The next few days passed with no news about purging missions for One Star squads. The school was probably still discussing it.
As a result, Li Luo and the others were keeping up with their cultivation as usual, now that they knew the purging missions would come around later, if not sooner. The stronger they were, the better their chances of making it out of the Umbra Cave alive.
One day.
Li Luo had just finished his training in the underground basement. He made his way upstairs to see Bai Mengmeng setting the table with a sumptuous meal.
“Leader. Done with training? I brought these back from the canteen.” She smiled at him.
“You’re a treasure,” Li Luo said happily, sitting down at the table.
She sat opposite him. Grinning, Li Luo pulled out a small bottle with an opaque liquid inside. He set it down carefully in front of Bai Mengmeng.
“A present?” she said, surprised.
“Try a drop,” mumbled Li Luo, busy trying to stuff an entire hunk of crispy, golden, barbecued pork into his mouth.
She looked at the liquid dubiously, then her eyes widened as she looked at Li Luo with a joy she could scarcely believe. She reached out with a quaking hand and put a drop on her tongue.
She went rigid with shock.
“This… is sweetness?!”
Li Luo nodded and grinned. “I told you I had an inspiration. I made this flavor taster over the last two days. It’s sweet, indeed. Once I get it all down, you should be able to taste the full range of flavors. Then your sense of taste should be fully restored.”
Bai Mengmeng clutched the bottle tightly.
“Leader, thank you,” she said softly.
Li Luo waved it off, but his nonchalance faltered when he saw large teardrops streaming down her face.
“Er…”
Just then, footsteps were heard from the staircase. Xin Fu had come down the stairs just in time to see Bai Mengmeng crying as if her heart was broken.
All sorts of dramatic love intrigues flashed through his imagination. Finally, his attention settled on Li Luo.
Playboy.
“Bad time?” he asked softly.
Li Luo rolled his eyes at him.
Bai Mengmeng hurriedly wiped away her tears, a little embarrassed.
“Mengmeng, I said I would restore your sense of taste. Trust me,” Li Luo said kindly.
“Besides, we are such good friends with such a good relationship. For you, forgoing sleep and food is worth it,” Li Luo said with a noble sigh.
Bai Mengmeng carefully stowed the bottle. “Leader, I haven’t been slouching on my formula creation either.” She smiled happily.
“Oh, what are those compared to our friendship! Take it easy. At your own pace.” He took a deep swig of water to hide his expression.
“I’ve worked on this formula for many years,” she said eagerly. “If all goes well, it’ll definitely be a four-star formula!”
“Pffffff!”
Li Luo’s mouthful of water sprayed out. If not for a last-second turn of the head, he would have sprinkled the entire table of food very nicely with saliva.
“Four- four-star formula?”
After so many years, the best that the Suncreek Villa had come up with was a three-star formula. Even for the best villas, a four-star formula was a great treasure of inestimable value.
How many times had Li Luo dreamed of a four-star formula for the Suncreek Villa, to take it to new heights?
Each time he woke up from the dream, he could only sigh sadly.
It was a daydream indeed. Even if one occasionally appeared on the market, the price was unbelievable.
And now Bai Mengmeng had said that she was on the verge of completing one!
It was like a pizza falling out of the sky.
There was a hint of impish mischief in Bai Mengmeng’s eyes. “Oh, yes, a four-star formula. I’ve worked on it for many years.”
Li Luo stared at her. “Look here, Mengmeng,” he said seriously, “we’re still young. It’s alright for us to have some late-nighters. We should work with all we got. We can take it.”
“Ahem…” Xin Fu sat down. “Leader, your greed is showing.”
Li Luo ignored him. His entire brain was filled with thoughts of a four-star formula. He was seized with a sudden urge to kidnap Bai Mengmeng and lock her in the lab until she finished.
All his casualness had evaporated before the temptation of a four-star formula.
He squashed his emotions down violently and hurried over to pour Bai Mengmeng a bowl of warm soup.
“Thanks, Leader.” She took the soup with a grateful smile. “Don’t worry, Leader, this formula will definitely be the Suncreek Villa’s.”
Ah, bliss. How he wanted to kidna- invite her to the Suncreek Villa…
There was a mood of optimism and cheer as they dug in.
Dong!
A low, rumbling gong sounded, echoing all across the Astral Sage College. It didn’t sound good.
All three put their chopsticks down slowly.
The door swung open, and Chi Chan walked in.
“No time to eat,” she said brusquely. “The Umbra Cave’s open.”
“The school’s decided that One Star Violet Vibrance squads must also join, for the experience. Come with me.”
They looked at each other.
The time had come.