Chapter 934: The Leader

When Li Luo arrived at the third-tier cabin, he found quite a number of people already gathered there. The teams from all five branches had nearly all assembled. From this, it seemed Li Li Wuyuan's prestige was indeed not weak.

And with the arrival of Li Luo and his two companions, many gazes immediately shot their way. After all, the Li Luo of today was no longer the one who had just arrived at the Dragon's Fang Branch. He was now the new Dragon Head and the top scorer of the Fiend Abyss—a dual identity that marked him as the undisputed number one of this cohort.

Although this trip to the Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven also included members from the previous cohort's Twenty Banners, and even Li Li Wuyuan, the previous Dragon Head, Li Luo's weight still could not be ignored.

"Over here!"

Li Li Fengyi's voice rang out from the crowd. Li Luo looked over and saw the Dragon's Fang Branch members gathered together—Li Li Jingtao, Li Li Fuling, and others beside Li Li Fengyi.

So he quickened his pace and headed over.

Along the way, he passed the Dragon Scale Branch's team. Li Luo spotted Lu Lu Qingmei and smiled and greeted her.

Lu Lu Qingmei nodded in acknowledgment. Her intense gaze on Li Luo was somewhat stronger than before—not because she had any particular feelings toward him, but simply because she felt the current Li Luo was more worth challenging than before.

Beside Lu Lu Qingmei stood a tall, broad-shouldered youth. He stared at Li Luo's back, then said with a smile to Lu Lu Qingmei: "Junior Sister Lu, is this the Dragon Head of your cohort? A Fiend Extreme Realm cultivator actually managing to hold the Dragon Head seat—this is a first in the entire history of the Twenty Banners."

The youth was named Li Guan. He was the previous Great Banner Head of the Sacred Scale Banner, and his current strength was comparable to Li Li Fuling's—both at the Seven-Star Tian Zhu Jing.

Lu Lu Qingmei said calmly: "Li Luo possesses the Three Resonances. Although he's only at the Fiend Extreme Realm, in terms of the sheer density of his resonance power, he's no inferior to a One-Star Tian Zhu Jing cultivator with an eighth-grade resonance. Moreover, he's cultivated a marquis-grade sealing art that appears to be of Si Si Tianming grade. The two combined, he can fight a Two-Star Tian Zhu Jing."

"I think, once he steps into the Tian Zhu Jing, even Four or Five-Star Tian Zhu Jing cultivators may not necessarily be able to do anything to him."

Li Guan's brow rose slightly. Lu Lu Qingmei's evaluation of Li Luo was extremely high. However... today Li Li Wuyuan had suddenly summoned everyone, and the odds were he was targeting Li Luo. After all, the four banners of the Dragon Blood Branch had monopolized the Dragon Head position for several cohorts. Now that Li Luo had broken that pattern, it was bound to draw some pushback from the Dragon Blood Branch.

At the very least, they would want to blunt Li Luo's edge and slightly hinder his momentum of advancement.

Although the five branches of Dragon's Fang all belonged to one family, the internal competition was equally fierce.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Li Luo arrived at Li Li Fengyi's side. The moment he steadied himself, a burst of laughter came from another direction: "So this is the new Dragon Head?"

Li Luo followed the sound and saw, over at the Dragon Blood Branch's team, a youth in a dark red battle garment, his eyes razor-sharp, radiating an intensely aggressive aura, staring straight at him.

It was Li Li Wuyuan.

Li Luo smiled and said: "Greetings, Senior Brother Li Li Wuyuan."

Although by seniority he should have called him cousin, the two weren't close, so Li Luo couldn't be bothered to make small talk.

"Junior Brother Li Luo, you've arrived rather late. Is this how the four banners of the Dragon's Fang Branch conduct themselves—acting so casually? With a temperament like yours, if you enter the Dragon's Fang Guard, you're going to suffer for it." Li Li Wuyuan said with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of lecturing.

Beside him, Li Li Hongli stood with arms crossed, watching with great interest as Li Li Wuyuan made things difficult for Li Luo. After all, Li Luo had been too prominent lately; it was rare to see someone who could put him in his place.

Li Luo said helplessly: "Does Senior Brother Li Li Wuyuan have nothing better to do? Wasting time summoning the teams from every branch just to spout this meaningless nonsense?"

Li Li Wuyuan's eyes narrowed slightly. His gaze, sharp as a blade, lingered on Li Luo's face for several breaths, then he said with a faint smile: "Junior Brother Li Luo, is this how little manners you have? In terms of rank, the Twenty Banners are also considered subordinate to the Five Heavenly Dragon Guards."

Li Luo thought for a moment, then pulled a token of the Grand Courtyard Master of the Qingming Courtyard from his spatial sphere, while revealing a gentle smile, and said: "My apologies, I also concurrently serve as the Grand Courtyard Master of the Qingming Courtyard. Although it's only acting capacity, if you want to talk about rank and status, then please don't call me Junior Brother—just call me Grand Courtyard Master."

The atmosphere in the venue instantly froze. Everyone stared with strange expressions at the token in Li Luo's hand that represented the identity of the Grand Courtyard Master of the Qingming Courtyard. Among the branches, the Grand Courtyard Masters of the various courtyards held high rank and great authority. Compared to such an identity, let alone Li Li Wuyuan, even the various commanders of the Five Heavenly Dragon Guards would not dare throw their weight around with Li Luo.

But... Li Luo was only at the Fiend Extreme Realm. How could Branch Head Li Li Jingzhe have given him the Grand Courtyard Master token of the Qingming Courtyard? And let him act as the Grand Courtyard Master of the Qingming Courtyard?

This was... what kind of child's play?

But Li Li Jingzhe was the Branch Head of the Dragon's Fang Branch. His decision could not be overruled even by Branch Head Li Li Tianji of the Dragon Blood Branch.

So, staring at the token in Li Luo's hand, everyone could only silently swallow.

"I originally intended to get along with you all as just an ordinary person, but you insisted on lecturing me about rank and status. Now that you've done so, how am I supposed to blend in with everyone?" Li Luo sighed with some dissatisfaction.

Li Li Wuyuan's expression stiffened slightly. He had never expected Li Luo to have such a formal identity. Did the Dragon's Fang Branch really act so arbitrarily? That Branch Head Li Li Jingzhe was far too indulgent toward Li Luo.

Li Luo smiled and waved the token at him.

Li Li Wuyuan took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and bowed to Li Luo: "Greetings, Grand Courtyard Master Li Luo."

Only his body's movement was stiff as a corpse, and a stifled fury surged in his eyes.

Li Li Hongli and the others nearby instantly wore wonderfully complicated expressions, wishing they could turn around and vanish on the spot.

But seeing this, Li Luo unhurriedly put the token away and said: "Forget it, let's each stick to our own way of addressing each other, lest others say this Grand Courtyard Master of mine is bullying his subordinates."

Only then did the crowd relax. Otherwise, they had been preparing to leave quickly, to avoid having to bow to Li Luo every time they met and being put at a lower generation for no reason.

Li Li Wuyuan snorted. Then why didn't you say so earlier? You had to wait until I finished bowing?

He glanced at Li Luo, his expression settling, and said coolly: "The reason I've summoned the teams from every branch is to discuss matters regarding entering the 'Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven' afterward."

"Within the Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven, the various forces are tangled and complex, and there are also many loose cultivators. So even though we are a Heavenly King-tier force, we cannot afford to be complacent. We must act in concert. After all, there are also prodigies from other Heavenly King-tier forces eyeing us hungrily."

"And with so many of us in our party, we need a leader. Only then can we consolidate our strength, command the overall situation, and deal with any trouble."

He had finally stated the purpose of this gathering.

However, no one objected to this. Each branch had sent quite a number of people this time, and when combined, they formed a sizable team. Sometimes, each doing their own thing was indeed a bit disorganized.

"If we're choosing a leader, then naturally we should choose the strongest. So for the position of leader, I think Cousin Li Li Wuyuan is the obvious choice." Li Li Hongli spoke up first, firmly backing Li Li Wuyuan.

The Dragon Blood Branch side also voiced their support one after another.

"Hmph, I think we should choose based on status and rank. Li Luo is the Grand Courtyard Master of the Qingming Courtyard, his position is the highest. Having him lead is only proper." Li Li Fengyi immediately objected.

How could she not see that the Dragon Blood Branch side wanted to recommend Li Li Wuyuan as leader? If they really got command of the team, and harbored ulterior motives, they'd assign all the dangerous tasks to the Dragon's Fang Branch. And for the sake of the bigger picture, they'd have no choice but to grit their teeth and bear it.

"Will the prodigies from other forces in the Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven take this 'Grand Courtyard Master' seriously?" Li Li Hongli said unhurriedly, with a hint of mockery.

Someone from the Dragon Bone Branch also spoke up in agreement: "Within the Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven, strength still commands respect."

The other branches also nodded slightly. The Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven was full of powerful enemies, and the principle that strength commands respect could still achieve consensus.

Li Li Fengyi clenched her teeth, wanting to argue further, but Li Li Fuling beside her held her back, stepped forward, and said coolly: "If strength commands respect, then we still have to try to find out."

Li Li Fuling also understood Li Li Fengyi's concerns, and as a fellow member of the Dragon's Fang Branch, she naturally needed to step forward and offer support.

Li Li Wuyuan's gaze lingered on Li Li Fuling. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he said: "Li Li Fuling, we've fought so many times, and you've never won once. What is there still to try?"

"But if you really want to try, then naturally I'll give you the chance."

Li Li Wuyuan swept his sleeve, and a streak of yellow light flew out, transforming into a large earth-yellow cauldron. The cauldron was inscribed with ten thousand layered mountains, seeming to emanate an incomparably heavy pressure.

And with the appearance of this cauldron, the expressions of many present shifted slightly.

"That is Li Li Wuyuan's 'Ten Thousand Mountains Heavy Cauldron,' a Purple-Eyed treasure. This cauldron is extraordinarily heavy. Once deployed, anyone below the Eight-Star Tian Zhu Jing simply cannot withstand it. In the martial discussions of the Five Heavenly Dragon Guards, countless people have been crushed by this very cauldron." Someone from the Five Guards spoke up.

"Li Li Fuling, if you can withstand this cauldron, then you have the qualifications to compete for the position of leader."

Li Li Wuyuan smiled faintly, and then the earth-yellow cauldron, wrapped in tremendous gravitational force, rippled the very void as it passed, and descended directly to suppress the spot where Li Li Fuling stood.

Seeing this, Li Li Fuling hurriedly pushed Li Li Fengyi beside her, her pretty face solemn, her silver teeth tightly clenched, the phase force within her body surging forth without reserve, seven resplendent Tian Zhu manifesting behind her, inhaling and exhaling the energy of heaven and earth.

Then she thrust out a palm, and a palm-formed energy imprint condensed into being, crashing violently against the great cauldron that came pressing down.

Hum!

The violent energy shockwave spread outward, blasting the nearby crowd into stumbling retreat.

Yet their gazes never wavered, fixed on the spot where the energy palm imprint collided with the great cauldron. They saw the great cauldron descend in a slow yet inexorable posture, while the energy palm imprint crumbled bit by bit, cracks appearing across its surface.

Clearly, Li Li Fuling's strength at the Xing Tian Zhu Jing realm was simply unable to withstand Li Li Wuyuan's cauldron suppression.

But the crowd did not find this strange, for Li Li Fuling had already been suppressed by Li Li Wuyuan's heavy cauldron many times before.

Li Li Wuyuan watched the scene leisurely, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips.

The members of the Dragon Bloodline beside him also began to chat and laugh, one after another praising Li Li Wuyuan's extraordinary strength, declaring him worthy of being the Dragon Head of the previous session.

Bang!

And while the crowd was speaking, the heavy cauldron grew ever more ponderous. In the end, the energy palm imprint could no longer bear it and instantly exploded apart, scattering into a skyful of motes of energy light.

The heavy cauldron's momentum, however, remained undiminished, descending straight toward Li Li Fuling — clearly intending to make her look even more wretched.

But just as the heavy cauldron was about to collide with Li Li Fuling, suddenly a slender, fair-as-jade hand reached out from behind, its five fingers curling together to form a fist imprint.

Then it directly slammed a punch into the heavy cauldron.

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out, and a shockwave of energy visible to the naked eye swept outward.

Then the crowd watched in shock as that very heavy cauldron — which had left Li Li Fuling powerless to resist — was sent flying by that slender, fair fist, and finally smashed into the floor, cracking even the floorboards that were protected by energy light-runes, leaving crack after crack across them.

Within the spacious ship's cabin, the atmosphere instantly fell silent.

Gaze after gaze of astonishment turned toward the one who had thrown the punch, and then they saw a somewhat unfamiliar young woman gently rubbing her own fist, before offering them a faint smile.

"What a heavy cauldron — it actually hurts quite a bit to hit it."