Chapter 823

Liu Qingqiu stayed behind to care for them, but Yuan Chun didn’t buy firewood; to make it easier for her mother to cook, she secretly went to the black market and bought a stove and several hundred jin of coal.

Her thinking differed from others’s; some believed children should marry before establishing a career, but she thought it was more stable for children to first gain the ability to support a family before marrying.

“Then I’ll reluctantly perform before you all—please, Grand Director Fang, go easy on me,” Zhong Xiongchu replied without hesitation.

Combining the fact that the blade had failed to cut his skin and that he’d heard the knife-wielding man’s voice before anyone else, he gradually pieced it together.

“Hmph, pedantic! Do you think forgiving them once will make them grateful? They broke the pact today—they’ll break it again tomorrow!” Tuan Zang sneered.

After performing the fist form three times in succession, a muffled thud echoed, followed by a crackling chorus of bones snapping.

Perhaps heaven itself disapproved of their treasure hunt; the once-calm sea at midnight suddenly erupted into violent winds, and the silver moonlight had long since been swallowed by dark clouds.

She still seethed over losing the tug-of-war yesterday, and now she heard her students had been beaten—she’d settle both old and new grudges at once.

Watching Tang Guoguo’s back, Tang Xuanyun let out a soft laugh, then seemed to recall something, pulling a handkerchief from his chest, staring at the words on it, his fingers tightening, his eyes turning icy.

“We’ve got a base now—should we go?” Hearing the broadcast mention the base, several bold boys stirred, eager to venture out and take a chance.

Xiao Yan couldn’t sit still after hearing this; as Nalan Yanran said, Xiao Yan’s greatest trump card was Yao Chen—if Yao Chen remained asleep, Xiao Yan wouldn’t dare approach Yunlan Sect, for he had no confidence at all, not even enough to face Haidongbo alone.

Nalan Yanran wouldn’t kill Lei, but his words were unbearable—he acted so domineering, as if he thought they were easy to bully. The power on this planet was nothing but trash; if not for Luo Feng, this world would have become a colony, without exception.

Nalan Yanran now had a rather elegant nickname: the Iron-Blooded Immortal Maiden. The title sounded absurd, yet it was actually fitting; though she didn’t particularly like it, having such a nickname didn’t seem so bad.

I had just arrived, stunned, watching Sakura reverse the situation—moments ago she’d been struck down and lying on the ground, now she’d subdued the massive brute even I found difficult.

When Ji Zonghui and Shi Libing arrived in the sand zone, Huang Jingbiao had already bribed all three, but only Shi Libing accepted Huang Jingbiao’s bribe. In truth, during the interrogation, both Huang Jingbiao and Shi Libing were merely putting on a show.

We hadn’t been alone together for days; after a long while, Zhou Yan pushed me away, then wiped her neck and chest with a tissue—there, my teeth marks remained.

She’d done that just to observe their reactions; she simply wasn’t sure whether Zhang Junjun had been involved, or whether Li Xinyue had truly brought along that fool Cheng Shasha.

Li Meng had initially thought it was funny, but now he realized it wasn’t just a joke—it was a truth.

“Oh my god, that’s amazing! I don’t have to feel guilty anymore! I don’t have to care for you for the rest of my life!” Lin Huan seemed to finally exhale; behind him, Li Moze silently rejoiced. They didn’t mind her—they only feared her past experience might harm her psychologically.

Later, he traveled to America himself to find them, but couldn’t locate anyone. The company couldn’t function without him, so he hurried back to China.

Some instantly froze in terror, for they saw that as Zhao Yang rose, Shi’s arm was slowly lifting too.

Qin Muchen didn’t answer, sitting sideways on the sofa, his long, powerful legs crossed, radiating a coiled tension, especially in that lowered gaze—his eyes held something indescribable.

Qiu Xuan knew Pross had come today for the jade pendant, but since Pross hadn’t mentioned it yet, Qiu Xuan didn’t bring it up.

After venting his anger, he grew even more frustrated—he needed Lin Canghai to see reality clearly, so Lin Canghai angrily raked his fingers through his hair.

“You probably know why I called you,” Li Muzi stepped out from behind her desk, looking at Lin Canghai. After all, Lin Canghai had known about this before she had.

During breakfast the next day, she complained her parents hadn’t woken her to send her off—until she learned it was An Ya’s suggestion, then she fell silent.

For several days straight, Su Nian felt she’d gone mad—she missed that man she’d labeled “bathrobe” terribly. How could she feel this way about a man she’d barely met? Had she fallen in love at first sight?

During the Warring States period and into the Edo era, the Hosokawa clan produced many renowned generals, such as Hosokawa Fujitaka and Hosokawa Tadaoki. By the late 16th century, the Hosokawa clan had become a super-daimyo with 399,000 koku, serving as lord of Kumamoto Domain in Higo Province.

Without doubt, An Nian’s lost soul was in that same place—meaning I’d have to leave the Dragon Pillar and head toward Shan Wang to find An Nian’s soul. It was a death sentence—and it would be my death.

The serious, haughty Japanese scholar before me was an internal researcher at the Shōsōin—he was also a researcher at the Tōdai-ji Scripture Library. That’s what he told me himself.

As the two marveled at how long it had taken them to recognize each other, Zi Ling suddenly remembered Simu Jiluo’s request. She admitted she was terrible at conversation, unsure how to draw out information, so after pondering for a while, she finally spoke.

This theory was entirely new to Xia Zhengqian; as he pondered it, he found its subtleties endless. He fell silent for a long while, lost in thought.

But Mu Xici also knew well: in this world, it’s often kill or be killed; self-righteous pity or mercy might instantly turn into a blade at your own throat.