"Young Lord, leaving without even waiting for the result looks cool and all, but aren't you afraid of rocking the boat a little too much?" Cai Wei teased him.
"If it were Tang Yun or Lu Xiaofeng competing, maybe I would've stayed. But a third-grade resonance artificer? No need, I think," Li Luo replied.
He was only one step away from the third-grade resonance artificer, and he had a waterlight resonance. Although both had the same ingredients, he could make the secret watersource himself… How could they hope to compete?
If Li Luo managed to lose this, he might as well give up on refining spirit liquids and purifying lights forever.
Yan Lingqing regarded him thoughtfully. "Are you trying to crush them into submission with the first round?"
Li Luo smiled. "I'm just showing them what I'm capable of, and also the future and potential of the Suncreek Villa. All of this, Pei Hao cannot give them. I believe that the upcoming tests will definitely sway some hearts and spark a chain reaction.
"And once they start to waver, I'll promise them a clean slate. I don't believe that Pei Hao has more sway than me over them."
"An arduous process," Jiang Qing'e noted.
Li Luo shrugged. "No choice, given how much House Duze is pressuring us. This is the only way to get resonance artificers. If we gain this batch, the Suncreek Villa will develop much more quickly and will eventually be able to stand up against their Bigswamp Villa."
"But news of the test result will probably reach Pei Hao very soon. He will know what you're planning. I think he's prepared this time," Jiang Qing'e warned.
Li Luo nodded. Of course he had thought of that as well. However, he was openly appealing to the resonance artificers, with no hidden plans or motives. To stop him, Pei Hao would have to play dirty.
And so he would be extra vigilant over the next few days.
"Oh, right, tomorrow is Lu Qing'er's birthday party. Yu Hongxi dotes on her so much. She's not only inviting many handsome young men, but also preparing a generous gift," Jiang Qing'e said.
"What's this generous gift?" Li Luo asked, interest piqued by those two words.
"The Golden Dragon Secret Key."
"Golden Dragon Secret Key?" Li Luo had never heard of it before.
"It's said that the Golden Dragon Bank developed a secret cultivation space called the Golden Dragon Dao Fields. It's for the important people of the Golden Dragon Bank and their children to cultivate at. It has special connections between heaven and earth and is very beneficial to cultivation. It's one of the bases of the Golden Dragon Bank.”
Li Luo was suitably impressed. The Golden Dragon Bank was not just what existed at the Xia Kingdom; the real headquarters was a titanic entity in the wider world, far beyond what his imagination could muster.
The Xia Kingdom Golden Dragon Bank that they were familiar with was but a teeny, tiny branch.
Even so, it was still one of the greatest powers in the Xia Kingdom.
"It's said that every year, the Golden Dragon Dao Fields open for a month, and the Golden Dragon Secret Key allows access to cultivate inside.
"The Golden Dragon Secret Key is normally gifted to those in power, and their children. However, they're occasionally given to partners as a present.
"Because Yu Hongxi has offered a few secret keys on the occasion of Lu Qing'er's birthday, many factions in Xia City are very interested," Jiang Qing'e said with a smile.
"Sister Qing'e is interested?" Li Luo asked.
"I'm interested, but the Golden Dragon Dao Fields are vast and divided into many levels. The keys given out this time are for those at the Resonant Master Stage. I think her objective is to find a suitable partner for Lu Qing'er, and for them to enter the Dao Fields together," Jiang Qing'e said.
"Those at the Resonant Master stage, huh…" Li Luo nodded. Jiang Qing'e's guesses were probably correct. It was to find a partner for Lu Qing'er.
"Such is the power of money." Li Luo sighed. Such keys were beyond the power of the great houses to even offer, and yet the Golden Dragon Bank could dish them out freely.
The ability to create rifts to a sacred cultivation space—that was an ability far beyond them.
Probably only King experts could do so.
"I hope you can acquire a Golden Dragon Secret Key. Cultivating inside will be very beneficial for you."
Li Luo was fighting against time right now, and he could not afford to pass up any opportunity. Which was why Jiang Qing'e had immediately taken an interest in this information.
Li Luo smiled sheepishly. "Of course it would be great to get, but I suspect it won't be so easy."
"Why ever not? Just go ask Lu Qing'er, she would love to give it to you," Yan Lingqing teased. Jiang Qing'e shook her head. "Yu Hongxi runs this. I don't think Lu Qing'er can help."
Li Luo laughed it off. How could the young lord of House Luolan use underhanded means like that? Besides, it was as Jiang Qing'e had said. Yu Hongxi was running this, and it would be naive to think that Lu Qing'er could do anything to influence the outcome.
"Since Yu Hongxi has invited so many young braves, she must have prepared a test of some sort. Just acquit yourself well," Jiang Qing'e said.
Li Luo nodded. It would be great if he could really get one of the Golden Dragon Secret Keys. But if he didn't, he wouldn't beat himself up over it.
His cultivation was urgent, but he shouldn't lose his head chasing down every last opportunity in desperation.
Ultimately, he was still quite confident he would get it done.
…
A quiet place in Xia City.
Pei Hao was sitting in a stone pavilion, facing a scowling Pang Qianchi, who had just told him everything that had happened at the Suncreek Villa headquarters.
"Li Luo's trying to sway them with his own refining talents and the advantageous conditions at the Suncreek Villa headquarters," Pang Qianchi complained.
Pei Hao poured Pang Qianchi a cup of tea. "All as planned, isn't it?"
"Pei Hao, Sir, Tang Yun and the others are not yours through and through. If Li Luo eats away at their loyalty, they might change sides… After all, he IS the rightful young lord," Pang Qianchi said.
"I know." Pei Hao nodded.
Pang Qianchi was puzzled by Pei Hao's calmness. "Does Sir Pei Hao have something else planned?"
Pei Hao did not reply, instead lifting his teacup to salute Pang Qianchi.
"There's no rush.
"Let Li Luo have his moment."