The hall was much quieter after Ning Que led Zhu Xuan, Ning Zhao, and Lin Suo out. Yu Hongxi’s face was carefully blank, although her disapproval was radiating off her in waves.
Lu Qing’er was worried that Yu Hongxi would speak words in her upset state and make things awkward. She quickly went to tug on her mother’s crossed arms and played coy. “Mom, Li Luo and Qin Zhulu might be a teensy weensy bit weaker than Zhu Xuan, but I’m familiar with them. I believe that trust is more important than power.”
Yu Hongxi looked at her sharply. “So Zhu Xuan is not trustworthy? I don’t think he’s done anything to deserve that unkindness.”
“I’m just not familiar with him,” Lu Qing’er protested. “We haven’t really talked much. Of course I can’t just trust him.”
Yu Hongxi sighed deeply. “There are few Golden Dragon Mountain writs out there. And even within the area you will be in, the compet.i.tion is strong. There is an ability cap of General Stage, and also an age cap this time around, but the three of you are still at a sore disadvantage.
“Other teams wll at least have a Second Changing teammate. All three of you are at the Pattern Genesis Tier. How will you compete?
“Team composition-wise, Ning Zhao’s side stands a much better chance of getting a writ.”
“Not necessarily,” Lu Qing’er argued back. “Li Luo might only be a Pattern Genesis Tier in strength, but he managed to take down even a Heavenly Disaster Cla.s.s Other in the Umbra Cave. The school gave him 100,000 points. As strong as Zhu Xuan might be, he would be dead in a flash in the same position, wouldn’t he?”
Yu Hongxi was a little taken aback. This was the first time she had heard such news.
“President Yu, please do not believe Qing’er’s exaggerations. I had many other factors on my side. If it had been me alone, I too would have been dead in a flash in the same position,” Li Luo hastily explained.
Lu Qing’er was too good at boasting.
Yu Hongxi pondered this strange, new information, then finally shook her head. “Since Qing’er has chosen you, then I will not say any more.”
She turned to Li Luo. “Li Luo, you owe me a favor. You said you would do something for me. I will not make it too difficult for you. Just bring Qing’er out with a Golden Dragon Mountain writ, and the debt will be cleared. What do you say?”
Li Luo’s eyes almost rolled into the back of his head. This was “not making it difficult” for him?
Although he did not know what other squads the Golden Dragon Bank would have inside, they could not be weaker than Zhu Xuan’s team. s.n.a.t.c.hing a writ from under all their noses would be no easy task.
Lu Qing’er quickly jumped to his defense. “Mom, you can’t put people on the spot like that. I was never that interested in Golden Dragon Mountain anyway. I think the Astral Sage College’s great enough as it is.”
Yu Hongxi looked at her daughter sternly. “The Golden Dragon Mountain prepares your future. The Astral Sage College is barely a place for the present.”
She looked back up to Li Luo. “Will you promise? If you can do this, you will not only have repaid the debt, but when you meet trouble in the future, perhaps I will even aid you.”
Li Luo frowned. “And what is this aid that President Yu speaks of?”
She looked away. “Who knows?” she said mildly.
Li Luo considered this for a few moments. “Firstly, let me say that President Yu has no need to extract such promises from me. I am in the same squad as Qing’er, so naturally I will spare no effort in getting a writ for her. Qing’er has helped me greatly in the past, and I will do my best to help her achieve her goals here.
“Perhaps I will not be enough. But I will not give up until the last sc.r.a.p of energy leaves my body.
“As for President Yu’s offer for help, that tempts me greatly too, but there is no need. If I accept that, then my help to Qing’er becomes conditional… and tainted.”
Yu Hongxi looked straight at Li Luo, who met her gaze unflinchingly.
She was struck by the resemblance to the man who had taken the Xia Kingdom by storm. His emotional intelligence and skill had opened the door to every n.o.ble girl’s heart… including herself.
Li Luo might be lacking in many aspects compared to his father, but this deep-seated pride was not one of them.
She sort of admired it.
Lu Qing’er was biting on her lip as she stared at Li Luo with s.h.i.+ning eyes. Quiet.
Qin Zhulu was quietly commiserating by himself as well. “Why on earth am I here?! Why can’t these Ghastly Dog Dao Fields ask for two-man teams? Why did he have to be in this team?”
“As proud as your father,” Yu Hongxi finally said. “But sweet words can roll off any tongue. Let’s see how it ends.
“Let me explain the rules of Golden Dragon Dao Fields,” she continued. “It is extremely vast, and it is divided into the inner fields and outer fields. You will be at the outskirts of the outer fields.
“There are too many branches in the Golden Dragon Bank group, so not everyone can be together. We are often divided into a mult.i.tude of field zones.
“Each field zone will have close to 100 squads, and there will only be five or six writs available.”
Li Luo swallowed. Five or six percent chance was quite tight.
“There are two key features that you will need to know about: dao-gold and the Reservoir.”
“Dao-gold? The Reservoir?” Both Li Luo and Qin Zhulu were listening intently.
“Dao-gold can be thought of as a special currency, but it is not made of gold at all. Rather, it is fas.h.i.+oned from the energy of the Golden Dragon Dao Fields.
“When you enter the Dao Fields, you will be given a length of dao incense. If you find any treasures, wondrous herbs, or kill any spirit beasts, you may light it, and the Dao Fields will take them away naturally, leaving dao-gold of equivalent value behind.
“You may also light it if you defeat others. They will not be killed, but eliminated instead.”
“And what do we do with the dao-gold?” Li Luo asked.
“That brings us to the Reservoir. Within the Reservoir lies many treasured artifacts, a veritable h.o.a.rd that exceeds our Xia Bank’s own stash by an exponential scale. Everyone who enters the Golden Dragon Dao Fields can enter the Reservoir once, to find the treasured artifacts that you desire.
“Of course, if you wish to take them away, you will need to buy them with dao-gold. The higher the treasured artifacts’ quality, the higher the dao-gold price. Call it welfare for you supporting fighters.”
Li Luo’s eyes were round as saucers. The Golden Dragon Bank was too d.a.m.n rich! An entire reservoir of treasured artifacts? He trembled at the opulence.
Treasured artifacts! Besides the pocket sphere that he had just gotten, the only other artifact he had was the seal from the princ.i.p.al.
Not even his two short blades were treasured artifacts.
The Golden Dragon Bank was drowning in riches. Even a testing affair for their juniors was conducted so luxuriously.
“Dao-gold is not just for purchasing at the Reservoir. When you leave the Dao Fields, the dao-gold in your hands will burst into flare, and the power they hold will be transferred to your bodies. If you’re lucky, you might get a breakthrough on the spot.
“That is why dao-gold is also known as the fortune that makes you rise,” Yu Hongxi said with a smile.
Li Luo was suitably awed. “I really want to join the Golden Dragon Bank family.”
What was this overwhelming jealousy that was consuming him?!
The Golden Dragon Dao Fields were too awesome!
“I understand now,” quipped Li Luo. “We’re going there to earn dao-gold, right? Get filthy rich, arm ourselves to the teeth at the Reservoir, and then go s.n.a.t.c.h the writs?”
Yu Hongxi nodded.
“That’s very characteristic of the Golden Dragon Bank’s way of doing things,” Li Luo observed.
“Still… it sounds fun.”
Yu Hongxi rose. “Those are the rules of the Golden Dragon Dao Fields. There are a few days before it opens. Prepare as best as you can.”
She walked over to stand right in front of Li Luo. “Do your best. Show me how much of Li Taixuan’s talent you’ve inherited.
“I hope you don’t disappoint me.”