Chapter 0730: Bidding the First Princess Farewell
The headquarters of House Luolan had s.h.i.+fted back to the old manor. This caused significant aftershocks throughout the City of Southwind, and all of the existing forces felt a trace of anxiety. After all, the Five Great Houses were behemoths that they could not compare to.
Thus, House Luolan's return had changed the balance of power within the Tianshu Province.
Many leaders of the forces here were reminded of the time when House Luolan had first been set up in the City of Southwind and the sheer amount of suppression they were under due to Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan's presence.
Although the two had left the house, the current house was no small fry either, and news of the huge battle that unfolded during the Housemeet had also been spread throughout the Xia Kingdom.
More importantly, Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan were still alive.
This meant that the foundations House Luolan was built upon were still holding strong.
Thus, all of the Tianshu Province's numerous powers quickly sent celebratory gifts when House Luolan moved in, and the once spa.r.s.ely populated manor was now bustling with traffic.
However, Li Luo left all the work of entertaining the guests to Cai Wei. In any case, she would be in control of the house for quite some time moving forward.
On the third day after House Luolan had moved into the City of Southwind, the city once again burst into excitement because the Astral Sage College's entourage finally arrived.
The Astral Sage College was much more famous and respected than House Luolan.
Countless youths of the kingdom had the aim of entering the college to cultivate and win honor for their families.
The students were also the most exceptional and talented in the kingdom.
Still, things were not over. On the fourth day, an army from the royal court of Xia City made their way into the City of Southwind, and it was rumored that the First Princess and the Little Emperor were also present.
The bustling atmosphere seemed to have reached a peak
Perhaps no one in the City of Southwind had ever expected that their quaint, little city would become such an exciting place.
Every single power similarly sought to meet the governor in hopes of obtaining a chance to interact and build a relations.h.i.+p with the royal court through him. Alas, every single one of them was turned away at the door and forced to leave their gifts behind.
As the discouraged parties failed to seek an audience, they noticed that a single royal carriage surrounded by layers of guards had made its way in the direction of House Luolan's old manor.
They then looked on helplessly as they saw both the Little Emperor and the First Princess leave the carriage and enter the manor directly.
This caused shock amongst the powers in the Tianshu Province. It seemed that the rumors of their strong relations.h.i.+p was not groundless.
...
House Luolan's Old Manor.
Within a quiet courtyard surrounded by a lake.
"Your Majesty and Your Highness, you have graced me with your presence and shone life upon this humble home of mine." Li Luo smiled as he looked at the two figures before him.
The First Princess was currently garbed in a purple royal dress with her long hair rolled up, revealing a slender and fair neck. Her phoenix-like eyes were sparkling with life, looking bright and beautiful. The tailored dress hugged her exquisite figure, perfectly displaying her thrilling curves and showcasing both her n.o.ble and graceful temperament with a single glance.
The Little Emperor beside her made Li Luo a little surprised as well. She was no longer dressed like a tomboy, and although she was wearing neutral clothes, her face seemed to have become even more beautiful. She was no longer concealing her ident.i.ty, showing the world her true appearance.
However, Li Luo could still vividly remember that the Little Emperor's true age was only around ten. Yet her body had matured considerably, giving off the impression of a beautiful older sister.
The First Princess similarly looked at the tall and unusually handsome young man. Despite the head full of grayish-white hair, his features were that of a youth, and just looking at his face had the potential to soothe one's soul. However, she also knew that Li Luo's internal thoughts were not as cool as his current demeanor might suggest.
"Li Luo, I've heard about Qing'e's situation and I'm very sorry. I was unable to a.s.sist you then," the First Princess said apologetically.
At that point in time, the situation in Xia City was extremely chaotic as the Regent had dispatched forces attempting to seize numerous rare treasures from the treasure pavilion of the royal court. As a result, she had to deploy all her forces to halt the forceful pillaging of their items. Only after an extended period of time was the situation resolved.
When that battle concluded, she received news of House Luolan encountering Shen Jinxiao's ambush.
After which, news of Jiang Qing'e sacrificially igniting her Heart of Light was made known to her and Jiang Qing'e had been taken to the inner divine continent by Ling Zhaoying to search for a cure.
Li Luo shook his head and sighed. "Your Highness, you do not need to feel bad about this. You were also encountering endless problems of your own. I thought my preparations were sufficient, but who would ever have expected that we had still underestimated him? I suppose the good news is that even though Sister Qing'e was in a pinch, we managed to quickly find a solution. The only price to be paid is her absence for a period of time."
The First Princess nodded. She knew that any more questions would only bring Li Luo more pain and thus she stopped.
On the side, Gong Jingyao was sneakily observing Li Luo as he spoke with her sister. Whenever a look of sadness washed over his handsome face, he would quickly turn away.
Even so, his stealthy actions were noticed by Li Luo, who smiled. "Has the poison been dispelled, Your Majesty?"
When this topic came up, Gong Jingyao's little face reddened, her head lowered, and she glanced at her toes.
Li Luo was a little taken aback before seemingly understanding something, also feeling a sense of embarra.s.sment. Whenever he treated her in the past, she had always removed her robes and Li Luo had remained in close contact with her to dispel the black lotus poison. At that point in time, neither of them had felt like it was a problem. But now? Her gender had been restored, and thinking back, his actions seemed a little improper.
The First Princess laughed upon seeing this, feeling extremely amused.
"Cough!"
In the end, Li Luo coughed lightly before he regained his composure. "I envy you, Your Majesty. You're now able to rid yourself of your shackles and return to normal."
Gong Jingyao politely replied, "Thank you."
Her personality seemed to have changed a little ever since her gender went back to normal.
The First Princess then took the opportunity to ask, "Li Luo... I heard that you will be leaving the Xia Kingdom very soon."
Li Luo nodded as he calmly replied, "I will head towards the inner divine continents and will probably return in a few years’ time."
"I heard that your parents are from the inner divine continents, so your background must also be extraordinary. The inner divine continents are cultivation holy grounds and can also be seen as the most wonderful places in the world. With your talent, you're bound to achieve greater heights." The First Princess seemed a little disappointed despite her congratulatory words.
Li Luo smiled. "The inner divine continents might be interesting places, but House Luolan is my home. Thus, my journey will only be a temporary one. I will definitely return."
A look of happiness seemed to surface in the First Princess' brilliant eyes, and she revealed a beaming smile. "I look forward to the day you return. At that point in time, you should be able to suppress even the mightiest in the Xia Kingdom. I only hope that His Excellency Li Luo will remember the friends.h.i.+p he forged with a little girl like me."
Li Luo chortled upon hearing her words. "Your Highness, you think too highly of me. The geniuses and talents in the inner divine continents are like clouds. I might very well be lost amongst the rabble at that point in time. If you put such high expectations on me and I don't do well, won't I completely lose face when I return?"
The First Princess smiled and shook her head. If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have the confidence to say that they would thrive in that new environment. However, Li Luo was different. She had personally seen the miracles he had created the past year, and he was bound to rise and thrive even at the inner divine continents.
"When you leave, I will give you a hand and look after House Luolan. You can inform them that if House Luolan ever faces any troubles, find me and I will do my best to a.s.sist them," the First Princess generously promised. She was an extremely smart individual, so she understood that the biggest burden weighing on Li Luo's mind at the moment was his house that would soon lose both of its spiritual pillars.
In order to deepen her friends.h.i.+p with both Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e, she naturally would do her utmost to help them.
In addition, the First Princess seemed to have become more confident. Perhaps it was the fact that she was no longer under the thumb of the Regent that she was able to finally let herself flourish.
"I don't need to say any unnecessary words. I will forever remember Your Highness' grace." Li Luo did not stand on ceremony. The only thing he needed now was peace of mind when it came to House Luolan before he could leave.
"When do you plan to leave, then?" the First Princess asked.
"Perhaps in the next few days." Now that Jiang Qing'e had left, time had become tight. Whether it was the four year deadline to reach the Duke Stage or to acquire the Nine Marks Sacred Heart Lotus, everything required preparation, and he had to move quickly.
Remaining cooped up in the Xia Kingdom was meaningless.
The First Princess lightly nodded as her jade-like hands picked up the cup of tea before her.
"Then I will take this opportunity to wish you all the best. Come back as a Duke."
She raised her head and gulped down the tea in a single mouthful.
Looking at the tall youth before her, she suddenly had a premonition that the day he came back would also be the last day of the demons that had infuriated him.
At that point in time, not only Shen Jinxiao, but also the Regent and Zhu Qinghuo...
All of them would pay the ultimate price.