Chapter 56

"Rest assured, the negative is with me, no one can take it away." Ouyang Youguo regretted saying that almost immediately after it left his mouth. Wasn't this essentially confessing without being pressed?

Wuxi is nestled by the shores of Taihu Lake, exuding a distinct Jiangnan charm. Turtle Head Isle is renowned as the premier scenic spot of Taihu Lake, boasting naturally formed picturesque mountains and clear waters. Guo Moruo once wrote, "The absolute finest spots of Taihu Lake are, after all, at Turtle Head." Therefore, everyone says that visiting Wuxi necessitates visiting Taihu Lake, and visiting Taihu Lake necessitates visiting Turtle Head Isle.

Just as the assassin had charged in, Hafite immediately dived beneath the table, which showed just how formidable Hafite's combat capability truly was. Moreover, at this moment, Mu Shui Qingyi was gravely injured and utterly devoid of any fighting strength.

The flashlight illuminated the scene before my eyes—there was nothing there. Jiang Jun asked me in bewilderment what was wrong. Whether in terms of vision, hearing, or an inexplicable intuition, Jiang Jun was far more acute than I was. I carefully scanned my surroundings and ultimately concluded that my senses had played tricks on me.

"Take this, but give me the IOU written by Ji Xue's father!" The leader glanced at Mu Yize, then hurriedly pulled a neatly folded IOU from his inner pocket and handed it tremblingly to Mo Xi.

Although they were already quite close to the magma layer of the volcano, it was not as hot as Kai had imagined. The fire giants must have employed an exceptionally sophisticated diversion system to channel the magma into various subterranean areas, effectively dispersing the heat that should have been present.

A moment later, the senior colonel officer emerged from the perimeter, followed by a single file line of soldiers marching ahead.

Wufang shouted assent in response, channeling battle qi from both palms into the ground. A ring-shaped earthen wall rose up, enclosing everyone together with the designated phantom.

"Whether Liu Chengyun is the primary choice is of little importance; our Zhong family merely requires an obedient emperor." Zhong Cangfeng ultimately spoke only these words.

With a blink of his eyes, the swirling black mist either retreated back into his body through his skin or dissipated in all directions, vanishing completely without a trace. One could clearly see red and purple contusions scattered across his body, and even two bare ribs stained with blood were exposed at his chest.

The sudden halt of the carriage nearly caused the drowsy Shi Jingtian and his companion to tumble out from the front. Zifan could not help but poke her head out to see who had called for the carriage to stop.

"The championship duel: Chu Qianqian versus Yang You." Xiao Tianqiong's voice resounded, and Chu Qianqian instantly became the center of attention.

The flower bud shimmering with a faint glow suddenly expanded into a sharp, gaping maw, swallowing nearby members of the Sea Clan whole in a single gulp. The drastic change occurred so abruptly that, save for a few quick-witted and capable sea folk, the majority were ruthlessly massacred.

"Combining mythological tales, Ghost Fiends are transformed from dead souls in hell. Yet from what I've seen, aside from being ferocious, they possess not a shred of intelligence; driven purely by the instinct to slaughter, they are no different from beasts." Xinghua became lost in his own thoughts.

As soon as the powder of the Heavenly Desire Crystal was ingested, the skin on Tang Fangfang's body gradually flushed red, and a surge of intense heat welled up from the depths of his heart.

Clang! To his surprise, the ray of light he projected pushed less than twenty centimeters against the barrier of light before the barrier flashed with white radiance and instantly rebounded. The point of light bounced back like a ball hitting a trampoline, flying straight toward Xie Tong's forehead instead.

What kind of mountain was this—it didn't even have a mountain trail! This was Longyang's initial impression upon stepping onto the first peak.

The other village was even more remote and sparsely populated, comprising only a few dozen households, mostly consisting of elderly people living alone.

Since childhood, she had always longed for a mother, but Magistrate Lin had told her that her mother had passed away. Now that she had finally laid eyes on her own mother, she found herself momentarily at a loss as to how to acknowledge her.

"Fifth Brother, that fellow at the Thunder Lord Altar just took on a disciple named Xu Tianruo," a man dressed in a green robe with golden leaves embroidered on the cuffs remarked to another middle-aged man clad in gray.

OMG put up no resistance. Knowing they stood no chance in a fight, they simply conceded whatever ground was necessary, opting to avoid conflict wherever possible.

"Whoosh, whoosh!" Two arrows came hurtling through the air, while a Tenth-Layer Qi Refining Wolf Guard raised his sabre in both hands and slashed toward Xu Tianruo. Seeing this, Xu Tianruo gripped the shaft of his spear with his left arm, exerted force to push off, leaped backward, and landed three zhang away in a single bound.

Meanwhile, Liao Yimotan sat with an ashen face, burning with fury. She glanced at Niannian, then at Xiao Jingyu, who wore a gloomy expression beside her without making any effort to intervene, causing alarm bells to ring loudly in her heart.

Seeing this, Xu Tianruo had no choice but to let the matter drop, knowing full well that no matter what he asked, this Steward Zhong would not utter a single half-word.

The air was soundlessly torn apart. The greatest characteristic of the Ghost Stab skill was its absolute silence, making it practically a divine technique under such circumstances.

"Master, where has your usual shrewdness gone? Female Coroner Mu pours a few sweet-talking words into your ear, and you lose your bearings entirely." Song Li laughed in spite of himself, emboldened enough to tease him.

"Lier's spiritual power is not pure enough; I must trouble my husband..." Cultivating the second tier of the Yin-Yang Internal Classic not only increased spiritual power but also possessed the wonderful utility of purifying it.

Yuan Zhen's mind felt as though it had been struck by lightning, buzzing intensely. His father, a traitor to the clan—how could that possibly be?

As Shi Yuan offered this explanation, Guo Renjie by his side was left dumbfounded: he had originally wanted to see how Shi Yuan planned to gain an audience with Shen Wei, yet he never expected Shi Yuan to pull an invitation card straight from his chest! How could he not be astonished?

Song Yun had initially held the whipping in utter contempt; if his buddy just hardened his physique, none of it would matter. A blow would surely feel like nothing more than a gentle scratch, and given that Old Wang didn't look particularly strong either, Song Yun deliberately chose not to harden his muscles for this very first strike.

For reasons unknown, this youth gave Tianchen a distinct sense of chilling hostility. Yet before parting ways with the group, Tianchen had never sensed such an aura from this person. It was exceedingly strange.

Of course, the more pressing matter now was to unite those nations that had been destroyed, plundered, and devastated by Western Xia, forming a vengeance alliance to clamp down on Western Xia from both the east and west via Qingtang and the Great Song.

Abruptly, the surrounding scenery vanished, replaced by the green mountains and clear waters surrounding the ancient Star Gate. The ancient star map reverted into a scroll, landing back in Yuan Zhen's grasp.

The highest realm in this world was the Shangqing, yet the might of the battle unfolding before them was the greatest either of them had ever witnessed in their lives. If they were to harbor fear at this moment and turn to flee, they might well miss out on a grand fortuitous encounter. At worst, it could even leave a lingering regret upon their state of mind, turning into a hidden obstacle for future advancement.