Li Yuanshan shook his head. "It's alright. Since you were unable to bring Li Luo down in the first clash, there's no point in dragging it out. Let's move on to our second plan. Since this battle concerns the reputation of the Dragon's Blood Guardians, we cannot afford to lose."
Hearing this, Li Qingbai's face changed a little. He nodded in agreement in the end.
The true reason they had chosen to go with the team battle format was because of this.
In the next instant, the two of them stretched out their hands, and a dark-red oil lamp appeared on each of their palms.
Dark-red oil lamps had appeared in the hands of Li Yuanshan and Li Qingbai, one lamp being larger than the other. They were engraved with crimson runes, their light flickering.
Li Yuanshan was holding the larger lamp, while Li Qingbai held onto the smaller one.
As soon as the lamps appeared, Li Qingbai took two steps back. He then bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence. The droplets of blood landed on the oil lamp.
All of a sudden, his face turned a lot paler.
At the same time, the lamp's wick was ignited by the blood.
Lines of blood wriggled like worms and extended out from the flame of the lamp, directly tunneling into Li Qingbai's hand.
It seemed like the lines of blood were extracting even more blood from Li Qingbai. The flame on the oil lamp began to burn with renewed intensity.
At the same time, the oil lamp in Li Yuanshan's hands lit up without any fuel. Lines of blood also extended from it and pierced into his palm.
However, Li Yuanshan appeared to be getting more energetic, unlike Li Qingbai. The pulses of resonant power coming out of his body steadily grew stronger.
A large boom echoed in the air above, coming from the three Duke Bergfrieds above his head. Like a black hole, they began to suck in all the worldly natural energy within thousands of miles.
This caused many of the spectators to exclaim in surprise.
Many of the Dragon's Fang Guardians were shocked to see this too. Luo Jiang, the Left Dragon Fang Envoy, inadvertently muttered, "This is..."
Li Foluo's face fell. "That’s the Parent-Child Blood Fusion Lamp, a lower-grade Duke Mythic Armament. It has to be paired with a complementary secret art to function. Using the child's lamp as an energy source, it'll serve to bolster the holder of the parent lamp. It’s no wonder they wanted to fight a team battle. This was the ace hidden up their sleeves."
Li Qingbai and Li Yuanshan brandished their trump card as soon as they realized they were unable to bring down Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e individually.
It wasn't really rare to see someone use it, but this was usually kept as a last resort against external foes. This was because of the huge cost it would inflict upon the user of the child lamp. It seemed like Li Zhihuo had really gone all-out to ensure they would emerge victorious.
"d.a.m.n it. They already had a big advantage in cultivation levels and yet they're still resorting to such moves. They're really shameless," Li Fengyi said angrily.
"The stakes of the bet are very high. Li Zhihuo must have felt the heat," Li Jingtao replied.
"This means that they're determined to chase Hongyou out of the Dragon's Fang Guardians," Li Fuling commented in annoyance.
Nonetheless, they all understood that no amount of complaints would change anything. Although the method used by Li Yuanshan and Li Qingbai was a little controversial, the outcome of the battle was the only thing of importance.
Many elders from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li were also watching the battle from the elevated platform.
Li Jinpan did not put up any pretenses. He frowned and said, "This is just a friendly match during the Ceremony of Ascent. Moreover, it's an upper third-grade and an upper first-grade Duke fighting against a first-grade Duke and a Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier junior. Do they really need to resort to such methods? Are the Dragon's Blood Guardians that afraid of losing?"
Li Zhiqiu and the other elders from the Dragon's Blood Guardians were present as well. Li Zhiqiu was the inspector sent over to Heavenly Dragon Peak and used to have the highest level of authority around. However, with the arrival of Li Jiluo, Li Qingpeng, Li Jinpan, and the other Hall Masters, he was not worth mentioning. As such, his face twitched a little when he heard Li Jinpan's comments. However, there was nothing he could say in retaliation.
Li Jiluo, as the Main Hall Master of the Dragon's Blood Lineage's Gold Blood Hall, was similar to a Lineage Chief in terms of authority. When he heard the comment, he smiled nonchalantly and responded, "The young ones are full of energy and have a strong desire to win. There's no need to be so harsh on them."
Then he took a glance at Li Jingzhe, who was sitting in the highest seat quietly. He smiled respectfully at him and continued, "Of course, if Lineage Chief Jingzhe finds this inappropriate, he can say the word and they'll stop immediately."
Li Qingpeng glanced at Li Jiluo. This man was truly sly. His words had made it nearly impossible for Li Jingzhe to stop them now.
Li Jingzhe watched the surging worldly natural energy in the battlefield coolly before he suddenly asked, "Li Jiluo, it's been said that you're destined to be the next Lineage Chief of the Dragon's Blood Lineage. As the Main Hall Master that's closest to stepping into the King Stage, who do you think will win this fight?"
Li Jiluo smiled embarra.s.sedly. "Lineage Chief Jingzhe, you're too kind. I am far from the King Stage."
He paused for a moment before he continued, "As for the results of this battle, I am ultimately part of the Dragon's Blood Lineage. I naturally believe my side will emerge victorious."
Li Jiluo was not humble about it and had unsurprisingly chosen to support the Dragon's Blood Guardians.
"The talented Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e are truly unrivaled. No one in the five lineages may come close to them in this generation. I am sure they will bring the Dragon's Fang Guardians to new heights in due time. However, they're a little lacking right now."
Li Jingzhe took a glance at him. "What a perfect way to put it. You really do resemble Li Tianji. Compared to you, my two sons are nothing but fools."
Li Qingpeng was left almost speechless. Why was he being attacked out of the blue when he hadn't even said anything?
Li Jinpan grumbled in dissatisfaction, but he did not dare to talk back to Li Jingzhe either.
Li Jingzhe did not pay much attention to them as he continued, "I think that Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e will win this fight. I heard that the young ones have made a wager. Are you interested in one as well?"
Li Jiluo smiled and asked politely, "What do you have in mind, Lineage Chief Jingzhe?"
Li Jingzhe slowly answered, "The Stygian Rain of Calamity is coming soon, and the World's End River Region will enter a huge season of harvest. Let's wager the hunting grounds of the Dragon's Blood Guardians and the Dragon's Fang Guardians. Whoever loses will lose an upper-grade hunting ground to the other. What do you think about that?"
Li Jiluo smiled bitterly in response. "That’s far too valuable. The Dragon's Blood Guardians only have four upper-grade hunting grounds, and that's all thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears shed by these young folk. How could I ever dare to use one as a betting chip? I am afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Lineage Chief Jingzhe."
Li Jingzhe was not angry upon hearing this. He simply sighed. "Li Jiluo, you truly are like your Lineage Chief."
Although Li Jiluo was from the Dragon's Blood Lineage, this was considered high praise.
At this point, Li Jingzhe couldn't help but feel a little regret in his heart. If Taixuan had not left the Dragon's Fang Lineage, he would have been able to keep Li Jiluo in check.
While they were talking, the resonant power from Li Yuanshan had grown more and more terrifying. A brilliant outburst of light radiated from the three Duke Bergfrieds above his head; it shone so brightly that it seemed like there were three big suns above him.