The next day, right at the gates of the old manor.
Li Luo's gaze followed Jiang Qing'e's departing carriage as it disappeared into the distance. Beside him stood Uncle Liu with his hands behind his back, and Cai Wei with her exceptionally developed body.
"Hu." As Li Luo continued to stare at the carriage which had been swallowed up by the wilderness, he released a light exhale before turning to speak to Uncle Liu. "Uncle Liu, please assist me with applying for a week's leave of absence from the academy. I wish to recuperate for a period of time." As the absorption of the acquired resonance had drained him of too much of his blood essence, going back to the academy would only invite gossip and rumor-mongering.
Now that he had a water resonance, the most pressing concern was to find an appropriate energy cultivation art. Only this would allow his body's resonant power to quickly increase.
Southwind Academy might possess numerous cultivation arts, but there were countless restrictions and conditions to borrow them. It was incomparably more convenient to tap upon his family's resources and private library.
The only issue was the exam taking place in a month's time. Even this simple act of taking a week off from school would undoubtedly invite speculation from countless individuals. The only good thing was that at this point in time, Li Luo no longer cared about what others thought of him.
"Yes, Milord," the honest Uncle Liu responded before proceeding to carry out his instruction.
"Elder Sister Cai Wei," said Li Luo as he turned to face her.
With her narrow and charming eyes, she gave a reserved smile. "Please instruct me, Milord."
"Please assist me with obtaining some spirit liquids and purifying lights, those of the fourth-grade." Li Luo smiled.
Her lush eyelashes blinked at the request. These were treasures used to improve the grade of one's resonance. Wasn't Li Luo born with a blank palace? Just what was he trying to do?
Although her heart was full of confusion, she nevertheless agreed. "How many portions does the Young Lord require?"
Li Luo pondered for a moment before replying, "Why don't we start with fifty."
Although Cai Wei was a calm and rational adult, upon hearing of the request for fifty portions, she stared at Li Luo blankly. Had she heard incorrectly?
"Young Lord, did you say FIFTY portions of fourth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights?" Cai Wei couldn't help but ask him to clarify.
Li Luo saw her confused gaze and nodded attentively.
Cai Wei's pearly-white teeth bit down upon her dainty, red lips in shock. Spirit liquids and purifying lights were exceptionally valuable and expensive, and fourth-grade ones were even more pricey! At current market prices, one portion would cost a thousand pieces of skygold. Fifty would be fifty thousand!
House Luolan's profits from across the entire scope of its businesses, when aggregated, was only about thirty thousand pieces of skygold! Furthermore, over these past few years, their profits had decreased as a result of the family’s situation.
Honestly, this amount of skygold spent was not a significant problem. House Luolan was considered a behemoth with numerous family businesses. Fifty thousand skygold was not enough to give rise to hesitation from Cai Wei's perspective. It was just that this entire request to purchase fifty portions of fourth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights seemed weird and outlandish.
Spirit liquids and purifying lights’ main usage were to temper one's natural resonances, to increase their grade. It was common knowledge that all spirit liquids and purifying lights possessed some form of impurities that would gradually corrupt one's resonant palace. Over a period of accumulation, this would eventually seal one's resonant palace, and at that point, tempering it any further would be impossible, reaching its final peak.
People who utilized these spirit liquids and purifying lights would not do so wantonly. They would control the frequency of this tempering, perhaps only once or twice a month. This would reduce the effect of the impurities on one's resonant palace and bring out the greatest tempering effect from these treasures.
Thus, even if one wanted to buy spirit liquids and purifying lights, it would only ever be in small quantities. In spite of all these conditions, Li Luo had come out with a bang and asked for fifty. Just how many years could one use them for? [1]
Cai Wei could not comprehend just what Li Luo was trying to do... this sounded insane.
However, Li Luo was the Young Lord, and Jiang Qing'e had left specific instructions for her to acquiesce to any of Li Luo's demands. Resigned, she nodded lightly in agreement.
"Alright."
"Then I will have to trouble Elder Sister Cai Wei." Li Luo gave a vibrant and warm smile before turning to enter the old manor.
Cai Wei stared at his leaving figure before heaving a sigh. This Young Lord seemed a little reckless. Even after being part of yesterday's altercation, was he still unaware of the numerous internal and external dangers that surrounded House Luolan?
Even though he was a cripple with no ability to directly assist Qing'e, he didn't have to cause trouble, did he? Just how long would it take for House Luolan to recoup the losses from the Young Lord's wanton spending habits?
At that point in time, was he going to request Jiang Qing'e's assistance on top of that? House Luolan's situation was already unstable and required large amounts of skygold to begin with!
Gradually, she massaged her temples to calm herself down. It looks like she would be placed in quite a few predicaments during her short stay at the Tianshu Province.
Meanwhile...
Li Luo did not bother to think too much of the numerous dilemmas Cai Wei was grappling with internally. In fact, he was happy! He felt as free as a bird and full of hope for the future. He directly made his way to the old manor's library.
The library was the repository for all of House Luolan's acquired cultivation arts and resonance arts. Even though the majority of them had been moved to Xia City's headquarters, the ones remaining within the old manor were still numerous.
And hence this was also the most important location in the entire old manor. The force guarding it was not to be underestimated, as numerous protectors could be seen in its vicinity.
This was where the benefits of being the young lord could truly shine. Li Luo merely had to walk right in as was his right!
The librarian was a little surprised to see Li Luo come in and was momentarily left in a daze. However, he quickly recovered and respectfully greeted him. "Young Lord."
Li Luo nodded in response before instructing, "Find every single energy cultivation art that is appropriate for a fourth-grade resonance and bring them to me."
Upon hearing his command, the librarian was a little confused as well. When Li Luo visited the library in the past, he would only ever look for resonance arts. Energy cultivation arts were completely ignored as he had a blank palace and they weren't of much use to him.
Regardless, he would not dare to object or be concerned with the reason. Li Luo WAS the young lord. He was technically the one with the highest authority within the old manor.
Hence, he immediately followed the command, swiftly beginning to search for the energy cultivation arts that Li Luo had requested.
Li Luo, on the other hand, found himself a simple, quiet room to patiently wait in. Before long, the librarian rushed in with a pile of jade slips, completely drenched in sweat.
"Young Lord, all of the energy cultivation arts suitable for a fourth-grade resonance can be found here. There are twenty-eight Entry Stage arts and six General-level arts." Li Luo nodded in affirmation and signalled for him to leave. Following which, he began to carefully browse through them.
Within the Xia Kingdom, energy cultivation arts could be divided into several grades. Their grading system was similar to the way stages of power were differentiated: Entry Stage, General Stage, Duke Stage, King Stage. Except for the Entry Stage, there were also minor differences where each cultivation art level was further split into high-grade, middle-grade, and low-grade.
Entry Stage energy cultivation arts could allow one to cultivate from the Ten Seals Stage to the beginning of the Resonant Master Stage. However, if one wanted to truly enter the first Resonant Master Stage, the General Stage, then they would require the usage of a General Stage energy cultivation art and so forth.
Entry Stage energy cultivation arts were common like flies and relatively similar. Only General Stage energy cultivation arts and above were more scarce. Usually, only middle-tier powers possessed them.
Duke Stage energy cultivation arts were even rarer. Only top-tier powers would possess these.
On this note, Li Luo remembered that House Luolan possessed two complete versions of Duke Stage energy cultivation arts, left behind by both his parents.
With regards to King Stage energy cultivation arts... this was precious beyond comparison. If one truly appeared in the open, it would most definitely incite the attention of all of the mightiest powers within the Xia Kingdom. There would undoubtedly be a clash of the titans in that scenario.
In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the entire kingdom would descend into war just for it.
Normally speaking, higher grade energy cultivation arts also tended to be more harsh on the cultivator's body. They had numerous sorts of requirements on the grade of the resonance.
As Li Luo's waterlight resonance was only fourth-grade, he had only requested energy cultivation arts that he could utilize.
As time went on, all of the jade slips before Li Luo were swiftly reviewed.
He eventually narrowed his choices down to three energy cultivation arts.
Nine Stages Throughput Art, low-grade General Stage.
Azureflood Meditation Diagram, middle-grade General Stage.
Spirit Transformation Art, middle-grade General Stage.
These three energy cultivation arts were all at the General Stage. When cultivated to their peak, they would allow one to enter the General Stage.
These three were of a decent grade, and although not the best, they were still nothing to be scoffed at. Most importantly, they were suitable for Li Luo's fourth-grade waterlight resonance.
He would await the day that he tempered his resonance before looking for a more suitable energy cultivation art. This would not be a significant problem.
After further deliberation, he eventually settled upon the Azureflood Meditation Diagram. This art specialized in allowing the cultivator's resonant power to be emitted in a continuous and robust wave, much like a raging sea. It seemed fitting for Li Luo's waterlight resonance.
"You're the one!" Li Luo stowed the jade slip away and excitedly got up to leave the small room. He then made his way to a secret chamber below the library, something which his parents had specifically constructed for cultivation.
It was here where he would finally embark on the path of cultivation.
1. TLN: If my math checks out... maybe 25 years? :P