Chapter 88: Thunder Element Gold Crystal Core

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“You, you, you, are you looking for death?” Li Baobao trembled with anger. She reached out and pinched him angrily, stomping her feet in a huff: “Lei, who told you to take it upon yourself to name me Little Taohong? Such a vulgar and ugly name.”

“Don’t like Little Taohong? Then how about Chunhua, Qiuju, or Dongmei? You can choose any one you like.” Lei Qing calmly and leisurely ate the grapes picked up by Zuo Qianqian’s delicate little hand, half-closing his eyes as he said: “Also, stop stomping your feet. The powder on your face is about to fall off completely.”

“Hmph, Lei Qing, what kind of ghost idea is this?” Li Baobao knew that continuing to be angry with him would just be asking for trouble. She angrily grabbed a few grapes and started eating: “Even if it’s a disguise, do we have to dress up so unbearably vulgar? Are you deliberately bullying me, making me play that kind of role just to take advantage of me?”

“Cough, cough, Little Taohong, can you please be a bit more professional?” Lei Qing half-lay down and crossed his legs, spitting the grape seeds into Qianqian’s tender palm: “Look at Qianqian. Although she’s young, she is dedicated to her job and acts just like the character! And you say I’m taking advantage of you. If I really wanted to take advantage of you, I would have let you see what ‘forceful oppression’ means long ago. Is it worth playing so many tricks? Besides, originally, this escape plan never considered taking you along. You were the one crying and shouting to join us. Don’t start acting up now that things are happening. How bad would that look? Qianqian, isn’t that right?”

“Thank you for the praise, Master. Does that mean you want this Servant to serve you in bed tonight?” Zuo Qianqian threw a slightly charming glance at Lei Qing. She began to use her soft, boneless little hands to help relax his muscles and bones.

“Go, go, stop causing trouble.” Lei Qing got up with a start and glared at her in annoyance.

“What are you afraid of? I’ve treated your injuries so many times; which part of your body haven’t I seen?” Zuo Qianqian pouted her lips in rejection, and her eyes even became a bit teary: “Back then you didn’t despise me, but now you do. It’s clear you have a new person and forget the old one.”

“What new person or old person?” Lei Qing widened his eyes and pinched her cheek: “Stop talking nonsense there.”

“Where am I talking nonsense?” Zuo Qianqian’s watery big eyes looked at Li Baobao with grievance: “Now that Master has Sister Taohong, he despises this Servant’s willow-like figure.”

“Hey, hey, where do you have a willow-like figure?” Lei Qing laughed loudly: “A little girl who hasn’t even developed yet. You can’t even count as a willow; you’re clearly just a wooden figure.”

“Stinky Brother, Bad Brother. I’ll fight you!” Zuo Qianqian extended her claws, revealed her cute canine teeth, and angrily pounced at him.

“Haha, just kidding, just kidding.” Lei Qing laughed as he hid behind Li Baobao: “Little Taohong, you are still obedient and cute, and I like you too. Help your Master handle this disobedient little girl.”

Li Baobao rolled her eyes in disgust: “I am just vulgar powder, I don’t deserve Master’s liking. Qianqian, scratch him hard, bite him. Anyway, his skin is thick and his flesh is rough.” She moved her body to the side without any loyalty, letting Qianqian pass.

“Ouch. Little Grandma, are you really scratching?” Lei Qing screamed: “These claws, tsk tsk, are sharper than a Scar-Head Wolf’s. Little Taohong, are you really going to just watch me die? If I get bitten to death, who will warm your bed tonight?”

At the mention of warming the bed, Li Baobao’s anger flared up. A flush of red spread to the roots of her neck, and she also pounced over aggressively: “Lei, I am irreconcilable with you!”

“Oh my, oh my, becoming a widow, you’re going to be a widow, Old Master Zhao is failing.”

The guards outside acting as bodyguards were naturally some of Lei Qing’s trusted Personal Guards. It was a team consisting of Captain Miao Renjie, Vice-Captains Li Sanba and Yang Tieshan, three Black Irons, plus six elite soldiers.

Thanks to Lei Qing’s charm and personality, after one event after another, the entire Black Flag Army now regarded him as an idol, even reaching the point of blind worship.

Hearing the faint cries coming from inside the carriage, the group of strong young men looked at each other with knowing glances. They thought to themselves that the Young General is indeed the Young General; he can play so wildly even in a carriage.

The three of them joked and fought for a while before stopping. Lei Qing looked injured and glanced at them with resentment: “Come, let’s talk about some serious business. This time, on the surface, it looks like our arrangement succeeded. However, the Li Chamber of Commerce comes from a merchant background, and merchants are best at trickery.”

“Hey, hey, Lei, don’t treat me like I don’t exist,” Li Baobao said angrily, glaring: “I am from the Li Chamber of Commerce. How can you curse a bald donkey in front of a monk like that?”

“No, right now you are my captive. Li Baobao, with your father Li Qianlong’s ability, do you think he can see through our arrangement?” Lei Qing winked at her.

However, his appearance after makeup was really unlikable, especially the hairy mole at the corner of his mouth. That wink of his looked as wretched as could be.

After showing an expression of being disgusted by him, Li Baobao also became serious: “My father has always been exceptionally wise, with unique insight, and is extremely good at collecting intelligence and analyzing clues from it. Actually, your arrangement was already very complete, and you did a lot of work beforehand. But this doesn’t completely rule out my father seeing through your arrangement. But don’t worry, my father loves me very much. Even if he sees through it, he will hold back out of concern for my safety and won’t dare to act rashly.”

“That’s good. I heard your father has a nickname called the Gold Abacus, and he really has never done a losing business.” Lei Qing chuckled: “Baobao, I wonder if you inherited his talent?”

“Lei Qing, have some respect for your elders.” Li Baobao was really a bit angry now and said huffily: “In the ransom letter I wrote for you, I left a hint for my father, hoping he wouldn’t cause you trouble. If he agrees, he will give the Gold-rank Demonic Beast Crystal Core requested in the ransom as a Thunder Element one. As long as you receive a Thunder Element Gold Core, it means he will keep his promise according to the conditions and deal with you after three years.”

Lei Qing was stunned, but then he also became serious and apologized: “Sorry, Baobao. I misspoke just now and made you uncomfortable; it wasn’t intentional. Let me first check the attribute of that Core.”

The energy attribute of a Gold-rank Demonic Beast’s Core was restrained and needed slight stimulation to determine its true attribute. But regardless, a Gold Core of any attribute was an extremely rare treasure. For a family like the Lei Family, although their strength was not bad, it was extremely difficult to obtain some Gold Cores.

Resources of this level, given Lei Qing’s position in the family, were impossible for him to enjoy. He estimated that among the younger generation, only his second brother, Lei Hong, had the chance to use one or two Gold-rank Cores.

Regarding this, Lei Qing had no complaints. Firstly, his uncle and aunt doted on him extremely and treated him as their own. Secondly, this wasn’t favoritism; every family did this. They needed to concentrate resources to produce a young hero who could awe the masses and tell everyone that the family had a successor. And this person was usually designated as the next successor.

Lei Qing also had a good relationship with his second brother, so he really wouldn’t be jealous about this. Even he himself thought his second brother was powerful and capable, and good to his brothers and sisters. If he didn’t become the Clan Head in the future, who would?

However, this didn’t mean Lei Qing didn’t desire Silver-rank or even Gold-rank Cores. This was why, in this ransom demand, he tentatively added a Gold Core, and unexpectedly, he actually got it.

Lei Qing activated his Spatial Ring and took out the Gold-rank Core that exuded a majestic and mysterious aura. This object looked like a perfect, flawless golden gem, extremely beautiful.

With a slight stimulation, sizzling and crackling sounds of tiny thunder and some electric sparks spontaneously arose. This startled Lei Qing; he didn’t expect it to really be a Thunder Element Gold-rank Core.

Immediately, he was overjoyed. He originally thought the Li Chamber of Commerce would definitely investigate the technique he cultivated. To avoid nurturing a future threat, they naturally wouldn’t readily give a Thunder Element Crystal Core.

“Good stuff, really good stuff.” Lei Qing gazed obsessively at the pale golden faint light, looking like he was drooling.

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