Chapter 1227: Bet

The brilliant light resonant power filled up the entire area at that moment. However, what Li Hongque or Wen Xuan were focused on was the youthful lady walking towards them. Her otherworldly demeanor and exquisite features exuded a sense of divinity, and her abstruse, golden eyes added onto that feeling.

Li Hongque, Wen Xuan, and Lu Qingmei were all girls who were incredibly confident in their own looks, but when compared to the girl shrouded in light, they couldn't help but lose a little bit of hope.

It was as if all the flowers in the world would lose their color and vitality before her.

"What are you doing?" As they were still in a daze, Jiang Qing'e had made her way over and stopped. Her golden eyes were full of combative vigor as she glared at the three of them.

When she had first arrived, she saw that Li Qingbai was attempting to obstruct Li Luo with a vicious expression. Thus, she had taken action to get rid of the obstacle.

She wasn't too interested in figuring out the whole story. To her, things were simple—if anyone threatened Li Luo, she'd hit them with her sword.

Back when she was only at the Heavenly Pearl Tier, she dared to strike a Duke in order to defend Li Luo. Now that she was a Duke, how could a measly first-grade Duke make her bat an eye?

When they heard the iciness of a frigid mountain spring in Jiang Qing'e’s voice, Li Hongque, Wen Xuan, and Lu Qingmei were awakened from their stupor. Li Hongque's expression turned incredibly gloomy, while the other two looked at Jiang Qing'e with interest.

"Who are you? How dare you strike the Dragon's Blood Guardians' Grand Commander?" Li Hongque frowned as she spat out her words.

Jiang Qing'e shot an icy glare at her, unwilling to reply. Instead, the sword in her hand turned slightly and light resonant power began to flow through her. She had locked onto Li Hongque with her energy.

It seemed she was about to take action yet again.

She could clearly tell that Li Qingbai and Li Hongque were on the same side.

Seeing how decisive and straightforward Jiang Qing'e was, Wen Xuan couldn't help but raise her eyebrows in surprise. She then took the initiative to back off and said to Lu Qingmei in a low voice, "This maiden is truly direct. I think Li Hongque is going to get fried in this encounter."

Lu Qingmei's eyes flickered. "I did hear that Li Luo's fiancee was here..."

Wen Xuan's expression changed slightly. "If I'm not wrong, this is the one that Li Luo brought to the Dragon's Fang Guardians. She possesses a legendary Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried and is an unrivaled genius. I heard that she managed to defeat Dragon Fang Envoy Li Changfeng, replacing him as a Dragon Fang Envoy, even though she’s only a first-grade Duke."

Lu Qingmei was a little shocked, so she blurted out, "A Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried and a first-grade beating a third-grade? What sort of demonic genius is she? Which Heavenly Emperor is she a direct descendant of?" Most importantly, Jiang Qing'e was so incredibly beautiful that even she marveled at her in secret.

"Who knows." Wen Xuan sighed. With this goddess joining the Dragon's Fang Guardians, they were bound to rise in the future. If she was capable of traveling further down the Path of Ascension, the Dragon's Fang Guardians could very well return to the peak with her at the helm.

After all, a Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried was unbelievably powerful.

As they were speaking, Li Hongque suddenly came to the same realization as Wen Xuan. Being treated so unceremoniously and forcefully by Jiang Qing'e caused her to breathe heavily and her expression to turn green.

Boundless amounts of resonant power arose from Li Hongque's body momentarily. However, she eventually suppressed it with gritted teeth.

"Are you Jiang Qing'e?"

The news that Jiang Qing'e had defeated Li Changfeng had long reached her ears, and she was only an upper second-grade, meaning she was simply not Jiang Qing'e’s match.

Thus, if she took action, she would definitely end up suffering. Jiang Qing'e faced Li Hongque's icy and furious gaze and said in a cold, indifferent voice, "If you wish to look for trouble, you can come to me directly. I'll take you on any time."

Wen Xuan's eyes lit up as she sighed in admiration to Lu Qingmei. "How tyrannical."

Lu Qingmei nodded. It seemed that she and Li Luo were much closer than anyone had imagined. Their engagement was not mere window dressing.

Li Hongque furiously shouted, "Li Luo, it seems you've managed to find quite the protective fiancee! Aren't you afraid of losing face for your father?"

Li Luo replied without skipping a beat, "We are of one heart. There's no need to differentiate between us. Also, I'd like you to know that my mother is even more protective of my father!"

Although Tan Tailan acted wantonly at home, she would viciously beat up whoever dared to disrespect Li Taixuan.

Li Hongque was completely dumbfounded by his reply. Her chest heaved even more heavily as she contained her fury. Li Luo had thicker skin than she could fathom! However, the ruckus they had caused was not small. Numerous curious gazes from outsiders were beginning to turn towards them. Additionally, all of them were renowned individuals from the Five Guardian Armies, so they attracted attention anywhere they went.

Numerous surprised gazes were secretly directed at Jiang Qing'e. She was unfamiliar to them, but her appearance and divine light resonant power left people in awe.

Whispers erupted amongst the crowd.

Li Hongque's expression was getting uglier by the second. It had been a long time since she had felt so aggrieved, and she was being watched by a crowd to boot.

However, she was unable to beat Jiang Qing'e and Li Luo was immune to her taunting, thus she was left at an impasse.

To her fortune, a calm voice filled with pressure sounded out. "It is prohibited to fight within the treasury. Furthermore, you injured someone from the Dragon's Blood Guardians without rhyme or reason. Do you really think we are so easily bullied?"

The crowd separated when this new voice rang out. Everyone saw a crimson-robed and dignified man walk over. Waves of pressure radiated from his body, causing the rest to retreat with looks of respect in their eyes.

It was none other than the Guardian General of the Dragon's Blood Guardians, Li Zhihuo.

Li Zhihuo's expression was calm and his gaze was focused on Jiang Qing'e. The depths of his eyes flickered when faced with the incredibly pure light resonant power she was emanating. Even he could feel the mighty purificative prowess of her resonant power.

Furthermore, she was this impressive despite being a mere first-grade Duke. This wasn’t at all unexpected from someone with a legendary Ten-Pillar Duke Bergfried.

When Li Luo saw the newcomer, his gaze turned abstruse. Although he had not met Li Zhihuo before this, he could already tell who it was from the undulations coming from his body, which surpassed Li Foluo.

Each Guardian General was a middle-grade Duke at best, and when placed amongst a lineage's elders, they wouldn’t look all that impressive. However, their potential simply could not be compared with that of the decrepit older experts. Li Zhihuo was still in the prime of his life, so he could push ahead bravely. His potential was currently flourishing and being developed to its utmost, thus his future prospects were much better than those of some of the existing Hall Masters.

Before Li Luo could speak, another voice rang out. "Li Zhihuo, are you really intervening in a minor scuffle? It seems like your standards are dropping lower and lower as the days go by, losing face for yourself."

The crowd parted as another figure walked forward, stopping beside Li Luo and coldly looking at Li Zhihuo.

It was the Dragon's Fang Guardians' Guardian General, Li Foluo.

With the appearance of the two Guardian Generals, the crowd burst into an uproar in their hearts.

Li Zhihuo shot Li Foluo a look and smiled. "A Dragon Fang Envoy took action to injure my Grand Commander. This has nothing to do with face."

"An upper second-grade and an upper first-grade Duke were obstructing a Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier junior. That doesn't seem very pleasant either, does it?" Li Foluo retorted.

"Isn't he a Grand Commander?" Li Zhihuo smiled.

The meaning of his words were clear. Since the Dragon's Fang Guardians had appointed Li Luo as a Grand Commander, it meant that Li Hongque and Li Qingbai were on the same level as him.

"Oh? In that case, Li Qingbai and Jiang Qing'e are both first-grade Dukes. There's nothing much to say here either," Li Foluo apathetically continued.

Li Zhihuo shook his head with a smile. "It seems like you're good with words. Forget about it. This verbal sparring is meaningless. You can await the Ceremony of Ascent in half a month's time. The Dragon's Blood Guardians will be sure to put the Dragon's Fang Guardians' new Grand Commander to the test."

He continued to smirk as he focused on Li Foluo. "I wonder, will the Dragon's Fang Guardians simply choose to retreat when the time arrives?"

Li Foluo's gaze turned cold as he cooly replied, "The Dragon's Fang Guardians will never retreat. If you wish to challenge us, then go ahead. We'll cripple whoever comes forward."

These domineering words caused Li Luo to suck in a breath of air. Li Foluo! How could he casually incite such hatred between the parties without going through him at least!?

He was merely at the Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier, and he had to ruin a first-grade Duke? Even he didn't have that much confidence in himself.

Li Zhihuo squinted. "Li Foluo, since you have so much confidence, shall we make a bet?"

"What sort of bet?" Li Foluo casually replied.

Li Zhihuo's gaze flickered as he smiled. "There will be two martial demonstrations. If the Dragon's Blood Guardians win both, you simply have to agree to one condition. You will not allow Li Hongyou to enter the Dragon's Fang Guardians. If we lose both battles, I'll give both of them twenty thousand dragon essences. What do you think?"