Chapter 61: Even Pampering Tuan Tuan Requires Taking a Number

"Military Advisor Guo, ever since Ziyi and I swore allegiance to our lord, we have yet to render any significant service. On this expedition, Ziyi and I wish to serve as the vanguard for the entire army!" Zhao Yun said to Guo Jia.

A dense forest is indeed an exceptional place for concealment, but this advantage of terrain and timing applies equally to anyone entering these lands—especially those backup personnel who naively thought they could be completely safe and remain hidden by simply holing up in the woods.

In the blood-stained backyard of the Vajra Mountain Dog Meat Restaurant, Chen Xudong was confronting a bare-chested, fierce-looking butcher with a brutish face. The butcher held a rope, the other end of which was tightly bound around the neck of a pale-yellow spell-ox. With just a single tug from the butcher, the ox would face strangulation, making the situation critical in the extreme.

Ling Duanshang's footsteps came to an abrupt halt, and two spots of crimson instantly welled up in his tranquil pupils.

The colossal bamboo seemed entirely oblivious, its thousands of branches unfurling to lunge at Ling Duanshang once more. That single drop of blood was a heaven-sent treasure capable of allowing the entire azure bamboo lineage to cultivate into bamboo spirits, a miraculous item that could rapidly elevate it into a monster of the spiritual awareness stage. How could it possibly allow a mere mortal before its eyes to take it away?

Yet she also knew that Xue Ba had a fiery temper. If the innkeeper hadn't acted this way, when Xue Ba's fury erupted, it was entirely possible he might have smashed the entire inn to pieces.

The axle-armed fellow fared no better. While he was fully engrossed in exchanging blows with Chen Zui, a fierce wind whistled menacingly past his ear. Instinctively dodging aside, a jade-green shadow brushed against his cheek, plummeted to the ground, and shattered into smithereens.

Liu Yu rode ahead on his jade-spotted steed, followed by the carriage convoy, surrounded by soldiers from the personal guard battalion. It was said that to secure one of these hundred coveted slots, the battalion had even held a rigorous contest. The soldiers all considered protecting the general a supreme honor, and these hundred men were battle-hardened elites, each capable of fighting ten.

Training in fist techniques with Zhuan Zhu these past few days had not directly increased his ability level, but Li Zhishi found that throwing punches had become much more effortless.

Although he hadn't given prior notice, he could simply grant himself a "customs exemption" during the inspection anyway. Besides, with the regimental commander and political commissar right here, and given that Staff Officer Li was on very good terms with him, he wouldn't raise any objections.

Adhering to the principle of keeping profitable ventures within familiar hands, Zhou Xiang personally called Tao Feng'er back from the county seat. Upon hearing that the job involved repairing a pier, Tao Feng'er was initially reluctant to take it on, but after realizing she had no other business going on, she gritted her teeth and returned anyway.

The fat man answered first: "My name is Liu Minghai." The other two followed suit with their names: Qian Feng and Wei Sihang.

When Shen Hao finished washing up and returned to the dining room, Shen Yan had just finished his tasks as well. Sitting at the table, Shen Hao watched as Shen Yan walked over holding a large bowl with both hands. Lowering his gaze, Shen Hao saw a generous serving of tomato-braised noodles topped with two golden, plump poached eggs.

Yet at this very moment, the youthful passion of Long Chengyue and his fraternal bond for Long Zaitian came flooding back.

"Company Commander Zhu, why so late today? I thought your Seventh Company wouldn't dare to show up." Qin Yu grinned broadly.

The Qitian True Immortal looked in puzzlement at the Tai Chi diagram revolving around Long Yu's body, reaching out a hand to test its properties.

That night outside the Sunflower Manor, Uss had learned what kind of person Director Dunli truly was. Perhaps Director Dunli had some ulterior motive?

She had come here to scold him, intending to let him know that even if she seemingly suffered defeat, she would not make things easy for him. Look at this—she had schemed to bring His Highness the Father here to eradicate the Crown Prince's faction!

The owners of those fragments of memories devoured during time travel were not mages from this world, but rather from other magical realms. This world had yet to produce a spatial mage capable of forging doors to cross the void.

Shangguan Wan'er felt a profound sense of irony; she had actually been one of their targets all along. But the next instant, she could no longer find any humor in it—Li Xian was staring intently at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable, flickering with shifting emotions.

Su Er was already waiting there, having hidden amidst a collapsed wall to avoid being spotted by players. Seeing Su Ca get out of the carriage, he stepped out.

Ye Bai gazed at the figure suddenly materializing ahead—though calling it a human would be a stretch; a ghost would be a much more accurate description. The ghost raised its head to reveal an honest, countrified smile, a smile so naive, save for the drops of blood oozing from its eyes.

The old woman's voice came chillingly from within the house, carrying a trace of lingering anxiety, yet retaining a lofty, commanding tone.

Mo Di let out a soft sigh, wishing to urge Fanyu to speak plainly without beating around the bush, but Su Ca gestured for Mo Di not to interrupt and let Fanyu continue.

This door bore a striking resemblance to the Heavenly Gate witnessed upon first arriving in the Chaos Firmament, yet it possessed only a shred or two of the Heavenly Gate's divine essence, falling short of being the true article.

Li Yunchen did not bother to bicker with her. Since Ming Xiao Feng had already fled, he would undoubtedly spread the news, and the matter of the Immortal Divine Physique would soon sweep across the entire Divine Land.

Following that, two steel awls pierced through the void, aiming directly at Nan Jin's eyes, closely followed by a pair of arms flying through the air to smash down upon her.

Naturally, with matters having evolved to this current stage, everything was being driven by an irresistible trend. All they could do was minimize their losses to the greatest extent possible—and this so-called minimization of losses merely amounted to hoping their clan could retain its independence, while any thoughts of making a comeback in the future were matters for another day.

Liu Motao committed Ling Xiao's words to memory; he would drink this wine when the appropriate time came. Having spent just a few days leaving the mystic realm, the siblings had grown considerably, and they still needed to accumulate much more before they were truly ready.

"Mm, well said," Yun Fan took in Han Lingyin's voluptuous figure at a single glance, then shifted his gaze slightly away as if he hadn't seen anything, merely nodding in acknowledgment.