Volume 1, Chapter 27: A Toast of Apology

A resonant whistle echoed from within the Mountain-River Cauldron, followed by a faint, elusive fragrance that drifted and dispersed in all directions.

Ever since Liu Wuchen’s strength began to grow, the system’s status had started to shift as well, though he could not pinpoint the source. However, he could not afford to pause for a deep investigation and thus abandoned the thought; despite the system’s slight instability, it remained beneficial to him for now.

Jing Hua cast a mocking glance at the black-robed figure but offered no reply. His actions were calculated solely to buy time, as he knew full well the disparity in their strength. Attempting to parry the attacks was a mere stalling tactic that would never suffice, so he made a gamble—a gamble with his own life.

This question was indeed critical, for if they wished to continue their progression, they would inevitably face situations requiring someone to stand on the front lines.

That night, Xia Shiguang sat on the sofa in the villa’s living room, unable to sleep. Perhaps it was because she had slept too long during the day; she was certain it must have been that she had slept too long during the day.

Yet, this also proved he still could not control his temper, nor could he wield his inner energy with absolute freedom. Only by being able to withdraw that sword with composure would he reach the true pinnacle of mastery.

Before Xiao Fan could react, he felt his vision blur, followed by a bump rising on his forehead, emitting a wisp of smoke.

Originally, Yuuki, as the primary coordinator, should have gone to help with the contacts, but she was strictly ordered by her sister to stop running about and get some proper rest.

Du Li walked to the stove and ignited the flame. She rolled up her sleeves, feeling even more nervous than she had been during her college entrance exams.

Following the appearance of the first zongzi arm, a multitude of others emerged in succession. It was unclear how these zongzi had been embedded within the rock walls, but it was certain they had been placed there by some peculiar method, rather than having been buried in the ordinary sense.

"Now? What should we do?" Seeing Cheng Mo enter, Nicholas tossed his half-smoked cigarette onto the floor and crushed it with his toe. The other three members of the Russian Skinheads, seeing their leader’s action, also discarded their cigarette butts and ground them out.

Because of this, Chen Xuan chose to travel home during the summer break to adjust his mood. The experiment proved effective; at least now, he felt much better.

Chu Shuangbai and the others dared not step forward, remaining motionless for a long while. It was not until Liu Feng returned to the courtyard with the others that they finally recovered.

With a loud flutter, two wings sprouted from Prince Aujin’s back: one black and one white, symbolizing the wings of an angel and the bat-wings of a demon, respectively.

The first half of the match ended with a score of 2-1, home team leading, away team trailing. Chelsea found themselves a goal down on the road, facing a dire situation.

The background music for "Descent of the Gods" suddenly swelled, and countless starlit blue light particles seemed to drift down from the gloomy sky.

Jones exhaled a long breath, embraced Costa, Fabregas, and the others, and then walked off the pitch.

2-0. The Red Team had been on the back foot from the start of the match. Although their defense had improved slightly in the second half, they remained suppressed by the Blue Team’s offense, and Costa’s goal was the direct result of that pressure.

Two hundred? Does that mean my salary for this month is twelve hundred? I felt an urge to cry. Damn it, I never expected that a job facing the dead all night would only be worth two hundred.

I smiled, knowing that once she said this, things were essentially back to normal between us. Overjoyed, I lowered my head and began to eat my meal heartily.

In any case, because of the matter of repairing the Yongding River dikes, Chen Yan was already viewed by the Crown Prince as part of the First Prince’s faction. Although Qi Qiang had been forced into it, he was sinking deeper and deeper. The Fourteenth Prince was straightforward and loyal, fond of military affairs, and had always been close to the First Prince, who had followed the Emperor on three campaigns against Galdan, and he also shared a deep bond with the Eighth Prince.

"Why is this illness upon you now?" King Zhao of Qin waved his hand, signaling for Bai Qi to forgo the formalities, his brows furrowed in deep anxiety.

The bailiffs in the main hall gave chase, raining down blows with their staves until the male prisoner howled in agony. From within, the cry of Secretary Xu rang out: "Father! Father!" followed by the chaotic wailing of the other male prisoners.

After a long while, Xia Yuhua gradually calmed down. She finally released her father, whom she had been clinging to tightly, and stared at him with a look of pure contentment, as if she could never get enough of the sight.

He shook his head slightly and couldn't help but smile. Forget it; this was not the time to dwell on such things. Although it was not yet appropriate for him to make other moves, he feared the situation would shift in the near future, so he had to prepare himself well for any contingencies.

The Chief Clerk looked up at Lü Shizhi but said nothing more. Lü Shizhi was a maternal relative of the Emperor, and both brothers were high-ranking ministers in the court. Lü Zhi and Lü Yi were the King’s wives, one in the open and one in the shadows, possessing immense status. That Lü Shizhi could remain so steady was truly remarkable.

"Dressed like this, anyone can tell at a glance that we are from the Yaoguang Sect. Since we are out traveling, it would be more convenient to pose as rogue cultivators," Mo Liluo said.

An old saying goes: if you do not choose to go mad in silence, you will simply continue to go mad in silence. Liu Mingming was perhaps worried that I would become the next Ma Jiajue.

"This is a sword formation, a sword formation with immense lethality. Do not enter lightly!" The one speaking was a fox demon who, looking like an old scholar, paced with his hands behind his back, muttering to himself.

She whispered a single sentence, then turned into ash and dissipated forever. I do not know if we will meet again in the next life; all I can hope for is to catch one more glimpse of her in the cycle of reincarnation.

It was only later, when the nobility discovered these beverages and found them delicious, that they began to research and systematize winemaking, leading to the great wineries that now dot Europe. The development of this industry, in truth, began with nothing more than using inferior grapes to brew simple drinks.