Volume 1, Chapter 28: Spreading Branches and Leaves

Ling Hongzhuang frowned. Her family, the Ling clan, had always maintained a low profile, rarely appearing in public except for unavoidable social obligations. Their relationships with the major families remained lukewarm, and they had little interaction with the Green Cloud Gang. Why, then, would they show up at her home out of the blue?

Shen Xingsu recounted the events of last night truthfully, including every detail, for fear that Mother Qiao might not believe him.

Setting aside the disparity in cultivation levels between Yan Hui and Ouyang Tuo at the time, there was the matter of combat experience. Yan Hui was a complete novice, possessing almost no experience in struggle. Combined with Ouyang Tuo’s calculated ambush, Yan Hui had fallen into his hands with almost no resistance.

To arrive just in time on the two occasions when Yaoyao was most vulnerable—no one in their right mind would believe that was merely a coincidence.

Although Lei Sheng dared to stand on the city wall and spar with Yang Quan today, he had truly experienced the strength of the number one human being.

"He went on a business trip, obviously," Xu Shiyun replied, glancing at Xu Zuoyan. No sooner had she finished speaking than Xu Zuoyan let out a happy laugh and ran off, closing the door behind him, leaving Xu Shiyun completely baffled.

How could one achieve this? Mencius said, "Looking up, one feels no shame before Heaven; looking down, one feels no remorse before men." With a clear conscience, one can naturally live a steady and secure life.

Fang Qing’s entire body was hot, and his heart was burning. Yet, he smiled faintly, whispering in her ear, "Have we made up?" Jin Xiaozhe looked up and kissed him.

Gan Xin could understand the meaning behind these words, but he did not know why Li Chengye was so obsessed with this matter; to him, it was entirely baseless.

Chu Zuobin did not reply. Instead, he avoided Mo Xingli’s gaze, acting timid and refusing to speak.

He did not notice that in the distance, several young men dressed in understated luxury were glancing repeatedly in their direction, one of them with a particularly gloomy expression.

Just as Obadiah Stane headed to Tony’s residence, Lin Yu and Pepper accompanied Coulson to the S.H.I.E.L.D. branch. Lin Yu hadn't wanted to come, but having nothing else to do, he had tagged along anyway.

***

Since Guliang Song had brought this information, it meant that this so-called land of ill omen actually contained nothing supernatural at all. If there were anything, it was merely the manifestation of human greed and malice.

"With great power comes great responsibility"—that line Uncle Ben always kept on his lips was indeed quite profound. But now, these responsibilities were growing ever larger, gradually making Peter feel as though he could hardly breathe.

He had been shot in the right leg, and the wound near his knee was bleeding profusely; it was clear a major blood vessel had been hit. Every time he put weight on that leg, a sharp pain surged through him. A fracture was certain; he just didn't know how severe the damage was.

After stomping around for a while, Qing Ming’s anger finally subsided. Looking ahead, it realized it had reached the edge of Qingxi Village. Without a second thought, it turned to head back; in its view, staying close to its elder brothers was the safest course of action.

At this moment, wearing a mask and dressed all in black, he lay on the sofa, watching the recording on the television over and over again, never growing tired of it.

"Not at all, you’re joking," the middle-aged madam said with a sycophantic smile, but her hand behind her back was signaling incessantly.

Why should a high tolerance for alcohol be a fault? Er Bang felt indignant. His ability to drink was, in his view, either innate or something he had built up through practice.

"That’s enough... but remember, do not be playful or frivolous, and do not let your eyes wander, or others will surely know you are not the Crown Prince. If that happens, not only will you be unable to wield your power, but you will also be seized and beheaded immediately!" Zhao Chen said coldly.

The moment he had shielded her with his body back then, she had already lost the battle, forced to let her heart slowly fall for him.

At the same time, he took out two pieces of equipment radiating a cyan glow—the very items dropped after the Zombie Lord’s death.

Fang Xiao understood what the Blood-Clad Marquis meant. What is a god? To have power is to be a god! Compared to ordinary players, wasn't he a god now?

Inside her room, Shao Meiqian lay flat on the bed, faintly hearing the chatter outside. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions, and in the end, she simply covered her head with her quilt.

***

People on the outside could naturally glean no information, for no one within the palace was permitted to leave.

Indeed, among the top experts, apart from the ninth-ranked Lin Yue'er, only the eighth-ranked expert remained silent.

The surrounding Khitan soldiers could not help but weep, yet they followed Yelu Dashi’s lead and slaughtered their own warhorses.

A trace of clear displeasure appeared on Ren Xiaoyao’s aged face. He had gained nothing today; the item he had finally set his heart on had been snatched away. He began to calculate how he might reclaim everything he wanted once the auction ended.

Since entering the palace, she had known her hands would never be clean again. Even if she were to become an asset by Lan Yucheng’s side in the future, she would not be pure. Yet, as two living lives vanished because of her own selfishness, her hands trembled; even the water from the Guanyin Bodhisattva’s jade vase could not wash away her filth.

Having said this much, he chose to be wise and stop. Xi Xiangdong understood that these matters were not meant to be brought out into the open.

Lin Jinhui checked his watch. It was only nine-thirty, not very late. Having just endured a great battle and exhausted his physical strength, he rose to wipe himself down, closed the door and the computer, tidied up the stained battlefield on the bed, and prepared for sleep.

"May I ask, senior, are you Meng Po?" Zhou Liang asked, the Nether Sword on his back, ready to strike at any moment, yet maintaining a respectful demeanor.