Chapter 431: Securing an Assistant

When Li Luo walked out of the stone chamber, Yu Yu Hongxi was still waiting there; she leaned against the wall, her expression somewhat inexplicably melancholic, but as Li Luo emerged, she reined in these emotions.

"Did you get it?" Yu Yu Hongxi asked.

Li Luo nodded.

Seeing this, Yu Yu Hongxi said no more and led Li Luo back along the path they had come.

"President Yu," Li Luo caught up in two strides, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Yu Yu Hongxi, hesitated slightly, and said, "There is something I wish to ask for your help with."

Yu Yu Hongxi did not stop her steps and said coolly, "If it is a matter of business, we shall handle it according to official procedure; however, since you previously helped Qing'er at the Golden Dragon Dojo, I will also grant you many concessions. But if it involves something that would interfere with the stance of our Golden Dragon Dojo, you need not speak of it."

"I need to refine something, and I require the full assistance of a Marquis-level powerhouse," Li Luo said directly without concealment.

A flicker of surprise swept through Yu Yu Hongxi's eyes; what was this boy refining that he even needed the assistance of a Marquis-level powerhouse...

"I cannot help. If a Marquis-level powerhouse must act, what you are refining must be extraordinary. If this matter were to spread, it would cause the various forces of Great Xia to question the stance of the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall." Yu Yu Hongxi did not agree easily; instead, she said somewhat coldly.

Li Luo was not surprised by Yu Yu Hongxi's answer. Although he could sense her refusal was not particularly firm, he did not intend to probe bit by bit; instead, he spoke plainly: "President Yu is a businessman. If I have sufficient remuneration, I wonder if President Yu would agree?"

"Remuneration? You wish to hire me?"

Yu Yu Hongxi tilted her red lips, saying with a playful tone, "I am very expensive; can your Luo Lan Manor afford to hire me?"

Facing Yu Yu Hongxi's fierce self-reference, Li Luo did not mind. He extended his palm; in his palm was a jade gourd, within which the golden substance flowed slowly like a living creature.

Yu Yu Hongxi's gaze had originally been casually fixed on that jade gourd, but when she saw the golden substance within, her eyes suddenly froze, her steps moving forward abruptly halted, and her expression became extraordinarily intense.

"President Yu, you should know what this is, right? I wonder if this remuneration is enough to ask for your help?" Li Luo asked with a sincere expression.

While speaking, he slowly withdrew the jade gourd, and Yu Yu Hongxi's gaze continuously followed his moving hand.

"If this is not enough, then I can only seek others." Seeing Yu Yu Hongxi did not answer, Li Luo sighed regretfully and made as if to put the jade gourd away.

However, before he could grasp the jade gourd, Yu Yu Hongxi reached out and directly grabbed his wrist, then used her fingers to lift that jade gourd.

"Good boy, you even know how to manipulate me?" Yu Yu Hongxi sneered.

"This is indeed a fine thing, but if you truly wish to display it casually before other Marquis-level powerhouses, you will merely invite more hungry wolves to trouble your Luo Lan Manor for no reason."

Li Luo obediently said, "Isn't it because I believe President Yu is not one of those unprincipled hungry wolves that I brought it out?"

This remark caused Yu Yu Hongxi's expression to become somewhat gentler. She played with the jade gourd and said, "Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan did leave you some good things."

Clearly, she had also guessed this should be what Li Luo had just taken from the stone chamber.

Li Luo asked hopefully, "Does President Yu agree?"

Yu Yu Hongxi pondered for a few seconds and nodded slightly: "Although I do not know exactly what you intend to refine, this remuneration indeed moves my heart. As you said, I am a businessman; since you have put forward sufficient remuneration, naturally I have no reason to refuse."

"Then many thanks to President Yu."

Li Luo was overjoyed, and then he took a list from his chest, smiling as he said, "Since President Yu is willing to help, then I must trouble you with one small matter again. I hope President Yu can help me gather the materials on this list."

These materials were all needed to refine the Small Formless Divine Wheel; the requirements were complex and trivial. If he gathered them himself, it would waste a great deal of time, so entrusting it to Yu Yu Hongxi was the best option.

Yu Yu Hongxi took it and glanced at it, saying, "The things requested are quite peculiar; I do not know exactly what you intend to refine. The price of these materials is not low; added together, it should be around seven or eight million Sky-Weight Gold. However, you need not pay this money; I will help you resolve it."

Li Luo said emotionally, "President Yu is truly generous."

At the same time, he sighed in his heart: What is a super-rich woman? This is it; with a mere flick of her tongue, she waived several million.

"This amount of material cost is nothing compared to your 'King Marrow'. I do not wish to take advantage of a junior; otherwise, if Qing'er finds out, she can nag in my ear all day." Yu Yu Hongxi said casually.

"By the way, when shall we begin refining?" she asked.

Li Luo said, "In ten days."

In ten days, the Holy Grail Battle would open; by then, he would also leave Great Xia, so he needed to successfully refine the Small Formless Divine Wheel before departing.

"And the location?"

Li Luo thought for a moment. If he were to ask President Yu and Instructor Xi Chan for help, the refining location certainly could not be the headquarters of Luo Lan Manor, because the headquarters had strange arrays; if a Marquis-level powerhouse entered, their strength would be suppressed. But refining the Small Formless Divine Wheel was extremely important to him, so he also had to find a place that was absolutely safe.

"The refining location will be within the Holy Profound Star Academy," Li Luo said with a smile. If one spoke of safety within all of Great Xia, there was probably no place better than an academy.

"Within the academy?" Yu Yu Hongxi was momentarily stunned, then nodded and said, "That place indeed counts as a safe location."

"For this refining of mine, I will need the assistance of two Marquis-level powerhouses in total, so besides President Yu, I will also find another one," Li Luo reminded.

Hearing this, Yu Yu Hongxi's willow brows furrowed slightly. She said, "Li Luo, I reminded you earlier that King Marrow is very attractive to Marquis-level powerhouses. Do not recklessly use this item to lure them. Although Luo Lan Manor already has so many debts it no longer worries, it is better to attract fewer people if possible."

Li Luo knew Yu Yu Hongxi was giving a well-intentioned warning, so he obediently nodded and said, "President Yu, rest assured; I understand these matters. As for the other Marquis-level powerhouse, I plan to invite my instructor, Xi Chan. I can trust her character, and as an instructor of the Holy Profound Star Academy, she and the Golden Dragon Treasure Hall both hold a neutral stance."

"Xi Chan, huh..."

Hearing this name, Yu Yu Hongxi nodded and said nothing more; presumably, she also knew something about Xi Chan, and this indeed counted as a relatively good candidate.

"In these few days, I will help you prepare all the materials. When the agreed time arrives, I will come to the academy to find you."

Li Luo nodded, while secretly sighing with relief in his heart. Fortunately, there was the King Marrow left by his father and mother; otherwise, how could he find two Marquis-level powerhouses to help? It would truly make him frantic. After all, whether it was Yu Yu Hongxi or Instructor Xi Chan, they both held neutral identities; without sufficient remuneration, relying solely on familiarity would merely waste emotional capital for nothing.

Now that Yu Yu Hongxi's side was settled, the next step was to see how Instructor Xi Chan's side went. Thus, the problem of refining the Small Formless Divine Wheel was considered half resolved.