Chapter 0434: Pei Hao's Pain

"It's done. I put a few membranes of light resonant energy around your poison bubble. The purification that my light resonant energy has should stop the corrosive spread." Jiang Qing'e clapped her hands together decisively. She had been working Li Luo over in his bedroom.

These layers of light resonant power were not as easy to make as they looked. Because she was leaving it outside her body, she had to first channel her energy into Li Luo's body and then manipulate it there.

It required exquisite control over one's resonant power.

And the stakes were high—one bubble bursting would release the poison gas within Li Luo and hurt him badly.

In order to create a few extra layers for safety, Jiang Qing'e had labored through the night.

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"You've worked hard, Qing'e," Li Luo said gratefully. She was the only person he would trust to do this. At her slightest inclination, she could have the light resonant energy explode or dissipate within him, essentially setting off the bomb that was inside him.

Ordinarily, no one would allow another person to leave resonant power in their body like that.

But neither Li Luo nor Jiang Qing'e felt that this was a risk in any way.

Li Luo had asked, and Jiang Qing'e had complied. That was all.

"Also... I know why you're trying to harness the dual poison, but you should know that it's a double-edged sword. You can't really use it and escape unscathed. It will hurt you just as badly as your opponent," she warned him gravely.

She knew that Li Luo was tempted by the dual poison's power, but such a deadly substance was not easily tamed. It would be hard to employ properly as a weapon.

Li Luo nodded soberly.

"Don't worry, Qing'e. I understand that. I do find my little life precious too."

She nodded and then yawned. "I'm beat. I’m going to sleep."

She lied down on the bed, stretched out until her whole body quivered, then snuggled down under the blanket.

Li Luo stared at the lithe figure in his blankets. "Er... this is my bed."

"I don't mind," she said easily.

Li Luo climbed back into his bed. "Well then," he said wearily. "I'm super tired too, so I guess I'll also go to sleep."

Shing.

He was ready to rest his head on the pillow, but he bumped it against a gigantic sword with a little thunk instead.

Li Luo froze, then stood back up. "That's very unreasonable," he grumbled. "It's my room! My bed!"

Jiang Qing'e ignored him.

"Well then, I'm going to the Golden Dragon Bank," he said sullenly.

"Oh? Spurned here, so you're off to find Lu Qing'er?" Jiang Qing'e's amused voice came from under the covers. Li Luo rolled his eyes. He intended to make a trip to the Golden Dragon Bank to see what his parents had left him. After all, he should start thinking about his third resonance soon.

"Rest well," he called as he pushed the door and left the room.

Behind him, he heard Jiang Qing'e call out.

"Bring Uncle Yuan with you, so the dog Pei Hao doesn't jump you."

...

Outside House Luolan's headquarters, in an inn.

Pei Hao was watching the door of the headquarters, a fat, gloating smile plastered across his face. "The dual poison has transferred hosts. I knew that the Young Lord would fall into the trap. So eager to win a favor from Yuan Qing. So predictable."

He stretched lazily in his chair.

"One down for good.

"Even a Heavenly Dipper General would be crippled badly by that dual poison. Li Luo might have water and wood dual resonances, but not even his antitoxin abilities will save him from this. He should be in horrible pain for quite some time, with no choice but to try and keep it at bay with his dual resonances. Even so, he must be on the verge of death.

"An inevitable poison. I don’t think Li Luo will be able to take part in the Holy Grail Meet now. Jiang Qing'e will definitely still go, and once the two are split up, we'll have our chance."

Mo Cheng's gaunt face broke into a small smile too. Pei Hao's plan was perfect. Yuan Qing, Li Luo—he had moved them around like chess pieces.

"Pei Hao, no wonder the great one chose you. It was a great plan." Mo Cheng laughed.

"It's all thanks to Ancestor Mo Cheng's support," Pei Hao said, casually tilting his wine cup towards him in a salute.

"All at the will of the great one," Mo Cheng said with a gleeful smile.

"The Housemeet approaches. At that time, you will be the new house lord."

Pei Hao's grin cracked even wider. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to indulge in a moment of fantasy. The dream that he had longed for for many years. Back when he had first joined House Luolan, he had wanted to protect the place. He worshiped the very ground that the two house lords stood on.

He respected them like his own father and mother.

When had his attitude started to turn?

When Li Luo was born.

He remembered that night well. He saw the joy on Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan's faces when they held the baby in their arms.

A joy that they had never shown towards him, and the seeds of jealousy had sprouted right there and then.

He envied Li Luo, born with everything he could possibly want.

He hated him for it.

Pei Hao could sense that the House Luolan he loved so deeply was not even worth a hair on the head of that infant in the eyes of Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan.

It was unthinkable. Unacceptable. From that moment, his intent began to twist.

“Whew.”

Pei Hao breathed out deeply, trying to put those thoughts in perspective and justifying it to himself.

If you don't care about the house, then you won't mind if I take it away.

"Eh?" Pei Hao heard Mo Cheng gasp.

He turned around and followed Mo Cheng's gaze.

Strolling out of House Luolan's headquarters with his hands tucked comfortably behind his back was Li Luo.

With Yuan Qing by his side.

Pei Hao watched Li Luo make his breezy way up the path, grinning as widely as if a pizza had just fallen out of the sky and into his hands. His cheeks were rosy pink with health, and he looked as un-poisoned as a person could possibly look. He looked... even healthier than he was yesterday.

Silence fell in the room.

"What... is going on?" Mo Cheng asked a moment later. "He looks completely fine."

"Is he... faking it?" Pei Hao sneered.

"Doesn't look like it." Mo Cheng shook his head. The two exchanged a dark look. Although they could not believe that their plan had failed, they could not lie to themselves when the evidence was right before them—Li Luo looked completely fine.

"Could the poison have been transferred to the wrong host?" Mo Cheng asked.

Pei Hao shook his head. "I had the dual poison specially tinkered with by a professional. It will only react in response to the simultaneous presence of wood and water resonant powers. Only Li Luo fits that criteria in House Luolan."

He had taken no chances with such an exotic poison, unwilling to waste it on some other person. That was why he had chosen Guo Ling. Even if Li Luo had not taken the bait, he could still have threatened Yuan Qing, which was a decent consolation prize.

But now the dual poison had left Guo Ling's body, and Li Luo was looking healthy?!

Even Pei Hao felt a sudden chill run through him. Was he seeing a ghost?!

"Shall we take him down?" Mo Cheng asked flatly.

Pei Hao took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "If we attack him now, the Astral Sage College will definitely react. Although they call themselves neutral, the Holy Grail Meet is very important to them. Li Luo is highly valued.

"Attacking Yuan Qing by poisoning Guo Ling, they'd still turn a blind eye. And if Li Luo ended up poisoning himself, that's on him.

"But if we make such a blatant attack, it's different." Pei Hao sighed.

"I was careless. I never thought the blank palace young lord would one day become so valued by the school."

Pei Hao waved it off.

"Forget it. It was only an attempt. Li Luo's luck can't hold forever. And we're almost at the Housemeet...

"At that time, all will be put to an end," he said, his heart aching painfully.

Damn, that dual poison was expensive as f*ck!