Chapter 191: Secrets

"Luo Lan Mansion?"

When Niu Niu Biaobiao's words fell, Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge both looked at him in blank confusion, clearly not understanding what he meant.

This strange formation that guarded the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters and the underground palace, forbidding other Marquis-level powerhouses from entering—its power came from Luo Lan Mansion itself?

But how could Luo Lan Mansion possess such power?

Facing the two's bewilderment, Niu Niu Biaobiao smiled and said, "To be precise, it comes from Luo Lan Mansion's 'momentum.'"

"It may sound rather mysterious, but this strange formation truly does possess such power. Clearly, Li Taixuan and his wife had long made some preparations for this. When Luo Lan Mansion was founded, this strange formation was already being conceived—the two are intimately linked."

"In other words, the stronger Luo Lan Mansion grows, the stronger this 'momentum' becomes, thereby granting the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters greater protection. Honestly speaking, such a method is extremely stunning."

"But conversely..."

"The worse Luo Lan Mansion's situation, the smaller the 'momentum' it provides, and the weaker this guardian strange formation becomes. When Luo Lan Mansion ceases to exist, this strange formation will vanish entirely."

"The mysterious Marquis-level powerhouse last night who was able to send an energy avatar into the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters—it was also because Luo Lan Mansion's situation has been unstable these past two years. As a result, the 'momentum' it provided weakened, thereby affecting the guardian strange formation."

"This is the main purpose of my being forthright with you this time. This guardian strange formation needs stronger 'momentum,' and the ones who can accomplish this are clearly only the two of you."

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge's expressions grew solemn. They had never imagined that this strange formation secretly protecting the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters and the underground palace actually relied on Luo Lan Mansion's own decline and prosperity...

Although it sounded somewhat inconceivable, Niu Niu Biaobiao clearly had no reason to deceive them, and the wonders of this world were beyond what the two of them could know.

Still, stabilizing and strengthening Luo Lan Mansion had always been the direction he and Jiang Jiang Qinge were working toward.

Simply put, so-called strengthening—isn't it just making Luo Lan Mansion have people, money, and fame?

And regarding this point, Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge felt a bit of joy in their hearts, because at the very least, they could do something here for Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, rather than being able only to wait idly for news of their return.

"Uncle Biao, you were able to slay that Marquis-level powerhouse who infiltrated the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters, so you yourself must at least be a Marquis, right? If you could reveal your strength, many of Luo Lan Mansion's problems would be solved easily." Li Luo pondered aloud.

The reason Luo Lan Mansion was currently surrounded by wolves was, most importantly, the lack of a Marquis-level powerhouse holding down the fort within the mansion. If Niu Niu Biaobiao could fill this gap, the situation would clearly be much better.

Niu Niu Biaobiao sighed and said, "You two are overestimating old Niu here..."

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge both looked over in astonishment.

"There are many old matters involved, so I won't go through them one by one with you. You just need to know that I cannot step out of the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters."

"Moreover, my power is subject to many restrictions, so unless absolutely necessary, I will not act." Niu Niu Biaobiao's somewhat fierce and brutish face revealed a touch of desolation as he spoke.

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge were somewhat speechless, but it wasn't entirely unexpected—because if Niu Niu Biaobiao truly could act at will, he wouldn't have watched helplessly as Luo Lan Mansion fell into such a state.

If he displayed himself even slightly, how would that Manager Pei Hao dare to jump out?

"There's one more question... the Marquis-level powerhouse last night, which faction did he actually belong to? Duze Mansion? Extreme Flame Mansion? Or some other top-tier faction?" Li Luo was silent for several breaths, then opened his mouth to ask.

"Also, regarding my father and mother drawing the life-and-death lot together—is there some scheme behind it?"

These questions were all very important, because they needed to determine exactly who was targeting Luo Lan Mansion, especially the mysterious Marquis-level powerhouse from last night.

Niu Niu Biaobiao smiled and said, "Which faction the Marquis-level powerhouse from last night belonged to, I don't know. When a Marquis-level powerhouse wants to conceal his background, it's still quite easy. And the Marquis-level powerhouses of the Great Xia... well, they're not numerous, but they're not few either..."

"I have no answer regarding the life-and-death lot either. But what can be confirmed is that there is indeed a mysterious hidden hand within the Great Xia targeting Luo Lan Mansion..."

"Over the years, they've been spying on the Luo Lan Mansion headquarters, but because of the strange formation, other Marquis-level powerhouses couldn't step inside, so they failed to turn the headquarters upside down."

"However, after so many years of spying, I sense that they probably also have a vague understanding of this strange formation's details. So, the attacks Luo Lan Mansion has suffered in recent years have also begun to grow more intense..."

"For example, a few months ago, that Manager Pei Hao's split of Luo Lan Mansion... behind him, there may well have been someone directing it, with the purpose of weakening this guardian strange formation of Luo Lan Mansion."

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge both fell silent, their expressions somewhat solemn. That so-called mysterious hidden hand made them feel tremendous pressure.

Jiang Jiang Qinge pondered for several breaths, then asked softly, "Uncle Biao, I still have one most important question..."

"Why does this mysterious hidden hand target our Luo Lan Mansion so relentlessly, even going to such painstaking lengths to try to destroy the Natal Fire, preventing Master and Mistress from returning?"

Li Luo's heart skipped a beat as well. Indeed, the other party's such relentless persistence must be for some scheme.

Niu Niu Biaobiao sighed, and his voice grew much more serious.

"First, there's something I need to tell you... Li Taixuan, Dantai Lan—they are not natives of the Great Xia. They came from beyond the Great Xia."

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge's bodies trembled slightly.

"Beyond the Great Xia? Other countries?" Li Luo said in surprise.

Niu Niu Biaobiao smiled and did not answer.

"As for why this mysterious hidden hand covets Luo Lan Mansion..."

He stepped forward, walked to where the dragon-phoenix stone carving stood, then lightly patted a certain spot. A hidden compartment slowly rose from somewhere beneath the stone carving—it was a sharp stone needle, and suspended atop the stone needle was a radiant rhombus-shaped crystal.

The rhombus-shaped crystal emanated a mysterious halo. As the halo rippled outward in waves, Li Luo and the other seemed to feel that this very world was beginning to breathe, and the world's energy churned violently along with the halo's inhalation and exhalation.

Niu Niu Biaobiao gazed at that mysterious rhombus-shaped crystal, his expression somewhat wistful.

"This is the most core part of this underground palace. When Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan encountered a fatal crisis, the one that transmitted power to them was this..."

"I think the reason the mysterious hidden hand set its sights on them should also be because of this thing."

Niu Niu Biaobiao's gaze shifted to Li Luo and the other.

"This is 'Divine Nurturing Substance.' You two may never have heard of it. It is what every Marquis-level powerhouse in this world dreams of obtaining. Marquis-level powerhouses would give anything for it..."

"Because only this legendary substance can allow them to touch upon..."

"The secret of becoming a King..."