Volume One, Chapter 42: Feels Pretty Good in the Hand

After a series of vapid pleasantries, the assembly dispersed from the grand hall. The two dragons were courteously escorted to the ambassador’s private quarters, while Zhang Hao made his way to Denise’s home.

Ruan Yunsi had not anticipated the immense prestige Su Mingxi held within the Marquis’s estate. During these days, while she maintained a composed facade, weaving silk and preparing for the Brocade Competition, she remained internally vigilant, ready to launch a counterattack the moment Madam Tong and Zhang Lingxin made their move.

Fortunately, having the Supreme Silver Corpse Murong Ziyan by her side was her only hope; without it, Qin Lingyun would have stood no chance at all. Even so, the road ahead promised to be fraught with difficulty.

Kalea said nothing. Though he deeply disapproved of his sister’s methods, he refrained from arguing. Historically, whatever Kalia set her mind to, she inevitably achieved. Yet, that barrier was impassable even for a Libra Saint Warrior; what could these two mere pretenders possibly hope to accomplish?

After a five-second pause, the thirty mechs seemed to suddenly acquire a soul. Their movements turned fluid as they marched in unison, brandishing their weapons and thundering into the valley.

A breeze swept through, chilling them to the bone and emphasizing the deathly silence of the Fang estate. Only the birds were singing, yet it was no longer dawn, and their cries rang out with unsettling clarity.

"Regrettably, my subordinates have yet to track down the young master." Hearing this, I felt a slight sense of relief; after all, no news was good news.

"Qin Lingyun, I trust the Beast Illusion Formation will prove to be an unforgettable experience for you." The voice belonged to Huang Wushen.

The lid of the Seven-Star Yang Fire Cauldron drifted slowly upward. With a flick of Qin Lingyun’s finger, the medicinal ingredients flew into the vessel, their impurities purging under the intense heat of the flames.

Zhou Shijiu rose with a smile and instructed a maid to bring water for his grooming. Within moments, he had shaved his beard and donned a snow-white robe, regaining his former radiant appearance.

Dressed, Lin Yu exited his room and headed straight for the refrigerator. Yang Jiexi emerged from her room; her attire today caught Lin Yu’s eye—a grey tracksuit, a baseball cap, and a tennis racket slung over her shoulder, ready to head out.

Day turned to night and back again. By seven in the morning, NPCs began arriving at the town hall to start their shifts. Lin Yu remained seated until nine, when his fatigue level hit 95%. He then collapsed onto his desk, too exhausted to even keep his eyes open.

The two traded four or five blows. Lin Yu pressed the assault with close-quarters combat, his movements fierce. He assumed his opponent, having navigated the dense, tornado-like sword qi with such agility, was now determined to kill him by forcing a confrontation. With no escape route behind him, he decided to stake everything on a final, desperate clash.

"My friend, lift your foot and release Ganan Kui first. We can talk this over," the white man said to Liu Feng, waving a hand. Despite the polite tone, his expression remained icy.

Tang Ying had a sudden realization. Nodding, she said, "Understood, I will go find her immediately!" With that, she pushed open the office door and headed toward the business department.

"What, what is happening!" Staring blankly at the vanishing figure of Li the Lame, everyone looked stunned. They had seen many suicides, but no one could have imagined a ghost capable of taking its own life.

Seeing my reaction, my father and the others shifted their focus from the wall to where my flashlight was pointed. Their expressions were filled with confusion; Abu, fearing it was a zombie, immediately drew his paratrooper knife, while my second uncle and the others gripped their engineering shovels.

Fei Jingyue had gone to bed very late. Having finally eliminated one thorn in her side, her nerves, which had been strained for days, finally felt a moment of true relief.

"Yes..." Just as A-Xiang turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of a bright red dot on Feng Yufei’s delicate wrist.

If Liu Feng could see this young man, he would be shocked; it was Ye Zhiqiou, son of the former Donghai police chief, the very man who had thrown him into a death cell without cause before fleeing.

After a few more exchanges, Xie Bi suddenly vaulted onto the roof. The men in black, seeing this, prepared to pursue, but a cold whistle from their masked leader stopped them. He, too, leaped onto the roof, drawing his longsword to engage Xie Bi in a fierce battle.

In reality, the ancient prohibitions against eating certain animals in various faiths were rooted in poverty, nothing more. It was the same logic behind the ancient Chinese ban on the slaughter of oxen.

"I don't know," Cheng Lingzhu replied. "The Dean is temperamental; who knows when he might have another episode."

If one could not maintain a clear head between terror and adrenaline, then falling off the cliff to shatter against the river below was an unavoidable fate.

The fishman who had been pinned to the boat by rocks retreated, while another leaped from the water, driving its short spear into the wood at a point even higher than the previous one.

Thunder Roar, which had been struggling to break free from the rocks pinning it to the ground, began to bellow. It sensed that an adventurer was touching the Star Axis it guarded, fueling its rage to a fever pitch. It writhed with all its might, throwing its massive, unencumbered body into a frantic struggle.

Cheng Lingzhi stiffened. Turning back, she saw the door she thought had been locked was open again. Situ Haoyu had changed into a black silk robe and stood with his arms crossed, watching her with keen interest.

Qu You rolled her eyes and snapped back at him. She hadn't expected them to be chatting so leisurely after not seeing them for so long. Still, she nodded. As she spoke, she handed the night-pearl to Zhu Yingying and walked toward the hidden door, placing her hand against the stone.

As for the refinement of his martial arts, Lu Yun was truly puzzled. He had felt his skills were on par with his opponent's, but that momentary outburst just now revealed the vast gap between them.