Volume 1, Chapter 44: Xiao Qingshan’s Life Hangs by a Thread

"No! I never dared to hope that she would one day know I loved her, because her appearance in my life came far too late—so late that it was impossible from the very start. Some people and some things are perhaps more beautiful when kept hidden in one's heart," Fang Weinan said in a deep, somber voice.

"I have finally found you," he said. His voice was so pleasant that she dared say she had never heard anything so magnetic and unforgettable. It was truly magnificent, like the clinking of pearls and jade, or the sound of a flute carried on a gentle breeze.

Leng Yue followed closely behind her, listening to her incessant chatter, but through it, she gathered that the "Second Estate Master's Consort" she spoke of was none other than the Eighth Prince.

"What do you mean? What are you laughing at? And why is it so sinister?" Ye Zifeng could not help but ask.

In this life, whenever the word "child" passed Meng Xingchen's lips, it was an indescribable pain for Leng Yue.

But Wei Gen ignored her completely at the time. With no other choice, she began to constantly challenge his subordinates.

The leader of the uprising immediately ordered his peasant followers to depart for the capital at once.

Qu Feiyan had just seen Xu Yang looking sharp-tongued and triumphant, but as she suddenly caught a glimpse of nostalgia in his eyes, she felt a flicker of unease.

Beneath the moonlight, several long golden needles could be seen, severed into pieces by Mu Gaofeng and scattered on the ground, still emitting cold glints in the lunar glow.

Once Jun Buxian left, the entire administration of the Shu Kingdom truly fell upon her shoulders. The kingdom was currently in dire need of talent, and though Zhu Qin was ruthless, he was at least sensible. Faced with his current circumstances, he had no choice but to serve her.

***

Over the next few days, Jin Yu recovered in the side courtyard. During this time, Fan Tian brought Luo Sha and Ming Feng to visit several times, and Qiaoying, after being grounded for days, snuck out to visit without her master’s knowledge.

She turned back and glared fiercely at Long Yuze, only to find the smile in his eyes strangely unsettling.

"It's nothing, nothing at all, just an accident," I waved my hands hurriedly, though that did little to dispel the awkwardness of the moment.

Hardly had I lowered my head when Mo Yu Jingchen tightened his grip around my waist: "Don't look at other men!" His warm breath brushed against my ear. Ji Zili looked up and glared at him—the man had no sense of occasion.

His gentle, detached call of "Yun'er" pulled Chu Yunlian back to her senses. She looked up, stunned, at those eyes as brilliant as the stars, and the pain racking her body vanished instantly, as if it were nothing more than a nightmare.

Not only that, but every hour she had someone check to see if she was still there. However, after the first few were beaten black and blue, subsequent guards would only confirm her presence from outside the palace doors. She had been so anxious these past two days that she had barely slept.

Zhaoxi looked calm, as if the events of that night had never occurred. She took the medicine and drank it in one gulp. When she handed the bowl back and met Tang Ren’s gaze, her obsidian eyes remained as still as a frozen lake.

In a flash, Qin Ruse threw herself in front of Gongsun Jin to block the arrow. Just as the sharp shaft was about to pierce her chest, a black throwing dart appeared out of nowhere, knocking the arrow to the ground.

The tofu stall owner’s tea eggs were made with Enlightenment Tea—something Su Qi had already tasted yesterday.

Jiang Zuo watched the large fire elemental fly toward him, then flung his hand out, swatting it away in one motion.

***

Seeing their commander so valiant, the seven or eight surviving bodyguards felt their morale soar. They followed Hu Siwanshan's lead, charging into the Guo family's retainers with wild abandon.

She believed that if the "Shuiyou" technology were brought to other cities, it would surely see even greater development than it had here, and that the Yousheng Group would undoubtedly become a world-class corporation.

As her voice fell, she took a step forward. With that single step, the space where Ye Xuan stood became illusory. Simultaneously, that phantom space began to burn, and waves of world-destroying power surged toward him, intent on grinding him to dust.

By the time Murong Luohou and Li Anyuan donned their armor and rode out, Qiu Shili was already struggling under the relentless attacks of Shan Xiongxin. He had narrowly escaped death several times and looked as if he could hold out no longer.

However, such people must surely still exist; you cannot condemn everyone with a single stroke, can you?

Outside the city, a vast temporary camp had formed. Tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry were exposed to the elements, their wailing and cursing shaking the heavens. Inside the city, laborers and support troops ran back and forth, delivering baskets of steamed buns and pots of thin porridge to various collection points so the retreating soldiers could have their fill.

Wang Ande changed back into his simple attire, returned his wooden sword to its old, worn hilt, and bid farewell to his masters. He returned to the Fufeng Academy. It was already night, and the Feng Building was mostly empty, save for the few left to sweep the stairs.

Because his presence there served as a deterrent, none of the servants dared to fight, and they could only spend their days diligently cultivating. As a result, the concentration of celestial spiritual energy in the Primordial Realm began to drop sharply.