Chapter 61: A Tragedy

Blood spattered from the heads of the two sentries who had been chatting idly, and they fell lifeless to the ground. Zhang Liang and his companions strode swiftly out of the dark alley. Ignoring the fallen men, they exchanged glances at the entrance of the apartment building. Zhen Ye turned sideways and gently pushed open the slightly ajar door.

A muffled voice came from within, someone disturbed from their rest by the sound at the door. In response, Zhang Liang dispatched him with two bullets.

On the sofa, a man was sleeping—

The banquet to welcome Chen Duan and Mi Ke’s returning fleet was merged with the one for Wang Yu. To entertain Chen Duan, Mi Ke, and the others, Wang Ze simply left his third brother, Wang Yu, in the care of his second brother, Wang Hui, while he himself circulated among the tables, raising a toast to the heroes who had returned.

“It’s a pity. If we hadn’t been discovered, we might have overheard something interesting,” Yun Chen murmured regretfully, shaking his head.

After Chen Fan’s earlier commotion and his flirtation with Green Lotus and Narcissus, the two young women dared not come again.

“So strange and amusing—could it be that they’re righteous on the surface, but secretly a cult?” Bell mused quietly.

He was badly in need of rare treasures and had searched the system’s marketplace, but could not find any.

Previously, Chen Baxian had told him that Hulü Xie had marched south from Shuozhou with a great army in February, yet Shen Sanshui claimed that Northern Qi had not attacked Qizhou.

As he moved, ripples of water naturally formed over his skin. When branches wrapped around him, brushing any part of the Flame Sovereign’s body, they had no effect whatsoever: the waves of water bounced them away, redirecting their force elsewhere.

“So the Lingxu Grand Array is truly terrifying—it can even launch attacks. Luckily, the troops of the Divine Slaughter Dynasty did not immediately disembark from the warships, or it would have been dangerous,” someone observed, having seen through the situation.

Lin Fei’er, dressed in a black-and-white suit, pushed open the conference room door, and the scene was instantly illuminated by the incessant flashing of cameras.

Yet just as he finished speaking, Ziche Niandao’s body, shrouded in starlight, trembled slightly, then fell still, as if it had been a mere illusion.

Originally, Sun Wukong wanted him to call him “Monkey Bro,” but after looking at the old man, he found it unbearable and simply abandoned the idea.

“It has indeed been a long while. In my expectation, I thought our meeting would come much sooner,” Justinian replied quietly.

The Bull Demon King pondered the reasons deeply. He had deliberately widened the distance between himself and Sun Wukong, knowing that if he kept fighting this way, he would eventually be worn down. He had no choice but to act accordingly.

Once a legend of the martial world, Wuming was now just an ordinary innkeeper, his appearance betraying nothing unusual, for he had reached the realm of unity between man and nature, returning to simplicity.

Liang Shan replied calmly. He had grown impatient with Xiong Qi’s persistent tactics and only wished to subdue him in one decisive move. Although Xiong Qi’s strength was formidable, it did not faze him.

Yan and Ma, as they expressed the bond between ruler and minister, were interrupted by Eunuch Dai Quan, who entered the inner hall with a strange expression.

“You are my superior. It is only right that I visit you and listen to your guidance,” Liu Motian said respectfully.

Of the three, strictly speaking, only two were the protagonists. Ba Ren, after their rage flared, withdrew to the side, arms folded, watching the confrontation with a sneer curling his lips.

This year’s martial explorer would receive an extra earth-level Spirit Heart Grass as a reward, while the runner-up would get two, enjoying privileges previously reserved for the martial champion alone.

The sound of grand bells and drums reverberated across the floating island once more, deep and mighty like rolling thunder, carrying a peculiar force that stirred the hearts of all who heard it.