Chapter 758: The Battle for Status

Regarding Deng Deng Fengxian's scrutiny, Li Luo's expression appeared rather calm, and he replied with a smile: "Fifth Division Banner Leader of the Qingming Banner, Li Luo. Pleased to meet the Great Banner Leader of the Lu Jinguang Banner."

At the same time, Li Luo was also sizing up the other party. This Deng Deng Fengxian was fairly handsome in appearance, with a hint of poise about him, yet beneath that seemingly gentle gaze, an occasional flash of domineering aura slipped through, suggesting a man of considerable inner pride.

"You flatter me, Banner Leader Li Luo. Having mastered the Nine-Turn Dragon Breath Sha Refining Art, you are bound to rise in the future. Among the younger generation of our Dragon Fang Lineage, we shall have yet another pillar to bear the weight." Deng Deng Fengxian shook his head.

"What? Feeling threatened?" Li Li Fengyi sneered from the side.

Deng Deng Fengxian gave a wry laugh and said: "Whatever do you mean, Great Banner Leader Li Fengyi? If anyone else in our Dragon Fang Lineage could shoulder the burden and share my pressure, I would be only too glad."

Li Li Fengyi's willow-leaf brows shot upward. That tone of voice—did this Deng Deng Fengxian truly believe he was the leader of the younger generation of the Dragon Fang Lineage?

"If you truly harbor such thoughts, then stop putting on this hypocritical act. All these years, the very reason your Lu Jinguang Institute managed to rise from obscurity is precisely because you eroded and annexed the interests of the Qingming Institute, isn't it? The treatment your Lu Jinguang Banner receives is a tier higher than the other three banners—where do you think those resources came from?" Li Li Fengyi said coldly.

"Those things originally belonged to the Qingming Institute and the Qingming Banner!"

Deng Deng Fengxian's expression did not change. He smiled faintly and said: "These struggles and games among the upper echelons are beyond me. All I know is that as the Great Banner Leader of the Lu Jinguang Banner, it is naturally my duty to make the Lu Jinguang Banner the strongest."

"The Lu Jinguang Banner receives better treatment because we have earned that right. Otherwise, when contending with the banners of the other four lineages, if not the Lu Jinguang Banner, then who?"

At this moment, Deng Deng Fengxian's domineering and overbearing nature finally revealed itself. Even facing Li Li Fengyi, the daughter of the Second Elder, he did not rein it in in the slightest.

Behind Deng Deng Fengxian, the elite members of the Lu Jinguang Banner also wore proud expressions; some of the more arrogant among them even had phase force surging from their bodies, faintly projecting an intent to intimidate.

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Li Li Fengyi flew into a rage. She took a step forward, and phase force also surged from her slender frame. Behind her, the elite banner members of the Chiyun Banner immediately followed their leader.

The atmosphere seemed to instantly turn taut, as if swords were drawn and bows strung.

"Ahem, everyone calm down. Be careful not to attract the elders from the Sha Mo Peak, or they might get angry and cancel today's Sha Mo Cave. Then you can all go home and cry about it." At this moment, Li Li Jingtao gave a helpless laugh and stepped forward to smooth things over.

Deng Deng Fengxian raised his hand, and the arrogant-looking Lu Jinguang Banner members behind him immediately stepped back, the phase force rising from their bodies also receding in tandem.

Clearly, within the Lu Jinguang Banner, Deng Deng Fengxian's prestige was considerable.

"Great Banner Leader Li Fengyi, whether the Lu Jinguang Banner deserves superior treatment—let everything be settled by our results in the Sha Mo Cave. This time, our Lu Jinguang Banner's goal is the fortieth level. If we succeed, our progress will enter the top four, which will also be enough to silence the gossip from the other four lineages and spare them from claiming that this generation of our Dragon Fang Lineage is unfit for heavy responsibilities," Deng Deng Fengxian said with a smile.

At this point, he looked toward Zhong Ling's direction and added: "Furthermore, the two of you hold extraordinary status, so there's no need to pressure Zhong Ling. That is the Qingming Banner's own internal matter. As long as the competition is fair, other banners have no right to interfere."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling immediately showed a grateful expression toward Deng Deng Fengxian.

Li Li Fengyi curled her lip and said: "Everyone knows this Zhong Ling follows you around. Back when your Lu Jinguang Banner wanted to take a share of the Qingming Banner's resources, it was he who betrayed his own and helped you make it happen."

Zhong Ling's expression flickered through various shades as he suppressed his fury and said, "Great Banner Leader Li Fengyi, do not make baseless accusations. Those were orders from within the Institute. Was it something a mere banner leader like me could oppose?"

"If not you, then it was your uncle, I suppose." Li Li Fengyi's words were sharp and aggressive, pressing the attack.

Zhong Ling was furious, but knowing he could not afford to offend Li Li Fengyi, he could only snort coldly and sweep off with his people.

After several rounds of confrontation, Li Luo did not interject, merely watching quietly.

However, from Li Li Fengyi's words, he did pick up on something—seemingly, some interests that originally belonged to the Qingming Banner had, over these years due to the Qingming Banner's decline, been divided up by the Lu Jinguang Banner.

That Deng Deng Fengxian did not linger, but even in the face of Li Li Fengyi's sharpness, he still maintained his smile, cupped his fists in a gesture, and departed with composure.

With their departure, the taut atmosphere here finally eased.

Only Li Li Fengyi continued venting to Li Luo: "Little brother, you need to be careful of this guy. The Lu Jinguang Institute has grown increasingly domineering within the lineage over these years, and the reason they have become so powerful is mainly because they carved up a large portion of the Qingming Institute's rights and resources. Especially Deng Deng Fengxian and the Lu Jinguang Banner—they climbed up by feeding on the flesh of the Qingming Institute and the Qingming Banner. In the future, when you get the chance, you must take back everything that belongs to the Qingming Institute."

Li Luo smiled and said, "Second Sister, is that really necessary? After all, the meat is all rotting in our Dragon Fang Lineage's pot. If the Lu Jinguang Institute and the Lu Jinguang Banner can rise, isn't that not necessarily a bad thing for the Dragon Fang Lineage?"

Li Li Fengyi gave a muffled snort and lowered her voice: "Zhao Zhao Xuanming, the Grand Institute Master of the Lu Jinguang Institute, was planted here by the Dragon Blood Lineage. Who knows whether this Lu Jinguang Institute will still be ours in the future."

Li Luo's gaze flickered. Li Li Fengyi's concerns did have some merit, but it could only be called groundless worry—because as long as the Old Man still sat at the helm of the Dragon Fang Lineage, that Zhao Zhao Xuanming could not stir up even the slightest ripple.

Moreover, the Old Man had previously told him that the rise of Zhao Zhao Xuanming and the Lu Jinguang Institute was meant to temper the other three institutes.

However, looking at it now, this blade seems to have grown a touch too sharp, leaving the other three institutes in a state of suppression.

But these matters were truly not something for a mere little Sha Palace Realm cultivator like him to consider, so there was no need for him to worry about them. The most important thing right now was to first familiarize himself thoroughly with this territory of the Qingming Banner.

As for that Deng Deng Fengxian, Li Luo could not say he bore much ill will. Though the other party was domineering, he indeed had the capital to back it up. As for the things the Lu Jinguang Banner had taken, once the Qingming Banner had the means in the future, they could simply take them back by their own ability.

With Li Jingzhuo, the Lineage Head of the Dragon Fang Lineage, as his backing, Li Luo believed that as long as he possessed the ability, everything belonging to the Qingming Institute would inevitably be returned.

However, Li Li Fengyi's temperament was rather aggressive. She felt that this Deng Deng Fengxian had risen by feeding on the Qingming Banner's resources, so naturally she found Deng Deng Fengxian extremely disagreeable.

Li Li Jingtao's temperament was comparatively mild, always playing the good guy, and didn't really mind such things, but Li Li Fengyi clearly could not stand it.

"Little brother, now that you are also the Banner Leader of the Fifth Division of the Qingming Banner, next you should show your abilities and first raise the Qingming Banner's Sha Mo Cave level. Currently, the Qingming Banner's progress in the Sha Mo Cave is at the bottom tier among the twenty banners." Li Li Jingtao said.

"I will do my best." Li Luo smiled.

Then the group proceeded along the plaza and arrived before that massive black palace.

At this moment, the doors of the black great hall were tightly shut, with countless ancient and complex light patterns emerging upon them. In the center of the great hall hung a dark-gold plaque, upon which was a line of characters emanating an inexplicable, oppressive might.

"Seventy-Two Level Sha Mo Cave."

Li Luo's gaze shifted once more to the area before the great hall, where thirteen extremely conspicuous massive golden pillars stood. Upon closer inspection, the golden pillars were actually inscribed with countless names.

"These golden pillars were erected for the predecessors who once cleared all seventy-two levels—thirteen in total. In other words, in the several hundred years since the Sha Mo Cave's existence, only thirteen banners have cleared it." Beside Li Luo, Li Li Fengyi said with a tone of reverence.

"See the leftmost one?" Her slender jade finger pointed over.

Li Luo's gaze followed. That one golden pillar appeared much brighter and newer than the others, as if it had only just been erected. His eyes fell at once upon the top of the pillar, where a large name was inscribed.

Beneath it were the names of the eight thousand banner members of the Qingming Banner from that year.

"Great Banner Leader of the Qingming Banner, Li Taixuan."

Li Luo smiled. He could well imagine just how illustrious and brilliant his old man had been within the Dragon Fang Lineage back in the day.

However, this truly added extra pressure for him as a son.

Li Luo withdrew his gaze and turned back to the tightly shut, heavy, mysterious doors. But his time within the Dragon Fang Lineage had only just begun. In the future, he would still have to compete with his old man and see who shone brighter.

After all, this concerned the struggle for third and fourth place in the household hierarchy!

In the battle for status, there is no such thing as father and son.