Chapter 19

But now things were different. He had come to regard Xiao Tianhe as his own grandfather, and his brothers were here too. Should the Great Ming Empire fall, the consequences for them—as scions of the imperial house—were all too easy to foresee. He truly could not bear to witness such a tragedy.

The Blood Wolf Mastiff vanished, only to reappear instantly above Ye Bai’s head, diving down to strike. From Ye Bai’s perspective, the sky was replaced by nothing but a blood-red maw, reeking of raw, putrid decay.

With such a turn of events, Ling Xiao and Xiang Huaizhi had no desire to continue their stroll. Yet, they were unwilling to return to their lodgings just yet. After a moment’s thought, they decided to explore the city of Dong’ao.

Spiritual energy permeated it, granting it a mesmerizing luster that tempted men and beasts alike to consume it. More precious than any medicinal herb, it contained the absolute essence of a cultivator’s life force—this was heart-blood.

Suddenly, a sound like tearing silk erupted beside him. A fissure emerged from thin air, a jagged rift that seemed capable of swallowing everything in its path.

Qian Zhengxiong wanted to humiliate Xiao Wuxie, but he feared being tricked. If he placed a bid, that fellow might just keep driving the price up; he could withdraw at any time, but once Qian entered the fray, he would be mired deep, unable to back down without losing face.

Ye Bai had no need to know the flaws in his own sword technique. He simply unleashed his blade, leaving others to search for the flaws in his style. In other words, Ye Bai had already reached a level where his very presence made drawing a sword a feat in itself.

Gen Haozi and the Shuiqin Demon Fox fought tooth and nail. Gen Haozi was injured, and the Demon Fox’s "Thousand-Mile Vessel" was primarily defensive. Both were better at defense than attack, and while the clash shook the heavens and the earth, neither could gain the upper hand.

Over time, these deposits formed veins. Because the spiritual energy was condensed within the stone, they were known as spirit stones.

As the earth shook and stones fell like rain, Shao Heng recalled the cave-in he had once survived. His face turned pale, and he reached out to pull Xiao Yuchong to safety.

I suddenly understood why, back in the World of the Dead Gate, Nangong Yu would rather freeze to death outside than step into the cave during the months I was away.

Zhao Tieshu dared not provoke these villagers any further. He immediately ordered the kitchen to prepare several more tables to replace the meal ruined in the courtyard, and even offered to set a private table for Yang Yesheng. Yang declined but requested that the food be delivered to Old Man Wei’s home.

"Understood!" Huangfu Ziyu nodded and walked away without looking back, not once sparing a glance for Ye Qing.

"For you, I would willingly tear out my own heart." Nothing in this world is more intoxicating, more delightful, or more immersive than the words of a lover.

He had been struck in the leg, yet he realized with horror that he could no longer feel his limb at all.

"Do they not understand the rules?" A chill ran through Su Tong’s heart as an ominous premonition surged within her.

At this moment, the Ninth Sacred Mountain—known to the world as the "Peak of Death"—was glowing with a translucent, crimson intensity. Its blinding light caused the other nine Sacred Peaks to tremble, emitting a roar like the collapse of a mountain range.

Even with the unshakable resolve of Chu Feng’s Daoist heart, the influx of such dire news made him tremble ever so slightly.

It was this very temperament that had caused Zhang Jianfeng to suffer in previous missions. Ye Yun had hoped he would learn his lesson, only to find that he had not changed in the slightest.

"What good is the coffin? If we carry it to the lake bed outside Bone City and open it, won't the pallbearers die as well?" Bai Rong asked.

Hearing this, the man immediately set down the infant he was holding and rushed into the room.

"Hmph! I don't care. Even if you got the equipment, I want half the benefits. Don't think about welching on the deal! Or else, do you really think I won't keep your hero and seize your powerful troops for myself?" Ye Can said triumphantly.

How many magical attacks could players have at this stage? Even if a player were a mage, they would lack effective spells. This boss was essentially a sitting duck.

She was so furious she turned to leave, but Su Su would not let it go, reaching out to block her path.

On East Street, inside the Qilin Inn, Shen Maojun lay sprawled on a couch like a boneless creature, a ledger in his hand.

Only then did she remember that her father, too, had worn a look of complex hesitation whenever he mentioned Yu Bufan.

Such thoughts had barely crossed her mind before Jiang Lian put them into action. She stepped forward and offered a respectful bow in the direction of Shanggong Youming.

At that moment, outside the door of Zhaohua’s room, Qi Jin—having used the excuse of moon-viewing—had actually wandered right up to the entrance.

Before she could finish her sentence, Jiang Lian walked straight up to her and slammed a fist into her face.

"A pity they are outside," Obito muttered with regret. Upon closer observation, he realized Uchiha Shin had merely opened a space-time vortex to release a swarm of White Zetsu; he was not present in that space himself.

Wen Wan slept soundly, a faint dimple at the corner of her lips, unaware of Lin Yuan’s movements. Wanwan, however, opened her eyes, frowned, and let out a soft hum. The raging storm outside had forced the door open, and gusts of cold wind poured into the room. Feeling the chill, Wanwan snuggled deeper into her mother’s embrace.

If nothing else, the fact that she had shielded her grandfather from the arrows was enough for her to forgive everything else—especially since the imperial decree for the abortion had been forged by the Grand High Priest.

I nodded, silently wondering why this pattern felt so identical to my own experiences with Ye Dingxi.

Curiously, the new Sect Master of the Demon Sect had come to speak with Ye Qianli before leaving, suggesting a rendezvous in the city of Tianfan.

Jiao Zhuhun had once raided the Pear Blossom Villa, but at that time, Shen Guhong was merely an infant in swaddling clothes. How could he possibly recognize Jiao Zhuhun? Yet, Shen Guhong had not spoken the name lightly. In the current world of martial arts, the Ghost-Faced Judge—one of the three judges of the Yama Hall—was the greatest master of disguise, followed closely by none other than Jiao Zhuhun.