Forty-three

Once upon a time, this was the life she had longed for; once upon a time, she believed she could attain all of it.

"You killed my friend, and you still want to run!" You Su's eyes were red as she stared at the raptor. All the energy within her body surged forth, determined to fight the beast to the death.

However, if Song Duanwu truly wished to execute his effortless resolution, Gong Jiaxi was undoubtedly the most crucial piece on the board, functioning much like a stone used to secure the vital breathing point in a game of Go.

Puzzled beyond measure and having lost all appetite for her evening meal, she guessed that Prince Xin was likely unable to eat either, and thus pushed the food brought by the eunuch aside.

Meng Xin fell to her knees, saying, "Having failed to complete the empire's arduous mission, I am truly unworthy of my position and of the entire empire." Little did anyone expect her to be so deeply devoted to the so-called legacy of the empire.

Unable to move her feet freely, she could only force them forward like a mechanical doll. Every step required immense effort, and after walking only a dozen paces, she felt completely drained of strength.

She cast a cold glance at the burly man and said nothing more, her eyes filled with boundless contempt and disdain.

A dozen miles away was reached in mere moments. Arriving at the Jinling Estate and disregarding the ferocious flames, she unleashed her lightness kung fu and flashed into the estate like a swallow.

"Indeed, all three stone tablets exude a certain malevolent aura. Perhaps they are giving me some kind of hint, otherwise this third tablet wouldn't bear that line: 'A single line of egrets ascends to the blue sky,'" Lu Shuang said resentfully.

When Xiang Yu uttered the words "I have never kept anything from you," her conscience pricked her with shame, for she had deliberately concealed Xiang Qi's identity and position. At least in her view, Xiang Qi's sensitive background was simply not suitable to be exposed to Song Duanwu.

As for farming, his proficiency grew day by day, and with Ren Hai's meticulous nature, they could often spot subtle details that others missed.

Leng Yue rose very early. She took out the foods her son usually loved and began preparing his breakfast.

Jue nodded, and with a blur, his figure vanished. When he reappeared, he had already reached the summit of the sacred mountain, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

Restoring her true form, the lion demon saint instantly unsheathed her sharp claws and lunged head-on at the thunder saint.

The man known as the Young Master of the Nine Rays sat in his seat, sipping tea, as several elders walked in from outside one by one.

"This disciple will remember it," Qing Yun nodded earnestly. Though he might not fully grasp the meaning of every word right now, he committed them to memory first.

Quietly placing the letter beside Yuan Shan's pillow, she returned to her own room.

The matches for Snake Ji, Dai Zhirou, Bai Jing, Hanyu, and Lu Ping had been scheduled since yesterday, so the five of them proceeded directly to the arena.

"Give me back my brother's life!" Biaozi shouted loudly. Li Huachen immediately became alert. After executing a single strike, Biaozi suddenly flicked his wrist and hurled a hidden weapon, causing Ouyang Ge behind them to cry out and crash backward to the ground.

Li Ying recounted his experiences of the past half-year in meticulous detail. In particular, the reform of the nitrogen fertilizer plant, his introduction of Xing Lihua to invest in Wushui, and his promotion and subsequent demoval by the county committee were narrated with great precision.

A middle-aged white man shook his head, sighed, and reluctantly placed his chips on the "Big" bet.

Chen Caozhi went to have his meal, and after a hurried bath with his lapels loose, came to see Zhi Du. Zhi Du was still sitting quietly in the lamplight, seemingly as motionless as ever.

Wei Youru let out a soft cry at her husband's sudden intimate gesture and melted into Xiao Yi's embrace. How could she fail to understand the hint in her husband's words? A wave of warmth instantly flooded her heart! Yet in her mind, her husband's official duties were greater than the heavens; what official duty could possibly surpass an audience with the Son of Heaven?

"You're utterly lazy. I don't know how Ziqi has managed to tolerate you until now," Shangguan Ling said with a look of utter disdain as she saw Lin Yifeng sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed.

This humiliation by the white ape should make her understand that in the pugilistic world, her strength was far from achieving dominance—it couldn't even stir up a single ripple.

The common folk across the entire East Lan Continent felt a violent tremor, and that deafening roar continued for about a quarter of an hour before finally fading away.

Su Xiaodan shook her head in bewilderment, searching her memory to figure out who could possibly wield such immense influence. Yet try as she might, she could not find a single clue.

Liu Feng did not miss the opportunity. Taking advantage of the opening, he poured a fraction more primordial energy into his saber, and the blade light slashed heavily onto the battle boar.

Moreover, the task was simple: just watch for where large numbers of two-legged creatures approached the pasture and report it in a timely manner.

No matter what, the two of them could never change Qi Xiu's decision, even if Luo Yun had now ascended to godhood.

The moment the door opened, Xiuleizhong hurried forward, nodding and bowing with a flattering smile toward Yulin. Yulin wore a cold, expressionless face, turned, and stepped into the room.

Imagine a vast army of fierce beasts blotting out the sky and earth, with a disciple of the Cold Moon Sect mounted atop each beast. Combining the two was far from a simple one plus one equaling two.

"The interrogation is finished. I'll go submit the case files shortly," Jiang Chonglang said listlessly, nodding.

Mao Lina shamelessly struck a few seductive poses before the mirror. Feeling somewhat stifled and struggling to catch her breath, she revealed a helpless smile and spoke with effortless nonchalance.

Twelve arenas, and seven were occupied all at once—meaning seven slots were instantly wiped out. No one's heart in the Immortal Capital could feel at ease about that.

Seeing her like this, Han Yuchao knew she had something on her mind, but it wasn't his place to pry too deeply. Thus, he said nothing more.

Almost simultaneously, a flame-shaped crest appeared on Liu Hai's back. At that moment, Liu Hai descended like the God of Fire.