Paranoia

A guest? Where would a guest come from? Xie Qingfa’s expression was one of utter bewilderment. Aside from Zhou Fu, there was no one else he expected to see today. If anything urgent had come up, even the Special Division would have simply called rather than climbing up the mountain to find him.

Pei Jiangyu had never witnessed a visitor arrive either, but as someone versed in the mystical arts, she could sense the extraordinary aura surrounding this person. Cautious by nature and aware that this guest’s identity might be far from ordinary, she decided to invite the person in for tea at the front room first.

Xu Qianqian, having just taken on her first disciple since descending the mountain, was in high spirits. She raised her wine gourd and drained it in one hearty gulp, then wiped the wine from her mouth with a flourish before instructing the old azure ox to press on eastward.

Of course, in the secret realm, anything could happen; the absence of breath did not necessarily mean someone was dead.

“You!” Xu Sheng’s eyes widened, as if he could hardly believe such words were coming from a person of such great virtue and power.

But the human magicians here clearly lacked the innate advantages of the fae. To surpass the rank of Grand Mage, they had to leave a part of their soul here forever.

Night Ghost Valley’s gray hair fell in strands along his face. Night Yutian felt as though he could reach out and touch him, but the darkness was so thick he couldn’t see Night Ghost Valley’s expression.

I had thought this whole storm had finally blown over, but to my surprise, the very next afternoon, Ye Han came looking for me at the shop—and he brought along a pot-bellied, balding man who looked every bit the nouveau riche.

Although the first place on the Commanders’ Board had already been decided, the other commanders could still fiercely compete for points on behalf of their military peaks, each striving to earn the title of the strongest.

“The Dragon Crown Prince has been pierced by your lordship’s Hou-blood Nail. In less than five days, his foundation will be irreparably damaged,” said the Scarlet Lotus Enchantress.

On hearing this, Night Yutian—who had a powerful sense of adventure—immediately perked up, sitting bolt upright.

In Xiao Yun’s sight, a corpse hound, its body rotting and exuding a chilling aura, slunk out of the darkness. The instant it spotted Xiao Yun, its eyes turned blood-red, and with a snarl, it lunged at him.

Naturally, in the low-tech world, Wang Yong would not intervene. To him, he was merely an observer there. Even if atrocities unfolded before his very eyes, he might not act, for according to the original timeline, he had no power to interfere in such matters.

Yuan Lai gave an awkward smile, but there was a subtle change in his gaze. In his understanding, within such a feudal framework, people here simply wouldn’t say such things as Xin Qing had, with that faint, self-mocking tone.

Thinking back, it seemed someone had fallen first—could it have been Chen Sheng or Chen Wu?

No one knew how Mr. Liao had managed to find him, nor what exactly was said to persuade Yiwei to make his way to the Shentu residence and request a meeting with both Shentu Wujia and Yuan Lai.

Yet, to everyone’s astonishment, under this overwhelming blade energy, the barrier merely let out a dull thud and then everything fell silent—it remained utterly unscathed.

The next morning, Qian Mimi woke up very early, mainly out of worry that Qian Jinjin might be anxious about her ability to take the exam, which could distract her from her studies.

The difference of a single noble rank was as great as the gap between heaven and earth, just as the disparity in ability between Su Zi and the Imperial Duke.

With those words, Su Su immediately began to circulate her inner energy; her vital force surged and flowed through her meridians, her eyes fixed intently on the Sea-Securing Needle.

After kicking Ouyang Lei aside, Jiang Ning reached out to wrap his arm around Shui Yanxi’s slender waist. The warmth and softness beneath his hand made his heart flutter.

By all rights, the heir-apparent ceremony should have been held at the imperial sacrificial altar. But Liu Feng was an exception; exiled from Luoyang before even taking a consort, the ceremony had to be organized and presided over by Lady Chen. The rituals themselves were not overly complex—simply a matter of paying respects and making offerings to the ancestors.