Chapter 229: Offering Elder

"Mo Chen..."

In the messy courtyard, Li Luo looked at the grey-robed elder. He hadn't expected that the latter would actually be one of the three Offering Elders of House Luolan Mansion.

In House Luolan Mansion, these three Offering Elders held no low a position. Although ordinarily they did not participate in the operations of House Luolan Mansion or any of its affairs, within House Luolan Mansion they carried no light a weight.

Ordinarily these three Offering Elders did not stay in Daxia City, so even though Li Luo had been at House Luolan Mansion headquarters for half a year, he had never seen these three Offering Elders.

"Elder Mo Chen, I am quite curious — you, a person who eats the offerings of my House Luolan Mansion, why have you appeared to protect Manager Pei Hao?"

Li Luo looked calmly at the grey-robed elder and said lightly: "Or is it that you are being driven by him? But as I know it, the three Offering Elders hold a special position; within this House Luolan Mansion, they only take orders and commands from the Mansion Master."

A smile surfaced on Mo Chen's withered face. He said: "Young Mansion Master, this old man is not being driven by Pei Hao. I simply do not wish to see internal strife within House Luolan Mansion, to have something go wrong and let all the various powers in Daxia laugh at us."

Li Luo sneered: "When Pei Hao previously poisoned those Materialization Masters at Xiyang House and caused all the powers in Daxia City to laugh at us, I didn't see you, Elder, appear to stop him."

The smile on Mo Chen's face did not fade. He said: "Pei Hao is one of the candidates for the future Mansion Master of House Luolan Mansion. As an Offering Elder, I have the responsibility to protect his safety."

Li Luo shook his head. Previously, when Pei Hao came to the old residence, he had been holding this Elder Mo's token in his hand. Now the man had appeared again to shield Pei Hao — clearly the relationship between the two sides was already extremely close.

"If we really want to talk about candidates for the future Mansion Master, I'm afraid it's not Pei Hao's turn, after all. This is the foundation my parents left behind." Li Luo said lightly.

"Young Mansion Master is mistaken in that remark. In this old man's eyes, you are the Young Mansion Master, and Pei Hao is also in fact a Young Mansion Master... He is, after all, a disciple of the two Mansion Masters, and back then the two Mansion Masters once said that anyone who obtained the recognition of the two Offering Elders and the four Pavilion Masters would possess the qualification to compete for Mansion Master. So Pei Hao's claim is legitimate." Mo Chen said earnestly.

"Elder Mo, that is a registered disciple. My parents' personally-taught disciple is only Sister Jiang Qinge." Li Luo offered a correction.

Elder Mo smiled faintly and said: "Registered or personally-taught, it actually doesn't matter. As long as you know Pei Hao has this qualification, that's enough. Actually, when all is said and done, you can't blame anyone else. If the Young Mansion Master had revealed his dual phases and potential earlier, how could the hearts within House Luolan Mansion have become so turbulent?"

Li Luo sighed and said: "I am quite curious — who exactly is behind this Pei Hao, with such great ability, that even the two Offering Elders of my House Luolan Mansion would lower themselves to protect him."

"But... playing like this, aren't you afraid my father and mother will come back one day?"

Elder Mo's gaze condensed slightly, the smile on his withered face gradually fading. He was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "Our actions have not violated the rules set by the two Mansion Masters back then."

Li Luo smiled: "But you look a bit guilty."

Elder Mo said no more, only sighing: "Young Mansion Master, there is no point in saying these things now. Half a year from now, at the House Luolan Mansion Mansion Sacrifice, everything will have an answer."

"And according to the rules set by the two Mansion Masters, within House Luolan Mansion today, the only ones who truly possess the qualification to compete for Mansion Master are Pei Hao and you."

His gaze glanced at Jiang Qing beside him, and he smiled: "Of course, Young Lady Jiang is also extremely outstanding, but if we are being strictly accurate, her status as a Mansion Master candidate is not complete, because... she has not obtained the support of the two Offering Elders."

Li Luo nodded and said: "I understand. What you mean is — you want me to compete against Pei Hao at the Mansion Sacrifice? And Sister Jiang Qinge cannot make a move?"

Elder Mo smiled and nodded: "After all, this is the method for competing for Mansion Master. If the Young Mansion Master stands out at the Mansion Sacrifice, you will become the official Mansion Master. At that time, all the scattered hearts will gather upon you, and House Luolan Mansion will once again become whole."

"Even those under Pei Hao who support him will no longer have any reason to support him."

"Your scheming is truly shrewd." Li Luo sighed.

"I'm at the second stage of the Materialization Master realm, competing against him at the late Earth Sha General stage. Do you think it's your brain that's broken, or mine?"

Elder Mo smiled: "Although it does seem a bit unfair, the rules are indeed so."

"Or, Young Mansion Master, you could let Pei Hao become the Mansion Master of House Luolan Mansion first, and wait until your strength is sufficient in the future to hold this competition. It won't be too late."

Li Luo smiled: "All this talk — isn't it just that Pei Hao is afraid of Sister Jiang Qinge?"

Pei Hao, who had not spoken until now, said lightly: "A ninth-grade Light Phase is enough to make anyone wary. I am of course no exception."

Li Luo shook his head and said: "Elder Mo, let's not bring up these foolish words again. Perhaps according to House Luolan Mansion's rules, Sister Jiang Qinge's status as a Mansion Master candidate is not the most complete, but you also know that she has a marriage contract with me. We are one. So naturally she is qualified to compete for the position of Mansion Master in my place."

"So..."

He flashed a brilliant smile at Mo Chen and Pei Hao: "If you want to compete with me, get past Sister Jiang Qinge first."

Elder Mo's eyes narrowed slightly. He hadn't expected that the son born of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan — those two prideful, heaven-high prodigies — would actually be so... without a bottom line.

"Is the Young Mansion Master running away... Even if Young Lady Jiang wins the position of Mansion Master in your place, it still won't be proper or legitimate. Some may be convinced by her, but no one will be convinced by you."

"And how will the other powers in Daxia view House Luolan Mansion? A Mansion Master who has to rely on his fiancée even for the contest for Mansion Master? Truly laughable."

Li Luo rubbed his ear and muttered: "Being able to live off a woman — that itself is a skill."

Seeing that this Li Luo was impervious to both carrot and stick, with not a shred of pride, Mo Chen couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitch. A slight gloom welled up in his heart, because all of this was a little different from what he had envisioned.

In his view, as the son of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, so long as this Li Luo still possessed a shred of pride, he would inevitably compete with Pei Hao to the end. Of course, whether he could win was another matter, but at the very least the attitude had to be shown first.

But this Li Luo was something else — he came right out and made it clear: want to compete with me? Beat Jiang Jiang Qinge first, or don't bother talking!

Relying on his fiancée, living off a woman — he didn't care at all!

He shook his head, said no more nonsense, and only smiled: "Young Mansion Master, I think when the Mansion Sacrifice arrives, you may change your mind."

Jiang Jiang Qinge's cold voice came: "Elder Mo, wanting to take someone away just like that — I'm afraid it won't be that easy, will it?"

Earlier, when Li Luo was speaking with Mo Chen, Jiang Jiang Qinge had not interjected the entire time, clearly leaving the initiative of the scene to Li Luo.

Elder Mo smiled at Jiang Jiang Qinge and said: "Young Lady Jiang, although a ninth-grade Light Phase is rare, at this point you should still be unable to pose any threat to me."

"Of course, I know that outside this courtyard, you have almost summoned the majority of House Luolan Mansion's forces in Daxia. If we truly forced a fight, it would indeed cause us great trouble."

"But..."

"Do you really want it to escalate to that point?"

Elder Mo smiled: "Although your actions were covert, there are too many eyes within Daxia City. At this moment, there are probably already many gazes watching this place from the shadows..."

"Xiyang House just made such a big spectacle of itself in broad daylight today, and now tonight it's revealed that the Young Mansion Master of House Luolan Mansion led people to fight fiercely with an Offering Elder of House Luolan Mansion... Isn't this just too unsightly?"

Jiang Jiang Qinge said coldly: "The house is already this broken — are we still afraid of others laughing at us?"

"If you insist, then suit yourselves."

Elder Mo smiled and shook his head, saying nothing more. He stepped forward, and Pei Hao likewise dropped down from the rockery, standing shoulder to shoulder with Elder Mo. The two walked straight toward the outside of the courtyard.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's gaze gradually sharpened, her grip on the heavy sword in her hand slowly tightening. But in the end, Li Luo still waved his hand at her.

At this point, there was indeed no need to fight, because even if they fought, there was no absolute certainty of keeping the two. Since the outcome was not what they wanted, there was no need to add to the casualties.

Pei Hao brushed past Li Luo, his steps pausing for a moment. He smiled lightly: "Li Luo, remember — you still have half a year."

Li Luo turned his head and smiled at him.

"Thanks for the reminder. Also..."

"The gift package you sent this time..."

He licked his lips, nodded firmly, and gave his affirmation.

"Smells good."