Chapter 789: Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi Pool

"Five thousand Earth Fiend Lights?!"

Li Luo was shocked by Li Li Jingzhe's words. What kind of miraculous thing was this "Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi"? Just one strand could grant a person an additional five thousand Earth Fiend Lights?!

If an ordinary Small Sha Palace realm cultivator obtained it, wouldn't they leap straight into the Greater Sha Palace realm?

However, after the shock, wild joy surged into his heart. He knew that with Li Li Jingzhe's status, he would never joke about something like this. So wasn't this "Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi" the best opportunity for him?

If he could obtain several strands, his goal of thirty thousand Earth Fiend Lights could be achieved in the fastest possible time.

"Grandfather, why are you only telling me about something this important now?" Li Luo was overjoyed, then pushed his luck with a complaint.

"Because the Dragon Qi Pool generally opens only once every ten years or so. The time isn't up yet, so telling you would have been useless." Li Li Jingzhe said with a smile.

Li Luo's smile instantly stiffened. Once every ten years?

"Then how long until the Dragon Qi Pool opens?" he asked cautiously.

"Counting the time, about three more years," Li Li Jingzhe said absently as he picked up a bamboo shoot.

Li Luo's heart instantly chilled at those words. Still three years before it opens? If he waited three more years, by then if he hadn't already kicked the bucket, he probably wouldn't need this thing anymore.

He pulled a long face, shook his head, and said bitterly: "It seems I have no fate with this Dragon Qi Pool."

He was crestfallen. He had thought he'd found a shortcut, but in the blink of an eye, that dream was shattered.

Just as he was feeling depressed there, his peripheral vision caught a teasing smile on Li Li Jingzhe's face. A spark of inspiration immediately lit in his heart, and he asked hopefully: "Is there still a twist?"

Li Li Jingzhe swallowed the bamboo shoot strip in his mouth and said unhurriedly: "The opening time of the Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi Pool is indeed once every ten years. However, if the five branch leaders jointly decide, the pool can be opened three years early."

Li Luo was overjoyed. Wasn't this perfect timing? Had he caught another break? "However, the resolution regarding the Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi Pool was already discussed two years ago. Four of the branch leaders proposed opening it in seven years, and one branch leader proposed waiting the full ten years. Because opinions weren't unified, in the end they could only maintain the original rule and not open it early,

keeping it at once every ten years." Li Li Jingzhe's next sentence once again let Li Luo experience what was meant by twists and turns.

Anger rising from his heart, Li Luo slammed the table and said furiously: "Was it the Dragon Blood Branch's Mountain Leading Branch Leader who opposed it again? Are we giving him face or what?!"

Li Li Jingzhe glanced at Li Luo and said: "The branch leader who opposed opening the pool in seven years is sitting right in front of you."

Li Luo was instantly a bit dumbfounded. He gave an awkward laugh first, then quickly poured a full cup of wine for the old man, while asking in confusion: "Grandfather, why did you oppose opening it in seven years?"

"Why would I agree to open the Dragon Qi Pool early?" Li Li Jingzhe countered. "Do you think every junior benefits when the Dragon Qi Pool opens? Although the contest for the Dragon Qi Pool is organized by banners, there are only six Coiling Dragon Pillars within. This means that in the end, only six Great Banner Leaders can stand among them,

and obtain the 'Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi.'" "In previous years, the younger generation of the Dragon Fang Branch wasn't particularly outstanding. At that time, even if the Dragon Pool had been opened early, the greatest beneficiary would have only been the Dragon Blood Branch. Under such circumstances, the Dragon Blood Branch naturally would have been happy to open the Dragon Pool earlier,

but doing so would only have fattened them up. Since that's the case, why wouldn't I delay it by three years? What if in these three years, a junior capable of shouldering the burden emerges from the Dragon Fang Branch? That way, I could be considered to have left an opportunity for him."

Only now did Li Luo understand. So Li Li Jingzhe had previously opposed opening it in seven years because the Dragon Fang Branch couldn't obtain sufficient benefits from this "Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi Pool." This was reasonable. It was said that after his father Li Taixuan, the Dragon Fang Branch had never produced another prodigy of stunning talent. At the very least, compared to the geniuses of the Dragon Blood Branch, every level was somewhat weaker. Even now that

a Deng Deng Fengxian had emerged, they were still suppressed by the Dragon Blood Branch. So under such circumstances, Li Li Jingzhe naturally preferred to delay the "Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi Pool" by three years.

Li Luo helplessly sighed. However, with things as they were, he was going to miss out.

Forget it, he'd have to think of another way.

"Do you want this opportunity?" At this moment, Li Li Jingzhe asked.

"Of course I want it. A once-in-ten-years opportunity from a Li Tianwang-level power — this country bumpkin who came from Outer Shenzhou really hasn't had the chance to try it." Li Luo said frankly. Hearing Li Luo mention Outer Shenzhou, Li Li Jingzhe fell silent for a moment. Back then, Li Taixuan had left Tianyuan Shenzhou and fled to that Outer Shenzhou, and he had always felt some guilt about it. This grandson, born in Outer Shenzhou, had also never received the patronage of the Dragon Fang Branch.

(continued from previous line — patronage)

Li Li Jingzhe gazed at Li Luo's youthful face that closely resembled Li Taixuan's, and his usually somewhat stern expression involuntarily softened at this moment.

"If you want it, it's not entirely without opportunity." Li Li Jingzhe pondered slightly and said: "Previously, I was the only one opposing opening the pool early. If you truly want to try, I'll send word to that old fellow from the Dragon Blood Branch. When his birthday comes next month, I'll take the opportunity to open the pool directly, and we can count it as a celebratory gift.

He'll likely be very willing."

"Wouldn't that be a bit inappropriate?" Li Luo hesitated. Li Li Jingzhe was, after all, the branch leader of the Dragon Fang Branch. Since a resolution had already been made, going back on it now — wouldn't that damage the dignity of a branch leader?

"It's a small matter. However, if I go tell them now that I agree to open the pool three years early, with the shrewdness of those old foxes, they'll probably immediately guess my purpose."

Li Li Jingzhe put down his bamboo chopsticks and looked at Li Luo with a faint smile: "They'll definitely know that I agreed to open the pool early because of you, so whether I lose face or not depends not on me, but on you." "If you can truly put on an impressive performance in that Dragon Qi Pool, seize one of the Coiling Dragon Pillars, and obtain a strand of 'Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi,' then others will naturally say I have great boldness and vision. But if you come back empty-handed, then people will secretly laugh at this

old fellow for being an idle dreamer with dim, old eyes."

"So, do you have the courage, for the sake of this old man's bit of dignity, to go seize a strand of 'Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi'?" Li Li Jingzhe asked.

Li Luo was stunned, then fell silent for several breaths before saying seriously: "The difficulty is indeed very high, but I'm willing to give it a try." Li Li Jingzhe had already said as much as he had. If Li Luo were to back down now, it would truly make him seem lacking in courage. Moreover, Li Li Jingzhe, dignified branch leader of the Dragon Fang Branch, was willing to stake his dignity on him. This trust

also touched something in Li Luo's heart.

Although he knew the difficulty of the so-called "Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi Pool" far exceeded that of his battle with Zhong Ling, with the augmentation of the banner troops' "combined Qi" power, he might not be entirely without the strength to compete.

After all, there were six Coiling Dragon Pillars.

"How many strands of Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi can be obtained each time?" Li Luo asked again.

"Generally one strand. Some lucky people can get two," Li Li Jingzhe said.

"That's a bit few," Li Luo said, somewhat unsatisfied. One strand of Dragon Qi could transform into five thousand Earth Fiend Lights. Although that was quite a lot, for his goal of thirty thousand, it still seemed far from enough.

"You're quite greedy. Do you think this 'Mysterious Yellow Dragon Qi' is easy to condense?" Li Li Jingzhe said, exasperated.

If it were really that easy, it wouldn't open the pool only once every seven years at minimum.

Li Luo gave an awkward smile, then said: "If Grandfather is willing to give me this chance, then I'd like to give it my all."

Hearing this, Li Li Jingzhe nodded slightly and said: "Alright then, go back and wait for news. Once it's confirmed, I'll notify you."

Li Luo grinned and brought the dishes on the table over to himself, sweeping the bamboo shoot dishes clean. Only then did he rise, satisfied, pat his belly, and turn to leave.

As he was leaving the courtyard, he paused, turned back to look at the old man who was bent over clearing the table, and said seriously: "Grandfather, thank you."

Although Li Li Jingzhe had said he was staking his dignity on him, Li Luo understood in his heart that if it weren't for him, Li Li Jingzhe definitely would not have gone back on his previous resolution.

After saying this, Li Luo didn't linger and left directly. As his figure receded into the distance, Li Li Jingzhe finally raised his head, gazing in the direction he had left. On that aged face, a faint smile emerged.