Chapter 82: What If I Refuse to Negotiate?

The burly man at the head of the group glanced at the crowd gathered around, feeling triumphant inside. He thought to himself, The people's fervor is mine to use, ha ha. Everyone assumes I only know how to fight, but my wits are sharper than they think. Kid, now that everyone is on our side, let's see what tricks you have left.

Feeling proud, the burly man decided to stoke the flames of the lively scene even further.

He straightened himself...

"Ji Yun, you've changed, sometimes you act so old and serious," Lu Qingyi whispered with a smiling face.

Zhu Nao's long hair was tied up carelessly, as if she had hastily arranged it before leaving home. The collar of her undergarments was visible beneath her outer robe.

Yin Ling thought the sword understood her meaning, that it was saying 'You're welcome' to her. Delight filled her heart, a broad smile graced her lips, and her affection for the Sword of Heavenly Wisdom grew even deeper.

"Master! Why aren't you asleep?" Tigerhead, seeing Fang Li seemingly entering meditation again, asked curiously.

Master Cen scrutinized for a long time, tears finally falling from his eyes. "Indeed, the blood of the late emperor, there is a resemblance," he said. Then he attempted to kneel to salute Yu Qing, though he was an elderly man with white hair. Yu Qing would never allow him to kneel for real and hurriedly called for someone to help him up.

For the first time, Guo Ping witnessed Fang Li openly unleashing his magic in front of him. Amidst the overwhelming surge of power, he felt like a leaf floating on water, unable to stand firm, landing awkwardly on the sand beneath him.

"That's terrible. No one's had your cooking for days, and now that you're back, I was hoping to taste it again." As Luo Shuanghua complained to Liu Ling, she suddenly frowned, as if she'd noticed something.

A young man paced anxiously outside the Grand General's mansion. He was a messenger sent to deliver a letter to Tao Bei.

"Ah, as your teacher..." Xuan Yuan Yu was at a loss for words. He had indeed overlooked this point. Of course, no sage could foresee every detail, and he barely knew the Sword of Heavenly Wisdom, nor did he understand the story between Yin Ling and the sword.

The world around was completely isolated, not only Liu Zhang and his companion's connection to the spiritual energy, but even the gods' perception of the heavenly order was cut off. They could rely only on their own strength.

Though the neurotoxin was subtle, it wasn't entirely undetectable. The common folk had their own ways to discern such things.

Ye Jinmu stared dumbfounded into the void. Was this her doing? Had she summoned nearly all the ancestors of the Chu family at once?

"There's no real difference, except the spiritual energy is a bit richer," Elilian replied, unwilling to say more.

In a few days, Zhao Yun returned to Liao Xi's camp with Pang Jun and Zhu Sheng. The next day, Liao Xi finally met Zhu Sheng and the renowned Pang Jun. With a smile, Liao Xi said to Zhao Yun, "Zilong, you conquered Nanyang. Once I return to the army, I'll arrange further rewards." Zhao Yun bowed in reply.

Yet, all youth, all radiant years, the splendor of time—what they endure least is waiting. Sometimes, a single turn can become a lifetime of regret.

That afternoon, Lin Jianxi sat on the living room sofa, watching a drama for a while. Halfway through, Liang Enci suddenly called.

On the verge of eruption, Xiao Sha was stunned. Then, gritting his teeth, he said, "What? Are you saying besides Song Chengjun, the other two are Young Yang and Young Wei?"

Cheng Pan Sheng rolled his eyes. "I'm practically crippled, you know?" Surviving didn't mean he hadn't been wounded.

The true purpose was to make people like Xie Nan serve as 'slaves,' slaves to the powerful, though the facade remained dignified.

Perhaps it was the fear of change, the worry that things and people would no longer be the same. When he was in university, every winter and summer break, he'd return to this city with anticipation in his heart, knowing his grandfather was always waiting for him. But now, everything was gone. The city meant nothing more than an empty shell, a city that only brought him sorrow.