Volume 1, Chapter 22: The Monk in Black

"I am not," Liu Qi replied to Sima Yun.

In truth, Liu Qi was not strictly lying to Sima Yun, for he could hardly be considered a spy; he was merely a minor prince of the Great Kang.

Seeing Liu Qi respond in this manner, Sima Yun let out a sigh of relief and said, "I believe you."

Liu Qi had expected further harassment from Sima Yun, but she did not pursue the matter, which left him suspicious. What was her true purpose in asking that question?

"The snow is getting heavier," Sima Yun said, gazing toward the courtyard.

Liu Qi nodded.

Sima Yun gently opened Liu Qi’s robe and slipped inside, leaning against his chest as she slowly drew the garment tight around them.

"I did not use a ruse to kill him," Xu Ziling mused. He certainly knew of the plan to lure the Black Armor Cavalry north to Siberia. While he felt that successfully baiting Li Jing had been a brilliant strategy, it seemed the troubles were far from over. He cursed himself for having been so blinded by Tan Zong’s provocations; in his haste to settle the score, he had completely neglected to consider the hidden implications.

After Laisanboli’s right hand touched the divine crystal, he gave a slight tug, and the divine crystal of Kekamas returned to his chest.

Between Lin Lei and Renna, however, there was no barrier to communication; after their reintegration, they shared a natural, inseparable connection.

The proponent of this guerrilla warfare strategy was Laisanboli, who had yet to exert any real effort. To the gods of the Lord of the Morning, Lathander, it seemed like a stroke of genius. Had it not been for the fierce opposition of Cyric, the Prince of Lies, the laurels of a great hero might have already been placed upon Laisanboli’s brow.

Such fear in battle was fatal. Faith was their source of life, and as it wavered, the trembling petitioners began to collapse, their forms dissolving into pure energy to be absorbed by the divine kingdom.

"Do you think it looks fake?" Li Tian said with a smile, then snatched the identification back and tucked it into his pocket. "Do you know who I am now?" Li Tian patted the translator on the shoulder and asked with a grin.

There was an empty chair beside Yao Hongyi, but Xiang Ru did not take it. Instead, he sat in a chair near the door; he knew his place well, and it was not yet time for him to sit as an equal to Yao Hongyi.

Han Jun wanted to donate money, and many people did not understand his reasoning. Han Jun was not annoyed, for he understood their confusion; in fact, if he were in their position, he would likely feel the same. Who would ever act in such a way?

As cold water splashed over me, I felt my body temperature drop, but the searing, agonizing pain still made me feel wretched, as if termites were crawling across my skin—a stinging, numbing torment that felt like death itself.

"What is happening? It’s so strange, why do I feel so sleepy?" Long'er murmured, eventually leaning directly against Yang Tian’s back and closing her eyes.

They were their own kin; though mangled beyond recognition, they could still identify the distinct features of the Turians.

Summer had just passed, and Zhou Binyi was in exceptionally high spirits. First, with the end of summer came the crisp, cool air of autumn, the most comfortable time of the year. Second, his gout, which had plagued him for years, had rarely flared up lately. He often practiced his footwork and boxing, feeling an inexhaustible surge of strength throughout his body.

It was not until the day he lost Fu Lingya that he learned from Ling Feng the words she had once spoken.

Wang Yishun appeared before the group with a cold, stern expression, a sharp contrast to his usual kindly demeanor.

My mind was in chaos. I couldn't understand what this guy was doing. If he wanted to act cool, why choose to imitate a Korean pop star, making it look like a deathbed confession? Did he know this was my type and was just pretending to tease me?

I realized my slip of the tongue; I shouldn't have asked him that. But I was anxious and flustered, perhaps acting out of desperation.

The old man held a horse by the reins, likely his mount. In the biting north wind and knee-deep snow, the beast could no longer move. It let out a painful whinny and stood rooted to the spot. The old man tugged hard, but it wouldn't budge; he struck it with his whip, but it remained motionless.

The waiter couldn't help but size up Ye Yuan. He looked like a washed-up, middle-aged man who would be invisible in a crowd. How could he possibly be wealthy?

Thank goodness Yang Xun possessed mental power and supernatural abilities! His reflexes kicked in, and he dropped his phone instantly. At the same time, the plane began to shudder, and the passengers in the cabin swayed uncontrollably from side to side.

"Grandmother is likely nearing the end; Cui Zhili exhausted himself trying to save her, which is why he is in this state," Yan Jingnian explained briefly.

All the lights in the room were off, and the curtains were drawn; there wasn't a sliver of light to be found. Yang Xun pursed his lips, unable to fathom why Kimura Takeshi and Nojo Hanako would do such a thing. Were they afraid of the light?

I watched Yun Nan climbing while I drove, terrified that a sudden brake would send her flying.

There was a sense of harmony and joy. Xu Qing felt immense happiness, yet she sighed for that short-lived soul... If only you were alive, how wonderful it would be.

Ma Shuhang even came to stand at the doorway, saying something with a look of extreme delight.

Company Commander Li and the soldiers stood up from their positions, stunned, watching the raging inferno and the figure of Shi Chen standing amidst the flames.

"That's right, our squad leader really did us proud today! You’re going to be famous, Squad Leader," Zhigang added.

Yue Kai suddenly embraced the old woman. It was impossible to tell if he was acting or if the performance had blurred into reality, as if the ruse had become genuine. The old woman could only nod with gratification, stroking Yue Kai’s back.

Having witnessed Mo Ran's strength, everyone agreed that leaving the two vampires under her surveillance was the most appropriate course of action.

A long sword of flame manifested, merging with another man’s metal fragments as it surged toward Li Feng. Li Feng gave a cold smile, a heavy black fist forming as he blocked the blow sideways. With a swing of his fist, he deflected the combined elemental blade. His other fist moved in swiftly.

The Nuggets fans summoned all their strength, roaring at the top of their lungs to distract Yi Yang from his free throws.

Seeing everyone so valiant, willing to shed their blood for the Netherworld Palace and for him, Jifeng felt his eyes grow moist. He pressed his lips together, a surge of heroic spirit rising within him.

"What is your relationship with the Corpse King? Why do you possess the Great Demonic Forbidden Arts?" A resonant, metallic voice suddenly erupted from within the divine gourd. It was the powerful entity behind Matsushita Li.

Upon landing, Carter stomped hard on Pachulia’s foot. With his balance compromised, his ankle twisted violently, and a sharp, piercing pain surged through him.