Chapter 194: Before the Headquarters

In front of the main gate of the Xi Yang House headquarters.

Elder Zheng Ping's face was gloomy as he stared ahead. He saw a large group of figures seated cross-legged on the broad avenue. Every one of them wore the robes of a Material Refiner, and the robes all bore the Xi Yang House insignia.

Beyond those figures, the street was also packed with onlookers. Numerous gazes were cast down from the surrounding buildings, carrying the air of watching a spectacle.

Whether intentional or not, the matter of the internal strife within Xi Yang House had already spread throughout Great Xia City, drawing the attention of various factions.

"Tang Yun, Lu Lu Xiaofeng, you two are at least considered veterans of Xi Yang House. Back then, the Prefecture Lord sent you to develop the Xi Yang House branches, but what did you do? In the end, you colluded with that Manager Pei Hao, and now you still have the face to come here?" Elder Zheng Ping cursed harshly.

In front of the many seated Material Refiners were two middle-aged men, clearly the leaders of these refiners. Upon hearing Elder Zheng Ping's scolding, their faces twitched.

"Heh, Elder Zheng Ping, those words aren't quite right. Pei Hao is also a disciple of the Prefecture Lord. Now the two Prefecture Lords' whereabouts are unknown, and Pei Hao stepped forward to revitalize Luo Lan Mansion. What's wrong with them helping Pei Hao?" But before the two men could speak, a burst of laughter came from the side.

Elder Zheng Ping glanced sideways: "Pang Pang Qianchi, didn't the Young Mansion Lord place you on idle at home? Why have you popped out again?"

The speaker was precisely the former vice president of the Xi Yang House headquarters. Having failed in his bid for the position of president, he had been placed on idle by Li Luo directly.

Pang Pang Qianchi let out a cold laugh. In truth, he had been extremely frustrated during this period, because he had originally assumed that after developing in Xi Yang House for so many years, many people were his men, and that had been the capital that gave him the courage to compete for the presidency back then.

In his view, once Xi Yang House lost him, it would inevitably fall into complete chaos, and in the end Li Luo would still have to invite him back to stabilize the situation.

But over this past month, Xi Yang House had not fallen into the chaos he had hoped for. Instead, various performance metrics had been gradually improving, which made him unable to sit still.

A few days ago, he had even secretly tried to invite some of the former Xi Yang House senior members who had been close to him for a private meeting, to understand the current internal situation of Xi Yang House. But to his surprise, those who had once shared drinks and laughter with him all declined his invitation one after another.

Clearly, Li Luo's control over Xi Yang House was even swifter than he had imagined.

And Pang Pang Qianchi also understood that all of this was because of the Mi Fa source water that Li Luo had produced... that purity of Mi Fa source water held a great attraction for Material Refiners.

Coupled with Li Luo raising the treatment of Xi Yang House's Material Refiners, it could now be said that all hearts were gathered upon him alone.

Pang Pang Qianchi understood he could not let things continue this way, so when the branch Material Refiners like Tang Yun arrived in Great Xia City this time, he contacted them almost immediately.

"Elder Zheng Ping, although I have been placed on idle at home, I am not a prisoner. Am I not even allowed to leave the house?"

Pang Pang Qianchi smiled, then pointed at Tang Yun and the others, saying indignantly: "I am merely voicing the grievances of these brothers at the branches. How much blood and sweat have they poured into the development of Xi Yang House? Yet now they are being ignored. The Young Mansion Lord clearly possesses the method to refine Mi Fa source water, yet is unwilling to share it with the brothers at the branches for use. Doesn't this chill people's hearts?"

Elder Zheng Ping was so angry he laughed instead. Damn it, this group of ingrates at the branches had already thrown in their lot with Pei Hao, and now they still wanted to come and ask the Young Mansion Lord for Mi Fa source water?

However, he could not say such things publicly, or wouldn't that directly show that Xi Yang House had split internally? That would damage Xi Yang House's reputation. Moreover, some of these branch Material Refiners were not entirely aligned with Pei Hao; they had merely been swept along.

If they spoke too harshly here, it would undoubtedly push these people to the opposite side.

Therefore, he could only finally snort coldly and say: "If you have matters to discuss, you can go inside to talk. What is the meaning of blocking the entrance here?"

The middle-aged man named Tang Yun, standing before the seated Material Refiners, spoke up: "As long as the Young Mansion Lord is willing to allocate Mi Fa source water to our Xi Ling Prefecture branch, we will leave."

Elder Zheng Ping was so angry his beard bristled and his eyes bulged, but there was nothing he could do. He could only wave his sleeve and pay no more attention. The matters here still needed the Young Mansion Lord and Young Lady Jiang to handle.

With no result from the exchange, both sides fell silent and continued the standoff.

And the crowd of onlookers grew larger and larger.

In a tavern nearby.

By the window, Du Ze Bei Zhu Xuan stared coldly at the entrance of Xi Yang House and said: "I want to see how Li Luo and the others wrap this up this time. In any case, our Du Ze Mansion has already helped spread the word for him."

Beside Du Ze Bei Zhu Xuan was Du Ze Hong Qin Lian, who had a fiery figure and bright red lips. She cast a sideways glance at that side and said: "That Li Luo does have some ability. I had originally thought that Han Zhi's move last time could have directly crushed Xi Yang House, but I didn't expect them to weather it in the end."

Du Ze Bei Zhu Xuan frowned slightly and said: "It's said it was because Li Luo produced a kind of Mi Fa source water with purity comparable to Bi Shang Qi Pin, which turned the situation around."

"Mi Fa source water of Bi Shang Qi Pin purity..."

Du Ze Hong Qin Lian narrowed her eyes. Mi Fa source water of this grade was quite rare. Even their Du Ze Mansion's "Great Marsh House," after researching for so many years and spending no small amount on R&D, had only one kind of Bi Shang Qi Pin Mi Fa source water.

With such a sharp weapon, it would not be hard for Xi Yang House to stabilize the situation. Given time, its momentum might even grow stronger and stronger. Fortunately, however, Xi Yang House lacked foundation, and in formula research it lagged far behind Great Marsh House...

"Xi Yang House is severely lacking in Material Refiners. If they cannot wrap this up this time, our Du Ze Mansion can help them publicize this family scandal. Let's see how many Material Refiners will still be willing to go to their Xi Yang House in the future," Du Ze Hong Qin Lian said lightly.

Du Ze Bei Zhu Xuan smiled and nodded. The pent-up frustration in his heart caused by the ranking battle could finally ease a little.

While the Du Ze siblings were watching the spectacle, at another spot in the same tavern.

Manager Pei Hao sat in a private room, calmly drinking tea alone. On the table opposite him, a cup of tea was also served.

He did not look toward the farce at the Xi Yang House headquarters, but stared with deep, dark eyes at the surface of the tea in his cup, where his own face was reflected.

This trip to Great Xia City had been somewhat hasty.

Because Manager Pei Hao had not anticipated that since their parting at the old residence a few months ago, such tremendous changes would occur in that Li Luo.

Not only did he take first place in the Tian Shu Prefecture Grand Examination, but he also entered the Sacred Mystic Star Academy. The latest intelligence even revealed that Li Luo had exposed his dual aspects...

Each piece of intelligence arriving in succession caused a surge of shock and fury in Manager Pei Hao's heart that things were slipping from his control.

That Young Mansion Lord, whom he had previously regarded as a cripple, had suddenly risen.

"Li Luo..."

Manager Pei Hao's face was expressionless. He suddenly reached out and crushed the teacup, then raised his head and looked toward a carriage speeding in from the far end of the street.

"It seems our struggle will have to come sooner."

"This is merely an appetizer sent to you."