Just as Li Luo and the rest had arrived at the Dragon's Fang Guardians, Li Zhiqiu had furiously returned to the Dragon's Blood Guardians.
He went straight to a vermillion mountain in the center of the Dragon's Blood Guardians' a.s.signed area. On it stood a tall and upright tower.
This was the Dragon's Blood Pavilion, where the most powerful of them resided.
On the highest level stood a few people with their hands placed behind their backs, observing the drill grounds below where the soldiers trained and competed.
The most eye-catching in the group was a male garbed in scarlet robes. He had a heroic aura, and as he swept his gaze across the field, he emitted a breathtaking sense of pressure that struck awe in everyone who saw him.
The man was not considered all that handsome, but his eyebrows were like swords, giving off a sharp and mighty aura that gave him a unique charm.
This was none other than Li Zhihuo, the Guardian General of the Dragon's Blood Guardians.
Beside Li Zhihuo was a tall and slender lady. Her hair was pinned up, not covering an inch of her gorgeous face. However, her chin was a little pointed, causing her to give off a cold and harsh temperament.
This was Li Hongque, Li Hongyou's motivation for entering the Dragon's Fang Guardians.
The upper echelons of the Dragon's Blood Guardians were currently watching over the training below. Li Zhihuo suddenly raised his head and looked at the group that had just flown in. When he felt a familiar aura, he smiled. "Elder Brother, seeing that you've come to the Dragon's Blood Guardians, is there something urgent you wish to talk about?"
Li Zhiqiu and the rest landed in front of him.
"Want to guess who I just met?" Li Zhiqiu asked with an ugly expression.
Li Zhihuo had a confused look on his face as he shook his head.
"Li Luo," Li Zhiqiu replied.
"Li Luo?" Li Zhihuo repeated as he pondered over what he was referring to. "Are you talking about Li Taixuan's son, the one who returned from the wilds? It heard that he managed to become the Dragon's Head in his generation and the Dragon's Blood Lineage was suppressed to the point that they couldn't even raise their heads. Since he is at Heavenly Dragon Peak, is he planning to join the Dragon's Fang Guardians? Elder Brother, are you planning to use him to motivate us?"
At the same time, Li Hongque indifferently said, "He’s just a minor character of the younger generation. Even if his talent is even more amazing than we think, he can’t act wildly in the Five Guardian Armies. This is not the playground of children like the Twenty Banners. If he wants to rise up, he can come back in a few years."
Li Luo's generation was, frankly, unqualified at the moment. They could be considered to be at the bottom of the food chain amongst the Five Guardian Armies. This was not a place that cared about one's personal status. Only strength mattered, and no matter his ident.i.ty, he would just be another soldier.
Even the likes of Li Qingfeng and Li Hongli were undergoing tempering at the Dragon's Blood Guardians. This was something that was unavoidable for all of the geniuses in the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li. They had served their time as well.
Li Zhiqiu then continued, "Li Luo has already reached the Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier. He is one level above his peers like Qingfeng and Hongli."
At this point, Li Hongque was a little taken aback. "Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier?"
Even the most outstanding member of the Dragon's Blood Lineage’s younger generation, Li Qingfeng, was only at the Lesser Heavenly Resonance Tier, at the Illusory Seal-grade. Li Luo had clearly left him in the dust.
Li Zhihuo was also surprised and gave a slight smirk. "As expected of Li Taixuan's son. His cultivation speed is so fast that it gives rise to envy."
Li Hongque pouted. "The Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier merely puts him at the middle level in the Five Guardian Armies."
"Elder Brother, did you come here just to tell us that?" Li Zhihuo was confused. Li Luo entering the Dragon's Fang Guardians was nothing strange. Even though he was the Dragon's Head and had reached the Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier, that wasn’t enough to make him stand out all that much. After seeing his numerous achievements and his talent, none would doubt him. However, it would be several years before he could rise to the point where he was capable of influencing the Five Guardian Armies' rankings.
Li Zhiqiu unhappily continued, "If it was just Li Luo, then it wouldn't matter. Unfortunately, he's also brought an incredible girl with him. She is just slightly older than him but has already become a first-grade Duke."
Li Zhihuo was a little shocked by this. After all, someone at the Duke Stage could potentially influence the rankings amongst the Five Guardian Armies.
However, what Li Zhiqiu said next caused even Li Hongque's expression to change.
"She's also constructed a Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried."
"Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried?!" Li Hongque exclaimed.
As a Duke, he knew what this represented. She was attempting the Path of Ascension.
Li Zhihuo's smile gradually receded and turned into a frown. "How did such a genius go to the Dragon's Fang Lineage? Is she a rogue cultivator? Could rogue cultivators reach such demonic heights? How did they get such a genius? We'll have to try to make contact with her. No matter the price, we must persuade her to come here."
Li Zhiqiu shook his head. "She is on Li Luo's side. After all, she is his fiancee."
Li Zhihuo's mind went blank. If the two had such a close relations.h.i.+p, then it would be practically impossible to poach her.
His expression turned complicated as he blurted out, "The son is truly the same as his father."
All those years ago, Li Taixuan had brought back the individual who had suppressed an entire generation, Tan Tailan. Now Li Luo had returned with a Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried fiancee. Had they managed to attain all that with their good looks? This was truly so hateful that it made one jealous!
Li Hongque's eyes flickered. She knew that the girl would soon be the topic of discussion amongst the Five Guardian Armies.
She would naturally s.h.i.+ne resplendently.
There was not much to say as such an accomplishment was rarely seen.
"It looks like the Dragon's Fang Guardians will be on the rise." Li Zhihuo sighed.
Li Hongque snorted coldly. "What are you blabbering about? The Light and Dark Spear is still in the hands of the Dragon's Blood Guardians. Once they have the strength to retrieve it, we can speak more."
Each of the Heavenly Dragon's Five Guardian Armies possessed a treasure, known as the Heavenly Dragon's Five Armaments. They were:
The Dragon's Blood Guardians' Hundred Battles Platemail
The Dragon's Scale Guardians' Ten Thousand Scale Mirror
The Dragon's Bone Guardians' Golden Bone Hammer
The Dragon's Horn Guardians' Clarion Horn
And the Dragon's Fang Guardians' Light and Dark Spear
All of them were high-grade mythic armaments that matched the strengths of each guardian army. All of them were terrifying creations and, most importantly, the five of them could be combined to form a King-grade venerated heirloom!
Thus, when all five armaments were gathered onto one individual, they would achieve the true peak state of the Five Guardian Armies!
That individual would be capable of clas.h.i.+ng with a King!
In order to promote compet.i.tion amongst the Five Guardian Armies, the Ancestor had mandated that if two Guardian Armies were to battle, the winner could take away the loser's mythic armament. The Dragon's Fang Guardians’ Light and Dark Spear had been lost in such a battle years ago. If an urgent situation arose, they could request to borrow the weapon. Alas, the mere thought of it was frustrating, having to beg someone else for their own possession. Thus, the Dragon's Fang Guardians had constantly been thinking of ways to retrieve the Light and Dark Spear.
Li Zhihuo stretched his hand out, and the center of his palm flickered. A long spear appeared in his hand, its shaft covered in scars that had acc.u.mulated over time. Even so, its tip remained keen and it possessed a chilly glint and sharpness. Upon closer inspection, there were even blood stains.
The long spear spun lightly in Li Zhihuo's grasp, constantly leaving behind rifts in the void despite the casual action.
It seemed as though it could pierce through the firmament with a single thrust.
Li Zhihuo fiddled with the Light and Dark Spear and gave a shallow smile. "I have only won the Light and Dark Spear out of the five. This can't be compared to how domineering Li Taixuan was. He possessed four mythic armaments! Who could compare?"
That said, he waved his hand. "The girl with the Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried will be a great enemy to the Dragon's Blood Guardians. However, I don't believe we have to worry about her. The Path of Ascension is not an easy one, and constructing a single Duke Bergfried doesn't mean that she will be able to maintain her progress. Perhaps she has already consumed all of her potential. As we've seen in the past, it is not unprecedented for one to s.h.i.+ne brightly in the beginning but taper off shortly after."
At the Duke Stage, every Duke Bergfried one constructed consumed their potential. At some point, their potential would be fully consumed and they would no longer be able to progress.
This was why Foundational Spirit Treasures existed. They were capable of reducing the consumption of one's potential and allow one to progress further on the path of cultivation.
Li Zhiqiu nodded before he turned towards Li Hongque. "Li Luo actually brought back another girl who plans to enter the Dragon's Fang Guardians."
Li Zhihuo's expression turned stiff. "Elder Brother, couldn't you have said all this in one go?"
Li Hongque smiled coldly. "It looks like the Dragon's Fang Lineage's Third Young Master is a romantic one. Is he planning to turn the Dragon's Fang Guardians into his harem?"