39 Retreat

In fact, Yue Fei had long anticipated this, which is why he had already ordered Niu Gao’s cavalry to fill their water bags to the brim, a precaution against unforeseen needs.

Three figures in black launched a ferocious, coordinated assault on Lin Tianfan, forming a "pin" formation that instantly sealed off all three of his escape routes. His only option appeared to be to turn and flee, but in a duel between masters, victory or defeat is decided in a heartbeat; the moment you turn to run, you have already lost, for that single turn gives your opponent a world of opportunity.

Xie Qingqing shook her head, then reached into her bosom and slowly withdrew a pristine white handkerchief. She unfolded it completely to show everyone, and there, in the center of the fabric, lay a single, vivid crimson stain, like a plum blossom in full bloom amidst a heavy snowfall.

"Li Zi, I am so tired!" Lin Tianfan held Li Zi’s graceful form, a profound sense of exhaustion welling up from the depths of his soul.

Zi Yanxia’s killing intent erupted, her inner energy saturating the mountain peak and vibrating through the clouds. Strands of drifting mist responded to her power, rapidly converging to form a magnificent, iridescent cloud of seven-colored vapor. As beams of light burst forth and the clouds swirled, the scene was truly spectacular.

Tang Yan sat in the car, her large, bright eyes shimmering with a cunning light. She stared at Lin Tianfan without blinking, as if attempting to peer straight through to his soul, making him feel rather uneasy.

In truth, he had been keeping a close watch on every corner of the darkness, yet he had failed to detect Jing Yan. Now, to be discovered by Jing Yan in turn—how could he not be furious?

No sooner had the wick finished speaking than a flash of golden light sparked from its tip. The wick instantly transformed into a wisp of white mist and was absorbed into the crisscrossing grid. Immediately after, the old man lifted the chessboard and gave it a forceful shake in the air, sending a beam of spiritual light soaring toward the Celestial Realm.

The sweeping victory in the East Ocean naval battle left the Chinese Empire in a dominant position. The East Ocean Fleet had gained complete control of the seas, allowing a large number of troops previously stationed along the eastern coast to be redeployed to the Western Front to prepare for the great battle expected the following spring.

He yanked the door open, only to find a crowd of Miao girls gathered outside—without a doubt, they were there to eavesdrop on the bridal chamber. Seeing Lin Tianfan emerge carrying Xie Qingqing, the group burst into laughter and playful commotion.

Su Weiyi nodded as well. She had finished the painting by the end of April. Although it was merely a school-level selection, she had conceptualized it with great care, artfully connecting the most beautiful vistas of Q University in a style reminiscent of a comic strip.

That evening, Su Wei received a call from Dr. Huang informing her that the surgery for Shen Munian was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. After hanging up, Mrs. Su came down from upstairs and entered the kitchen; Mr. Su had already been discharged and was home recuperating.

"Mrs. Shen, there are some things I believe I must tell you," the driver said, his face stern.

***

He did not intend to stay here, for he was not the protagonist of this place—Wang Cai, the Brain Demon, was.

Though she thought this to herself, she did not act upon it. She walked silently to his side, pulled the quilt over him, then turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Seeing that there was not even a single cleaning woman in Feng Chengjun’s courtyard, Dabao was about to run off to find someone.

"As long as you understand. Nothing is more important than a harmonious family and siblings who protect one another," Shen Munian said, his words carrying a deeper meaning, but Shen Muyun was lost in thought and did not hear him.

In interstellar warfare, planar portals—especially large-scale ones—are always the most critical military facilities and the primary focus of contention between warring factions.

Upon hearing these words from Mai Duoduo, the old chieftain and the four eggs were so moved that they knelt before her, kowtowing incessantly.

Several large passenger ships, escorted by cruisers and destroyers, departed from Wusongkou and headed northeast. At this moment, Colonel Lin received a report from his subordinates stating that two important guests had boarded and were requesting an audience.

With the aid of the medicinal pill’s special properties, one could condense the world’s primordial energy to achieve a breakthrough. However, this often resulted in the practitioner’s internal energy becoming shallow and unstable, making it difficult to consolidate. This doomed them to stagnation for a long time to come, causing them to miss their golden window of cultivation and live with lifelong regret.

"We have already conducted random inspections of the feed at the Wanxin Company’s market. We can confirm that the other feeds also contain ephedrine," Lin Fei stated.

But now, there was no other choice; only these teeth possessed any real lethality. Once he bit down, he had no intention of letting go.

"That day, I was discussing business with someone, and he poured me two cups of Da Hong Pao tea. Shortly after finishing them, I began to feel unwell. It was only later that I realized he had poisoned them," Bao Xingfeng said.

Ever since Jess inherited the Sword of Agilus, he had used it for over a hundred years to suppress the entire Dark Council while simultaneously deterring the Holy See. It had always been synonymous with invincibility.

The previous gunshot had been fired by a guard in a panic; his aim was poor, which was the only reason he had barely managed to dodge it.

***

The cold wind whistled, showing off its might, lashing out at everything on the earth like a blade. The birch leaves along the roadside had been swept away by the gale, and the branches whipped against each other, creaking and wailing in the biting wind.

Lin Xiong and his men on the opposite side were also somewhat surprised; they could not understand why their opponents had suddenly halted when they held an absolute advantage.

Upon receiving the order to retreat, the commander of the enemy tank division immediately turned his rear guard into the vanguard, swiftly changing formation and fleeing into the distance like a streak of smoke.

It was little wonder that eunuchs could wreak such havoc on the imperial court; the emperor was completely unable to maintain a balance. Those men, already possessing physiological defects, acted with total impunity, pushing the nation to the brink of collapse.

"Get out." With a surge of aura, Gu Wei sent the flower-hearted woman flying. Though she had been on guard, she was powerless against the contact of his spiritual energy.

Wang Jianjun knew he was no saint, and he had committed his fair share of misdeeds, but this was something that completely crossed his bottom line.

As time passed with no one succeeding and no other treasures within the space, the number of participants dwindled.

"Your Highness, Shuiyue," the Hu woman walked in, looking anxious. Jin Zhiyong’s expression was also very grim.

"My carriage is here, so I’ll be heading back to my maiden home now," Yufeng said, closing her trunk and locking it. She hailed a carriage in the middle of the road, and as it stopped before her, the driver helped her lift the trunk inside.