Somehow, the sun shining brightly through the doorway did nothing for the chill in the air. Li Luo looked at the two girls with some dread.

How would a fiance feel seeing her betrothed with a beautiful, young girl fast asleep in his arms?

Was his life in danger?

Li Luo soon had his feelings under control. What was there to be afraid of? He saw a friend sleeping, and she had helped him so much. He was just returning the favor and getting her back to her room.

He gathered up his courage and mustered up a confident smile. "So, why are you girls here?"

As they took in the scene, Jiang Qing'e's eyebrows went up with just a hint of amusement, while Li Luo could hear Lu Qing'er's teeth gnashing from where he stood.

Jiang Qing'e entered first. "Asleep?" she asked calmly. "Better get her to her room first."

Li Luo nodded, turning to bring her up the stairs. On the way, he passed Xin Fu, who was perched on a step. "Leader," he said, tugging his hood lower, "your back is a little wet."

"And your mouth is a little big," Li Luo snapped back.

Did Xin Fu have to point it out?

Lu Qing'er walked in as well, sitting down at the table. "Are there really that many rooms at House Luolan?" she muttered to herself.

Her voice was not particularly loud, but Jiang Qing'e heard her anyway.

Of course, the golden-haired girl remembered how she had used those words to send Lu Qing'er fleeing.

Was this Lu Qing'er's jibe back that she should watch Li Luo more closely?

Jiang Qing'e sat down too. "One room, two rooms, not much difference," she said indifferently.

Lu Qing'er stared at her. "You're a savage, Senior Jiang! You'll regret those words."

Jiang Qing'e propped her chin on her hands\ and cocked her head. "I'm waiting."

During the girls' verbal fencing match, Li Luo managed to settle Bai Mengmeng in, and he now hurried down the stairs. "Mengmeng worked through the night researching spirit liquid formulas, so she's completely worn out. She fell asleep in the refining workshop."

Jiang Qing'e noted the happiness in his voice. "A good result?"

Li Luo pulled out the formula recipe out with a flourish. "A four-star formula for a third-grade spirit liquid."

Both girls gasped at it. They also knew the value of that tiny piece of paper.

Especially for the Suncreek Villa—it was a real lifesaver.

"Incredible research," Jiang Qing'e said with admiration. She herself had never touched resonance artificing herself, but through her years of managing House Luolan, she had paid much attention to their greatest asset, the Suncreek Villa. After all the years of effort and capital poured into the venture, no one had managed to create a four-star formula before. Yet Bai Mengmeng had done it alone, and at such a tender, young age.

"She just gave it to you like that?" Lu Qing'er asked disbelievingly.

As the young mistress of the Golden Dragon Bank, she knew the market value of a four-star formula perhaps better than any of them. It would fetch tens of millions of skygold.

"Well, of course part of the proceeds will belong to Mengmeng, but strictly speaking, I'm getting a real steal here."

Of course he couldn't reveal the matter of her taste buds. It was her secret to share.

"With this four-star formula, the Suncreek Villa stands a real chance at the Resonance Artificers Hall event," Lu Qing'er noted.

"It's not enough." Li Luo knew that it was a big step in the right direction, but it would not carry them all the way to success.

"Qing'e, did Sister Cai Wei send the spirit liquids and purifying lights yet?"

"She's almost torn her hair out thanks to your request," Jiang Qing'e replied with some sympathy for their administrator. "She just spent a large sum in the last few days to shore up some of House Luolan's enterprises. Your sudden request was too much. Perhaps in three days, she would have had an easier time of things, but you only gave her one day."

Li Luo felt a little pang of guilt. His request was urgent, but the meeting was soon, and he didn't have time.

"But in order to meet your request anyway, Cai Wei went to the Golden Dragon Bank. She went to take a loan. For you, she even threw away her pride."

Li Luo was stunned. "The Golden Dragon Bank? They've always been very strict about loaning eligibility." 

"Well, we shouldn't have been eligible," Jiang Qing'e said, gesturing at the other girl sitting quietly at the table. "But luckily, the young mistress of the Golden Dragon Bank spoke up on your behalf at great length. President Yu eventually caved in and made an exception."

"Thanks, Qing'er!" he exclaimed.

Lu Qing'er shook her head and smiled, then she lifted up a silver chest. "The spirit liquids and purifying lights you wanted are here. I really didn't do much. The Golden Dragon Bank is all about business. House Luolan has always honored their credit, so a few days in the red shouldn't be a big deal."

In truth, a million skygold was nothing to her, and she could have all too easily paid for it herself. But she was wise enough not to. It would change the entire dynamic, and others would make fun of Li Luo for being broke. "But my mother asked me to remind you to make a trip to the Golden Dragon Bank when you're free. She says she wants to discuss the matter of the Golden Dragon Dao Fields with you," Lu Qing'er said.

"The Golden Dragon Dao Fields, huh..."

Li Luo nodded. Of course he had not forgotten. He was very curious about that mysterious place. Perhaps there would be more twists of fate contriving to help him get stronger still.

He didn't have much time. He needed every last bit of help he could find.

"After I settle the meet, I'll go and find your mother," Li Luo promised.

Lu Qing'er smiled mischievously. "Oh, and one more piece of news. I hear that the Bigswamp Villa is sending Hanzhi to represent them for this meet."

Hanzhi...

Li Luo's eyes went flat at the mention of the name. The Suncreek Villa's traitorous president!

Li Luo really didn't like the guy. He was always free to leave, but poaching the Suncreek Villa's resonance artificers was extremely detestable. Plus, committing grand arson at the Suncreek Villa's labs was just straight up nasty. They had lost many years of painstaking research as a result.

"The Bigswamp Villa is doing this on purpose," Jiang Qing'e noted coolly.

Li Luo nodded. It was a move, calculated specially against him. When the new talents saw the ex-president of the Suncreek Villa, they would be reminded.

If even the president had run away to the Bigswamp Villa, what more could the Suncreek Villa offer?

Even before they got to the demonstrations, the Suncreek Villa would already be trashed in the minds of the students.

Li Luo sighed. It seemed like the difficulty had just been ramped up another level.

He patted the box full of spirit liquids and purifying lights.

Just as well. The higher they fly, the harder they fall.

And from their crater, the Suncreek Villa would rise.