Li Luo stood up, heedless of the astonishment around him.
“Seems like no one believes in the Suncreek Villa.” He grinned at Jiang Qing’e and Yan Lingqing.
“I wonder why.”
Yan Lingqing was in a black mood indeed.
“Do your best out there,” Jiang Qing’e said with her signature incline of her head.
She knew that Li Luo had the four-star formula from Bai Mengmeng, which would help them shorten the gap with other villas… but not close it.
After all, the other competitors were all fifth-grade resonance artificers. Creating third-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights was a walk in the park for them, and they would surely be able to produce some fine liquids and lights.
Li Luo was just a third-grade artificer. How could he possibly make up for the gap between them?
Cai Wei fanned herself, trying to curb her own irritation. The Suncreek Villa had finally managed to claw together a modest reputation, and they were in a much better situation than before. But a loss here today could send them tumbling back down to square one.
Still, it wasn’t her place to demand otherwise, not if the ultimate decision-makers, Li Luo and Jiang Qing’e, had agreed to this.
More importantly, she understood the two of them. They were even more invested in House Luolan and the Suncreek Villa than she was. It was impossible that they did not know the implications of failing here today. If they had chosen to go ahead anyway, then they had to have something up their sleeves.
As for what it was… she would just have to wait and see.
Li Luo walked out of the Suncreek Villa’s position and headed to the center, where a refining platform had been prepared for him.
Over at the Skypalace Villa, the First Princess had spotted Li Luo. The boy seemed to show up everywhere. First the uproar in the Umbra Cave, and now he was here at the Artificers’ Fair as well?
He was either on a roll… or entirely mad.
The First Princess looked over at a middle-aged man by her side, whose hair was shot through with white. “Master Gui Xu, is there any chance a third-grade resonance artificer can challenge the fifth-grade artificers?”
The man called Gui Xu laughed. “Your Highness, are you referring to President Li Luo from the Suncreek Villa? It’s very difficult.”
He continued without prompting, “The Suncreek Villa lacks the experience and depth in their research. Compared to elite villas like the Bigswamp Villa, they are outclassed in every aspect.
“The three major factors in artificing are the artificer, the formula, and the secret watersource.
“First, in terms of resonance artificer, the Suncreek Villa is far behind, third-grade against fifth.
“As for formulas, the Suncreek Villa has never shown a four-star formula before. Whereas for these elite villas, the only reason they would join the lowly third-grade competition is because third-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights could be one of their market specializations. All of them will bring four-star formulas, without exception.
“As for the secret watersource, I hear that the Suncreek Villa has recently come into possession of an upper seventh-grade secret watersource. This is their only advantage. The other five villas only have lower seventh-grade watersources. It’s perhaps an inch ahead for them in this case…
“Even so, the difference between an upper and lower grade is not enough for them to turn the tables.
“That’s my assessment… President Li Luo should stand no chance at all.”
The First Princess nodded thoughtfully. Gui Xu’s opinion was professional. It was measured, calculated, and based on a wealth of experience. But she wasn’t about to take it wholesale. She knew that Jiang Qing’e and Li Luo had to have reached the same conclusion as Gui Xu. So why had they come anyway? They had to be trying something, and they had to be fairly confident to risk the Suncreek Villa’s reputation.
But what could possibly make Li Luo that confident?
The First Princess was extremely curious.
After the incidents at the Umbra Cave, she no longer underestimated Li Luo. The man was as innocuous as an ice cube, floating along harmlessly under the bright sun in the sky—Jiang Qing’e. And yet he was like an iceberg, hiding his dangers under the water.
This Li Luo was definitely more than met the eye.
As he walked up on stage, it brought him in close proximity to Hanzhi, who smiled at him warmly.
Li Luo threw a careless look his way. “Oh, Hanzhi.”
“Is there something else you have to say to me, Young Lord Li Luo?” Hanzhi asked breezily.
“When given the chance, I will get people to hack you to death. When you set foot outside in the future, remember to get House Duze to arrange more bodyguards for you.”
Hanzhi’s smile froze on his face. He was taken aback by the stark, naked threat and pure venom that backed Li Luo’s menacing declaration.
This was lawless!
Hanzhi’s composure slipped. “You are breaking the rules, Young Lord Li Luo,” he said darkly. “House Duze might respond in kind to the artificers of the Suncreek Villa.”
“Oh, the rules were already broken a long time ago. You burned them down to ashes along with the research labs of the Suncreek Villa.”
Li Luo strolled on to his assigned refining platform.
Hanzhi watched him go, glowering. Eventually, he huffed and swept it from his mind. House Luolan was on shaky ground as it was. They had their hands full just keeping afloat. Threaten him? That was naive.
Did Li Luo think that he would be intimidated by that?
“So be it. If you are going to threaten me, then I’ll deal with you in kind. And this is the best opportunity for me to deal with you, when you’ve served yourself up on a silver platter!”
The tale of the Suncreek Villa’s former president taking down the current one—that would be one for the books. The perfect nail in the coffin that had been built steadily around the Suncreek Villa over the last few years.
Li Luo paid no more attention to Hanzhi after that, although he did still have a serious killing intent against the guy. Hanzhi had not only betrayed House Luolan, but also ruined their work. Li Luo was still seething over that.
House Luolan had not treated him badly either. Hanzhi had been able to rise to a fifth-grade artificer thanks to the generous support of House Luolan. But now that the house was weak, he was happy to kick them while they were down to ingratiate himself with his new employer and flee to House Duze.
That was the starting bell marking the death of rules.
Li Luo had not dealt with this matter beforehand because he had had too many other things on his plate. And Hanzhi had laid low after joining the Bigswamp Villa as well. Until now, at least, when he was personally taking part in their competition to snub them.
Li Luo’s words were no empty threat. If he saw the chance, he would gladly bring the might of House Luolan down to finish off Hanzhi without a second thought.
Li Luo stood still at his refining platform, looking up at the huge crowd. It was a lot of pressure.
Li Luo was unaffected. He knew that few among them believed in him, but this was a necessary part of his plan. The more they doubted him, the greater the shock would be when the result was announced. They would remember the Suncreek Villa all the more because of it.
He believed that after this Artificers’ Fair, the Suncreek Villa would firmly be on an unstoppable track up to glory, even if they would not immediately become one of the top villas.
Ting!
A bell pealed once, the clear note hanging in the air. The voice of the Resonance Artificers Hall mentor boomed out again.
“Let the third-grade round officially begin!”