Chapter 41: You Are an Eagle, Not a House Sparrow

Perhaps the nightmare had been so terrifying that when Lu Youyou awoke, she felt not anger but relief.

Relief that she would not be crushed beneath a hundred-and-twenty-pound fat chicken, and even greater relief that Gu Qingye would not be left bedridden because of an unscrupulous teacher.

Yet Lu Youyou’s silent presence frightened Little Gray out of its wits. It dared neither enter nor retreat, scarcely even daring to blink.

It tentatively raised one foot. When Lu Youyou showed no reaction, it moved the other foot forward as well.

And then—

After cannons appeared, Qi Jiguang’s wagon fort lost its practical value in battle, but his greater contribution lay in the effort he devoted to professionalizing the Ming army. Sadly, after his death, the Ming infantry, once again restrained by strict discipline, proved no more than a flash in the pan. The Ming continued down the dead-end road of Tatarization, refusing to turn back, until even Joseon regarded the Liaodong garrison as Tatars.

Having blocked four of the silver needles, each one coated in deadly poison, Lin Yun quietly split the true essence enveloping her left hand. Taking a desperate chance, she caught the last needle between her fingertips at precisely the right moment. Then, under Wang Lang’s astonished gaze, she bent her finger and flicked it back.

Li Jinglong said nothing. He drained the wine in his cup, then cast it to the ground with a sharp crack. The next instant, a squad of armored warriors rushed in with drawn swords and surrounded Prince Zhou, Zhu Su, and the others.

At the Humen Fort administrative office, Lan Qin, the deputy commissioner of maritime defense at Guangzhou, had spent the entire night playing mahjong with his superior, Fan Chengzu, the Guangdong Surveillance Commissioner and Maritime Circuit Inspector; Zhang Guoxun, commander of the Guangdong naval forces; and Huang Tingqi, the Humen garrison captain.

A single Vermilion Fruit could equal sixty years of cultivation for an ordinary person. It had also temporarily brought the true qi within Chen Zi’ang’s body to saturation. What followed was the process of filling the more than three hundred acupoints—a task that could only be accomplished through slow, painstaking effort.

Immediately afterward, another crossbow bolt shot in with a puff. The burly man had not yet fallen when it struck him squarely between the brows. With another wet thud, it pierced halfway through, its tip emerging from the back of his head. The man glared furiously, then toppled backward.

Zhang Yuer nodded. The Immortal Assembly supported by the Mount Luofu Sect was an enemy of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, yet there was no one from the Mount Luofu Sect here.

It was not that Ouyang Fugui and the other two were equally greedy or inclined to bully the weak through their strength. Rather, Ouyang Yijie and Hong Shiba had considered the disastrous consequences that might arise if too many ancient cultivation resources flowed into the outside world. That was why they had decided to confiscate ninety percent of everyone else’s gains.

Thus, Old Li not only agreed to his son’s request but also sent Zhang Sheng, the great steward, who had long been forced to clean up after his two precious sons.

Once the assignments had been made, the matter could finally be brought to a close. After everyone had set out, he could no longer contain himself and burst into loud laughter.

As it turned out, the jade slip contained a brief introduction to the Eight Void-Transcending Experts, one of whom happened to be stationed within the Dragon God Xuanyuan.

“Miss Yuan, don’t forget what you promised me. Ronghua is going to sleep now.”

Baili Ronghua had not slept at all the previous night, but that was hardly a serious matter. It was simply that so many sudden revelations had left her somewhat unable to accept them all.

Blood trickled slowly down her fair neck, gradually coagulating and leaving streaks of dark-red stains.

To learn the origin of this Little Golden Child, they first had to find Mao Sanling, then discover which temple in Thailand he had obtained it from.

But what arrived was news that Cang Linchen and Xia Yin had returned safely. She knew then that she had lost again—and this final defeat was fatal.

“Thank you, President Chen. I will certainly complete the task properly.”

The man nodded repeatedly, bowing as he backed away. Then he left.

When the Spirit-Armored Lord struck something so hard, it was clearly just as confused. After charging it several times, it seemed to retreat, and then there was no further movement.

The two phantom figures each obtained a spirit artifact. As the artifacts merged into their bodies, the figures immediately became tangible, releasing cries of delighted surprise.

“This... I know. The old steward told me.”

Luo Ya sat by the bed, while Chu Xuan sat in a chair before the floor-to-ceiling window. Neither of them could see the other’s face.