Chapter 430: King Marrow and the Black Tablet

"Only those at the Marquis Realm can refine the Small Formless Divine Wheel?!"

Li Luo was stunned.

You've got to be kidding me, Dad. Is this how you play with your son?!

If I had the strength of a Marquis, would I still be here wasting my breath with you?

Forget it, I'm exhausted. Why don't you just dig out a coffin and gift it to me, Dad?

Just as Li Luo was feeling somewhat hopeless, he saw Tantai Lan reach out and twist Li Taixuan's ear, saying angrily, "Li Taixuan, are you looking to die? How dare you joke with Little Luo at a time like this?!"

"Ouch, ouch."

Li Taixuan hurriedly apologized, "Wife, restrain yourself, restrain yourself!"

Li Luo watched with an expressionless face, while thinking to himself: "Hit him hard, hit him hard!"

Tantai Lan finally let go and shook her fist at Li Taixuan, "Speak properly. If you won't, then stay on the side and don't delay me from talking to Little Luo."

Li Taixuan nodded repeatedly, then gave Li Luo an awkward smile and said, "Ahem, actually, Dad isn't lying to you. Refining the Small Formless Divine Wheel does indeed require the strength of a Marquis. But don't worry, how clever are your father and mother? How could we not have thought of the fact that Little Luo hasn't reached the Marquis Realm yet?"

"Dad, can you stop with the nonsense! Just tell me the key to solving this!" Even though he knew it was just a recording, Li Luo couldn't help but grit his teeth.

Seemingly hearing Li Luo's urging, or perhaps because Tantai Lan was starting to lose patience, Li Taixuan quickly raised a hand. A beam of light flew from his sleeve and hovered in front of Li Luo.

It was a golden scroll.

The scroll was covered in ancient runes, with wisps of light flowing across it, appearing quite mysterious.

"Your mother and I have made all the preparations for you. This scroll seals a 'Strange Array.' Its function is to temporarily convert external power into 'Small Formless Fire' to help you refine the Small Formless Divine Wheel."

"So, according to my estimation, you only need to find two Marquis-level experts to provide power for you when you open this array, and you will be able to refine the Small Formless Divine Wheel." Li Taixuan smiled, looking as if the matter was settled.

However, Li Luo clutched his forehead in pain.

Find two Marquis-level experts to provide me with power? Dad, do you think Marquis-level experts are lackeys I can summon at will?

The only Marquis-level expert he could count on right now was probably Niu Biaobiao at home, but was Uncle Biao's condition really up to it?

"As for Niu Biaobiao, he probably shouldn't count. His condition isn't very good, so try not to trouble him," Li Taixuan said with a smile, as if he knew what Li Luo was thinking.

Li Luo felt helpless. Then who the hell was he supposed to find?

Given the current situation of the Luolan Mansion, he would be lucky if the Marquis-level experts in the Great Xia didn't kick him while he was down; he wanted to ask them for help? And even if they really dared to help, Li Luo wasn't sure he could trust them.

"Little Luo, don't worry. As for the candidates for Marquis-level experts, there should actually be a suitable one right now," Tantai Lan said with a smile to comfort him while Li Luo was feeling helpless.

Li Luo was startled upon hearing this. Then, as if thinking of something, he turned to look outside the stone chamber and muttered, "President Yu?"

He turned his gaze to Tantai Lan, who was smiling as she said, "Yu Hongxi is quite interesting. In this Great Xia, she is the only one who can slightly catch my eye. I think if I hadn't come to this Great Xia, she would be considered the most dazzling woman here, but unfortunately..."

Li Luo was speechless. Mom, bragging too much is getting a bit tiresome.

Moreover, refining the "Small Formless Divine Wheel" was no simple matter; this could be sensed from his parents' warnings. Would Yu Hongxi really do such a thing for him? Li Luo felt it was unlikely, because Yu Hongxi was a woman of principle. The Gold Dragon Treasure House had always been neutral, and she would likely not participate in disputes involving him or the Luolan Mansion.

"Is Little Luo worried that Yu Hongxi won't agree to help? Your concern is somewhat reasonable. Although Yu Hongxi is shrewd, she is also very stubborn at times."

Tantai Lan smiled, "But your father and I have already thought of all this for you."

She tilted her head and gestured slightly to Li Taixuan. Two beams of golden light flew out from his sleeve and landed in front of Li Luo.

They were two crystal-clear jade gourds, no larger than a thumb. Inside the jade gourds was a golden substance that seemed alive, flowing slowly within. Li Luo stared at the flowing golden substance, and a feeling of longing welled up from the depths of his heart, yet beneath that longing, he instinctively felt a sense of immense danger.

"What is this?" Li Luo muttered in surprise.

"This is 'King Marrow,' the essence of heaven and earth that can only be condensed by King-level experts. It possesses a fatal attraction for Marquis-level experts. If you want to ask Yu Hongxi for help, give her one of the jade gourds. I believe she won't be able to refuse such a temptation," Tantai Lan said, the corners of her lips curling up slightly.

"King Marrow?"

Li Luo blinked. Such high-end stuff; he had never heard of it and didn't understand it at all.

However, he still carefully took the two jade gourds. It didn't matter if he didn't understand; as long as it could get Yu Hongxi to help him refine the Small Formless Divine Wheel, that was enough.

"If Yu Hongxi agrees, you can look for another Marquis-level expert. We don't know who that should be, but with your intelligence and ability, Little Luo, I believe you will find a suitable and trustworthy candidate."

Li Luo pondered slightly. As for the second Marquis-level expert, Instructor Xi Chan was undoubtedly the best choice. Although as an instructor of the academy, she had to remain neutral and not get involved in the struggles between the various factions in the Great Xia, asking her to help refine an item should still be within the rules.

And if this so-called "King Marrow" was as powerful as his parents said, it could be considered a mutual exchange; he wouldn't be getting a free ride.

Li Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although his parents had given him quite a scare, they had ultimately arranged everything perfectly.

"Alright, the matter of the Small Formless Divine Wheel should be considered solved. Little Luo, is the Luolan Mansion doing alright now? Although our departure will bring you some small trouble, I think with your and Qing'e's intelligence, you won't let the Luolan Mansion just disappear, right?" Tantai Lan laughed.

Li Luo rolled his eyes. They still had the nerve to talk about the Luolan Mansion? Dumping such a huge mess on him and Jiang Qing'e—they were truly irresponsible.

However, he also knew this was just Tantai Lan teasing him. Moreover, looking at the two figures before him, his heart was full of longing, so he would rather they say more nonsensical things at this moment. After all, he really hadn't seen them for many years.

He wondered what their situation was like now in the King-Marquis Battlefield.

But these were just two recordings, and he had no way to communicate with them.

"Oh, right, Little Luo, there is one more thing for you."

At this moment, Li Taixuan suddenly spoke. He raised his palm, and a dark, black stream of light flew out, hovering in front of Li Luo.

It was a black tablet about the size of a palm.

The material of the tablet was somewhat special—it seemed neither like gold nor wood. When Li Luo reached out to take it, an inexplicable chill surged over, making him shiver instantly. And at that moment, a dragon's roar seemed to echo in his ears.

It was a true dragon's roar, emitting an extremely powerful and terrifying dragon might. In that instant, Li Luo felt as if his very soul was beginning to collapse.

But it was also at this moment that Li Luo felt the blood in his body seem to boil. A fluctuation that even he hadn't noticed emerged, finally coming into contact with the black tablet in his palm.

The cold and terrifying dragon might instantly dissipated.

Everything that had happened before seemed like a hallucination.

But the cold sweat still on Li Luo's forehead made him understand that the pressure, which was even more terrifying than that of a Marquis-level expert, had indeed existed...

He looked down at the black tablet in his hand. The tablet was ancient and simple, but in the center, the character "Li" was engraved.

This "Li" character exuded a mysterious and profound feeling. Li Luo couldn't describe the charm it possessed, but when looking at it, there was a feeling as if heaven and earth were being surpassed by it. Yet at the same time, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Below the "Li" character, there were some lines etched, resembling a giant dragon crouching.

Looking at this black tablet, Li Luo remembered the information Dean Pang Qianyuan had told him in the Dark Cave...

The Li Tianwang lineage.

Could the black tablet be related to this?

Did his father and he belong to this lineage?

Could it be that the place where the Li Tianwang lineage resided was his true ancestral home?

"Little Luo, I know you have many doubts, but there's no help for it. Your father has so many secrets, and a man with secrets is undoubtedly the most charming. You don't need to ask more now. When the time comes, you will naturally know. Keep this token safe for now. Later, you will understand—what is this mess of the Luolan Mansion? Your father might have left you an even bigger mess!" Li Taixuan wore a brilliant smile and let out an inspiring shout.

Li Luo was dumbfounded and subconsciously threw the tablet in his hand away.

But the tablet seemed to have a spirit of its own; with a flash of light, it drilled directly into Li Luo's space ball.

"I can't even get rid of it?" Li Luo was shocked, but in the end, he could only helplessly accept this cruel reality. Having a father who could sabotage his son so much was truly enough to make one want to cry but have no tears.

"Go away, don't scare my son!"

However, at this moment, Tantai Lan finally couldn't watch anymore. Her willow-leaf eyebrows stood up, and she punched Li Taixuan. Seeing his wife's little fist, Li Taixuan's expression changed, and he hurriedly dodged.

Boom!

A loud sound came, and Li Luo vaguely saw a huge crack that nearly pierced through the old mansion. His temples couldn't help but throb. His mother's strength... was truly terrifying.

After suppressing Li Taixuan, Tantai Lan turned her gaze toward Li Luo, and her expression immediately became gentle. She smiled, "Little Luo, don't worry about your father and me. You only need to take care of the problems on your own body; that is the greatest help to your father and me, understand?"

Li Luo was silent for a moment. He knew that what Tantai Lan was referring to was likely the problem with his own lifespan.

"Mom, don't worry," he said softly.

Tantai Lan bent down and reached out, gently touching Li Luo's face. Although it passed directly through his face, Li Luo felt as if he could feel the warmth of her palm.

"Little Luo, there isn't much time left. I won't say any more unnecessary words. I believe you and Qing'e will be fine."

"Oh, and also, regarding Qing'e..."

"You must be better to Qing'e and don't always make her angry. She is a very good girl. If you aren't good to her, Mom will beat you, because..."

"Both you and Mom actually owe her something."

Hearing these final words, Li Luo was somewhat astonished. Just as he couldn't help but want to say something, the light in front of him began to fade. The figures of Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan gradually disappeared. When the light dissipated, the surroundings turned back into the dark and cold stone chamber.

Li Luo frowned slightly.

What exactly did Mom's last words mean?