Chapter 428: Retrieving the Items

Li Luo arrived at the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall without any trouble, encountering no attacks, though he was not surprised by this; now that he was considered a student valued by the Saint Profound Star Academy, let alone Manager Pei Hao, even the Extreme Flame Mansion or the Duze Mansion would not dare to openly attempt assassinations against him at this time.

As for the poisoning this time, it was entirely because Manager Pei Hao, that Bai Yanlang, was too vicious, having come up with an indirect method of poisoning.

Even if the Academy learned of this matter, they could do nothing, for regardless of the situation, the Academy remained neutral and would not intervene to solve the dangers and troubles facing the Luo Lan Mansion simply because they valued Li Luo.

Had they truly been willing to do so, they would have already declared their protection of the Luo Lan Mansion the moment Jiang Jiang Qinge revealed her Suan Shi Jiu Pin Light Image; with the Academy's foundation and strength, if they had spoken to protect the Luo Lan Mansion, no power within the Great Xia would have dared to harbor covetous thoughts toward the Luo Lan Mansion.

But the Academy did not do this because the rule established at its founding was neutrality, so even Jiang Jiang Qinge, who possessed the Suan Shi Jiu Pin Light Image, could not make them change their principles.

For once the Academy truly did this, its nature and the meaning of its existence would undergo a major change, and the chain reaction triggered at that time would be difficult for anyone to predict.

However, neither Li Luo nor Jiang Jiang Qinge had ever thought of using the Academy's power to protect the Luo Lan Mansion.

They merely demonstrated their potential within the rules to gain the Academy's attention, thereby winning themselves time to grow.

Upon arriving at the Treasure Hall, Li Luo went straight to Yu Yu Hongxi's office.

"What wind blew the young master of the Luo Lan Mansion here? The young master's reputation within the Great Xia has been quite loud lately." Behind the desk, Yu Yu Hongxi still wore a bright red dress, her figure tall and plump, her face filled with the charm of a mature woman.

She first waved to dismiss the staff inside the room, then sat in her chair, her long fingers interlaced, looking at Li Luo with a mocking expression.

Li Luo said sincerely, "My meager and empty fame makes me feel ashamed just by mentioning it before Guildmaster Yu."

Yu Yu Hongxi laughed, shaking her head and saying, "Li Luo, your little mouth is truly ten thousand times better than your father's."

"So... you came to my Golden Dragon Treasure Hall specifically to find me; is there some major matter?"

She lightly tapped the pile of documents on the desk and said, "I am very busy, and I do not like being disturbed by trivial matters, as that would make me feel that all the people I employ below are useless."

Li Luo hesitated for a moment, then said, "Guildmaster Yu, my father and mother stored some items at the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall headquarters, didn't they?"

The hand Yu Yu Hongxi was using to tap the documents stopped; the mocking smile on her face gradually faded as she fixed her gaze on Li Luo's face, nodded, and said, "This is top-secret information within the Treasure Hall; no one in the entire Great Xia Golden Dragon Treasure Hall knows this except me, but since you are the only blood of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, I will answer you truthfully according to the rules."

"Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan indeed have items stored at the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall headquarters."

"I am here to retrieve them now," Li Luo said.

Yu Yu Hongxi fell silent for a moment, then said, "This is your right."

Immediately, she snapped her fingers, and a wave of Xiang power swept out from her body; this wave of Xiang power swept through the room, and Li Luo could clearly see countless light patterns crawling out from all corners of the room, like chains, completely sealing off the entire room.

The entire room became unusually quiet, as if no sound could pass through.

Yu Yu Hongxi then stood up, and a golden sphere about the size of a fist appeared in her hand; the sphere was made of an unknown material, smooth and round, with no visible seams or joints, and occasionally, a wisp of mysterious light pattern would float up from the surface of the golden ball.

Yu Yu Hongxi came before Li Luo, holding the golden sphere in her hand.

"Although I know your identity and that you are indeed the son of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, the necessary procedures still need to be followed."

"Drop your fresh blood onto it; it will complete your identity verification. Only after passing this layer of verification will you be qualified to retrieve the items they stored at the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall," Yu Yu Hongxi said.

Li Luo did not think Yu Yu Hongxi's actions were superfluous; instead, he secretly praised her careful and meticulous thinking, for after all, there are many ways to change one's appearance in this world, and as the ruler of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall, she naturally had to be extremely cautious.

If someone really tried to falsely claim the stored items, it would be considered a huge mistake for Guildmaster Yu Yu Hongxi.

So he extended his finger as instructed, and a drop of fresh blood fell from his fingertip onto the golden sphere.

Buzz!

As the blood dropped, it immediately spread into fine blood patterns, forming a highly mysterious pattern on the surface of the golden sphere; after more than ten breaths, the golden sphere trembled slightly, fine cracks finally appeared, and then, like a blooming flower bud, it slowly opened up.

Inside the golden sphere lay a black key.

"Congratulations on passing the test; you are indeed the biological son of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan," Yu Yu Hongxi said with a smile.

"......"

Li Luo was somewhat speechless: "Should I be relieved?"

The corners of Yu Yu Hongxi's lips curled up slightly; she then signaled him to take the key from the golden sphere, turned around, walked toward the wall behind her, placed her palm on a certain spot on the wall, and infused Xiang power into it.

In the next moment, countless light patterns converged on the wall, gradually forming a golden light gateway.

Inside the gateway, it was pitch black, with no indication of where it led.

"Follow me."

Yu Yu Hongxi spoke once and stepped into the gateway first; amidst the surging golden light, her figure was swallowed up.

Li Luo did not hesitate, for he did not worry about what Yu Yu Hongxi might do to him; even if he did not trust Yu Yu Hongxi's character, he had to trust the operational style of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall; since his father and mother had spent a huge sum to purchase storage services at the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall, no matter what items were stored, the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall would provide absolute protection.

So he also walked forward and stepped into the light gateway.

Behind the light gateway was an extremely deep corridor; the walls on both sides were smooth as mirrors, with faint light patterns moving around, giving an unusually mysterious feel.

This corridor made Li Luo feel an intense sense of oppression, for here, he could not sense even a trace of heavenly and earthly energy.

Even the two Xiang Palaces within his body seemed to have a much weaker connection to himself.

This made Li Luo feel slightly panicked; for a moment, he felt as if he had returned to the time when he was an Empty Xiang.

"This is the Forbidden Xiang Corridor; not only is the heavenly and earthly energy blocked off, but the connection to one's own Xiang power is also largely severed. This corridor can only be built at the headquarters of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall in each region; if one breaks in without guidance, even a Sealed Marquis expert would be trapped," came Yu Yu Hongxi's faint voice from ahead at this moment.

"What a terrifying corridor."

Li Luo couldn't help but sigh; this was the foundation of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall, wasn't it? Truly terrifying.

"Only our most top-tier clients at the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall can store items here."

Yu Yu Hongxi's footsteps suddenly stopped; she looked at the wall on her left, which was smooth as a mirror and reflected her shadow.

"Is it here?" Li Luo came to her side and also looked at this section of the wall.

Yu Yu Hongxi nodded, then said in a low voice, "Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan must have left something very important for you inside, because I always remember that when they stored the items back then, your mother held my hand for the first time and, with a hint of pleading, told me that the items here were to be opened by you."

"To make these two, who can be called the proudest people in the entire Great Xia, bow their heads, I think I am the only one in the Great Xia who could do that."

"Actually, they didn't need to do this; regardless of any past grievances or entanglements between them and me, as long as I am the Guildmaster of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall, I will naturally uphold the rules of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall to the end; the items here, except for you, not even Dean Pang of the Saint Profound Star Academy could take anything that does not belong to him unless he completely eradicates the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall."

"They are the most brilliant people I have ever seen in my life; especially your mother, whose proud eyes sometimes made it seem as if she were the only genius in the world; your father looked approachable, but in reality, he was also arrogant and looked down on everyone, yet for your sake, they were still able to put aside that prideful, almost domineering nature."

Yu Yu Hongxi turned her head to look at Li Luo, who was slightly dazed.

"I say this just to tell you that your father and mother loved you very much."