Chapter 192: The Goal Is to Strengthen House Luolan Mansion

"The secret to claiming kingship?"

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge exchanged glances. Even though both of them were extraordinary people, claiming kingship still felt distant and unfamiliar to them.

Of course, it wasn't just them—for anyone in this Great Xia, claiming kingship was perhaps enough to make them feel utterly dwarfed in awe.

Since the founding of Great Xia until now, the number of King-realm experts that had appeared in history could be counted on one hand.

Among the openly known King-realm experts today, there was probably only the rarely seen headmaster of the Sacred Void Star Academy...

Although Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge didn't know how many obstacles lay on the path to claiming kingship, they could imagine just how attractive the king-secrets that Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan carried would be.

Perhaps that mysterious hidden hand had set its sights on them and House Luolan Mansion precisely because of this.

This was rather interesting. Not only did his father and mother come from outside Great Xia, but they also carried such a strange treasure—their origins seemed anything but simple.

Li Luo felt that his parents likely harbored quite a few secrets as well.

"Uncle Biao chose this moment to tell us these secrets—does he have some special reason?" Jiang Jiang Qinge asked calmly.

"Still, it's Jiang Qinge who's sharp and clever."

Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao smiled, but the smile carried a certain heaviness. He said slowly, "The protective grand array of House Luolan Mansion has likely already been thoroughly probed by that mysterious hidden hand over the years. And because House Luolan Mansion's situation has been unstable in recent years, I speculate that in about half a year, the grand array will enter its weakest phase."

"That mysterious hidden hand probably won't let this opportunity slip... At that time, they might throw everything they've got, break straight into House Luolan Mansion's headquarters, locate the underground palace, extinguish Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan's life fire, and seize the 'Divine Essence Substance.'"

"To be honest, once the situation reaches that point, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop them."

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge's expressions changed at once. In half a year, the protective grand array would enter its weakened phase? If that were truly the case, wouldn't House Luolan Mansion become extremely dangerous at that time?

"So during this half year, I hope you can stabilize or strengthen House Luolan Mansion as much as possible. That way, when the time comes, we'll be able to handle things with more leeway." Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao said.

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge exchanged a glance, both seeing the heaviness in each other's eyes. They had originally thought they still had time, but now it seemed that time was truly far too pressing.

Half a year...

It really left one unable to catch their breath.

However, no matter how pressing it was, this matter had to be done. After all, if other Marquis-realm experts truly broke into the underground palace, extinguished the life fire, and seized the "Divine Essence Substance," that would be a consequence they simply could not accept.

"Uncle Biao, you don't need to worry too much. Although that mysterious hidden hand's origins are unclear, over these years they've only been watching from the shadows, which shows they too have many reservations and constraints. Once they act too overtly, they'll inevitably expose themselves. At that point, I think the Sacred Void Star Academy, the Golden Dragon Treasure House, Wang Ting, and other top powers of Great Xia will also take notice..."

"Although we don't know whether these top powers are aware of the existence of the 'Divine Essence Substance,' if the situation becomes more chaotic because of it, that may not necessarily be a bad thing for us." Jiang Jiang Qinge said calmly.

Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao nodded. Jiang Jiang Qinge's words did hold some merit. That mysterious hidden hand was powerful, and there must be more than one Marquis-realm expert within it. The fact that they had never launched a full-scale assault on House Luolan Mansion over these years might well be because they wanted to keep the secrets of House Luolan Mansion hidden.

"Of course, regardless, we cannot place our hopes on outside forces. Strengthening House Luolan Mansion is our most pressing task." Jiang Jiang Qinge added.

Li Luo and Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao both agreed.

After telling Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge all these secrets, Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao clearly looked much more relaxed.

Seeing this, Li Luo smiled and said, "Uncle Biao, you should have told me about this earlier."

Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao chuckled: "What could the young mansion master have done even if you'd known earlier?"

Li Luo's smile froze, his gaze resentful—wasn't this just saying he had been too weak before, utterly useless?

Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao's gaze suddenly settled on Li Luo, sizing him up and down.

Li Luo felt rather uncomfortable under his gaze and said, "Uncle Biao, what are you looking at?"

Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao glanced at him and said slowly, "Although the matters of House Luolan Mansion are pressing, young mansion master, your lifespan issue also needs some attention."

Li Luo stared at Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao in shock—he actually knew about his lifespan problem?!

Earlier, when Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao had subtly mentioned him being weak, Li Luo had had some suspicion, but he hadn't dared to confirm it. But now, Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao had clearly stated it outright.

"What lifespan problem?!" Beside them, Jiang Jiang Qinge was taken aback, a hint of confusion on her exquisitely beautiful face. Then her suspicious gaze lingered on Li Luo's face, and her expression gradually turned extremely icy.

"What problem does Li Luo's lifespan have?!" Her eyes were filled with sharpness and scrutiny. Her voice sounded calm, yet it carried the surging waves of shock and fury within.

"You didn't know? He didn't tell you?" Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao scratched his shiny bald head, then flashed Li Luo an honest, apologetic smile.

"Did I let it slip...?"

Li Luo gave him a smile uglier than crying: "Uncle Biao, please shut up."

He seriously suspected the man had done it on purpose!

"Li Luo, explain this to me clearly!" Jiang Jiang Qinge said angrily.

Li Luo said in a small voice, "It's actually nothing... When I resolved the empty phase issue earlier, I paid a small price—just that I only have... five years of lifespan left."

Boom!

Astonishing light phase power erupted violently from within Jiang Jiang Qinge's body at this moment, the resplendent phase power flowing across her delicate frame like flames of light.

This was because her emotions had fluctuated too greatly, causing her phase power to lose control.

Jiang Jiang Qinge clenched her silver teeth tightly, her golden eyes looking at Li Luo with utter shock and fury. She simply could not believe what she had just heard.

Five years of lifespan?!

Li Luo only had five years of lifespan left?!

Seeing her so out of control, Li Luo hurriedly said, "Don't panic, it's only temporary. As long as I can step into the Marquis Realm within five years, the lost lifespan can be replenished!"

These words did have some effect. The light phase power on Jiang Jiang Qinge's body gradually subsided, but her exquisitely beautiful face remained a sheet of icy coldness: "Marquis in five years?"

Five years later, Li Luo would be twenty-three. Reaching the Marquis Realm at that age seemed unheard of in Great Xia. After all, even Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan back then had never achieved this.

Jiang Jiang Qinge herself might be able to break this record, but after all, she possessed a ninth-grade light phase.

Although Li Luo possessed dual phases, whether he could reach this achievement as well was truly unknown...

Li Luo hurriedly nodded and said, "Don't worry, I can definitely do it within five years! And there's no other choice. To resolve the empty phase, this is the price that must be paid."

Jiang Jiang Qinge was silent for a moment, then finally took a deep breath. What was done was done and could not be changed, so she could only accept it. However, she still turned her face away with a cold expression, unwilling to pay Li Luo any more attention.

Clearly, she was angry.

The reason she was angry was that Li Luo had actually kept such an important matter hidden from her all this time.

Seeing this, Li Luo could only offer an awkward apologetic smile, then cast a resentful glance at Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao. Uncle Biao, we have no grudge between us, so why must you do this to me?

Facing Li Luo's gaze, Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao chuckled foolishly twice, then turned and walked away.

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge followed him, and finally emerged from the underground palace. However, when they came out of the underground palace, they were not in the back kitchen, but in some remote corridor within House Luolan Mansion.

"Keep today's secret between the two of you. Don't let anyone else know. As for how to stabilize and strengthen the Luo Lan Mansion, that's for you two to worry about."

"Good luck." Seeing Niu Niu Biaobiao waved his hand, then swaggered off, his shiny bald head bobbing.

Watching him leave, Li Luo glanced at Jiang Jiang Qinge, who had been silent beside him, and asked cautiously, "Sister Jiang Qinge, you're not still angry, are you?"

Jiang Jiang Qinge turned and walked forward, her calm voice drifting back: "Come with me to the training room."

Li Luo's body trembled, his knees went weak, but in the end he put on a look of a man walking to his death and followed.

Training room.

Li Luo strapped on his protective gear, wooden sword in hand, his face a picture of misery as he looked ahead to see Jiang Jiang Qinge similarly outfitted, her slender, graceful figure stretching out in perfect curves.

Only her expression was a touch too cold.

It seemed she really was going to beat him up to vent her anger... but Li Luo also understood that Jiang Jiang Qinge's heart was in a state of extreme shock and fury right now. If taking a beating could let her cool off, he figured it was a pretty good deal.

Whoosh!

Ready to go, Jiang Jiang Qinge's lithe figure shot straight out, the wooden sword in her hand piercing the air. Li Luo's vision blurred, and the next instant her figure appeared right before him.

The wooden sword came chopping down!

Too fast—he couldn't block it at all!

Li Luo simply couldn't be bothered with such useless effort. He closed his eyes and waited to take his beating, like a salted fish.

Bang!

A few breaths later, the gust of force came. But just as Li Luo was bracing his teeth to endure, he felt the gust suddenly weaken and finally land lightly on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes in some confusion and saw Jiang Jiang Qinge standing before him.

She held the wooden sword, its tip resting on Li Luo's shoulder.

At such close range, Li Luo could sense that Jiang Jiang Qinge's body seemed to be trembling slightly, and within those usually calm, composed golden eyes, ripples of fright shimmered.

It tugged at the heartstrings.

Li Luo sighed softly in his heart and said, "Sister Jiang Qinge, I made you worry."

Jiang Jiang Qinge stepped closer, her smooth forehead gently touching Li Luo's. Their eyes seemed to press together, reflecting each other's face.

Her golden eyes slowly closed, and she said softly, "Li Luo, promise me—you have to do it. Otherwise, I'll be very disappointed."

Li Luo understood what she meant: she wanted him to definitely achieve the five-year marquisate.

So a soft smile rose to his face as well, and he nodded.

"Don't worry. I'll do it."

"This is my promise to you."