Volume One, Chapter 39: The Rainbow Grouse

After 240 seconds, the heavy artillery housed in reinforced concrete emplacements began to whir and clatter. Some of these guns had been manufactured as far back as the previous century, and a few had even seen action in the last Russo-Japanese War, but this did not prevent the Soviet forces from continuing to rely on them to guard their vast coastline.

The city lord was a wily old man, not easily dealt with. As the master of an entire city, his word was not something to be changed on a whim. While perhaps not absolute, his promises, once given, were as good as unbreakable.

“What use is that?” Immortal Lord Langya still couldn’t quite grasp it—not that Li Hao’s words were too abstruse, but rather too vague.

At the very least, when it came to the Primordial Unity Staff Technique, his execution of it had become noticeably more refined than before.

Deep within the forest, ancient trees grew so densely and tall as to blot out the sun, casting the whole woods in perpetual twilight. It was eerily silent—no sound at all—until more than a dozen martial artists intruded, breaking the tranquility. Shadows darted among the trees, each searching for a glimpse of Master Ye.

Chen Zheng smiled to himself. He had hoped to strike up a rapport with the newcomer, perhaps to probe questions that Wu Wuchang would not answer or that hadn’t previously occurred to him—questions about the Purifying World Sea of Flames and so on. But if the newcomer was one of Wu Wuchang’s people, he’d likely keep his mouth shut, and Chen Zheng would get nothing. However, if there was a rift between them, then that could be exploited to great effect.

“Get out of my way, you useless oaf! No wonder the city defense troops didn’t want you!” Young Master Ban shouted, then strode over and kicked Sha, sending the fool sprawling to the side as he swaggered out the door.

Yet Su Yingying voiced no complaint, and the more she endured in silence, the more guilty I felt inside.

Outside the arena, the heated, envious stares had already lost their awe for a genius; contempt and disdain had taken their place.

Dan Chen could feel the density of the water—this was no ordinary freshwater or seawater. Aside from what he had seen before in the Lake of the Water Moon Grotto, he had never encountered such strange waters.

Everything unfolded as Han Fei had predicted. Barely a cup of tea’s time after their departure, Elder Simon appeared.

A shout rang out from behind: “Generals, do not panic! He Yuanqing is here to help!” A commander clad in black armor and wielding silver hammers hurried to join them.

Lin Zhen had expected the entrance to the second floor to be tucked away in a corner, but the sight that met his gaze left him utterly astonished.

The first time Wang Likang saw Feng Haosong, he was nearly scared to death. He stumbled backward several steps, as if confronted by the most terrifying thing in the world, and screamed as he never had before.

Lin Zhen could sense the depths of this man’s strength, just as the other could sense his. All of Lin Zhen’s six hundred thousand divine strength was laid bare before him, yet the man still spoke with such confidence. What gave him such assurance?

Hong Xiuquan stirred up the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, launching an uprising in Beichang City. At his command marched the Thirty-Three Heavenly Generals and millions of followers, their numbers swelling like a rolling snowball. In just a few days, the faithful increased by over a million, and the figure continued to rise at a terrifying pace.

“I understand. Go back and continue your investigation. If you see the princess, tell her to remain calm—there’s no need to force anything. Only by keeping a steady heart can she win this contest for the throne!” Ji Ning instructed.

Although Ying Zheng had already appointed Bai Qi as commander, this news was not immediately made public. So, except for a select few in Qin, everyone else still believed that Wang Jian would be leading the campaign.

With the rising flames beneath the Xiaotian pot, a rich aroma of food began to waft outward, spreading in all directions.

Especially since Ying Zheng often tended to state affairs for an entire day at a time. Over time, even if his body could withstand it, his mind would inevitably grow weary.

Shen Bingxue returned from her early shift, bringing back a takeout box of pan-fried dumplings for Shen Qingxin from the breakfast shop downstairs.

“But isn’t he your husband?” Aunt Su Ying asked, astonished; she hadn’t expected to hear such words from her most cherished relation.

Because Su Nianjin had said she wanted noodles for breakfast, when Taohua asked Long Zeyan what he’d like, he also replied that he wanted noodles.

Sheng Ye glanced at the message, and in a moment of impulse typed five words into the input box: “Let’s call off the wedding.”

Qin Baisui took out a Spirit-Nurturing Pill and fed it to Lu Tingxue, smiling wryly as he considered their current predicament.

Lin Feifei picked up a piece of abalone and dropped it into Yang Ying’s bowl. That piece of abalone had already been licked by Lin Feifei’s tongue, as if to hint to Yang Ying, “A pauper like you is only fit to eat what I’ve left, what I’ve tasted first.”

Panic gripped her heart—this was tens of thousands of yuan, her lifeline. She couldn’t, under any circumstances, let it be stolen.

“Why shouldn’t it be possible? Seniority doesn't necessarily determine age. Besides, maybe your age is actually the same as mine, or even greater than ours?” Qian Ling suddenly interjected.

Zhao Qingmiao harbored suspicions, always sensing that her brother was hiding something from her. She turned around, sweeping a glance at the empty space behind her, her brows drooping with disappointment, and blurted out, “Where’s Shen Jiu?” On any other day, he would have already come to attend her by this hour. His absence, simply out of habit, made her feel something was amiss.

While Ye Fan looked up at the stage, from the audience below he could see only darkness—no sign of who might be seated there.

Li Zun summoned the last of his willpower and struggled to say, “Listen to me, Xiaomo, don’t—don’t do anything to me. As long as I can help you, I’ll agree to anything.”

Mo Xiuchen’s cold gaze lingered on Wang Fuyi for a few seconds. He saw her hands clenched tightly at her sides, her body tense, clearly nervous and a little timid.

Ban planned to become Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails in the future, so he needed to control all nine tailed beasts. But these creations of the Sage of Six Paths were all tightly guarded by the major villages, making it impossible for him to intervene for the time being.

At that moment, the Sect Master of the Holy Sword Sect felt a subtle, unspoken sense of emotion well up in his eyes.

“Elder, just now you said—whose biological parents?” Suddenly opening her eyes, An Mei propped herself up against the ground, leaned on a tree, and interrupted the elder.

After Smith finished eating and drinking his fill and left, since today was not a business day, Jones helped Mo Feng clean up, and Mo Feng let her leave early.

“Young Master Ye, if you need to purchase any materials, just make a list. I’ll send someone to fetch them,” Tan Zhong said.