Volume 1, Chapter 25: Strategy and Diplomacy Repel the Demon Army!

Since the first time Zhao Fusheng struck him down, he had been severely injured upon hitting the ground! The critical points were his tailbone and spine. Naturally, from a psychological standpoint, he would avoid a head-on confrontation to prevent further injury, which is why he resorted to every method possible to strike at his opponent’s back and left flank! This eliminated most of the potential directions for attack. Furthermore, although he was fast, his tailbone was vital to his leg movement, limiting his leaping power. His actions, while seemingly erratic, followed a logic of their own.

Chu Yunlian—the person who had been pampered and protected in Xiling, the one who had taken everything from her—was now set on taking Cang He as well, her very last possession! In that instant, Xue Luo’s murderous intent surged. She had to kill Chu Yunlian, yet she never expected that Cang He would actually shield her. His kiss was like a violent gale, instantly scattering her thoughts and leaving behind only a raging desire in her heart.

After three rounds of drinks, Ruoli could no longer resist the intoxication; she swayed unsteadily, but fortunately, Zeyan caught her in time and held her in his arms. The door to the emergency operating room opened, and the doctors wheeled Zhao Liang out. His condition had improved significantly, and when he saw Ye Li, he offered her a grateful smile.

According to Bai Tianyun’s narrative, Song Jiaojiao’s parents were a pair of star-crossed lovers forced apart by threats and coercion. His knowledge of this race was limited to the fragments of information provided by the dark shadows and his own observations; in truth, he had no strong feelings toward them. He remembered not just Mo Huaiyuan, but the names of all forty-five alchemists within the Pill Tower.

He knelt on one knee, causing the earth to tremble. With a fierce jolt of his left arm, blood from the ghost race splattered as he performed the highest rite of his kind. Facing a puppet that ignored both energy and physical attacks, he had no options left. If he did not retreat, he would eventually be worn down to death.

Altair’s combat style, if she did not use "Holopsicon," was essentially an infinite production of blades. "If you refuse to accept me, then I will make it on my own. I will be self-reliant, and one day I will stand at the peak of this Kunxu Realm and blind all of you with my success." This statement revealed that Chen Lin had never intended to keep his promise to share his ancestors' legacy with Qin Tian; he had been playing him from the very beginning.

"I don't know. Besides, the texture of this hair is very strange; it doesn't feel like an adult's," Su Eryi said. "Master, I'm sleepy. Go play by yourself! Take your time studying your karma!" Su Qiqi turned away, rolled her eyes, and slammed the door shut.

She had thought he would be busy, but to her surprise, he was sitting in the meditation room, showing no surprise or emotion when he saw her approach. "Zhou Yinyin, pass out the test papers." The head teacher handed the papers to Zhou Yinyin, walked down from the podium, and began speaking to her with his back turned to the rest of the class.

As he spoke, he chewed a senzu bean, shielded Nie Ying behind him, and charged at the incoming Xiongnu soldiers. After sunset, the city’s dance halls came to life; this was the golden hour for rickshaw pullers. Upon hearing Yang Tao’s words, Sun Li didn't even have time to worry about his wife, looking at Yang Tao in astonishment instead.

Once the starship was docked, Lu Fan and his companions couldn't wait to open the hatch. They filed out one by one, stepping lightly onto the surface of the moon. It was strange, though—what kind of divine body was he condensing? Why did it require nine cycles of shattering and refining to succeed?

Chu Tian nodded, understanding Ouyang Ning’s concerns. One month was indeed a very short time; even with a connection to the stars of the Nine Heavens, it would be difficult to rival his peers. Meanwhile, the others harbored various intentions, most hoping that Ouyang Jing would suffer grave injuries in the siege.

The group of youths experienced a flicker of conflicting emotions. They wanted to ask but dared not, wanted to intercede but feared the consequences. They stood frozen, unsure of what to do, their faces reflecting a mixture of confusion, frustration, and helplessness. When Chu Tian turned back, he recognized Jing Hai. He hadn't expected Jing Hai to follow so closely. At this final moment, he was interrupted. Although Jing Hai’s strength was suppressed, Chu Tian did not have absolute certainty of victory, which meant the quest for the legacy had taken an unpredictable turn.

Yun Shuiyao’s maneuver not only bypassed the trajectory of the light palm but also slashed a sword strike toward Hua Jiuzhong’s upper, middle, and lower sections. These three strikes followed erratic, unpredictable paths, making them nearly impossible to dodge—truly a case of killing two birds with one stone.

Many alchemists furrowed their brows deeper. Aside from the few ingredients they had already identified, they had no idea how to proceed. "You!" The expressions of Yao Lao and Zhang Kun darkened further. They knew perfectly well the underhanded methods they had used to seize power, and they could not refute Chu Tian’s words.

Ada stood up, called for Xing'er, said goodbye to Niang, and then left the tavern with Li Qinglan. Li Yingjie, squinting through his cigarette smoke, hadn't even realized what the flying object was in the darkness before a glob of wet, earthy-smelling mud smacked him squarely in the face.

"You're not so stupid after all!" the generals roared with laughter. They walked up to Mao Gui one by one, either thumping him on the shoulder or embracing him to bolster his spirits. "Fine." Hearing Wang He speak with such certainty, and since there was no need to brew medicine—just to examine his father—Song Dalang didn't mind. He took the prescription into the sickroom.

"Fate is in the hands of heaven. Thank you, Miss Ruan, for your regard, but I lack the fortune to accept," An Xiu said before walking away. "This, subordinate... I don't know if I should say it." As a long-time aide who had followed Li Hanqing for years, Wang Er’s behavior today was bizarre; he kept his eyes fixed on his toes, his voice trembling slightly.

Old Dunleavy instructed the team to run more pick-and-rolls on the offensive end, as the Spurs only had Duncan to defend the pick-and-roll effectively. Yun Ge pushed the tea aside, stuffed the "mud-mud call" into the teacup, then mimicked Jie Ying by taking it out and shaking it vigorously. The other generals, reminded of their duty, voiced their support, promising to do their utmost to assist Mao Gui.

Old Mr. Yu’s house was only two streets away from the apothecary, near an ancient West Lake levee where a massive willow tree stood, thick enough for five men to link arms around it.