Chapter 23, Volume 1: Is what the little Imperial Uncle said earlier no longer counting so soon?

The dead are the hardest to deal with, for there is nothing in this world that can strike fear into them. Yet, Xiong Ti would never choose to starve himself, as such a death would be an act of evasion, a sign of cowardice. He would rather fight his opponent to the bitter end, even if it meant being smashed to pieces.

Having not seen him for a long time, Ding Yue was naturally exceptionally enthusiastic upon meeting Shen Yan. She bustled about ordering a pile of things before finally settling down to have a proper conversation with him.

"Liu the Wooden-Head snores like thunder, keeping me from sleeping, so I came out for a walk. I did not intend to intrude into the backyard; I beg the Manor Master’s forgiveness!" Xiong Ti knelt on one knee.

This was the most destructive peak-level spell Nidhogg had ever created, combining his innate elemental attributes with his magical power, and it was named the World-Ending Meteor.

At this moment, the sunset glow spilled across the sea, and everything that entered her eyes was a scene of peace.

"Papa... Mama..." Li Hai whispered to himself. In this world, it was the first time he had heard such affectionate terms for parents. In Li Hai’s understanding, the inhabitants of the Tianyuan Continent had always replaced those words with others: "Father" and "Mother."

A mid-stage Martial Saint—given Li Hai’s current state, dealing with one would be difficult, especially with three other masters of equivalent rank lurking nearby, waiting for an opening.

Shen Yan returned home, Du Li went to find Fang Yan, and Jiang Ying, after a moment’s thought, immediately followed Shen Yan’s instruction to contact Su Linran.

Sunlight shone upon the earth, and a new day had begun. Li Hai and his group of three set out on the road again. This time, they did not fly; instead, they each mounted a fine horse. Naturally, the horse Li Hai rode was the evolved Jingdian.

Just then, a burst of cheers erupted. In the center of the martial arts training arena, two people were locked in a fierce duel, while the surrounding onlookers clapped their hands and shouted their approval.

This, too, was an ancient melody, more complex even than "Fire Phoenix Raging Across the Plain." It contained a profound, lingering artistic conception and possessed an extremely ancient musical quality.

Lu Su could not worry about such things; all he had to do was block them firmly and seize Jianye first. Could the enemy general really use this cavalry to ram against a wall?

The sword shadows shimmered, reflecting a faint, flowing light that danced gracefully in the night. The light was like a lamp in the darkness—flickering, elusive, and ghost-like.

Lu Bu’s elite heavy infantry stood like an immovable city wall, buying precious time for the army to assemble. Awakened troops arrived one after another, forming layers of human shields, and phalanx after phalanx gradually took shape amidst the chaotic forces.

Only then did the blood mist that had shrouded the entire sect slowly condense, coalescing into a blood-red figure at the entrance of the Songbai Sect.

In that fleeting instant, Liang Xuebo was struck by Jing Shisan’s sword and sent flying. As the three surrounding attackers closed in, Jing Shisan, like Jing Ye, ignored his own defense and instead spun his blade, abruptly turning back to rush toward where Liu Ruoshuang stood.

Gu Qing watched for a long time without discerning any clues. With a faint smile, he placed the master pill herb back into the jade box. Upon touching the box with his finger, he frowned and let out a cold snort, driving out the trace of water poison that had burrowed into his skin.

By the time the black flame pierced through the eye socket and emerged from the back of the skull, the warrior’s entire head exploded instantly.

"Where did everyone go? Is the cordon just for show?" Due to his professional habits at the Six Gates, Qiao Naihe had a massive headache whenever reporters appeared; after all, the most troublesome part of cleaning up the aftermath was always deleting the news.

After all, if the exam results came back less than ideal, it was easy to imagine that there would be no way to enjoy the upcoming New Year.

Di Jie let out a desperate scream as his body was pierced by an arrow and exploded in mid-air.

A starlight flashed in Luo Hao’s eyes; five stars rose behind him, and surging spiritual power poured from his body like a tidal wave.

"Grandmaster, may I come in and beg for a cup of water?" Just then, Old Man Huang arrived at the door with a beaming, fawning smile.

With this, the safety of the household’s inner chambers was guaranteed, and his people would have fewer scruples when they made their move; it was not as if they were without a chance of victory.

The youth was startled and hurriedly called back, but after several attempts, he was met only with the prompt that no one answered.

What made Yang Tao shiver all over was that the Buddha actually spoke. He looked benevolent and kind, yet he addressed him in such a way.

Yi Fan did not notice it at first, but after walking a few steps, he discovered a jade slip hanging from his waist; inside the slip was, unexpectedly, a sound-transmission jade talisman.

He let out a long breath, sheathed his long blade, changed direction, and headed toward the Wang family’s grocery store. Having not seen them for several months, he wondered how they were doing.

"Husband, our plan will likely be difficult to realize. This time we had reason for Old Feng not to pay, but what about the next time? Or the time after that?" Fu Yao sighed, feeling that this was a task with a long and arduous road ahead.

"If that is the case, then I have no choice but to retrieve the Heart of Light myself," Bright said coldly.

A trace of a smile appeared at the corner of Liang Dong’s mouth. Very good, truly very good. Now it seemed the longbow could evolve once more.

"Li Haonan, has something happened?" Gu Xiaobei asked, pulling herself out of Li Haonan’s embrace with a furrowed brow.

In fact, even without that scream, those who hadn't fainted were already stunned by the succession of shocking events. Just thinking that there was some unknown thing inside their bodies made them feel an intense, sickening discomfort.

He would often glance at Gu Xiaobei on the monitor or in his actual line of sight while he was busy. It was not a gaze of sweetness or unspoken understanding, but one meant to ensure she remained within his field of vision. Like a lion guarding its territory, his eyes scanned everything around her with defensiveness and vigilance.

The handsome youth suddenly let out a roar like a wild beast and glared at Jiang Dian; the muscles on his face seemed to begin to twitch.