Chapter 1163: Mutual Gifts
The sudden question from Jiang Qing'e caused Li Luo to glance towards the crowd. He whispered softly to her, "Are you referring to Cousin Lingjing?"
"Another cousin?"
Jiang Qing'e looked over at Li Luo. It seemed she would have to take some time to understand just how many cousins he had gotten acquainted with in the short amount of time that they had been separated.
Li Luo laughed and responded, "Do you remember Aunt Li Rouyun? The one who came to the Xia Kingdom in order to bring me back to the Dragon's Fang Lineage? Cousin Lingjing is her niece."
Jiang Qing'e nodded slightly and then paused for a moment.
Seeing this, Li Luo understood the situation. "Have you met Cousin Lingjing before? Did something happen between the two of you? If she had not helped to remove the True Devil Egg from my left arm, I am afraid I wouldn't have been able to return to normal." Li Luo lifted his left arm. At this point, the cursed arm had reverted back to its normal appearance. The corruption that was trying to invade his body had been completely removed. This was all thanks to Li Lingjing.
Jiang Qing'e replied calmly, "Don't worry, I am not unreasonable. Although her entire being is basically corruption itself, she ultimately helped you out. I will naturally not make things hard for her."
Li Luo smiled bitterly and sighed in relief. "Cousin Lingjing has lived a really tough life. It's due to factors beyond her control that she ended up like this."
Jiang Qing'e warned him, "She's part of the Origin Reversion Institute. If she continues down this path, she'll end up as your enemy one day."
Li Luo thought about it in silence. "We'll think about it when it happens."
This was a tough reality for him to swallow, so he decided to brush it aside for now. He looked at Jiang Qing'e with concern and asked, "Has your problem with the sacrificial ignition of your Heart of Light been resolved?"
Jiang Qing'e replied softly, "Don't worry about it. It's mostly resolved."
"Really? If you're lying to me, I'll get angry," Li Luo responded with a frown.
Looking at his serious expression, Jiang Qing'e could only say, "There are still some aftereffects from it which may affect my breakthrough to the Duke Stage in the future. I will need some rare and precious resources to cure it completely. However, it's hard to find such resources."
Li Luo nodded, then his hand brushed across his pocket sphere, and a pearl that was around the size of one's thumb appeared in his hand. There was a seal on the pearl, and a holy lotus could be faintly seen within it.
He placed the pearl into Jiang Qing'e's hands and whispered to her, "This is a Nine Marks Sacred Heart Lotus. It's a natural treasure that can repair your foundation and cure all of the remaining aftereffects."
"Nine Marks Sacred Heart Lotus? You actually managed to get it?"
Jiang Qing'e felt incredibly touched. Back when they separated, Li Luo had said that he was going to the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li to obtain a certain item. She did not think much about it back then until she arrived in the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College. As she gathered more information in the college, she finally understood how precious this item was. The Nine Marks Sacred Heart Lotus was highly coveted even amongst some of the high-grade Dukes. She was moved by his actions; she had never imagined that Li Luo would be able to obtain it.
"This item is too precious. You... you must have worked really hard for it, huh?" Jiang Qing'e asked with overwhelming emotions in her heart. She looked at Li Luo with gentle and warm eyes.
"You ignited your Heart of Light in order to protect me. It's only natural for me to do everything I can in order to find the best panacea for you," Li Luo replied as he looked back at Jiang Qing'e's eyes. He could not bear to see her in such a state. Back when Jiang Qing'e ignited her Heart of Light, he was in so much pain and anger over his own powerlessness.
The corners of Jiang Qing'e's lips curled up slightly. Seeing Li Luo like this, she could feel ripples appearing in her usually calm inner lake. This would affect her skills with her sword, but she did not reject it at all.
"This too."
Li Luo hurriedly took out the Divine Thorns that he had gotten earlier. "This item is very compatible with light resonances. We can make a Divine Thorn Crown for you later, it'll fit you perfectly."
Jiang Qing'e's eyes lit up. She took the Divine Thorns and put it them her pocket sphere. "I like this." She nodded with a smile.
Many students in the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College had offered precious treasures as gifts to her. However, she had turned all of them down. But she accepted Li Luo's gifts readily regardless of how precious or valuable they were. She accepted them without any hesitation because they were from Li Luo.
Material things would not affect their relationship at all.
"Thank you for your gifts. Here's my gift for you."
Jiang Qing'e took out her gift with a smile. Gold light sparkled around it. It was the Coiling Dragon Golden Bone Pill that she had fought over with Wu Changkong earlier.
Li Luo accepted it happily, not because it was precious, but because it was a gift from Jiang Qing'e.
"This item is a farcry from what you've gifted me. Please don't feel shortchanged," Jiang Qing'e said playfully.
Li Luo licked his lips and replied, "Sister Qing'e, you are too kind. I tasted your offering earlier; it was the most precious ambrosia one could ever ask for."
Jiang Qing'e understood as soon as she saw Li Luo lick his lips. Her face turned red for a moment before she quickly recovered.
Li Luo had grown more mature over the past year. At the same time, he had grown a lot more daring too.
The two of them lagged behind the others as they chatted softly at the back. However, the passionate atmosphere did not go unnoticed. Many people at the front glanced back at the two of them from time to time.
Feng Lingyuan, Li Hongyou, and the rest were surprised by this scene too. The Holy Maiden of Hallowed Coruscation with dual ninth-grade resonances was indeed very close to Li Luo.
Yue Zhiyu clicked her tongue repeatedly as she observed them.
Meanwhile, Wei Chonglou's face was green with envy. He clenched his fists tightly. Wu Changkong continued to look at the front as he dashed forward. From time to time, he would glance back at them. His inner heart was clearly wavering too.
......
In the same moment, at a certain corner of the All-Beings Palace.
A certain hall was filled with gray-black mist, and many individuals carrying coffins on their backs were gathered inside.
Soft footsteps came from the deepest depths of the mist. In the next instant, a slender figure walked out. It was Li Lingjing with her Aquamarine Bamboo Python Staff.
The green-black horn on her forehead was still there. At this moment, her body was shrouded with a fiendish aura and she was emanating an overwhelming amount of cold energy.
An immense pressure enveloped the whole hall as all the Black Coffins Carriers bowed down in respect.
Li Lingjing's icy eyes swept across the group as she slowly walked forward.
The soft sound of her footsteps echoed in the silent hall. The Black Coffin Carriers felt like their hearts were being strangled, as if each step she took was trampling their chests. The pressure exuding from her was simply tyrannical.
In the end, Li Lingjing stopped in front of one Black Coffin Carrier.
This indiviual was shivering as he lowered his head further.
Li Lingjing shook her head slightly and stared at him coldly. No. To be exact, she was staring at the coffin behind him. Mocking laughter came out as she said, "Do you think such petty tricks will save your life?"
"Master Aquamarine Python?" The Black Coffin Carrier was terrified when he heard her words.
Li Lingjing did not bother to listen to his explanation. A huge wave of energy swept up from her staff and knocked the black coffin away.
It flew into the air and landed with a loud thud.
The coffin's cover broke apart. At the next moment, a red piece of flesh fell out of it. The flesh tried to take human form, but it was unable to do so.
Instead, a vicious face was the only thing that managed to take form on the piece of flesh.
It was the Blood Coffin Carrier!
He had not been finished off by Jiang Qing'e. Instead, he had managed to keep his life with the aid of some tricks.
"Aquamarine Python! What're you doing?!" the Blood Coffin Carrier roared out angrily.
He couldn't hide the terror in his voice.
A cold smile appeared on Li Lingjing's face as she softly said, "What do you think? I am naturally taking the other half of the True Devil Egg from you."
"Don't you dare! Aren't you afraid of making the Master angry?" the Blood Ossuary Carrier cried out.
Li Lingjing grinned at him. "Perhaps he's just been waiting to see this. There is no point in letting failures like you continue living."
The Blood Coffin Carrier shouted at the Black Coffin Carriers furiously, "Everyone, stop her!"
However, all of them remained silent. The Blood Coffin Carrier was their previous leader, but there was no loyalty to talk about in the Murderous Ghost Horde. The loser would lose everything and the winner would take it all.
The Aquamarine Python had clearly beaten the Blood Coffin Carrier. Naturally, there was no point in keeping the latter alive anymore.
Despair filled his heart when he saw none of his previous underlings making a move. He cried out loudly, and the piece of flesh wriggled and squirmed in an attempt to escape. It left behind a trail of bloody light as it shot towards the outside of the hall, attempting to retreat.
Just then, a jade-green light flew through the air, turning into an aquamarine staff and impaling him tightly onto the floor.
The vicious face on the piece of flesh turned around. His eyes were filled with horror. He was then enveloped in black mist that transformed into a giant python. It opened its mouth and swallowed him. There was no chance he could survive this.