Chapter 1561: Evil Cleansing Spring Rain Formation
"Doesn't this mean that we now have nine Pinnacle Dukes and we can easily resolve the Other Tide? Why have things dragged on for so long?" Li Luo asked.
Li Foluo's expression turned solemn. "This Other Tide has proven to be much more ferocious than the one before. The number of ninth-grade True Devils is increasing and they even seem to be strengthening. We've already launched a full-scale attack with all our Pinnacle Dukes, but we were unable to reach the Stygian Rain Core Platform and one of the elder Pinnacle Dukes was heavily injured."
Li Fengyi, Li Jingtao, and the rest had heavy expressions as well. They had also been baptized by their experiences over the past two years and had also seen too many of their comrades lose their lives, forcing them to mature.
Li Luo frowned. Nine Pinnacle Dukes had led the charge, only to be rebuffed. How had the Other Tide reached such a dangerous state?
"No matter. Now that we are back, the situation should improve," Jiang Qing'e said in an attempt to console the others.
Everyone was excited to hear this. Indeed, the duo would undoubtedly be extraordinary reinforcements. As sixth-grade Transcendents, their combat strength was definitely at the top even amongst Pinnacle Dukes.
"Is my mom in Godriver City?" Li Luo asked. They would first have to meet up with Tantai Lan and decide upon a new course of action to resolve the Other Tide. Only after dealing with this could he return to the Xia Kingdom.
Time was of the essence!
"Third Uncle's wife is not in Godriver City. Instead, she is with Lineage Chiefs Li Tianji and Li Qingying at North Qin City. From what my father said, the elders are currently discussing an alliance with the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin in order to deal with the Other Tide," Li Fengyi answered.
"This Other Disaster was incited by the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin, so why are we joining hands with them?" Li Luo asked with a frown. If that bastard Qin Jiujie had not betrayed humanity and joined the Origin Reversion Institute, the World's End River Region would not have been destroyed and Li Jingzhe would not have fallen. After the Other Disaster had erupted, the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin had even attempted to drag the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li into a quagmire of their own making. Thus, Li Luo naturally only felt disdain and hatred towards them.
Li Fengyi sighed. "Although the intentions of the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin are malicious, we have no choice but to be patient in this situation. At the very least, we have to resolve this Other Disaster before settling accounts with them."
Li Jingtao then piped up. "With that said, the process has not been smooth. The Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin has offered harsh conditions. They said that after resolving this, they wish to be allocated seventy percent of the territories currently occupied by the Other Tide."
Li Fengyi and Li Jingtao's information was clearly secret and not disseminated widely, as evident by the way that Li Foluo, Li Zhihuo, and the rest exclaimed angrily.
"What?"
"Seventy percent of the territories?"
"Based on what?"
The Other Tide had expanded massively in every direction, devouring numerous powers that used to sit in neutral areas between the two Heavenly Emperor powers. As a result, the entire region had been reduced to a wasteland and the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin naturally took a fancy to that land. After all, it was filled with bountiful resources, and if things were managed well, it would serve to bring unimaginable benefits in the future. It was something that even the Heavenly Emperor powers were unable to disregard.
"Does the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin even have the right to demand such conditions?" Li Luo was a little dumbstruck. They should have suffered a critical blow to their foundation, considering one of their Palace Masters had defected. Even in such a state, they dared to snatch food from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li's mouths?
Li Fengyi responded, "Although the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin suffered the most in the first few Other Tides, the previous outbreak didn't affect them much. As a result, our leaders have pushed for this alliance, hoping to use the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin's methods to resolve the repeated Other Tides. Furthermore, as the Guardian Generals know, massive amounts of casualties and injuries pile up each time an Other Tide erupts. Even when this crisis gets resolved, the loss of life cannot be reversed."
Li Foluo and Li Zhihuo were left speechless and their expressions flickered dejectedly. They were well aware of how serious the losses to the Five Guardian Armies were.
It was this rate of loss that had forced the elders to seek help from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin.
Li Luo found the entire thing incomprehensible. "If the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li is facing such a humongous headache dealing with the Other Tide, how could the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin possibly demand such humiliating conditions for an alliance? Are they somehow prospering or something?"
Li Fengyi smiled bitterly. "They've found a method to deal with the Stygian Rain."
"What sort of method? Can it be replicated? The Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li isn't any weaker than them, so what sort of medicine did the Lineage Chiefs eat to addle their minds and to the point that they'd be willing to even consider these terrible conditions," Li Luo asked unhappily.
Li Zhihuo's lips twitched. When Li Luo mentioned the Lineage Chiefs, he was surely excluding his own mother, wasn't he? Wasn't he being a little too biased?
Li Foluo shook his head. "It's impossible to replicate it."
"Why?" Li Luo immediately followed up.
"This is because their method revolves around a specific person," a new voice answered. It was Li Qingfeng, his opponent during the battle for the Dragon's Head in the Twenty Banners. Li Luo had truly left him in the dust.
"You should be able to guess who," Li Qingfeng said with a complicated expression.
Li Luo paused to think before his eyes narrowed.
"Are you saying... it's Qin Yi?"
Li Qingfeng nodded, and a look of admiration for that gorgeous lady could be seen in his eyes. "Indeed, it is the Fairy of Water of Qin Yi. She has already stepped into the Third Duke Stage and has inherited her mother's position as Hall Master of the Fire Lotus Hall, renaming it into the Water Lotus Hall. Furthermore, she has perfectly inherited the Vast Ocean Sacred Seed from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin as a direct order from Heavenly Emperor Qin himself. When Qin Yi rose to the Duke Stage, she obtained a middle ninth-grade rain resonance."
Li Luo's eyes were filled with surprise as the image of the most beautiful lady on the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent, the Fairy of Water Qin Yi, appeared in his mind. He had never expected that she would experience a humongous rebirth during his absence, soaring to the Third Duke Stage and even becoming the inheritor of the Vast Ocean Sacred Seed. Furthermore, the middle ninth-grade rain resonance... It was related to both water and rain.
"With Qin Yi at their core, they use the power of seven Pinnacle Dukes to create something called the Evil Cleansing Spring Rain Formation. Every time an Other Tide erupts, she utilizes this formation to her own summon rain to counter the Stygian Rain. This makes it much easier to deal with the Other Tide. The Dukes of the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin don't have to face the risk of having their bodies and minds eroded by the Stygian Rain, and the Spring Rain restores their vitality. This means that they take minimal damage in battle," Li Qingfeng explained.
Li Fengyi nodded. "The Fairy of Water Qin Yi is the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin's trump card against the Other Tide. As a result, they have the right to push for a lopsided deal in the alliance."
Li Luo was speechless. It was rare for a single third-grade Duke to be so pivotal in the negotiations between two Heavenly Emperor powers.
That said, it was also due to the Heavenly Emperor Edict, which prevented Kings from influencing the situation.
"Qin Yi..." Li Luo murmured to himself. That country-toppling beauty had left him with complex emotions. It was not because of any love he had towards her, but the fact that her mother, Qin Lian, had been killed by the joint efforts of him and Jiang Qing'e. Although Qin Lian had brought that end upon herself, killing a mother in front of her daughter was simply cruel. Even so, it was not a reason for him to back down.
This entire cataclysmic disaster was all wrought by Qin Jiujie. The Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li had suffered collateral damage and lost countless people. Despite that, the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qin wanted to take full advantage of this opportunity to extort as much value from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li as possible. Li Luo found this intolerable.
It looked like he would first have to head towards North Qin City and forcibly end the discussions of this unfavorable alliance.
He look at Li Foluo and the rest and calmly said, "You can rest assured that if we are unable to form an alliance, we will bring this Other Tide to an end even without Qin Yi's Evil Cleansing Spring Rain Formation."
No one doubted the words of this youth with an unshakeable and steady expression. Li Qingfeng and Li Hongli were reminded of a time many years back. This nascent youth who wasn't even qualified to join the Twenty Banners after returning from an outer divine continent had quickly ascended to become a towering pillar of the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li. As their hearts and thoughts churned, Li Luo shot into the sky, leaving behind a beam of light with Jiang Qing'e in tow. They were like two shooting stars arcing across the skies, headed towards North Qin City.