some time.

There was one snag, however. The Two Star squad Fire Fairy Squad had approached Lu Qing'er, Qin Zhulu, and Yin Yue.

"Qing'er, how about our two squads team up? We're only in the Two Star Hall, so our mission isn't too dangerous. We might serve both our purposes well working together." The leader of the Fire Fairy Squad was Zhu Xuan, and he was currently turning up the charm.

Lu Qing'er's eyes were still lingering on Li Luo as he was being dragged away by Jiang Qing'e. She wasn't bold enough to hold his hand before everybody.

Still... they were engaged after all.

The thought irritated her enough to not want to deal with Zhu Xuan all of a sudden. "Well, I don't care either way, but you'll have to ask our leader."

Qin Zhulu's eyes widened. 

“Damn, now you remember I'm the leader?? Why am I the meat shield now?”

Still, the ferocious countenance of Qin Zhulu normally intimidated people too much to see the subtleties of his expression changes clearly. Before Zhu Xuan spoke, Qin Zhulu had already shaken his head. "If you can keep your squad's girl away from me, I'm good."

That was a dastardly request that caught even Zhu Xuan off guard. The Umbra Cave was a dangerous place. How the hell was he going to keep squad mates apart like that? That was dangerous as hell!

The busty girl in Zhu Xuan's squad stared angrily at Qin Zhulu. Was this guy a moron?

In the end, Zhu Xuan left, bitter and confused. No way could he get along with that weird guy.

...

"Leader, we've been slighted."

Ye Qiuding was still looking in Jiang Qing'e's direction, his back to his teammates, who were offering sympathetic encouragement. "Jiang Qing'e's reckless. Our squad is way stronger than that one."

Inside his sleeves, Ye Qiuding's fists shook with anger.

He hadn't expected Jiang Qing'e to abandon the better option by far. Was this still the same rational Jiang Qing'e that he thought he knew?

Ye Qiuding took a deep breath, then he shelved his anger and led his team away silently.

"Interested in working with us?" He had barely turned away when another voice called out to him. He saw that it was Duze Honglian.

Ye Qiuding frowned.

"Come with us. We have the best chance to win first place. Show Jiang Qing'e the error of her ways as well," Duze Honglian said with an arrogant drawl to her voice.

Ye Qiuding's eyes drifted to the dream couple, huddled together in the distance.

"Well... why not."