Chapter 0435: Possessions

Li Luo reached the Golden Dragon Bank without any trouble at all. Still, he wasn't surprised at the lack of ambushes. He was now a highly valued student in the eyes of the Astral Sage College. Not even the likes of House Jiyan or House Duze would dare to lay a finger on him, let alone Pei Hao.

Only someone as devious as Pei Hao could have thought of such a roundabout way to poison him indirectly.

Even if the school had learned about that, they could have done nothing. A neutral party could not actively reach out to shelter him from all the troubles that House Luolan was facing.

If they had been so inclined, they would already have done so back when Jiang Qing'e had revealed her ninth-grade light resonance. One word from the school, and no faction in the Xia Kingdom would dare to lay a finger on House Luolan.

But the school had not. Neutrality was a big part of their direction, and not even someone with a ninth-grade light resonance could sway them from it. The school had to think about its long-term goals, and the future implications of its actions. Besides, students came and went. Even brilliant stars would lose their shine when they were far away.

Neither Li Luo nor Jiang Qing'e had ever expected the school to protect House Luolan.

They had simply done their best within the school system, laying their potential out and trading it for some individual protection. They were happy that they could buy time to grow.

Li Luo stepped into the bank and made straight for Yu Hongxi's office.

"And what wind blows the House Luolan young lord here? Your reputation has been glowing recently." Yu Hongxi looked up at him. She was dressed in her usual red today, bringing out her mature beauty.

She waved for her staff to leave the room, then sat back down on her chair, elegant fingers tapping lightly against her cheek as she regarded Li Luo.

"This tiny bit of reputation? Not even a glow compared to the bonfire that is President Yu’s reputation," Li Luo said modestly.

Yu Hongxi laughed. "Oh, Li Luo," she said, shaking her head, "your tongue is a thousand times sweeter than your father's.

"So... what brings you here to the Golden Dragon Bank today? What is this serious business you have with me?" She laid a meaningful finger on the stack of documents on her table. "I'm a busy woman, and I don't like to give just anybody the time of day. It makes me want to fire people."

Li Luo swallowed nervously, but he soldiered on. "President Yu, I think my parents left some things at the Golden Dragon Bank for safekeeping."

Yu Hongxi's hand froze, and her mischievous smile faded. "Yes, and this is top secret at the Golden Dragon Bank." She nodded. "In fact, no one else at the Golden Dragon Bank knows about it besides me. But since you are the last remaining blood relative of Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan, I will tell you accordingly.

"Yes, Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan left something at the Golden Dragon Bank headquarters."

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"I will take that away now," Li Luo said.

Yu Hongxi was silent for a moment. "That is your right."

She snapped, and suddenly a wave of resonant power pulsed from the ceiling, running across the walls in a phosphorescent, turquoise ring downwards until the room was caged off.

All sound outside vanished.

Yu Hongxi stood up and showed Li Luo a golden ball of some unknown material in the palm of her hand.

"I know who you are, and that you are the son of Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan in many ways. Still, this is a necessary process.

"Drip your blood on this. It will confirm your identity. Only with this verification can you take away what they have left at the Golden Dragon Bank."

Li Luo was quite happy to see Yu Hongxi take this so cautiously. After all, there were many ways to change one's appearance in the world. She was truly a dependable and vigilant banker.

If a doppelganger had ended up taking the treasure away, it would have been a calamitous error on her part.

He stretched out a finger and let a drop of blood fall on the golden ball.

Weng!

The blood immediately flowed into a runic pattern. A few moments later, the golden ball vibrated and cracked like a flower bud, peeling away to reveal a black key inside.

"Congratulations, you’ve passed the test. You are definitely the son of Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan."

"Er, should I be relieved?"

Yu Hongxi chuckled, then she gestured for him to take the key. She turned to the wall behind her and pressed against it with a complex sequence of resonant power pulses.

Gradually, the wall started to rearrange itself, until a shining door appeared.

Beyond it was pitch-darkness. Who knew where it would lead?

"Come with me."

Yu Hongxi led the way in, and she vanished into the darkness the moment she stepped through.

Li Luo did not hesitate. He trusted that Yu Hongxi would not do anything to him. Even if you didn't trust the person, you had to have faith in the organization. And if his parents had invested so much and trusted the Golden Dragon Bank with their business, then it would definitely be a safe place.

He followed her in through the gateway.

He found himself in a dark corridor. The walls and floor were polished smooth like mirrors, and faint lines of light zipped through them occasionally.

There was a strong and uncomfortable feeling, which Li Luo identified as a complete lack of any worldly natural energy.

Even his two resonant palaces seemed to dim a little in the energy desert.

Li Luo felt a little uneasy about it. It reminded him of darker times when he had blank palaces.

"This is the energy-void corridor, where all resonant powers are removed. Only the headquarters of the Golden Dragon Bank in each region are allowed to build it. Even a Duke would be trapped here if they barged in uninvited." Yu Hongxi's voice came to him faintly from ahead.

"A terrifying place." Li Luo shuddered. Was this the Golden Dragon Bank's power? Truly impressive.

"Only our dearest clients are allowed to store things here."

Yu Hongxi suddenly stopped, turning towards the left wall as though admiring her reflection in the mirror-like surface.

"Is... it here?" Li Luo stared doubtfully at the wall.

She nodded. "Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan left you something extremely important to them. When they came to leave it, your mother took me by the hand for the first time, pleading with me to leave this place for you to open.

"Two of Xia Kingdom's proudest people bowed before me. I think no one but myself could have achieved that.

"Well, they didn't have to. No matter what our relationship was, I will always carry out my duties as president of the Golden Dragon Bank properly. Of course I would have kept their possessions according to the rules. But besides you, no one else could take it, unless Principal Pang decides to wipe out the entire Golden Dragon Bank himself.

"They are among the most brilliant people I know. Especially your mother—the look in her eyes often conveyed that she had no equal. Your father is a little easier to get along with, but truthfully, his pride is almost her equal. And yet for you, they could shelve that overweening pride, if but for a moment." Yu Hongxi looked at Li Luo pensively.

"What I'm trying to say is that your parents really love you."