Chapter 0668: Family Reunion
When Li Luo and Qing'e entered the underground palace, they saw two familiar figures standing above the natal flames, staring at them with beaming smiles.
When Li Luo saw them, he felt a tingling in his nose as he sadly exclaimed, "Dad! Mom! You're finally back. I want to peacefully and happily live my life as a rich young master. I don't want to strive hard any longer!"
"Look at how useless you are. Jiang Qing'e hasn't even said a thing! Work harder." Tan Tailan rebuked her son and rolled her eyes before descending towards Jiang Qing'e with her arms outstretched and a smile. "My precious daughter... How tough have these years been? You had to manage House Luolan and even had to take care of a burdensome child."
Jiang Qing'e's usual calm and serene expression seemed to have given way to a hint of shyness as she walked forward and hugged Tan Tailan's projection.
"Mistress, I've missed you," Jiang Qing'e lightly replied.
Tan Tailan warmly patted Jiang Qing'e's back as she smiled. "We have always been thinking of you. Especially you, with that headstrong personality. In our eyes, House Luolan is not even worth a hair on your head. Even Old Li and I knew that you would inevitably strive to protect House Luolan. It must have been tiring all these years."
Jiang Qing'e gave a wry smile. "Actually, Li Luo has helped shoulder a significant part of the burden. His efforts this year were no less than mine. "
Tan Tailan's eyebrows lifted slightly as she suspiciously stared at the aggrieved Li Luo. "This smelly brat has that sort of awareness?"
With a tired heart, Li Luo turned to the smiling Li Taixuan, whose arms were folded. "Old man, did you pick me up from the trash?"
"Ah, Little Luo... it turns out you've found out about the truth. I won't hide it from you any longer. It was a cold, freezing, winter night... I was strolling on the streets when I heard a cry coming from a bin at the side of the road..." Li Taixuan said with a complicated expression. But before he could finish, Li Luo waved his hand.
"Agh! Forget it! Just dissipate your projections and go back to whence you came. I don't want to talk to you guys anymore! Pfft!"
“Pfft!” Jiang Qing'e finally couldn't hold on any longer and burst out into laughter. Breaking free from Tan Tailan's grasp, she turned to say, "Master and Mistress, you shouldn't tease Li Luo any longer. He's devoted his heart and soul into cultivating for the entire year and managed to enter the Fiend Palace Tier from a single blank palace! His cultivation speed has exceeded even mine. The fact that House Luolan's situation could be stabilized was more so because of his efforts than mine!"
Li Taixuan smiled as he raised his hand and ruffled his son’s grayish-white hair, laughing refreshingly. "Haha! Of course we know about that. Little Luo already has three resonances, and his future potential is unlimited."
He looked into Li Luo's eyes appreciatively. Honestly speaking, the moment he had set his eyes on his son, he already knew that Li Luo had struggled with all his might this year. The path Li Luo had taken to attain acquired resonances was one that he had set his son upon. Naturally, he knew of the perils and the costs it involved.
Li Luo rolled his eyes in response. He finally understood what favoritism was! It was obvious just by looking at Jiang Qing'e's trumps cards and methods. That Duke Secret Art had to have been left behind by his parents, but he hadn't even received a single toy from them! He had to strive with all his might, and even his final method was something he had to sell his body for! This was what it meant to be pitiful!
Of course, he understood that he didn't have any strength at that point in time. He had nothing but blank palaces when Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan had left, and although they had left him a path of cultivation, they didn't know for sure if he would be able to follow it. Thus, it made more sense to entrust Jiang Qing'e instead.
Still, even though it was logical, the difference in treatment caused Li Luo to complain bitterly in his heart.
Tan Tailan beamed as she walked over, reaching out to pinch Li Luo's cheeks. "My good boy... you've done well."
Li Luo pouted as he grumbled, "Wasn't it all your fault? Leaving everything in shambles before heading off. Couldn't you have tidied things up before you left? In the end, we had to deal with so much trouble."
"Well, it was all a test. Look at who the two of you are now, an obedient son and an obedient disciple. How could these prancing clowns stand in your way when you’re working together?" Tan Tailan answered.
Li Taixuan nodded in agreement. "We already knew of Pei Hao's personality. Still, he was quite the pitiful thing. When House Luolan was first established, he contributed immensely, and we wanted to make it up to him before we left. Thus, we took him in as an in-name disciple. We hoped that he would turn away from the precipice and help you maintain control of House Luolan. If not... Well, it's as your mom said. If he wanted to cause havoc, we'd leave it up to you two to deal with him. It would be a great test after all."
Li Luo was left speechless. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of pity for Pei Hao. After all, he had spent all his effort scheming for years... only to end up as a simple test for him and Jiang Qing'e.
Even he felt sympathy for his hated enemy.
Moving on, Li Luo asked a question that had always stumped him. "When you drew the lots of the death lottery and were obliged to enter the Nobles' Battlefield, was it sabotage? Was it because of the Regent?"
"Hmph! You think someone like him can plot against us?" Tan Tailan snorted coldly.
Li Taixuan nodded. "Gong Yuan has a wild heart, and he secretly tried to win us over in the past. Unsurprisingly, we rejected him, and he must have resented us since then. Thus, he borrowed the death lottery to get rid of us. However, the reason we went was because we chose to. It wasn't because we were forced by him, but rather we had something exceptionally important to accomplish and thus we did so. If we had not opted to do so willingly, what could that crappy Gong Yuan do to us? Who does he think he is?" Li Taixuan indifferently commented. Inadvertently, an undisguised, tyrannical pressure exuded from him. It seemed that the most influential and mightiest individual in the Xia Kingdom was held in complete disdain before Li Taixuan.
"What important matters do you have in the Nobles' Battlefield, Master and Mistress?" Jiang Qing'e suddenly asked.
Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan did not directly answer. "Telling you about this is unnecessary. It would only affect your heart. However, you can rest assured that the two of us are doing very well here."
Seeing how evasive the two were, Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e did not continue to probe, merely nodding as they glanced at each other.
"Now that the Housemeet is over, House Luolan will stabilize. Additionally, since the rest of the Dukes know that we are still alive, even the Regent will not dare to challenge you directly. There wouldn't be any point in doing so. However, you cannot relax too much. Gong Yuan and the city hold deep secrets, and significant ambition exists in all of them. It also seems like there is external influence muddying the waters. You have to remain careful, and if the situation seems not right, give up House Luolan," Li Taixuan exhorted.
The two attentively nodded.
Li Taixuan then turned to Li Luo and sized him up with a grin. "So, how does having three resonances feel?"
"Not bad." Li Luo did feel quite satisfied with his triple resonances after all.
An enigmatic smile formed on Li Taixuan's face. "I'll give you some good news and bad news. The good news is, once you enter the Duke Stage, you'll open up yet another resonant palace! In fact, it will be a blank palace as well!"
Li Taixuan was jubilant. Blank palaces were great! This way, he could continue to craft perfect acquired resonances with primary and secondary resonances. This was much better than natural ones!
However, after hearing that, he felt like something didn't sound right, so he apprehensively asked, "So what's the bad news?"
Li Taixuan clapped.
"The bad news is that Duke Stage resonant palaces don't work with the Acquired Resonance Godly Forging Art! And unfortunately, I don't have anything for you either."
Upon hearing this, Li Luo seemed to black out for a moment.
Without the Acquired Resonance Godly Forging Art, he would naturally be unable to forge more acquired resonances. Then his blank palace would be useless!
Wasn't this a scam?! He was finished!