Volume 1, Chapter 34: A Day of Rest

After waiting for over ten minutes, my cousin-in-law stepped out of the room. Seeing the smile on her face, I finally felt at ease. The fact that she was smiling at me meant she didn't mind me staring at her earlier!

"Xiao Gang, wait a moment, I'll make you something to eat."

"I'll help you."

"No need, you've had a hard time resting, just sit and wait."

Her tone was gentle, and her words were filled with concern for me. I didn't want her to work so hard and wanted to help, but no matter what, she wouldn't let me into the kitchen. Unable to refuse her, I could only wait at the kitchen entrance. Watching her busy inside, I felt a deep sense of happiness. I also thought my cousin was out of his mind.

Cousin-in-law...

Drawing on his superior strength and speed, Chen Mo combined various fighting techniques, gathering the best from many schools to gradually develop his own fighting style, creating a combat system best suited to himself. It was precisely because of his understanding that when he saw the chaotic scene, his first reaction was not anger, but worry.

Long ago, the two of them formed a bond under the Bodhi tree, using the aliases "Mantou" and "Baozi," and it was in this Red Mountain world before them that their friendship was forged. Although it was unclear which category the underlying reasons fell into, that did not mean such matters were innocent, so according to the current rhetoric, there was simply no need for it.

James ignored Victor's fierce glare. Without even turning his head, he continued to lie on his back with his arms behind his head. She finally no longer had to stay in bed every day and could occasionally take a stroll or bask in the sun when the weather was nice.

***

Upon hearing the sound of the zither, Bi Yuntao’s panicked heart immediately calmed, filled with excitement. While driving, Liu Mang spoke to the Third Young Master of the Lu family. Through their interactions over the past two days, Liu Mang had learned the Third Young Master’s true name. However, no one dared to speak up about such matters; after all, even the prefectural government didn't bother with it, so they had even less authority to do so.

A chant of the Great Dao resonated from the Golden Bell Shield, giving off a sense of holiness. But that was only from a distance; up close, one would naturally discover the sense of superiority rooted in his bones. With the protection of the strong, not only did they not have to worry about safety, but the stronger the tribe, the less likely they were to lack food; this was one of the reasons why wandering beast-men flocked to powerful tribes.

The resurrection ritual had successfully begun; what remained to be seen was whether this method would truly work. And yet, Sean, who had caused all these good deeds, was to have his powers stripped by him. Even if he objected, the citizens of Attilan would not agree; they even wanted to dismiss the power of the Royal Guard. It was only after they argued their case that they secured the best possible outcome.

"Very well, it seems you have been well persuaded by Black Bolt and the others and are willing to do this. Come, absorb my power, so I can see how such a legendary ability truly works!" Elder Shan said quite courteously.

Lin Mu shook his head, not even wanting the ten sacred-grade origin stones. Now, they were of negligible use to him, so he simply tossed them aside. Just like that, Fan Jian inexplicably became a guest elder of the Cold Sword Sect, making his stay all the more legitimate.

Jiang Feng was both surprised and delighted. Without a word, he sat cross-legged, covered the special black sand with his hands, and closed his eyes to channel his energy. Ye Han left the inn and, not in a hurry to leave the city, wandered around Boundless City. With the mask given to him by Yun Xiaojing, he wasn't afraid of being recognized.

Seeing Si Qi enter, the blush on Jia Yingchun’s face deepened, and she clutched her quilt, trying to sit up.

Clearly, because all the men were sent out on patrol, the room was empty. Several filthy mattresses were tossed randomly in the corners, and various kinds of household refuse littered the floor. Even with the strong sea breeze blowing, a faint stench still lingered in the room.

Because the Liao and Song dynasties were effectively performing on the same stage, the chaos in the Liao State was the crisis of the Song State. Today, they were at an underground location where the lighting was relatively dim. Yet, it was a bright, sunny day, and the light outside was piercing. When Li Xue walked out with the others, she was momentarily blinded by the sun and took a while to recover.

Some of the Inner Guards learned the training methods of the hundred-man commanders, lifting stone locks with both hands and training with weights. Eventually, more and more people followed suit, leading to all the stone locks in the Inner Guard camp’s training ground being moved to the First Battalion's Second Team. If they wanted to test their strength, they had to run over to the First Battalion.

***

Li Chengdong led five thousand men on a fifteen-day forced march, catching the Shaowu regime off guard. He took Chaozhou without much cost. The first thing he did upon entering the city was to announce a three-day "closing of the blades," letting his men do as they pleased.

"Many thanks for your help, Brother Ye. Another day, Xiaoyou will invite you to dinner at Dongpo Tower!" Feng Xiao stepped forward and smiled in gratitude.

The figures of the two retreated simultaneously. The branch was, after all, a phantom object; even if shattered, it could reform, though its power would be greatly diminished. Because even the other major races remained silent upon hearing this news, they did not broadcast it widely.

Cat Face looked at her companion’s corpse, covering her mouth to stifle her sobs, afraid to cry out loud for fear of angering the Half-Faced Man.

"Hmph!" Long Jun only spat out this one word before leading Chuanxi, the Son of Heaven, and the group of men in black out from within the palace walls. Along the way, because of Long Jun, they did not encounter any obstruction at all; it could be said that everything went smoothly.

His eyes were melancholy. She couldn't see his face clearly, but she could feel a terrifying danger from him, like a hunter lurking in the darkness, making one shudder. They were all somewhat surprised, not understanding what exactly had happened to them. However, they could roughly guess that if they weren't mistaken, the reason things were completely different from what they had imagined was...

But it was all in the past. He took Caiyun and continued on his journey. The sun was bright on the road, a perfect time for traveling.

Far from being able to display his original strength, it was a stroke of luck not to have his cultivation suppressed. Only Nie Fan remained as brave and unstoppable as before.

The magistrate’s wife had issued such an invitation that Su Yuqing found it hard to refuse, though Aunt Yang wanted to persuade her not to go—the main point being that she was pregnant! Wouldn't attending a banquet be a trial?

Flowers fell in profusion, people departed, and the courtyard stood empty. The wooden swing continued to sway rhythmically in the breeze, and the lush leaves of the sweet osmanthus tree rustled in the wind.

Saliva dripped uncontrollably from Xuanwu’s mouth, his eyes fixed on the perfectly presented, fragrant chicken. Like him, Comrade Maoqiu was so overwhelmed by the scent that he couldn't even lift his legs.

"I am telling you one thing today. If you still insist on your decision, I will not blame you. Once the dust settles, you may retire to your hometown," the Emperor said slowly with a sigh.

"You don't mean to say that there is no difference between us and that Chi Jiuli, do you?" Wu Yu said, somewhat displeased.