Volume One, Chapter 55: The Underground Shelter

When she finally met Elder Lin, she saw that he was around fifty years old, his hair streaked with white, his eyes sharp and astute, a man seasoned by experience. Noting the large red mole on his right eyebrow, as she had been told, and finding no trace of villainy in his bearing, Tan Yin produced the jade thumb ring and explained that someone from Yun Lake had sent her. Even a cornered rabbit will bite; observing the movements of Shangguan Yunhe and the others, Shi Feng realized that today, he and Tang Jiu Si would likely meet their end.

Zhang Ya and her friends were discussing Su Yue’s husband, whose family background was said to be truly impressive, and who himself was a gifted young man. The knife in his hand was hurled straight at Yuan Qiang, embedding itself in the white wall behind him. If the test proved too difficult, once the papers were handed in, it seemed the students at the special training camp would need an even tougher regimen.

Seeing Elder Lin act as he did, Tan Yin felt reassured, memorized his words, and slipped off the thumb ring from his right hand—a ring of pure, translucent green. Noting the late hour and the urgency of her task, she rose and hurried to Menghua Street. He was unafraid of others stealing his methods; even with the recipe, without true energy and proper technique, it was useless.

The grand hall was a spectacle of luxury and splendor, with crystal beads strung like pearls throughout. Ingeniously, a clear stream encircled the hall, reflecting the beads and the water, so that reality and illusion blurred together—ethereal and dreamlike, as though one stood upon the clouds, unable to discern what was real and what was not.

When Li Zheng entered her room, sunlight slanted through the window, casting Tan Yin’s face half in shadow, her gaze coldly fixed upon him. Meanwhile, Mu Juechen, having just straightened his long robe, acted as if he saw nothing at all. He sat quietly, sipping tea in a corner, neither questioning nor interfering, his silence a tacit approval.

They continued to discuss the city gate, but Lei Dazui had already vanished from sight. Tan Yin’s gaze then fell upon Fang Qiming—who was he? She seemed to recall him speaking with Tang Luo just moments ago. Tang Luo shot Zhang Dachao a fierce glare; had it not been for Bai Feifei’s presence, he would have beaten the fellow senseless.

The Silverheart region exuded a sinister aura; no living creatures dwelled there, leaving the place lifeless, gloomy, and terrifying. “Is this really true?” the Fifth Prince said, and at that, Dragon Thorn’s eyes lit up with eager cooperation.

The sounds of quarreling and objects breaking echoed from the rooms next door. All the young women gathered downstairs, craning their necks to see what great commotion was afoot. “You truly are a forgetful man, brother. Not long ago, I sent envoys to Linlang to discuss the division of the city, yet you have still not given me a reply.”

Returning to a world one hundred million years in the past, then discovering the sudden appearance of pure water sources—could this be a sign of the earth’s spiritual energy awakening?

One thing was certain: compared to the temperamental Lou Shenghao, Ji Cairao was far more willing to draw close to Cheng Yin Nie, even going so far as to make requests or confide her heart to him without reservation.

“Useless fools! Do I feed you all for nothing?” The constable led the charge himself this time. Qin Hanyue, no longer showing mercy, struck with lethal intent, each move aimed at a vital point.

“I am Xikun, commander of the Imperial Guard. I beg the god-general Di to allow me to complete this bow.” Gravely wounded, the man knelt on one knee again.

Such misdeeds had been perpetrated by the alligator demon for many days, repeatedly succeeding, yet today Lin Qingxuan saw through his schemes.

It was for this reason that Dong Yuzi’s loss to Zheng Junhao in a direct contest was so hard for them to accept, not realizing that Zheng Junhao’s ability to draw upon the very power of heaven and earth was a talent possessed only by true spirit immortals.

Qin Hanyue crept to the courtyard gate, peering through the crack, then pressed her ear to the door for a while. She neither saw nor heard anyone. At that moment, hearing movement in the yard, Daoist Wang and Ren Bin emerged; Diao Chan rushed over and threw herself into Daoist Wang’s arms.

At the heart of the Flower-Nurturing Spiritual Root, myriad exotic blossoms flourished more splendidly than ever. Suddenly, without wind, a water vortex appeared, descending straight to the root’s deepest layer. Before long, the spiritual pool became a thick mist, within which thousands of spirit flowers drifted and danced.

Daoist Wang and Ren Bin entered Sister Xia Feng’s house to find everyone there, including Diao Chan. Di Chongxiao sat in meditation at the base of the Flower-Nurturing Spiritual Root, clutching a soul fragment staff, his soul wandering in the shadowy void, not breathing, unmoving, as though dead.

“That’s good. Everything proceeds smoothly for now; just follow the plan, Sister Seven.” Di Chongxiao handed her a spiritual seal stone, repeating his instructions, warning her not to be careless.

Li Zixi felt a little better after hearing the princess’s words. No matter who it was, the position of Princess Consort was hers alone. If anyone dared to challenge her for it, she would show no mercy.

It seemed that after untold years of cultivation, he was ready for rebirth, which was why the Celestial Phoenix Sect’s ruins emerged from the dark depths.

The wild chicken, landing on the ground, crowed energetically, but missing a layer of feathers, it protested in discontent. Suddenly, another sword hissed, and the next chicken was instantly stripped bare.

Early that morning, Su Siqiao went to Ruyi Pavilion to pay respects to the old lady. Perhaps because of the poetry competition, she hadn’t seen much of the troublesome members of the second branch lately. Of course, the old matriarch disliked her as well, so she simply offered greetings as usual and left.

In truth, Su Siqiao no longer needed to participate in the upcoming contests; her stunning performance in the chess competition alone had already made her a sensation.

Yin Xuehan’s lips twitched; this year’s netizens certainly had wild imaginations, but she let them think what they wished—it was only a myth, after all.