Chapter 168: Imperial Consort Yu's New Position! The Empress: My Little Thief Is Dead?!

"Stop!"

"If you dare act recklessly, you'll never be allowed to leave the mountain again!"

As her clothes grew increasingly exposed, the cold voice grew urgent.

Ji Hongxiu paid no heed, sneering: "Who are you trying to scare? We share the same origin and equal rights to this body—why should I listen to you?"

"But you can't sink this low! He's Qingxuan's beloved—how can you, as your disciple's master, be so shameless?" Seeing threats were useless, the cold voice pressed on.

He and Guo Jia served as left and right chancellors; he oversaw civil affairs, so all governance matters passed through his hands.

He feared everything, so he only huddled—curled into a ball, tucked inside his shell, fleeing the things he feared most: poverty, hunger, contempt, and blows.

"Zhang Ren, why resist in vain? My lord's army is approaching. If we hold out just a little longer, how can you possibly stand? And with your mere fifty thousand soldiers, how long can you possibly hold? Why not surrender to my lord!" said Yu Jin.

Moonlight could not pierce the gloom clinging to him; the long black scarf around his neck swayed behind him like a shadowbound black dragon.

The Black Water Marsh was indeed a stretch of black-gray mire, pockmarked with sinkholes, sparsely dotted with plants—all black or gray—vast and endless, exuding a thick stench of decay.

Yesterday, Qin Yang had seen her power—certainly above Great Completion realm—and judging by her age, she was no more than twenty-six or twenty-seven; clearly, her cultivation talent was astonishing.

Only after confirming that the Han army's camp was utterly abandoned, leaving behind nothing but an empty, hollow encampment.

Qin Yang held the empty wine cup in his hand, gently rubbing his thumb and fingers along the rim, lost in thought.

A powerful wave of dizziness struck; Jun Yan did not know where he'd be teleported, so he did nothing but clutch his body tightly, ensuring he wouldn't suffer unnecessary injury during transit that might impair his combat readiness.

She gazed at the black-robed man and said softly: "You were sealed by your own choice. With your strength, stepping out of this sealing array would be effortless—I merely released you as a formality."

"Don't even mention it! After seeing your riddle last night, I couldn't sleep a wink—all I could think about was the answer! Spit it out—what's the answer to the riddle about something that can swallow two springs, three rivers, four seas, and five lakes in one gulp?" Zhao Tuo asked curiously.

The crystal chandelier above the hall flickered out once more, plunging the silver hall into darkness again.

Unaware that Gu Fan was still lost in his thirst for knowledge, Xiao Zifan doused him with a bucket of cold water.

Walking slowly beside Huang Mei, Wang Chuan's heart stirred with excitement, yet he began formulating what he would say when he met his own subordinates.

As the purple light gradually faded and Wang Chuan's consciousness returned, Hong Jun stilled his mind and closed the Creation Jade Tablet.

Fang Yan observed the others' expressions and smiled inwardly—he knew he had already left a deep impression. The most basic goal of this appearance had been accomplished.

Likewise, the Dragon Person guarding the center, walking slowly while leading a slave, also grew gloomy-eyed.

Just as Hou Ming was thinking this, Chen Hongyun called him, prompting him to hurry to his cousin's office.

Thus, when gazing at the mountain rocks, one could clearly see countless strange ghostly faces emerging from the black mist-filled holes, then vanishing into others.

"This river is strange!" Suppressing his inner unease, Chu Feng fixed his gaze on the long river.

I had once considered joining Zhenxi's work, but their company assigned me roles as a cooperating investor—unacceptable, so I simply gave up.