Volume One, Chapter 13: Don't Come Crying to Me Then

The bride-to-be wore a smile on her face, but a hint of doubt lingered in her heart, for earlier that day, when leaving the house, Lu Weixian had said he might not be able to attend. The reason was that two tables of city officials were coming for a meal, and he had to stay nearby to accompany them.

“This is merely an objective observation. Who wins or loses depends entirely on the two on the field; my words hold no real weight,” Tang Shan replied.

“I sincerely apologize for my many indiscretions; I have felt guilty all along,” Zhang Wei hastily said.

The only slight progress compared to feudal times was that, regardless of any scandalous incidents, one no longer had to endure the punishment of being submerged in a pig cage.

As they walked, Ling Xuan noticed many soldiers patrolling the alleys and corners, their numbers several times greater than usual.

Outside the royal palace, a considerable crowd had gathered to watch. The two had no interest in lingering to discuss anything there.

“If you want to truly master certain skills that others cannot, you must learn patience. One’s temper cannot be rash; haste leads astray, deviation leads away from the essence, and losing the essence leads to obsession and eternal ruin,” Feng Qian said, pausing mid-bite, as if summarizing but also confessing.

In response, Murong Yiyi sighed softly in her heart, full of helplessness. Nangong Yu had always believed her repeated failures were due to her spiritual weapon being inferior to Murong Yiyi’s. Now, with the power of the Yan Ni Spear, she thought she could surely defeat Murong Yiyi, but she had greatly underestimated the situation.

Zhu Zhongba formed a Buddhist mudra, from which a ray of Buddha light emerged, blossoming into a lotus.

Tang Shan looked silently at this worthy opponent for a moment before stepping forward to pick up the two severed sections of the broken sword. He approached Yu Nian, handed them over, and said, “My apologies.”

Ultimately, the army that the Great Xia Kingdom acquired was indeed substantial: two thousand soul cultivators and nearly twenty thousand warriors at the True Essence realm! Among them, less than one-third were provided by the dynasty itself, making it a highly cost-effective force.

At these words, the bustling noise in the restaurant abruptly fell silent. All eyes turned curiously toward Liu Feng. Yang Yan’s eyes gleamed with admiration as she looked at Liu Feng, fully aware of who he was.

---

“Old Liang, the aftereffects of the Foundation Establishment Pill will affect the body’s absorption of spiritual herbs; for quite some time, the efficacy will be reduced by about ten percent,” Lin Dong explained.

“Damn it! I think you—” Sun Xi was thoroughly enraged. If such an insult went unanswered, all his efforts would be in vain.

Yin Yan withdrew the Ink Jade Soul-Calming Coffin, which floated lightly on the water’s surface. In truth, Qin Yang and several other disciples remained hidden nearby.

No matter what, the second bow of the Divine Stone Incarnation was finally made. However, after this bow, the incarnation could no longer hold on; its body went limp and collapsed completely atop the General’s Platform.

This time, Jiang Yuan’s cultivation was highly purposeful. Having heard the Dharma teachings of the Great Sun God King, his understanding of his own cultivation deepened, and he gradually corrected flaws in his practice.

Lian Hang took two steps back, sweeping his left hand to strike the bamboo pole. With a whoosh, the green bamboo swayed several feet, but intense pain shot through his palm bones, and a blush of blood stained his delicate face.

At that moment, the surging waves of the six remaining sea wheels intensified by an entire energy level, leaving Qin Yang feeling as if he were on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly, he launched an attack. Cold Xuan’s attempt to stop him came too late, as the palm of the Fusang Taoist, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder, was already pressed against Le Zhiyang’s ribs.

Fortunately, the helmsman, Wind Blade, was an old sea wolf. Using both arms to control the tiller, he continuously adjusted their course, repeatedly dodging cannonballs cast behind them.

Since Zhou Yuting had spoken so plainly, Wu Man naturally refrained from further objection. After all, she had already severely embarrassed Zheng Chang; the best course was to retreat while ahead.

The thought of sitting still, endlessly chanting sutras and meditating, made her feel it might be better to die.

Lu Ming was a bastard son who, at most, had only flaunted his presence when he first arrived. He would never dare to attack the forces of the others.

---

In fact, he was somewhat surprised—he never expected Li Kui to agree so readily. Li Kui was right; a fishing boat held special significance for fishermen. To sink the boat was tantamount to giving away one’s wife and having one’s son call another man “father.”

Yuan Qianling muttered a warning to herself and, enduring the pain, leaped backward. Shang Yu’s gaze gleamed, and the smile at the corner of her mouth grew more confident.

They did not know what exactly Yu Haoran had experienced after leaving the Great Jiang Academy, but it had evidently changed his temperament drastically—he had become rational and restrained.

Li Kui was momentarily stunned; the request surprised him deeply. To be precise, it was utterly unexpected. He had thought Zhang Cheng wanted him to simulate a true deserted island survival scenario, to evoke the despair of isolation. Yet, what he never imagined was that he would be asked to sink the boat.

“The most dangerous place is sometimes the safest; this saying varies with circumstances and is not always applicable.”

“They intend to turn those corpses into yin creatures,” I thought, recalling the earlier mention of zombies. Now I understood the purpose of the coffins. Reflecting carefully, there were indeed many coffins of different colors on various floors, likely indicating their rank.

Within the Zhongshan Palace, anger burned fiercely, with many demanding that troops be sent to attack Zhao, to avenge the humiliation inflicted by the Zhao state.

“Why must I take leave and come out to play today?” Fu Qiu knew this was unlike Lin Junyuan’s usual behavior; she suspected he must have some reason for agreeing to take leave and join her.

Seeing the situation, Gill roared wildly. His originally lean body suddenly swelled. Each of his joints emitted a crisp crack, muscles bulging rapidly. Gripping the sword hilt of Lake Watch Light with both hands, Gill took a forceful step forward, blocking the attacks of several others.