Li Luo struggled to open his eyes. Were his eyelids made out of lead? When he finally managed to crack them open an inch, he spotted a familiar bedframe. He breathed again. He inched his neck to the side, looking around.
He spotted a Jiang Qing'e.
She was leaning against the bedpost, eyes shut in rest. Still, the light was hitting her just right, making her nose bridge extra charming. Even in sleep she was beautiful.
And she must have been watching over him for goodness knows how long.
She seemed to sense the change in his breathing, and her eyes flew open, her golden eyes staring into Li Luo's own.
Their eyes met for a long while.
Jiang Qing'e broke the silence with a faint smile. "Awake?"
Li Luo nodded, struggling to sit up. Jiang Qing'e propped him up with a pillow, her hair caressing his face as she leaned past him. It tickled. Both his face and his heart.
"You fainted in the skygold room last night. Someone found you when they were cleaning." She searched his face. "Ran into trouble when cultivating?"
Li Luo gave her an uneasy smile and then searched within his body. He could sense that his lifespan had not been further diminished, but there was a sense of hollowness that he could not explain.
He must have lost something.
Again he dived, this time into his second resonant palace. He could sense the green within, charged with life.
In the heart of the green there was dark yellow, and the two supported each other to further sustain the energy.
Li Luo knew that he had successfully tempered his second acquired resonance.
However, his woodearth resonance was extremely low quality. It was the poorest first-grade resonance possible. Still, it was normal. The fact that Li Luo could even acquire it was thanks to Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan's tireless research. His success was already a miracle, and beggars could not be choosers.
In any case, he could improve it endlessly with spirit liquids and purifying lights. With his current finances, he could easily raise it to a fourth or fifth-grade resonance.
Besides, Li Luo was pleasantly surprised to find a leafy-green resonance seed in his second resonant palace as well.
However, this one was only the size of a green bean, much smaller than the one in his first resonant palace. It was due to a lack of resonant power.
But as Li Luo grew stronger, his second resonance seed would also grow.
Li Luo marveled at it. He was liking it more and more.
In this instant, he finally understood why it was said that his advantage would only truly shine once his second resonance was acquired.
A resonance seed's advantage was that it could absorb energy from the cultivator's surroundings. This was a clear advantage over Ten Seals Stage cultivators.
As for Li Luo, these dual-resonances would enable him to absorb worldly natural energy much faster than anyone else.
It was basically cultivation at double speed.
The resonant palaces were also used to store resonant power. They served as vessels, and they had a maximum capacity. Once filled, it was hard to deliver power beyond that saturation point. At that time, the only options were to aim for a breakthrough to the next tier, or try to grind and improve that capacity through a long and arduous process.
With a second resonant palace, Li Luo's maximum resonant power capacity far exceeded others of his level.
Of course, the grade of one's resonance determined the quality of the resonance seed as well. The higher the resonance grade, the better the resonance seed consolidated. Whether in terms of energy absorption or maximum resonant power capacity, quality mattered for the resonance seed.
For example, Li Luo estimated that he would have to raise both his acquired resonances to the seventh-grade before he could compete against Jiang Qing'e's ninth-grade light resonance.
Still, it was already an overwhelming advantage. Given enough time and improvement, Li Luo's acquired resonances would come into their full awesome power.
"What are you drooling about?" Jiang Qing'e asked impatiently. The corner of Li Luo's mouth had fallen open in a silly smile.
He gave her a mysterious smile, then he reached out to take her hand in his own. Not waiting for her response, he channeled green resonant power through his palm.
Her golden eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise.
"This is.... wood resonance power?! How did this happen? Didn't you have a water resonance?" she croaked hoarsely.
Li Luo grinned. "Guess."
Her eyes lit up. "You managed a breakthrough. You opened your second resonant palace?"
Li Luo pretended to think it over. "Hmm, sounds good."
He did not tell her about his last blank palace. Perhaps she wasn't ready for it yet.
She stared at him in wonder. "This is my first time seeing someone with two resonant palaces before the Duke Stage.
"Li Luo, I knew you were something special. You might have been a blank palace cultivator, but your rare talent cannot be denied. No one will dare say you've let down your parents now."
She broke out into a blissful smile. Li Luo forgot how to breathe for a moment.
"Sister Qing'e, I'm so touched," Li Luo said.
Jiang Qing'e smiled. "Li Luo, touched is touched, but if you touch my hand again, I'll beat you up."
He hurriedly retracted his hand from hers. "Can't the patient get a little benefit?"
She shot him a look. She had been here the whole night watching over him. Benefits?
Just then, the door was pushed open, and Li Luo saw Ox Biaobiao and his shiny head rush in. He was holding a bowl of piping hot soup.
"Young Lord, you're awake!" he exclaimed happily.
Li Luo nodded. "Sorry to make you worry, Uncle Biao."
Ox Biaobiao offered the soup with a flourish. "Young Lord, you are too frail. Fainting while cultivating! You should eat more."
Li Luo dug in heartily. From the first bite, he could feel a wave of heat flush through him.
Evidently, Ox Biaobiao had made this especially for him.
"Thanks, Uncle Biao," he said gratefully, turning back to the soup.
The nourishing ingredients helped him feel a little stronger.
Ox Biaobiao bobbed his head smilingly. He reached out a greasy hand and took hold of Li Luo's wrist. "Let Uncle Biao see what's wrong with you."
"Sure." Li Luo shrugged.
Ox Biaobiao held his hand seriously, seemingly searching for something. After a while, the smile he always wore fell off his face.
Both youngsters were shocked by that.
There was a moment of quiet surprise, then Ox Biaobiao let go of his hand. He spoke gravely.
"Young Lord, this is no small matter."