The excitement continued for a long time. The Song family's move had huge implications. Working together with the Inkwater Villa? The Inkwater Villa was famous throughout Xia. In terms of expertise and scale, they were far beyond any villa in the Tianshu Province.
It was like releasing a tiger into the sheep flock.
One could only imagine that most of the spirit liquids and purifying lights market would now fall into the Song family's hands. And the Suncreek Villa would fall just as quickly as they had risen.
Song Qiuyu's expression eased up. She looked loftily at Yan Lingqing. "You might have won the competition, but the Song family has beaten the Suncreek Villa."
However, bright laughter erupted from a nearby Li Luo. She looked over at him. "Is that amusing to you?"
Li Luo nodded, but didn't reply. Instead he turned to the crowd. "Everyone, the Suncreek Villa also has an announcement to make. From today onwards, we will upgrade our first-grade Azure Jade and second-grade Ruby Slush spirit liquids. By my calculations, the new spirit liquids will probably have a tempering strength of 64%"
Wow!
This announcement gobsmacked the entire crowd. Even the other resonance artificers stared at Li Luo, open-mouthed.
64% for first and second-grade spirit liquids?
If that could be mass-produced, it would be a quality that would rank in the top 10 even in the whole Xia Kingdom.
The other top 10 products were all the result of countless experiments and trials by the huge powers. These groups had invested a lot of time and effort to stabilize their formulas.
And now the Suncreek Villa was saying they could achieve it?
"You're talking out your ass, boy!" Mo Ling shouted from the Song family spectator stands. Li Luo's mouth was too big. How dare he have the cheek to say he could reach 64% with the Azure Jade and the Ruby Slush? That was a tall order even for the Inkwater Villa.
Song Shan looked as though he had swallowed something slimy. He wanted to dismiss Li Luo's words as nonsense, and yet there was a slight unease he could not shake off. This Li Luo was always an enigma.
Over at the Golden Dragon side, President Lu turned to Lu Qing'er in surprise. "Another upgrade to the Suncreek Villa's spirit liquids? So soon?"
She blinked back at him innocently, indicating that she did not know.
Song Qiuyu was equally stunned at the announcement. "What are you blabbing about? Not even the headquarters of your Suncreek Villa could achieve that. You? A small branch? What do you think spirit liquids and purifying lights are, kid? You think they'll leap and dance at your command? Other major villas have gone through countless trials and experiments and done a ton of research to gain experience. Only then could they inch up their quality by a fraction.”
The Suncreek Villa's spirit liquids and purifying lights could barely touch the fifties a mere two months ago. They had barely been able to hold ground against other villas in the Tianshu Province, let alone compete against the Pine Nut Villa.
They had suddenly managed to muster a drastic improvement, but surely they couldn't pull it off a second time so soon, right?
Yan Lingqing remained silent. There was doubt in her eyes. She did not know if even she could do it.
But after what had just happened, her confidence in Li Luo had deepened significantly. And since he had dared to announce this publicly, he had to be prepared.
Li Luo waved to someone behind him and immediately a servant of House Luolan hurried forward with a black box. He opened the box to reveal dozens of spirit liquids and purifying lights within. They were Ruby Slush and Azure Jade from the Suncreek Villa.
Li Luo took one out casually and then tested it. To everyone's shock, the tempering strength was actually at 64%.
The crowd went wild.
Still beaming, Li Luo continued, "From today onwards, both Azure Jade and Ruby Slush will be at 64%. If any fall below that, the Suncreek Villa guarantees a full refund. No questions asked."
It was a bold declaration that made his commitment clear.
Song Qiuyu's sour face was back. She wanted to accuse Li Luo of hiring expert artificers to produce them, but with that proclamation, it signified that he was confident in producing them long-term, and ensuring quality.
She shook with rage and frustration.
She had worked so hard for today to be successful. She had snared the Inkwater Villa and engineered the alliance, all in order to destroy Yan Lingqing and the Suncreek Villa. And now it was all in the water.
She had lost to Yan Lingqing, and now their new products had been soundly beaten by the Suncreek Villa as well.
They were well and truly a laughing stock.
"No way! No way!!" Mo Ling howled, having broken down completely.
He refused to believe that the Suncreek Villa could produce such quality liquids and lights in the long term.
"Li Luo must be lying!"
Song Shan stood up, his face expressionless. Ignoring the raving Mo Ling, he turned and left.
There was nothing that could be changed about today's outcome. The Song family's moves had all been easily swept aside and negated. No, they had been turned fully to their opponent's advantage.
64% tempering strength. It would forever be a mountain that crushed the Song family. There was no coming back from this one.
Again, the Song family had been crushed and rolled over.
He remembered that it was not always this way. Before, the Song family had devoured all of House Luolan's assets in the Tianshu Province. They were flying high. How had it become like this?
In his mind's eye, Li Luo's face appeared.
Everyone knew that House Luolan's Jiang Qing'e was to be envied. But had they been sleeping on this young lord? Still waters run deep, but he struck with the deadliness and unexpectedness of a viper.
"Let's go. Show's over."
President Lu stood up as well, smiling at Lu Qing'er. "Although I don't have much proof, my years of business instinct is telling me that the Young Lord is something special.
"He might not have the same sharpness that his parents and Jiang Qing'e have, but he knows how to pick his moments. That is a strength uncommon for those his age. I think he will be a match for Jiang Qing'e in the future."
He turned to leave.
Lu Qing'er tilted her head to look at Li Luo and smiled faintly as well. "I think so too," she said softly.
Thinking about how they would soon head to the Astral Sage College together to begin a new chapter of their lives, she felt an inexplicable tingle of anticipation.