Chapter Fifty-Five: Esteemed

Madam Mu considered herself still young. The old matron addressed her as if she were aged, so she insisted everyone in the household call her Madam Mu. Hearing a noise, she turned and realized her son had not yet left; he stood rooted like a great block of ice, chilling those around him into discomfort. She took his arm, leading him toward the dining room. “I haven’t had breakfast either—perfect, I’ll keep you company!”

Along the way, the servants paused their work, bowing their heads and waiting for mother and son to pass before resuming their tasks. Madam Mu could not help but tap Mu Chengyao’s arm. “Don’t always wear that stern face—you’re frightening everyone!”

Mu Chengyao only grew colder.

Madam Mu ignored his mood, chattering on, “Since returning from Qianyun Temple, I haven’t seen Yalan. I wonder how she’s faring—such a pitiful child. Having a father or not makes little difference for her.”

“I suppose no news is good news. Brother Junyan and the others should be fine!” After a brief silence, it was Xie Feng who first regained composure.

Foxes have always been deemed the cleverest of beasts, and the demon beast Three-Tailed Fox is no exception. Among all demon beasts, the Three-Tailed Fox is one of the most likely to break through and become a spirit beast, a testament to its extraordinariness. Yet, though cunning, its strength is lacking, making it the perfect target for Mingxuan to hone his skills.

It was still Xing Shan Temple, but this time, not among the pagodas—rather, in the northwest Dizang Hall. Once they arrived, Xu Jiangnan pushed open the door; to the right stood the Long-Tongued Black Wuchang, shackles raised high. Wei Yue, unprepared for the sight, instinctively shrank back, covering her mouth in a gasp.

Struck by the force of the wind, Zhen Shifeng and the other two were flung into the air. Yet the ordeal was far from over. As the Thunder God glanced at his status bar, he was astonished to find that, even though the scenario had ended, his health continued to plummet rapidly.

That night, Yue Chen was restless. The sense of inexplicable rejection stirred, for the first time, a faint spirit of resistance within him. Yet, regardless, he could not escape the reality of his own identity.

The old man was reminiscing. Xu Jiangnan, reflecting on the elder’s earlier, half-spoken words, more or less understood the meaning. One point was the distinctive nature of the Chang’an noble clans—a reminder, it seemed, to be ruthless in governing others. The other was the elder’s speculation on his father's thoughts in life, which appeared a bit more unorthodox than he had imagined.

“A certain man holds the rank of Grand General, commanding all the armies of the nation. Now, Jin City’s incompetent official, Su Ze, refuses to obey orders—he’s no better than a traitor. I attack him; how is that without just cause?” Lu Bu’s eyes flashed coldly, his very presence exuding authority.

This was precisely Ye Linghan’s greatest advantage in dealing with such creatures, something proven more than half a year ago with Dai Liumeng. Initially, he’d only meant to experiment, never expecting it would truly work.

As soon as the words fell, several members of the school guard burst in, led by none other than Captain Hu Kanshan.

“Hmph! Human life knows no hierarchy! My good friend Liu Dali has been diligent and self-sufficient all his life. Yao Zhichun is a cruel brute, taking lives as he pleases. In my eyes, Yao Zhichun barely qualifies as human—even comparing him to my friend, I fear I’d be insulting Liu!” Mingxuan glared fiercely as he spoke.

Chang Yunlong seemed a little slow to react. He stared at me blankly, then finally nodded, as though having made a great decision. “Alright, then!” Hey, hey, hey—I acknowledge you as my uncle, not the other way around. Why all the fuss?

Since they had already crossed swords, Di Chong would not be outdone. Channeling his magic into the Glazed Sword, it flared to several yards in length, sweeping straight for the Thousand Ghost Banner. As the two met, a swarm of black, wrathful spirits burst from the banner, engulfing the Glazed Sword.

They traveled in silence. Passing Blood Moon City and nearing Dark Moon City, the clanging sounds of battle drifted from afar. Fighting is nothing unusual in the cultivation world, but as Xiao Yu gazed out, she sensed a sharp, overwhelming sword aura.

“Acquainted?” Jia Siddao speculated. With Yang Quan’s appearance, the man in the middle might well be Japanese too.

At first glance, Jia Siddao merely found the painting familiar, but after Ah San’s remark, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.