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Warm rays of sunlight bathed Xia City in resplendent glory as the sun rose overhead. Sounds of drumming could be heard coming from House Luolan\'s Headquarters. Right outside the gates hung many festive decorations with lion dances and drumming happening there. The mood was unusually celebratory.

Li Luo and Jiang Qing\'e were standing right outside, observing the proceedings calmly.

Endless guests from the numerous forces came to participate in the revelry. However, they were mostly of low cultivation level. The key thing was House Luolan\'s ward, which suppressed any Duke experts, and thus none of the leaders would come. It was an uncomfortable feeling after all.

At the same time, the two were aware that there should be no shortage of spies and unsavory elements blended into the crowd.

Still, they did not bother to weed out the troublesome individuals. The pointless rabble did not possess the might to change the situation in any way.

"In House Luolan\'s entire history of Housemeets, this is most likely the most complicated and hair-rising one, huh." Li Luo helplessly smiled at Jiang Qing\'e. The usual event was one of celebratory joy in which the high-tiered officials of House Luolan would lead their forces to the headquarters to make their annual reports on the gains of the year. At the same time, the House Lords would reward the worthy and diligent, ensuring that this was a day that everyone anticipated.

Today\'s Housemeet would not be the same.

Jiang Qing\'e nodded. "House Luolan will definitely regain its splendor in the future. We will overcome this trial and use it as a way to strengthen ourselves."

"This tonic seems pretty good after all. Sign me up, I\'m convinced," Li Luo joked in response as he raised his head. Meanwhile, his gaze drifted around the towering pavilions that surrounded House Luolan. It was likely that numerous individuals from every faction were on them right now, observing the changes that were occurring here.

"I truly want to see how many hungry wolves hanker for this delicious piece of meat." A cold glint flashed through Li Luo\'s eyes. Right at this instant, Yuan Qing, Lei Zhang, and the other numerous highly ranked individuals of House Luolan who were loyal to the two had made their way to the front of the gate. They bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Young lord, Young Mistress!" Li Luo and Jiang Qing\'e were all smiles as they waved to them. After which, Cai Wei informed a steward to bring over some hot wine for the guests. This was a customary process.

After receiving the wine, they bowed once again.

At this time, both of them suddenly raised their heads, and their attention was directed to the front. A wave of figures came walking forward, parting the crowd with a turbulent momentum, directly facing the gate of the headquarters.

"Young Lord, would you be able to spare me a cup of that Wine of Appreciation?" At the fore of the group of individuals who had barged in was none other than Pei Hao. He had a face full of smiles as he spoke directly to Jiang Qing\'e and Li Luo.

Yuan Qing\'s expression turned chilly and he waved his hand, summoning his supporting forces. Each of them channeled the resonant power within them, causing blasts of resonant power to burst into the air. The festive mood had turned tense in the blink of an eye.

Similarly, the large group behind Pei Hao began to unsheath their weapons, channeling their own resonant power in response.

"Yuan Qing... are you trying to break the rules set by the House Lords? Or perhaps... you\'re trying to sow dissent and tear the entire house apart with your reckless actions!" a white-haired male commented as he stared at Yuan Qing emotionlessly.

"Xu Tianling... you still have the cheek to mention the two House Lords?" Yuan Qing thunderously replied.

Another one of the ancestors, Mo Cheng, gave a dry laugh as he looked at Li Luo and Jiang Qing\'e. "Young Lord, could it be that you plan to block the entry of all us elders?"

Li Luo glared at the trio before his eyes swept over the group behind them, some of whom even seemed familiar. They indeed were the elders of House Luolan. In his youth, he\'d even received presents from some of them.

"Everyone here does seem to be an elder of House Luolan, and all of you have contributed immensely to House Luolan in the past." Li Luo fell into a deep contemplation before turning to face these individuals attentively. "On behalf of your contributions in the past, I will give you one last chance to answer. During this Housemeet, do you plan to side with Pei Hao to the very end?"

The pavilion masters who had been behind Pei Hao had their expressions turn stiff and unnatural.

Pei Hao saw the change in their faces but only smiled. "Young Lord, don\'t you think you should spare yourself those naive words? Do you really feel that there is any other option left for them?" The individuals behind him silently and glumly agreed.

This was met with a shaking head, and Li Luo did not try again.

"However, Young Lord, if you truly don\'t want the Housemeet to devolve into an all out brawl, why don\'t you give some thought to my proposition from before?" Pei Hao gleefully suggested.

This was the proposal where both he and Li Luo would take the role as dual House Lords.

"You white-eyed wolf. Don\'t you think you should spare yourself those naive words?" Li Luo smiled as he returned the very same words back to him.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but the smile remained hung on his face. Alas, it seemed that much of the warmth in his smile had been replaced with an aloof coldness.

"Ancestor Yuan, please let them through. These visitors may not be our guests, but we will never reject showing them hospitality, as per our rules." Li Luo waved his hand magnanimously. If they had refused Pei Hao entrance into the headquarters for the Housemeet, a myriad of troubles would arise. The black hand behind the curtain would not sit by idly, and the situation would become even more disastrous. After which, Li Luo and Jiang Qing\'e turned to enter the headquarters directly.

When Yuan Qing heard the command, he merely snorted in Pei Hao\'s direction before waving the guards away.

Pei Hao returned Yuan Qing\'s icy gaze, merely surveying the surroundings before directing his group through.

Both parties\' forces milled into the headquarters as the thunderous drumming continued. The only difference was that the previous beat heralded celebration, but this one was laced with killing intent.

……

Within a large ground in the headquarters.

Both parties were seated, with Li Luo and Qing\'e sitting at the fore of two rows of tables. On the right was Yuan Qing, Lei Zhang, Cai Wei, and the rest in their faction. The left was naturally filled up by Pei Hao, Xu Tianling, Mo Cheng, and their allies.

Within the field, a lively performance was taking center stage, seeking to lighten the atmosphere. This was also something that had occurred in years past.

The only difference was that there were no revelries nor festive chatter. Everyone knew of the dark undercurrents that underlay today\'s Housemeet. Thus, the usual, boisterous atmosphere had a particularly depressing backdrop, almost akin to the festivities at a funeral wake. Everyone had frigid expressions. They were clear that even if great effort were taken to maintain this facade, it would all be meaningless before the bitter battle that was about to explode.

Today was the date where a calamity would befall House Luolan.

...

Otherside the headquarters, atop a pavilion near the lake.

A tall and well-built man garbed in green robes was sitting cross-legged. A small fire was warming a pot of wine in front of him as he gleefully looked at the bustling House Luolan. He poured himself a cup of tea before lightly chuckling.

"Li Taixuan... I dedicate this cup of wine to you as I send off House Luolan."

His robe was emblazoned with the symbol of a flame, the sigil of House Jiyan.

This man was none other than the House Lord of House Jiyan, Zhu Qinghuo.[1]

He sprinkled the cup of hot wine over the ground before he once again turned his attention towards the direction of House Luolan. A flame could be seen flickering within his pupils.

"House Luolan\'s Duke expert... Let us finally have a proper battle!"

1. His name is Greenfire. Hence green robes. The author is very creative :P ☜