Chapter 597: Niu Niu Biaobiao Emerges from Seclusion

"Uncle Biao, I've missed you to death!"

Li Luo rushed excitedly into the main hall, and at a single glance spotted that gleaming, shiny head in the room. Niu Niu Biaobiao still had that exaggerated look about him—his burly build like a pig-slaughterer's, and paired with the pig-sticking knife at his waist, he looked even more like a pig-slaughterer.

Yet at this moment, seeing him in such a state, Li Luo felt an overwhelming sense of security.

After all, as the House Ceremony drew ever nearer, Niu Niu Biaobiao was now the only top-tier combatant in House Luolan House who could rival a Marquis-level powerhouse—and this might well be the contingency left behind by his father and mother.

At this moment, Niu Niu Biaobiao was chatting with Jiang Jiang Qinge in the main seat. Hearing Li Luo's shout, he hurriedly stood up, looked at the boy rushing in, and a smile immediately spread across his greasy face: "Young House Master, it's been a while—you've grown even more handsome, really taking after your father's style."

"Uncle Biao, let's not dwell on such superficial matters. Right now, I am the strongest title-holder of the One Star Academy in the Eastern Region's Outer Shenzhou—that's what truly counts," Li Luo said with a beaming smile.

"I've heard from Jiang Jiang Qinge about it. This time at the Holy Grail War, the Young House Master truly shone brilliantly—you've really brought honor to our House Luolan House!"

Niu Niu Biaobiao laughed heartily. He sized up Li Luo and nodded in satisfaction: "Your strength has reached the Fourth Transformation of the Manifestation Stage too. Your phase force is full and robust—you must have the qualifications to charge into the Earth Sha General Stage. In just a few short months since we last met, the Young House Master has really made rapid progress."

"My life only has four short years left. If I don't progress quickly, won't I just be waiting to die?" Li Luo sighed.

"Don't say such inauspicious things." Jiang Jiang Qinge frowned slightly, saying it a bit unhappily.

"The Young House Master need not worry. With your talent and potential, what counts as the Marquis Realm? Four years is more than enough."

Niu Niu Biaobiao offered a word of comfort, then reminded him: "However, before charging into the Earth Sha General Stage, the Young House Master must first resolve the issue of the foundation deficit from before. Otherwise, the longer this hidden danger lingers, the greater its impact will be in the future—it might even affect your path to the Marquis Realm."

As he spoke, he pulled a jade bottle from his sleeve. Inside the jade bottle seemed to be filled with a kind of cyan liquid, with starlight flowing within it, looking extraordinarily mystical. Even with the bottle's concealment, a rich and vibrant aura still emanated from it, refreshing the heart and spirit.

siluke.

"This is the Spirit-Supplementing Paste I've refined for the Young House Master. Your foundation deficit—it can help you resolve it."

Li Luo took the jade bottle joyfully and said sincerely: "Uncle Biao, thank you!"

Without Uncle Biao's intervention, the damage to his foundation caused by filling in the second phase might have brought him an enormous hidden danger. If in the future he was unable to step into the Marquis Realm in time because of it, that would be a fatal blow to him.

Jiang Jiang Qinge also rose and thanked Niu Niu Biaobiao. After all, this Spirit-Supplementing Paste was indeed extremely important to Li Luo.

"Hey, why be so polite."

Niu Niu Biaobiao laughed and waved his hand, saying: "This Spirit-Supplementing Paste needs to be applied all over the body. It's best to use a kind of phase force with healing properties to help catalyze it—only then can the medicinal power be fully released. This task will probably have to be left to Jiang Jiang Qinge. After all, you have a Ninth-Rank Light Phase. After several days of this, the foundation issue should be resolved."

Hearing this, Li Luo was momentarily stunned and hurriedly said: "I have Water Phase power myself—can't I catalyze the medicine on my own?"

The process of catalyzing the medicine sounded rather private just from hearing it. Although his relationship with Jiang Jiang Qinge was different, having her do it would still be a bit awkward.

Niu Niu Biaobiao stroked his chin and said: "Well, it definitely wouldn't be as effective as Jiang Jiang Qinge's Light Phase force. Young House Master, don't be shy—you and Jiang Jiang Qinge are betrothed. Of course, Jiang Jiang Qinge is the most suitable for this kind of thing."

Li Luo still wanted to say something, but Jiang Jiang Qinge stopped him. She slightly nodded her delicate chin and said: "Uncle Biao, rest assured, I'll help him."

Li Luo didn't dwell on this further and instead changed the subject: "Uncle Biao, there's only two months until the House Ceremony... By then, our House Luolan House's guardian grand formation will also enter its Shuai Ruo Qi. Those forces coveting our House Luolan House may finally show their fangs."

Niu Niu Biaobiao snorted coldly and said: "These clowns—when your father and mother were around, they didn't dare to fart. Now that the two of them have gone missing, every kind of monster and demon has crawled out. Do they really think our House Luolan House is a soft persimmon?"

"Uncle Biao, did Father and Mother leave any other contingencies? Like, are there actually other hidden Marquis-level powerhouses in our House?" Li Luo asked expectantly.

Niu Niu Biaobiao awkwardly rubbed his nose and said: "None. Right now in House Luolan House, I'm the only Marquis. And I can't leave the range of House Luolan House headquarters—otherwise my strength will drop sharply. But don't worry—as long as we're within this headquarters, even a Fourth-Rank Marquis has to think twice in front of my knife."

As he spoke, he patted the gleaming pig-sticking knife at his waist—that knife carried an inexplicable, terrifying baleful aura.

"Fourth-Rank Marquis..."

Li Luo's eyes flashed. He now knew that the Marquis Realm was divided into nine ranks, corresponding to the noble titles of Marquis in the secular Wang Chao. However, here First Rank is the lowest and Ninth Rank is the highest. This is because to step into the Marquis Realm, one must forge a "Marquis Platform" within the body—this is the foundation and origin of all Marquis-level powerhouses. "Uncle Biao's strength is still very formidable. A Fourth-Rank Marquis, looking across the entire Great Xia, counts as one of the top tier within the Marquis Realm. As far as I know, within the Academy, only Vice Principal Suxin has reached this level. As for the other Purple-Glight Mentors, most of them are around Yi Er Pin." Jiang Jiang Qinge said from the side.

Li Luo nodded. He normally hadn't paid much attention to this information, because for him, whether it was a First-Rank Marquis or a Fourth-Rank Marquis, there really wasn't much difference—either way, they could just slap him dead with one palm.

"The Princess's side mentioned to me earlier that during the House Ceremony, she would indeed lend us a Marquis-level powerhouse." Li Luo shared the prior arrangement he had made with the Princess.

"The Princess, huh..."

Jiang Jiang Qinge pondered slightly and said: "With her help like this, House Luolan House and she are bound together."

"But it doesn't matter anyway. If we can't get through this round, House Luolan House will be gone—there'll be no point in caring about other things." She saw things clearly. If House Luolan House were gone, so-called Regent or whatever, there'd be nothing for them to care about.

"I wonder just how many Marquis-level powerhouses will be eyeing our House Luolan House on the day of the House Ceremony." Li Luo sighed. The crisis erupting at the House Ceremony—actually, Manager Pei Hao was just a small problem. The real threat was the hidden hand behind Manager Pei Hao and those forces that had coveted House Luolan House for a long time. They would surely try every means to crush House Luolan House in this round, then seize the so-called "Divine Essence Substance" hidden deep within House Luolan House's underground palace, which was said to be related to the secret of claiming kingship.

So that day, House Luolan House would inevitably face a shocking clash that would shake the entire Great Xia City.

"No worries. When soldiers come, we meet them with generals; when water comes, we dam it with earth. If they want to crush House Luolan House, they'll have to ask Old Niu's knife if it agrees. Speaking of which, it's been many years since this knife has drunk the blood of a Marquis." Niu Niu Biaobiao said with a smile. When he smiled, the flesh on his face twitched, making him look even more fierce and savage.

However, this ferocious look in Li Luo's eyes only made him feel even more secure.

Niu Niu Biaobiao chatted with the two of them for a while longer, then said with a beaming smile: "It's getting late tonight—you two should rest early. Jiang Jiang Qinge, remember to apply the medicine for the Young House Master."

After saying that, he went out the door. As he closed the door behind him, he seemed to give Li Luo a wink and a nudge.

Li Luo stared at the tightly closed door, then turned his gaze to Jiang Jiang Qinge and said somewhat awkwardly: "I think Uncle Biao was joking. Actually, this medicine probably doesn't need someone else's help."

Jiang Jiang Qinge neither agreed nor disagreed. She took the jade bottle containing the "Spirit-Supplementing Paste" and tilted her chin up slightly.

"Back to the room."

"Take off your clothes and lie down."