Chapter 1346: Quasi Ninth-grade In Sight

"A top-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure?!" When Li Luo's words were blurted out, Zhao Xiuyuan, Qin Zhenlin, and the rest were left stunned for two seconds. It was as though they had misheard him. Shortly after, they regained their senses and uttered some angry words.

"Li Luo, I think you've gone crazy!" Zhao Xiuyuan clenched his teeth as he seethed. This bastard had asked for a top-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure right off the bat! This wasn't a lion taking a bite, it was a dragon!

A top-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure was as valuable as a bottle of ninth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights. That was how frightening one's value was. Even in the Heavenly Emperor Bloodlines, they were rarely seen. However, Li Luo's first demand was to fork one over as the price of cleansing them. This was truly too black-hearted. Qin Zhenlin's gaze was furious as well. Li Luo's starting price seemed like something he had come up with on the fly.

Qin Yi remained calm as she gently replied, "Li Luo, don't mess with us. Do you truly think that we would give you a top-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure?"

Li Luo smirked. "If we don't try, we won't know. Otherwise, what if someone takes advantage of me?"

Zhao Xiuyuan's expression turned ugly beyond comparison. "Li Luo, stop being an annoyance. Quickly cleanse the curse from us. This Other Dominion is very strange, so we need to work together."

"It didn't look like you wanted to cooperate just a little while ago ago." Li Tingyue smiled warmly, but her words contained piercing barbs.

Since Li Luo realized it was impossible to extort a top-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure out of them, he could only settle for the next best thing. Thus, he spoke as though he was suffering deep down. "Since you don't have any top-grade ones, then three high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasures will do."

Zhao Xiuyuan exhaled heavily as he coldly replied, "We've only found a single high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure since we entered the Treasure Domain, yet you're actually asking for three?"

"Only one high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure? How could your harvest be so pitiful?" Li Luo asked in disbelief.

Zhao Xiuyuan was so angry that when he clenched his fists, his veins could be seen throbbing. He was obviously trying his best to contain his anger, but this bastard wasn't just blackmailing him, he was also out to humiliate him!

When Li Luo saw his reaction, he understood that what he was saying was probably the truth. After all, the other squads didn't have a treasure detector on par with Li Hongyou—the only thing they could rely on was luck. It was also important to understand that not all Other Dominions possessed high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasures.

"Forget it, one will do, then." Li Luo generously waved his hand. After all, he couldn't stand by and watch Zhao Xiuyuan, Qin Zhenlin, and the rest become corrupted. If they did, it would truly be a thorny situation. Since that was what they had, he would take it. It was better than them becoming so incensed that they would rather seek mutual destruction.

Seeing the disappointed look on Li Luo's face and knowing that the reason he was making that face was because he was unable to squeeze anything else out of them disgusted the two groups. In fact, they were so furious that they were grinding their teeth trying to restrain themselves. Unfortunately, there was no other option since they were now under the thumb of someone else.

Thus, they could only endure the pain in their hearts, and each of them tossed over a high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasure. Li Luo used his resonant power to catch the treasures. After a brief check, nodded in satisfaction.

"Come over here, please." He then glanced at the group with a much warmer expression. The two squads weren't exactly pleased, and it showed on their black faces as they sat cross-legged.

Li Luo, on the other hand, mustered up his most customer-oriented attitude and gave a jolly smile. Then he joined hands with Jiang Qing'e and began the process of purification. After two hours. Zhao Xiuyuan, Qin Zhenlin, and the rest had expressions that were more relaxed. When the black stains were cleansed from the corners of their eyes, they felt as though a weight had been lifted off their hearts.

Li Luo then smiled. "Everyone, the curse may have been cleansed, but let me remind you. If you happen to get cursed yet again, I'll have to charge a fee for the next time you require a cleansing. After all, you understand our relationship best."

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Keep your damn mouth shut!" Zhao Xiuyuan's fury was like an erupting volcano. Li Luo was truly twisted, even choosing to curse them at the end of things. After things calmed down, he would definitely find a way to get even!

Li Luo grinned as he ignored Zhao Xiuyuan's scolding. He then turned and walked towards Lu Shuanglu. "Miss Lu, has anyone traded for the two quasi ninth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights that we talked about previously?"

Lu Shuanglu replied, "They have been reserved for you."

She stretched out her jade-like hand, and a delicate, jade box appeared in her palm. Opening the box revealed two bottles of spirit liquids and purifying lights that emanated dense spiritual energy.

A look of fevered anticipation surfaced in Li Luo's eyes. He could sense that using these two quasi ninth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights to temper his woodearth resonance would definitely be sufficient to evolve it to the quasi ninth-grade!

At that point in time, he'd have three ninth-grade primary and secondary resonances!

Li Luo then took out four high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasures, including the two he had just taken from Zhao Xiuyuan and friends. Those two were not part of the spoils obtained as a squad; he and Jiang Qing'e had earned them on their own.

The other two were being used in the trade after discussing with the rest of the squad.

"The price you named for the two bottles of quasi ninth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights was four high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasures." Li Luo then passed the four treasures over with a smile.

"You can rest assured, they have all been purified and don't contain any hidden dangers."

When Zhang Cuicheng saw this, he spoke up. "Brother Li Luo, you've saved our lives. This favor cannot be repaid with these crappy treasures. In fact, you can just take these bottles for free."

He then turned towards Lu Shuanglu. "You can put this on my tab and deduct it from my annual salary later."

Lu Shuanglu emotionlessly replied, "With your current salary, it will take six years and five months to repay this. Furthermore, the Golden Dragon Bank doesn't have a rule that allows you to do so."

Zhang Cuicheng scratched his head in shock. "Why is my salary so low?"

Meanwhile, Lu Shuanglu was too lazy to explain anything to this fool who couldn't even understand the value of quasi ninth-grade spirit liquids and lights. If he ever became a branch manager of the Golden Dragon Bank, it might very well be the only one that would suffer losses.

Li Luo smiled. "Thank you, Brother Zhang. However, I'm aware that the Golden Dragon Bank has its own rules. Furthermore, it feels a little mercenary to use favors like this."

This was met with a bitter response. "Favors are truly troublesome."

If not for a favor, he would not have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent's Treasure Domain and gotten himself mixed up in so much trouble.

Furthermore, he had not even repaid Lu Qing'er's favor, and now he owed one to Li Luo. How had he gotten mired in even more debts in a trip meant to resolve one?

Li Luo passed the four treasures to Lu Shuanglu. She hesitated for a moment before only taking just two of them and handing the two bottles of quasi ninth-grade spirit liquids and purifying lights to him.

"We cannot give treasures away for free. That is a rule. However, earning a little less is acceptable under the rules. Although you might not care for these two treasures, I must show my appreciation for what you've done for us." Lu Shuanglu beamed as she looked at him.

Li Luo returned the smile and nodded, retrieving the two high-grade Foundational Spirit Treasures. He then received the jade box with the bottles. When they were in his hands, he could sense the strong spiritual energy emanating from them, which caused his heart to stir.

His preparations for breaking into the Duke Stage were becoming more and more complete.

Bang!

Just as his spirits were soaring, the entire world started to rumble around him. Everyone could sense that the corruption was surging at an unprecedented pace.

"The Other Dominion is expanding!" Jiang Qing'e suddenly chimed in as her gaze was focused on the depths. A gigantic wall made of blood energy had appeared, and it was moving away from them rapidly, indicating that the Other Dominion was indeed increasing in size.

As it expanded, the people nearby were swallowed up by it.

Li Luo's expression changed as he stared into the distance. He could vaguely see that a gigantic object was growing at an alarming pace inside the blood mist.

In fact, the corruption around him seemed to be attracted to it and rushed in its direction.

As it was absorbed in copious amounts, the gigantic object seemed to become even clearer.

Li Luo's eyes shrank when he saw what it was.

He could see a humongous flower bud in the roiling corruption. It was tens of thousands of feet wide and still growing.

The buds were blood-red and each petal was covered in millions of twisted faces. A gloomy and ominous air spread throughout the area.

Everyone who saw this scene felt a chill running through their spines.

The titanic blood-red flower bud swayed gently between the earth and the sky. Sometimes, its petals drooped slightly, resembling a devil overlord looking over its people. A blood-red viscous liquid was falling from the tips of its petals continuously... as though it was a devil salivating over its next meal.