Volume One, Chapter 21: After All, Merely Mortal Eyes

"Wild and chaotic punches! Too easy to see through!" Stepping sideways, Ye Qiang effortlessly dodged the opponent's fist. The powerful strike hit the rooftop, unleashing a fierce gust that tore through the entire surface.

They had just returned from Qinzhou, bringing back all the gifts and slaves. Before even entering their home, they went straight to General Li Ji’s residence.

Chang Ye, scowling, took out the Blood Soul Talisman and approached the fire cauldron, tossing it into the black flames. A bone-like glow immediately flared up.

Mission briefing: A Fishman player, assigned a racial task, has infiltrated the Lady Taren ship. We have intelligence from the shore—track him down, find him, and eliminate him. Compensation will be provided in accordance with your efforts.

As she spoke, Shen Lian’er walked alongside Li Ji, her excitement bubbling over in jumps and skips. She looked both obedient and lively, with no trace of the previous melancholy on her face.

The protector recognized Mo Xie and dared not block her way, politely reminding, "The Grand Elder is receiving visitors; you may wait in the outer hall."

Covering the 130 kilometers from Laiyun to Weicheng in forty minutes, Zhang Lingyu arrived at the Weicheng Municipal Committee office building. She pushed aside two guards roughly; if she hadn’t been certain that Xixi was abducted by the Qiao family, she wouldn’t have been this polite.

Wang Xizhao sulked in his room, clutching the blankets tightly, his face full of displeasure and frustration. When he heard noises outside, he refused to get up and see what was happening.

Ji Hongyu didn’t know Ji Minhe but saw his father Ji Yonghe trembling. Only then did he realize he had caused a grave disaster.

"So, do you feel any discomfort anywhere right now?" the secondary gang member asked with genuine concern.

Ming Yue looked gratefully at Zhao Kuo, who had accompanied him inside. Unfamiliar with military matters, he wouldn’t have noticed the details if Zhao Kuo hadn’t pointed them out along the way.

Every building here, regardless of its purpose, bore carvings with distinct patterns, yet all shared a common element woven into the designs.

The outcome was predictable: if he didn’t price his potions fairly, no one would buy them, and once priced fairly, his life wouldn’t be as comfortable as before.

Kuang Liang’s words were extremely rude, provoking laughter from the surrounding Qi people. His remark echoed their sentiments—although Hu clothing and horseback archery were no longer novel, in Qi, they were still regarded as heretical. The royal court and noble clans of Linzi often mocked these practices.

---

"There’s a legend in the martial world: where there is water, there might be..." He paused, staring ahead lost in thought.

"Old Lin, your son is truly remarkable," Huang Ting sighed, a hint of shame in his heart.

"What’s so great about winning first place? Why act so arrogant?" Initially, Zhuo Tianxue didn’t expect a rebuttal, but reality was quite the opposite.

After searching extensively, circling the Banyan grove, no traces of sacrificial pits or sacred paths were found. It seemed Old Yang had indeed deceived me; his memory was flawed. We had to roughly pinpoint the grove’s center and search directly for the tree hollow.

Honey extract is extremely rare, only seen used in cooking in Yun City, Liuyue, or the Zhiru Kingdom. In Chuyun, only a select few possess it.

She had lost the innocence she had at marriage, aware that once she left the household in Handan, returning would be nearly impossible.

"Of course. But more importantly, during this period, you must pass through the Four Great Mystic Gates!" Zhuque’s tone suddenly grew serious.

Around the spirit pool, roughly five or six cranes lingered—two leisurely sipping the water, three playfully frolicking, all looking joyful and free.

The academy was on holiday, and so was the prefectural school. Planning to reach home by Tuesday evening, I considered intercepting him at the gate.

Because of this, before they could act, Blind Wu merely tapped his cane lightly on the ground.

"Or philosophy and art history—those are all impractical," Chao Changchang spoke bluntly.

Master Lu’s tutoring was no empty boast. After one session with him, Zhou Er returned elated, claiming he had a sudden epiphany.

"Er Lang, were you switched at birth? Why can’t you be on your mother’s side?" Madam Zhou wept loudly.

As habitats were destroyed, the monsters fled deeper into the untamed mountains and forests, where no humans ventured.

---

"I know that Canghua has an ancient artifact that absorbs spiritual energy, but it will only reappear a decade from now," Master Qiusheng replied.

Everyone’s gaze followed Wang Duoyu’s gesture to the dining room, where a bowl of exquisite beef noodles sat on the table.

These two peaks rose like clouds, their quality far surpassing ordinary mountains—they were hundreds of times harder and incredibly sturdy. Someone once tried to mine rock from them to forge weapons but failed utterly. Even famed blades left no mark on the stone.

Maxim still had to work, so tutors were hired to accompany the child. Many couldn’t endure Dalia’s solitary nature and volatile temper, her destructive rages and violent outbursts; they left after only a few days.

Chen Tianzhu felt emotional watching the man he raised marry another man. It was the bittersweet feeling of a mother seeing her child start a family, mingled with melancholy, as if someone had betrayed him deeply.

For this reason, the descendants of the "Four Heavenly Kings" fought among themselves over the Twelve Jars of Golden Dew.

"Grandma, today Mom and I happened to meet Sister Jiu at the new Western restaurant," Huo Chuyu excitedly told the old lady.

It was also for this reason that Wu Shizong urged the tenant farmers to unite and hunt third-rank great demons.

Although Jiang Feng was airborne, a lightning bolt suddenly flashed from a distant tree, striking him fiercely. His body went numb, unable to rise. A moment too late, the demon’s head grazed him, sending him crashing far away, his chest caved in.

"No! That would be unfair to you," Wang Duoyu shook his head vigorously, resolute.