Chapter 7

In the room, it was silent.

The black crystal ball emitted a faint glow, illuminating Li Luo's face, which was filled with uncertainty, making it appear somewhat eerie.

At this moment, he was undoubtedly caught in an extremely difficult decision.

The void phase within his body, thanks to his parents' all-out efforts, suddenly gave him great hope and a glimmer of light. However, what he did not expect was that this hope would come at such a heavy cost.

Only five years left to live.

If he could not reach the Marquis realm and evolve his life form within five years, his lifespan would come to a complete end.

Marquis in five years?

He was now seventeen years old, and in five years, he would be twenty-three... According to Li Luo's knowledge, in the history of the Great Xia Kingdom, there had never been a Marquis so young.

What kind of talent, opportunity, and effort would it take to create such a miracle?

Li Luo didn't know... At this moment, he felt an overwhelming pressure enveloping him, making it hard to breathe.

He could choose to continue living an ordinary life. The Luo岚 Estate left by his parents was a considerable legacy. Even if he couldn't control it, if he were willing to step back, he could certainly live a life of leisure and wealth.

But if he chose the path of the acquired phase, he would have to remain constantly on edge. He would have to race against time, squeezing every bit of potential out of himself, and fight against the heavens for that slim chance of survival.

Which path should he choose?

Li Luo slowly closed his eyes, his thoughts swirling.

At this moment, he thought of many things. He thought of the strange looks in the academy, the people who liked to say that a tiger father has a dog son, wondering why a child of such excellent parents could be so lacking.

He also thought of those pure and beautiful golden eyes. Deep down, he had a liking and admiration for Jiang Qing'e, and Li Luo did not deny this. After all, as he said, Jiang Qing'e's excellence was naturally very attractive to her peers. It was not shameful, just human nature.

From a young age, Li Luo had competed with Jiang Qing'e in many aspects. For various reasons, Li Luo mostly lost. This competition gradually decreased as they grew older.

Especially when the Phase Palace opened, Li Luo knew the gap between them was widening.

And from that point on, Jiang Qing'e rarely compared herself to him anymore.

These years of experiences made Li Luo seem more peaceful, but only he knew the intense competitive spirit that burned within him.

The deal with Jiang Qing'e was perhaps a way to push himself.

Under normal circumstances, catching up to Jiang Qing'e, who was far ahead of him, would be nearly impossible. But now... there was a glimmer of hope.

Could he give up this glimmer of hope?

The answer was... impossible!

Li Luo suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharper than ever.

He stared at the images of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, and said softly, "Dad, Mom, I've always had an ambition, though others might find it laughable and presumptuous..."

"I don't just want to catch up to Sister Qing'e; I want to surpass her. Not just her, but I also want to... surpass you two."

He smiled, showing his white teeth, "I want people to see me and not say I'm the son of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan... but to see you two and say... 'Those are the parents of the legendary Li Luo.'"

Li Luo chuckled, "Dad, Mom, I'm very grateful for the gift you gave me on my seventeenth birthday."

"Rest assured, I won't let you down. Five years to become a Marquis... fine, I, Li Luo, accept this challenge!"

As the last word fell, Li Luo's gaze became resolute. Without any hesitation, he extended his palm and pressed it directly onto the black crystal ball.

Sizzle!

The crystal ball reacted violently. At that moment, Li Luo felt intense pain in his palm, as if countless needles were piercing it.

Then, the black crystal ball began to split slowly. In its deepest part, two objects lay quietly.

One was a black jade slip, which, if his guess was correct, should contain the so-called "Little Void Phase Divine Forging Technique."

The other was a peculiar object, seemingly a liquid, yet also a kind of ethereal light flow. It was a deep blue, and within the blue, there was a faint sacred light.

Li Luo's gaze was fixed on the mysterious object that seemed to be both a liquid and a light flow.

He knew this was the thing that could change his fate—the acquired phase his parents had painstakingly refined for him.

He could also feel a deep sense of compatibility with this object, as if it had originated from within him.

It seemed, as his parents had said, that this acquired phase was forged from his soul and essence, making it naturally compatible with him.

"Ah..."

As Li Luo stared intently at the mysterious "acquired phase," a sigh filled with complex emotions echoed softly.

Li Luo looked up and saw the images of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan come to life again, their faces showing a mix of emotions.

"Xiao Luo, it seems you've made your choice," Li Taixuan said slowly.

"As your father, your choice makes me a bit heartbroken, but as a man, it makes me feel proud and relieved."

"The path ahead will be filled with difficulties and dangers, but how could the son of Li Taixuan fear these?"

Beside him, Dantai Lan's eyes seemed to glisten with tears. When she left this image, she must have felt extremely distressed at the thought of Li Luo making this choice. After all, as a mother, it was hard for her to accept that her child would have only five years left to live.

But she did not try to dissuade him. She knew this choice had to be made by Li Luo himself, and since he had made it, she would support him wholeheartedly and believe in him.

"Xiao Luo... since you've made your choice, let me explain the acquired phase we refined for you."

Hearing Dantai Lan's words, Li Luo's spirit was lifted.

"This acquired phase, your father and I went through countless experiments and trials to find the most compatible materials, and finally refined it."

"This phase is of the fourth rank, primarily a water phase with a light phase as a secondary attribute."

Li Luo was stunned for a moment, then he smiled bitterly, "This... how could it be a water phase?"

Among the elemental phases, there was no hierarchy, but if one were to compare attack and destruction power, fire, lightning, and metal phases were the strongest. The water phase, on the other hand, was more gentle and soft, clearly a bit weaker.

He certainly did not expect that the first acquired phase his parents refined for him would be of this nature.

"Ha ha, Xiao Luo, do you think the water phase is weak and doesn't fit your expectations? Don't underestimate the water phase. While it may be slightly weaker in attack and destruction, its enduring and powerful nature surpasses other phases. If you can leverage the advantages of the water phase, it won't be weaker than any other phase."

"Moreover... your water phase is not ordinary, as it also has a light phase as a secondary attribute. The combination of water and light, if you can develop it well, will likely surprise you."

"Of course, the reason your father and I chose water and light as your first acquired phase has two other very important reasons."

"After you integrate this first acquired phase, you will lose a large amount of essence and blood, and the loss of lifespan will cause you great damage. The gentle nature of the water phase and the water phase power you cultivate can nourish your injured body and help you recover quickly."

Li Luo was enlightened. Indeed, if it came to nourishing and healing, the water phase and light phase were among the best.

"What's the second reason?" Li Luo wondered.

His question did not wait long. Li Taixuan smiled, "The second reason is that we hope you can become a Phase Refiner to assist your future cultivation."

"Do you remember the basic requirements to be a Phase Refiner?"

Li Luo was taken aback, then he replied, "The basic requirement to be a Phase Refiner is to have... a water phase or a light phase?"

With the prevalence of elemental phases, many auxiliary professions had emerged, and Phase Refiners were one of them. Their ability was to refine various elixirs and lights that could enhance the quality of elemental phases.

There were also Alchemists, but they required wood or fire phases.

And there were Phase Artisans, who crafted various phase tools, which required metal, fire, or earth phases.

Phase Refiners were somewhat similar to Alchemists, but the fundamental difference was that Phase Refiners could only enhance the quality of elemental phases, while the pills refined by Alchemists mostly enhanced phase power.

Both the water phase and the light phase had purifying effects, making them the basic and necessary conditions to become a Phase Refiner.

"But why become a Phase Refiner?" Li Luo was puzzled.

Before he could ask, Li Taixuan's voice rang out, "Because you have the void phase, which can infinitely refine the quality of your elemental phases. If you become a Phase Refiner, you will gain a deeper understanding of this, and it will be more likely for you to perfect your own phase."

"Moreover, most other Phase Refiners likely only have a water phase or a light phase, but you have a water phase as the primary and a light phase as the secondary. The two purifying forces complement each other. Honestly, with such conditions, if you don't become a Phase Refiner, it would be a waste of talent."

"The elixirs and lights you refine will likely be of much higher quality than those of other Phase Refiners."

Dantai Lan covered her mouth and laughed lightly, "Xiao Luo, this is also a backup plan your parents left for you. If the Luo岚 Estate goes bankrupt, at least you'll have a skill to rely on, and you won't be at a disadvantage anywhere."

Li Luo opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only scratch his head. What could he say? He could only admit that his parents were indeed far-sighted. The profession they planned for him maximized the potential of his first acquired phase.

"However, Xiao Luo, this first acquired phase is just the beginning, so your parents could use your soul and essence to forge it for you. But the second and third phases are more advanced and complex... so you will have to explore them on your own."

"Your parents suggest that when you reach the Phase Master realm, you consider forging your second acquired phase. Some forging ideas are recorded in the jade slip for your reference."

"The 'Little Void Phase Divine Forging Technique' in this jade slip can only forge the second phase. As for the divine forging technique for the third phase, we have placed it in the capital. The specific information is in the jade slip. When the time is right, you can go to the capital to retrieve it."

As he spoke, Li Luo noticed that the images of Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan were beginning to fade, making him tense. He realized that this exchange was about to end.

"Dad, Mom..."

Li Luo couldn't help but reach out, trying to grab the images, but his hand passed through them.

Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan looked down at him, their eyes filled with kindness and affection.

"Xiao Luo, this might be the end of our conversation this time..."

"Your father and mother both believe that since you've chosen this path, you will surely succeed in overcoming the five-year crisis."

"Your parents know you're worried about us, but rest assured, we won't let anything happen to us before we see you again."

"Finally, Xiao Luo, remember, no matter how worried you are about us, you must not come looking for us before you become a Marquis."

The images continued to fade and finally disappeared completely, leaving the room silent and dark again.

Li Luo sat in front of the black crystal ball, his eyes red, but he did not shed a tear. He wiped his eyes and said softly, "Dad, Mom... thank you for everything you've done for me."

"Please wait... when we meet again, I will make you proud and amazed."

Gradually, he calmed his emotions, first putting away the black jade slip from the crystal ball, then turning his gaze to the other object that shimmered with blue and sacred light.

"From today on..."

"I am also a person with an elemental phase."

Li Luo's eyes burned with passion. Without hesitation, he extended his palm and grabbed the acquired phase.

Sizzle!

The moment he touched it, a cold sensation surged from his palm, followed by an indescribable pain that erupted within him.

The pain was so intense that it overwhelmed his reason. His vision went black, and he slowly collapsed.