Chapter 664: Different Choices

When the curtain of night lifted and the morning light spilled over Daxia City, this most prosperous city of Daxia once again boiled with noise and bustle.

However, everyone understood that Daxia City, which on the surface seemed unchanged, had in truth undergone tremendous changes after this single night.

The gates of Luolang House's headquarters opened once more.

A carriage rolled out, with Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge seated within. Under the watchful eyes of more than a few interested parties, it moved unhurriedly down the street.

Gazing at the guards at Luolang House's gate—whose very spirit seemed somehow different from yesterday—many faction scouts could not help but sigh. Yesterday's Luolang House, though appearing stable on the surface, was in truth a house of anxious hearts; no one knew whether it could weather this tribulation. But today's Luolang House—even these rank-and-file men were brimming with confidence, without a trace of worry remaining.

Clearly, last night's contest of arts had changed far too many things.

Everyone understood one thing: from now on, Luolang House was no longer the storm-tossed Luolang House of old. Within, it had the dazzling young talents Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge to steady the situation; without, Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan had not perished—no one knew what heights they might reach when they returned.

The present Luolang House was, without question, brimming with hope.

"I truly didn't expect the lord of Dou Ze House to choose to help Luolang House at such a moment yesterday." Inside the carriage, Li Luo—who had long since learned of all the events of the previous night—sighed. He truly hadn't anticipated Dou Ze Yan's intervention, because over these years, aside from Extreme Flame House, it was Dou Ze House that had competed most fiercely with their Luolang House, the two sides' hostility running deep. So yesterday he had even steeled himself for the possibility that Dou Ze Yan, a marquis-ranked powerhouse, would step in to interfere with Luolang House's sacrificial rite.

But who could have imagined... Dou Ze Yan had not only refrained from adding insult to injury, but had actually lent a hand, blocking Si Qing.

Jiang Jiang Qinge gave a slight nod as well. Dou Ze Yan's move was something many people probably hadn't anticipated. Although, looking at the final outcome, whether Dou Ze Yan helped or not didn't really matter much, this was still a gesture of goodwill from Dou Ze House.

"I've already sent someone to prepare a gift and deliver it to Dou Ze House. Though the gift is not heavy, it represents our gratitude," she said.

Li Luo nodded, fell silent for a moment, then said: "As for some of our ties with House House Jinque, it's time to cut them off. Since that lord Si Qing made his choice, there's no need for the two houses to keep things ambiguous any longer."

"You're the house lord, your word is law." Jiang Jiang Qinge smiled. In the past, Luolang House still needed House House Jinque as an ally because the situation was truly too unstable. But after today, House House Jinque had become dispensable to Luolang House.

That hypocritical friendship, fragile as paper in the face of profit, no longer needed to exist.

Li Luo nodded, then turned his gaze to the window. They were now heading to the Gold Dragon Treasure House, because during last night's events, the Gold Dragon Treasure House had not interfered in any way—clearly Yu Yu Hongxi's doing—and so they needed to express their thanks.

And just as Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge personally set out for the Gold Dragon Treasure House, the gifts they had prepared were also delivered to Dou Ze House.

"Father, what on earth were you thinking? Why would you suddenly run off to help Luolang House? If you had teamed up with House House Jinque's lord Si Qing, Luolang House would have been doomed for certain!" In Dou Ze House's great hall, Dou Ze Duze Beixuan stared in disbelief at the expressionless Dou Ze Yan in the seat of honor, loudly questioning him.

Although more than half a night had passed since receiving this news, his head was still full of question marks.

Their Dou Ze House had always been locked in fierce struggle with Luolang House, and now was the perfect chance to wipe them out. Yet his father had not only failed to push them over the edge while they were down—he had actually chosen to help Luolang House.

What's more, he had even already figured out the perfect pose to mock Li Luo.

And the result?

If he ran into Li Luo later, and the guy came up with a grateful face and said: "Zhu Xuan, I really have to thank your dad this time. From now on, we're good buddies." How was he supposed to respond to that?

"Shut your mouth. With that brain of yours, if Dou Ze House were ever handed to you, it would probably go bankrupt within a year." Dou Ze Duze Honglian shot a cold glance at her foolish younger brother and said.

Dou Ze Duze Beixuan's face was full of indignation.

"In that final Luolang House sacrificial rite, even the Regent King retreated in defeat—clearly wary of Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan, who had not yet perished. If father had chosen to move against Luolang House this time, then even if Luolang House couldn't be preserved now, once Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan returned in the future, our Dou Ze House would have no good end either."

"And most importantly, even if we did strike, we couldn't even deal with Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge, because they could abandon Luolang House at any time and join the Holy Void Star Academy, where they would receive protection."

"Given these two's talent, in a few years they'll be another Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan," Dou Ze Duze Honglian said calmly.

"So father's choice this time was actually the best one. At the very least, we no longer have to lose sleep over the existence of Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan. And looking at House House Jinque's lord Si Qing, I imagine he probably couldn't even sleep well after going back yesterday."

Dou Ze Yan nodded slightly, his gaze at Dou Ze Duze Honglian carrying a hint of approval. "Duze Honglian, your vision is indeed far broader than your brother's."

Dou Ze Duze Beixuan was somewhat displeased, but facing the older sister who had suppressed him since childhood, he didn't dare rebel and could only accept it.

At this moment, a maid came to report that Luolang House had sent gifts.

"Those two little ones from Luolang House do know how to handle things," Dou Ze Yan remarked blandly upon hearing this.

Then he waved his hand and said: "Accept the gifts. But also tell the gift-bearers that our Dou Ze House and Luolang House will not become some kind of allies because of this. The competition of the past will continue, and there will be no holding back whatsoever."

Seeing this, Dou Ze Duze Honglian was also a bit helpless. Father had clearly already chosen to help Luolang House, yet stubbornly refused to let go of his last shred of face—perhaps he was unwilling to bow his head to that Li Taixuan.

But it didn't matter. Although the competition would continue in the future, Dou Ze Yan's intervention yesterday had fundamentally changed many things.

"Father, why would you do this?! Aren't our House House Jinque and Luolang House on friendly terms?!" In House House Jinque, Si Si Tianming and Si Si Qiuying both stared at Si Qing in shock, their faces full of panic.

Si Qing said blandly: "Between great houses, what friendship is there to speak of? Being on good terms with Luolang House in the past was merely because we needed them to draw fire for us and share the pressure from Extreme Flame House and Dou Ze House."

"But you still shouldn't have chosen to strike and add insult to injury at this moment!"

Si Si Tianming was so anxious sweat was pouring down his face: "Even if you chose to stand by and do nothing, that would have been better than stabbing them in the back at a time like this! Your actions haven't just made others look down on our House House Jinque—you've also offended Luolang House. You're despised on both sides!"

Si Qing's face turned somewhat livid. He slammed the table and roared: "What did you say?!"

Si Si Qiuying also gritted her teeth and backed Si Si Tianming: "Big brother's right, Father. Your choice this time was completely wrong!"

"Father, let's prepare a gift and send it to Luolang House as an apology, to ease the relationship a bit!" Si Si Tianming said.

"Bastards!"

Si Qing was furious, cursing: "Do you really want to make your father a laughingstock of all Daxia?"

"Li Taixuan and Tantai Lan may still be alive, but that doesn't mean they can come out of the Wang Hou battlefield alive. A few years from now, if there's still no word from them, do you think the Regent King will let Luolang House off?!"

"Their triumph now is only temporary. And that Dou Ze Yan—helping Luolang House this time means he's thoroughly antagonized the Regent King. When the chance comes, the Regent King won't let him off either!"

"With your meager experience, you think you can lecture your father?"

Si Si Tianming and Si Si Qiuying were both so anxious they were stamping their feet. They couldn't understand why their father—who had always been considered wise in the past—would be so foolish this time.

"Get out!"

Si Qing didn't want to say more, and with a sweep of his sleeve, he roared in anger.

In the end, Si Si Tianming and Si Si Qiuying could only retreat with dejected expressions.

After the two left, Si Qing's face remained dark and furious. He suddenly slammed his palm down on the table, and the table cast from bluestone instantly exploded into powder across the floor.

His gaze was sinister.

"Li Taixuan, Tantai Lan—I refuse to believe you can really come out of the Wang Hou battlefield alive!"