Chapter 791: Li Luo's Counterattack

When the first order issued by Li Luo, the new Banner Leader of the Green Nether Banner, reached the First Division, it predictably caused an enormous stir, and all the banner members of the First Division were shocked and furious.

They hadn't gone to welcome Li Luo, the new Banner Leader, true, but did that warrant such a heavy show of force?

"This is too much!"

"We didn't go to welcome him because he injured Boss Zhong Ling yesterday! Now Boss Zhong Ling is recuperating from his injuries, and our First Division has no one in command, so naturally we don't know what to do!"

"Exactly, and he's even barring us from the Fiend Demon Cave? Does he really think he can rule the Green Nether Banner with absolute authority?!"

"Relax, he's just trying to scare us."

"Come on, let's go tell Boss Zhong Ling!"

"..."

The many resentful and angry voices spread among the First Division's banner members. Zhong Ling's trusted followers stirred up emotions among them, then incited some banner members to leave the Green Nether Training Grounds directly and head to Zhong Ling's residence.

However, as more of the First Division's banner members departed with them, the clamor actually died down, and at the same time, looks of worry rose in their eyes.

Li Luo, the new Banner Leader, was clearly targeting Zhong Ling; the two had truly begun to clash.

If it were anyone else fighting Zhong Ling, the banner members of their First Division might have had enough confidence in the latter, after all, Zhong Ling was no weakling, and his background was extremely powerful—now the Second Hall Master of the Green Nether Court, Zhong Zhong Yushi, was his uncle.

With such a background, Zhong Ling had always been untouchable within the Green Nether Banner.

But... Li Luo, this new Banner Leader, had an even more terrifying identity and background.

Originally, Zhong Ling could still suppress Li Luo in terms of strength, but after yesterday, that advantage had vanished entirely. On the other hand, Li Luo, having defeated the strong despite being the weaker, showed a rising momentum that could no longer be stopped.

And although Li Luo's father Li Taixuan had been away for many years, even now he was still the nominal Great Hall Master of the Green Nether Court.

There was also the old clan leader... judging from all the signs, he held Li Luo in considerable esteem.

Therefore, in the eyes of these ordinary banner members, Li Luo, whether in terms of strength or background, was as tough as it got. If Zhong Ling wanted to fight him, he might not necessarily come out on top in the end.

Moreover, Li Luo's unyielding, uncompromising attitude this time also made everyone understand that he simply wasn't afraid of Zhong Ling's tactics of forcing his hand.

If Li Luo was merely trying to intimidate, that would be fine, but if he was serious...

When these two immortals fought, they, the ordinary banner members, would be the ones to suffer.

And while some ordinary banner members of the First Division were worrying, Zhong Ling's trusted followers had already led people to Zhong Ling's residence.

Zhong Ling received them in the parlor.

At this moment, although Zhong Ling's complexion still appeared somewhat pale, his injuries had actually healed. He listened to everyone's chatter with an expressionless face, but a surge of fury also flickered in his eyes.

"Hmph!" He slammed the teacup in his hand heavily onto the table and said coldly, "What an arrogant Banner Leader!"

His recuperation this time was half real, half feigned. In truth, he had planned to use his prestige within the First Division to make it harder for Li Luo to unify the Green Nether Banner. He figured that as long as Li Luo got a taste of hardship, he would eventually choose to negotiate with him politely, allowing him to salvage some face. But who could have expected Li Luo's methods to be so hard!... This was a complete determination to clash head-on with him to the end.

"My First Division is the strongest division of the Green Nether Banner. Without the First Division's support, his Green Nether Banner will become the weakest banner. I don't believe he would truly dare to abandon my First Division!"

"Go back and spread the word: this Li Luo is merely trying to intimidate. As long as our First Division stands united, within a few days, Li Luo will have to obediently take back his words and then come respectfully to invite me back!" Zhong Ling said.

Hearing this, everyone was immediately invigorated and answered in unison.

Over the following day, the atmosphere within the Green Nether Training Grounds seemed somewhat oppressive, because the First Division's banner members had never come to participate in the "Qi Fusion" drill. When someone was sent to ask, the reason given was that their division leader Zhong Ling had been injured in the duel and no one was in command.

But this situation didn't last long before a piece of news reached the First Division.

The Green Nether Banner's internal treasury had begun reducing the supply of cultivation resources to the First Division.

When this news spread, it immediately caused quite a stir within the First Division. Many ordinary banner members were somewhat terrified. This Li Luo was more ruthless than they had imagined, and as the Banner Leader, he indeed had the authority to control the resources within the entire Green Nether Banner.

Could he really intend to abandon the First Division over this?

When this panic lasted into the second day, another piece of hearsay spread, saying that Banner Leader Li Luo had already requested Third Hall Master Li Li Rouyun, hoping she would select a batch of new young elites from the territory governed by the Dragon Fang Branch as reserves.

What were these reserves for?

The banner members of the First Division felt a chill in their hearts. Did this Banner Leader want to replace the entire First Division? His heart was truly far too ruthless and decisive!

After these two rounds, many ordinary banner members of the First Division had already begun to panic. They had come to the Green Nether Banner to cultivate, hoping to carve out a future and a job for themselves later. But if they were truly kicked out of the Green Nether Banner by Li Luo, for many of them, it would be a devastating blow.

At this point, some had already begun to regret getting involved in the contest between Li Luo and Zhong Ling.

After all, Zhong Ling was different from them; he had Zhong Zhong Yushi behind him, and Zhong Ling wouldn't fuss over some cultivation resources. Moreover, although the First Division's banner members would have their cultivation resources deducted this time, Zhong Ling himself hadn't lost a single bit.

This made some banner members of the First Division feel a bit uncomfortable deep down. They had paid the price of their future, becoming chips in Zhong Ling and Li Luo's fight, yet in the end, Zhong Ling himself hadn't suffered a single bit of loss.

Over the two days, among the many ordinary banner members of the First Division, complaints had begun to surface privately, and fewer and fewer people followed Zhong Ling's trusted followers out.

And on the third day, Li Luo issued another order: today, the selection of a new division leader for the First Division would begin.

This triggered an earthquake within the First Division. All the banner members were horrified in their hearts. Li Luo's offensive grew fiercer with each wave, and he seemed to care nothing about the First Division's gains and losses, exuding a momentum as if he intended to dismantle and reorganize the First Division entirely.

Was even Zhong Ling about to be removed from his position now?

He was the strongest person on the surface within their Green Nether Banner!

Removing him would be an enormous loss to the Green Nether Banner, wouldn't it? Did this Banner Leader truly not consider the future?... However, Li Luo's burning-boats-and-sinking-ships momentum did give rise to some other thoughts among the top elite banner members of the First Division.

If Zhong Ling was truly removed, then they... might have a chance too, wouldn't they?

Zhong Ling did have some prestige within the First Division, but that prestige wasn't enough to truly make everyone devoted to him. Moreover, over these three days, Li Luo's Layer upon Layer offensives had also been continuously eroding Zhong Ling's authority.

Green Nether Training Grounds, Central Training Field.

The banner members of the Green Nether Banner's four divisions gathered together, thousands of figures standing tall, their momentum grand and powerful.

Li Luo stood at the highest point with a calm expression. Over the past two days, he had already mastered the Banner Leader's "Dragon Return Art," and it was about time he began attempting the Green Nether Banner's "Qi Fusion."

This force was said to be able to contend against a Marquis-level expert.

Of course, the First Division's absence would greatly affect the "Qi Fusion," but it didn't matter; trying it out first was always a good idea.

And today, he also intended to completely resolve the Green Nether Banner's internal issues.

The hidden danger posed by Zhong Ling had to be eliminated at all costs. Otherwise, later in the "Mystic Yellow Dragon Qi Pool," when he fought to seize the Coiling Dragon Pillar against powerful enemies, if this man caused trouble during the "Qi Fusion" state, it could plunge him into a serious crisis.

Thinking this, the cold light in Li Luo's eyes grew even more piercing.

Then, he raised his palm and waved it down lightly, signaling the start of the drill.

But just at this moment, a commotion suddenly came from the far end of the training field, causing many banner members of the four divisions to turn their heads. Then they saw, with somewhat amused looks in their eyes, a large wave of people rushing over in a panic-stricken, disheveled manner.

It was the banner members of the First Division.

Although it didn't look like everyone had come, most of them had shown up.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, roughly a thousand figures surged directly toward the high platform where Li Luo stood, then dropped to one knee in a great clatter of movement.

"Great Banner Head, the First Banner's troops, one thousand two hundred strong, reporting in!" a man at the head roared loudly.

Hearing his roar, the members of the other four banners present couldn't help but twitch their eyebrows.

Then they looked up at that tall, straight figure on the high platform, understanding in their hearts that in this contest between Zhong Ling and Li Luo, Zhong Ling had lost the greater half.

In the future Qing Ming Banner, it would ultimately be the one before them who called the shots.

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