Volume 1, Chapter 23: I Think You Two Are Quite a Match

Inside the bar’s private booth, the melody of a classic old song drifted through the air, stirring memories of years long gone. The colleagues sat in a row on the sofa, their posture languid and relaxed. Swaying gently to the rhythm or humming softly, they savored this moment of leisure. On the table stood several cocktails of varying hues—some deep and opaque, others crisp and translucent—shimmering alluringly under the lights. Seeing this, Lou Nanzhi felt her body and mind instantly unwind. It was no wonder this was the largest bar in the capital; it offered not only a vibrant haven for the young, but also a space perfectly suited for them.

In the timeline ten years hence, he was at an absolute disadvantage, suppressed without even knowing who his enemies were. Yet in this timeline, Jiang Feng was nearly invincible. Among the Six Gates, he decided to forgo the upcoming Law Gate and Ease Gate exams, as well as tomorrow’s Technique Gate exam, choosing to participate only in the final two assessments of the series: the Movement Gate and the River Gate.

A-Yao had already fallen asleep; the story of the Mountain-Suppressing Kui, told from the very beginning, had simply been too long and tedious. Clearly, the fourteen individuals who remained had eventually fulfilled the Grave Master’s request, staying behind to dedicate themselves to cultivation, refining their realms in order to slay the Thrones.

"Brother Wu, my name is Jiang Huairen," Jiang Huairen said, taking the business card. It bore the name Changchun Hall, along with contact details and a job title. He knew Wu Tian’s identity: the manager of Changchun Hall.

Opposite them, the golden curtain and black flames vanished almost simultaneously, as did the magma. Ming Du seemed to have abandoned his attempt to stop Su Yang from building the bridge.

Jiang Yi spoke sentence after sentence, and the students present all pricked up their ears, their eyes filled with shock.

Long Jiu stared blankly at Ye Xiu, his face etched with disbelief. A tempest raged in his heart, leaving him utterly unable to accept the truth.

Zhang Tian flew his sword across the sky above the Sun-Ring Grasslands. Seeing that no pursuers remained behind him, he continued to fly, uncertain if his enemies possessed the means to track him.

"Ghost Web, Black Dragon Society, Golden Wolf Gang, Heavens and Earth—since you want to play, I shall play along with you," Jiang Huairen remarked, his gaze sharp. Had the mysterious Daoist not appeared, his life would have been forfeit. Jiang Huairen was not one to suffer such losses silently; he would not let this pass.

The evening breeze was soft, a hazy spring dream drifting through the valley. Encountering lilies of the valley, one is intoxicated by their fragrance. Falling petals, like the tears of a maiden’s gentle heart, stir the confusion of first love.

Ye Zimei’s feet did not falter. With a flick of her wrist, she prepared to strike again, but sensing a strange, whistling wind behind her, she dared not hesitate. She twisted her lithe waist and swung her sword back at her attacker.

If Ning Xiu were to push himself forward to show off now, he would only steal the spotlight from Censor He. That would not be a good thing.

Meanwhile, Lu Shu practiced his swordsmanship while casting glances elsewhere, pondering Zhang Weiyu’s orders one by one, attempting to master the man’s command style.

The construction of the Fengshan Grand Ceremony in Bocheng County did not seem to be delayed. Fearing he might attract unwanted attention, Wu Penghui let the work proceed as planned. He had not even embezzled much of the construction funds—or perhaps, he simply hadn't had the time to do so on a large scale.

He turned, intending to run away and ignore her forever. He had been genuinely worried for her earlier, yet she had played him for a fool.

As for Yu Li, he had been dazed ever since Nangong Yunyao’s question, seemingly lost in thought.

On the cargo ship, a crowd of people prepared to see Lu Shu and his companions off, their faces streaked with tears. Some had already begun to guess the truth, but being ordinary folk on a standard freighter with no Awakened among them, they dared not speak a word.

Unfortunately, some of Mr. Karl’s actions always managed to tarnish his imposing image. Although the competition had been underway for two days, it was not yet too late for him to consider this.

The city center no longer simply represented a district; it now signified two things: a massive horde of zombies, and an unknown number of Level 3 threats lurking within.

Everyone knew that the longevity of a work depended on two things: the author’s creative passion and the work’s performance. These were inextricably linked; when a work performed well, the author’s passion soared, and vice versa.

In normal circumstances, with his anger having surged to such a height, Bruce would have long since lost his reason, transforming into a giant capable of destroying all things. Yet at this moment, his eyes were remarkably clear, showing no trace of fury.

Zhaodi was indeed lucky. From being completely in the dark to the very founding of this village, she had experienced it all. Not to mention the hardships along the way, the dangers upon first arriving, and the years of toil—only then had she earned the good life she now led.

Ji Xuanyi did not know if Jing Qi had reached the Diaoyu Islands, but he could not pin all his hopes on him.

Not until the sun set behind the mountains did the group finish laying the foundation for the wall. The three-meter-high wall they had originally planned was only about a meter high, but this was the limit for the three earth-element ability users for the day. If they continued into the night, the scent of their flesh would surely attract the many zombies that roamed in the dark.

The pitch-black night seemed like endless ink smeared across the horizon, devoid even of a star’s glimmer.

Sure enough, the Golden Warrior sent out a strange, probing ripple toward their position, as if it had discovered their tracks.

Deep and alluring, her eyes held the clarity of flowing water, a subtle charm seeping from her very bones.

Back under the Black River, the crystal skull had emitted a faint, starlike radiance, but now, it lay silently in his hand, like an ordinary piece of art.

At this point, Du Yun coughed a few times and glanced at Duan Shaoping, perhaps fearing that this triumphant victor might be the type to enjoy mocking the defeated, just as he and Luo Pan were.

Yet, no one could have predicted that before either the Jiang family or the Xing and Cui families could steel themselves for a life-or-death struggle, the great battle would erupt just like that.