Chapter 38

At this moment, the Western merchant consuls were all gathered in a wind-sheltered mountain hollow facing the sea near Lushankou Village.

"Your Highness, please get some rest today. You must be exhausted from the journey to and from Mount Qingcheng; do not worry about anything else," Zisu said, tending to Qin Changning’s grooming after she had finished her meal.

He hurriedly tucked away his precious jewelry and banknotes, waiting for nightfall. He knew that moving in broad daylight was too conspicuous and would surely hinder his escape.

The mysterious man could only offer such comfort to Wang Mian, as it was his own disclosure that had led other mages to misunderstand Wang Mian.

Qin Changning closed her eyes, a faint smile touching her lips. "Yin Jinglan, rest assured, I will not die. I will return to find you, so please, do not do anything foolish."

"Keep a close watch on her," Ye Chen said to Jing Yi. He had to deal with the most formidable enemy and would have no time to look after Lin Ling’s safety.

He, along with Cao Kezhong and Zhang Mengyuan, had put immense effort into recruiting the thirty battalions of the "Jin-Sheng Army," only for the entire force to be wiped out overnight. How could his heart not ache?

Ever since he and Fu Run, a staunch loyalist of the late Li Hongzhang, had swapped positions as governors of Anhui and Eastern Shandong in September, he had spent the last few months tirelessly purging the influence of the Huai Army in Eastern Shandong.

Hugging... Ye Chen’s mind was tangled for a few minutes. While such normal physical contact shouldn't have affected him, why did he feel somewhat reluctant?

The two remained silent for a long while, quietly watching Nangong Heng, who was huddled in a corner, questioning the meaning of life for the hundredth time.

Upon hearing this, the group playing cards and dining grew excited. They immediately tossed their poker cards aside and ran behind Shen Wenze, all glaring at her with burning rage.

Steward Wang was a clansman and confidant of Wang Shenghu, which gave him a relatively high position within the Black Snake Gang. However, for a banquet of this scale, he was not qualified to sit with the bigwigs and could only wait outside.

***

In truth, facing such a situation, Hai Mu could not devise a better strategy than using a thin-line alarm system to completely isolate their area. The perimeter began on both sides of this cliff, and with sparrows keeping watch from above, they could rest easy within this fully enclosed fan-shaped zone.

Upon hearing Lin Yu’s words, everyone’s gaze finally shifted, and indeed, the ghost looked no different from a human being.

Fu Ningxue, hearing the commotion outside, rushed over, only to overhear what Mingyue had just said.

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen guards—each of whom could be called an expert in the martial world—collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Furthermore, with Si Shoujun in charge of production, Snow White had been breaking records consistently. Given the current trend, they could begin preparing to open up overseas markets.

After she left, Mu Yun finally approached Mingyue, picked her up, and quickly returned to where the Wood Elf patriarch resided.

Filled with doubt and trepidation, he figured it was better to be safe than sorry. If he were to risk his life by not resisting this heavenly tribulation, he could be reduced to smithereens. Since there was no immediate crisis, he had to break through with all his might; one must never be careless when crossing a tribulation.

More than ten minutes passed, yet the situation remained calm and undisturbed. If the plot were to be followed, Megatron should have been thawed by now, and Sam should have been whisked away by Bumblebee.

"I wonder how Tianwen Mansion is faring, and how Haitang is doing," Zhang Tao thought with slight worry. In this attack on the Sanctuary, even if the Jiemie Tower had not sent their full force, Tianwen Mansion itself still retained much of its strength. Yet, facing the aggressive Loose Practitioner Alliance, he believed they would surely be overwhelmed.

Yang Feng nodded timidly, while Zhang Hua and Yang Wanting smiled in response. Regardless of their varying levels of strength, they were all sixteen or seventeen, similar in age and living together, which naturally fostered a sense of camaraderie.

"Damn it, let you taste Grandpa Rabbit’s Vast Heaven Hammer..." Tu Maomao bared his teeth, his snowy white robes stained with blood. It was unclear whether it belonged to the enemy or himself, but judging by his spirit, it certainly wasn't his own.

***

Chu Yang’s act of trading precious medicinal herbs for ordinary ones immediately sparked a flurry of discussion among the crowd below, all lamenting his insanity.

Just as Lin Jieren was feeling immensely resentful, Ma Zhong’s face, painted in fresh greasepaint, appeared before him.

There were several factions on the planet Tiangou, and the Qingxin Sect was considered a major power there. The teleportation array Chen Fei and his companions had used was one of the Qingxin Sect's. With dozens of such arrays on the planet, one could imagine its prosperity. Having parted ways with Wang Peng and the others, they were now thousands of miles away.

One of the three demons locked in a fierce battle with Duoming was caught off guard for a mere second, and in that instant, Max’s attack reached it. His purple-gold dragon tail pierced the demon’s body like a straight spear.

The intense cold and the devouring black mist constantly intertwined and neutralized each other, with neither gaining the upper hand. An Yan, however, gave a sinister laugh and lunged forward, throwing his fists like lightning. Zhang Tao dodged left and right, parrying the blows.

Over such a long period, even without counting the Council’s reinforcements, the energy-absorbing roots alone would have been enough to suck these bird-people dry into mummies, wouldn't they?

However, An Nianrong was accustomed to overcoming adversity. She quickly consolidated her resources and tenaciously carved out her own path. When she couldn't work from the inside, she started from the outside, even though it required much more effort.

Although Qi Tai still felt it was improper, he saw the Emperor’s resolve was set and knew there was nothing he could do to ease his own anxiety.

Perhaps he should send them a notice, Lai Chunlei thought idly, suggesting they fight with cold weapons as they did in the Middle Ages, quietly resolving their differences in the dark.

They could only do their best to wield their long swords, shielding their faces and chests—the most vital parts of their bodies.