Volume One, Chapter 23: Fourth Uncle

The two locked eyes, neither willing to back down. The tension in the room soared, as if swords were drawn and crossbows loaded. At that very moment, Li Jianbing—known as Old Li Number Four, a man of considerable status in the village—opened the door and entered. Following close behind was Wang Defa, the team leader, who happened to be Wang Ergou’s own father.

With this reinforcement, Wang Ergou felt emboldened. He gripped his air rifle tightly, raising it and shouting loudly.

Meanwhile, Shen Feng emerged from the encirclement without so much as a scratch. The sixteen Sea Hawk Guards who had surrounded him vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving everyone stunned into silence. For a moment, all hands forgot to attack.

The sky was blue, the sea crystal clear, and clouds floated pure and white overhead. Dozens of massive, sturdy ships dotted the jade-green surface of the tranquil sea. Their sails were hoisted to the top of the masts, billowing full of wind. The keels, sharp as blades, cut through the waves as the fleet surged northward.

Chen Hao glanced over at Tang Shi. The Scarlet Spirit Bird perched on her shoulder actually opened its beak and spoke.

Unlike the white-robed Taoist, this man’s features were even more imposing—sharp and defined, exuding a natural authority that commanded respect without effort, as though he was born to look down upon all others.

Tanghe was a river winding through the city, flowing past Jingfu University. Though not large, the surrounding environment was pleasant. Tanghe Park, built along its banks, was a quiet, romantic spot—perfect for lovers, and conveniently close to the university.

They resented the unfairness of the world. Zhang Youtian’s parents hated it too. Yet no one’s resentment compared to Zhang Youtian himself, now forced into the defendant’s seat by the bailiffs.

“His Majesty is so clever, of course he’ll come up with a good plan,” Shen Yunyous’s heart finally settled. She didn’t understand what trick Shen Binfeng had played, but at least Situ Rui hadn’t caught him red-handed. That was enough. She offered a few words of flattery to Situ Rui, then followed him as he left.

“All right, you two come with me to get the money. The rest of you—keep an eye on them!” Hong-ge ordered.

As for Song Lianxin—hmph—when the Crown Prince’s matter is settled, there will be plenty of chances to deal with her.

Yet when the war was over, when the enemy lay dead by his own hand, his legs could not help but tremble.

Qi Yun finished speaking, then took Xing Jiu upon his back and dashed away like the wind, disappearing within moments and leaving only a broken sword on the ground.

Countless soldiers clad in armor, wielding blades, spears, swords, and halberds, clashed together in battle. They fought in two camps: the soldiers of the ancient kingdom of Western Liang and those of the ancient kingdom of Changyao.

A torn neck sent blood flowing back into his windpipe; Obadai struggled to open his mouth, each breath wracked with coughing up fresh blood.

They had emerged from the illusion. Now, upon the true sea, even the cool breeze felt more real as it brushed across the waves.

“I still remember the time the three of us took a thousand soldiers out on a campaign. In just three months, Brother Qi turned that thousand into a crack anti-bandit force…” Chen Yufei recalled.

“No, this truly exists. In the past, some elders from demonic sects, eager for immortality, would seize the bodies of their most talented disciples,” White Tiger shook his head and explained.

“Then I’ll go out first and draw them away. You follow after and get as far as you can—” the man said, about to step outside. Without thinking, Cen Xi grabbed him and stopped him.

Elder Ma, far from angry, simply gave a slight tremble with the hand holding the fifty yuan bill, and the green note magically turned pink.

Perhaps this notion had taken root too long ago—since the very first meeting with Zong Li in a former life. The thought never faded; if anything, the man’s noble bearing only stoked curiosity, making one itch to discover what kind of face could possibly match such poise and conduct.

“Gin!” As soon as she saw the Eastern Sage, Aizen wasted no time. She immediately ordered Ichimaru Gin to open the black cavity.