Volume 1, Chapter 57: A Man and a Woman Alone in a Room

Inside the car, Gao Xia read aloud the must-visit spots for the next three days to Ji Shu.

Gao Xia snapped her fingers crisply and announced, "Skiing, hot springs, sauna, and local delicacies—everything is fully arranged!"

Looking at Yunzhu's face, which was now no larger than a palm, Qiu Niang felt a pang of heartache. Truth be told, all these years, she had always treated Yunzhu like her own younger sister.

Duoxiang walked in with her head lowered, unsure whether she had taken my words to heart or not. Yet the moment she closed the door, I caught sight of her tightly tensed face, as if she were desperately holding something back.

"Immortals are ultimately meant to be paired with immortals, Qiongluo. I am only doing this for your own good," he said earnestly.

Chu Qiao glanced sideways at Luo Yiyi with a sidelong look. It seemed that a best friend like Luo Yiyi was not one hundred percent reliable.

Thirteen leaned against Zhilan like someone without bones, letting out a yawn. Lei Changming sat on the windowsill drinking wine, while Yanye leaned against the red pillar, exchanging occasional casual remarks with Zhilan. The atmosphere was quiet and harmonious.

Seeing that her mother had remained silent the entire evening, Zhilan timidly reached out and tugged at Yun Qianxue's sleeve.

With her gaze slightly lowered, she looked somewhat pitiful; her long eyelashes veiled her eyes, making her appear even more dejected and dispirited.

"Stop blaming yourself. I am not angry with you. I know how hard you work every day, and I understand your hardships and exhaustion. I believe this matter was just an accident," Xia Nuo said gently, looking at Lu Yihan, who wore a remorseful and self-blaming expression.

Gazing at Xia Xin's arrogant face, Xia Nuo narrowed her eyes and shouted angrily, "Grandfather's death must have something to do with you!" With that, she raised her hand to strike Xia Xin.

In an instant, Xia Nuo felt as though she heard the sound of her own heart shattering. The pain robbed her of even the strength to speak, causing her to collapse directly onto the ground as tears poured uncontrollably like broken beads.

Lou Yueqing's expression turned exceptionally ugly, her figure trembling slightly. The look she cast him was filled with pure rage. Her eyes narrowed fractionally before she raised her hand and struck out without a second thought.

"Your Imperial Concubine pays her respects to the Dowager Empress. May the Dowager Empress live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years," Concubine Shu and Concubine De chimed in with soft, honeyed voices.

Xuanwu Qingyu remained silent. Watching the righteous indignation on Ling Aoxue's face, he looked entirely at ease. The more she cared, the more delighted he became. He was simply waiting for her to erupt in fury.

Nalan Yanran drank eagerly, gulping down the water. This was practically the most delicious water she had ever tasted in her life. Once again, a rumbling sound echoed from her stomach.

At the sight of this, Mo Li merely offered a cold sneer. He neither dodged nor evaded, allowing the strand of vital energy to enter his body unchecked.

As their gazes met, Ling Aoxue distinctly sensed a flash of profound shock in the man's eyes.

"Then let's go to the one I usually frequent! I know the people there very well, and their skills are quite good!" Shen Wanhuai said with a smile.

He was meticulous in his thoughts, and most importantly, he was endlessly patient with Qing'er. She just wondered what he would be like when he grew older. Qing'er already depended on him quite a bit; if things really worked out between them, it would save her a great deal of worry.

Lan Shikang scooped up half a spoonful of medicinal soup, gently blew on it to cool it near his lips, and personally fed it to Xie Dannian. Every movement was filled with an indescribable gentleness.

Without even channeling his inner qi, he watched Pan San's expression shift. The man turned as pale as a corpse, and then let out a roar of agony.

Liang Xiao was now completely cocooned inside the quilt. Although he was merely sleeping beneath the covers, he felt as though he were resting within the embrace of a lover—warm, secure, and infinitely comfortable.

Sun Long's face darkened, and the other members of the Blood Wolf Squad glared as well, locking into a tense, hair-trigger standoff.

However, when the casual young man wearing a duck-billed cap—who had been sitting at the same table as Han Yi—caught an inadvertent glimpse of Li Xue, whose delicate face still bore the familiar, icy expression, his gaze instantly shifted. It grew complex and mesmerized.

After arguing with his father for a long time, he had finally wrung a concession from him: he was allowed to follow Liang Xiao and learn how to do things, provided he never joined Liang Xiao in anything dangerous. Only on those terms did Elder Long dare to rest easy.

"What a cute bell pendant! Even I love it to pieces!" Luolu exclaimed in admiration.

Looking at the transaction points displayed on the trading stall, Qin Junxi simply could not believe his eyes.

Qi Yu sheathed the fine snow-white blade, glanced at Zong Bailou, withdrew his gaze, and uttered a single sentence.

Nicol said nothing at all, merely keeping her head slightly lowered, her eyes and lips brimming with sorrow. Her frail form appeared so fragile against the late autumn wind that it could not help but stir a profound sense of pity in anyone who beheld her.

Qi Yu's brow furrowed tightly as he lashed out, kicking the giant bat squarely in the head. With a resounding crash, its head slammed heavily against the rock wall. The bloodied and battered visage only made it look more terrifying and ferocious, further unleashing the creature's innate bloodlust.

Hovering above the ocean surface, Qi Yu quietly observed the giant turtle's movements. He had already noticed it the moment it stood up to move, but he had chosen not to stop it, trailing far behind instead. He wanted to see precisely where the creature was trying to escape to.

Hearing his words, everyone on the Southern Spirit Hall's side—whether Jun Yan, Shi Ling, or the rest—felt a jolt in their hearts. They silently heightened their vigilance, channeling their spiritual power without the slightest slack, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Boss!" they angrily discovered that Jun Yan, the very instigator and most crucial figure behind all these events, had already vanished without a trace. Turning to look at their subordinates, who all wore identical expressions of bewilderment and ignorance, "Boss" was thoroughly enraged. Yet before he could vent his fury, that same gloomy, chilling voice sounded once again.

These occult organizations had extremely poor relations with the British Church. From her perspective, they were indeed the most probable culprits.

Han Qingqing did not stubbornly refuse. She knew very well that if anything happened to her, Qin Yang would truly be in grave danger. To rescue her, he would do things so perilous that victory was practically impossible—just like the time Miaoha was kidnapped with a bomb strapped to her chest, and Qin Yang had still rushed in without a second thought.

Although she had no idea what that Spirit of Time was "dawdling" about, this was hardly the moment to expect anyone else to save them.