34. The As-You-Will Golden-Hooped Rod, Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred

The BMW’s fuel tank ignited, triggering an explosion that shattered the windows of the neighboring cars with its shockwave.

"Excuse me, sir, are you a guest here?" the receptionist stopped me.

Zhong Hui then spoke about the current political climate: "The Celestial Clan is currently on good terms with the Dragon Clan. Even if the two of you are away, there are still some old-timers holding the line, so your clans are safe for now. Even if there were trouble, no one could defeat you two once you’ve formed an alliance."

Looking around, the topography of the Outer Mountain was quite simple; apart from the residential courtyards for the new disciples, there was only the empty forest behind the mountain.

Once the two leads departed, the crowd in front of the arena scrambled to their feet in a flurry of chaos, leaving the area bustling with noise.

The Ye family disciples instantly surrounded the Bai family estate. Dark clouds gathered over the residence, a biting wind howled, and an aura of slaughter descended.

If not for the desperate need to survive, Ying Weiwei would never have sacrificed her own body to other evil spirits during that life-or-death moment on the Thousand-Layer Stairs.

"I didn't expect Captain Gu to have such good luck. If this magical beast had formed a crystal core, it would be a second-grade specimen, worth at least ten thousand taels on the market," Bai Xingping whispered, explaining to Bai Zhiwei.

Xu Zilin continued to share what he had learned with Luo Sheng, saying, "That is why this blade was already being touted at an astronomical price before it was even forged."

Previously, when Ye Lanling had appeared as Ye Qinghuan’s sister, she had been disguised; naturally, now that she had reappeared, no one recognized her true identity.

The liquid spraying from the faucet earlier wasn't water, but the skin-softening agent I had concocted. I truly doubted whether their tender skin could withstand the fierce poking of those bamboo rods, to say nothing of the vacuum-sealed corrosive blood needles.

Under normal circumstances, if anyone dared to speak to him like that, he would have had them dragged out for a beating, but today he lacked the mood. Instead of looking at the disgusting maggots, he stared straight at Gao Shiman.

***

Brother Hai was currently directing people to set up the dueling arena, even placing a medical kit at the edge of the grounds.

Shangguan Jin sheathed Yuanjin, flipped over, and ducked into the dense forest. Moments later, the thick fog obscured her silhouette from A-Li’s sight.

If she had known that making their relationship public would lead to such a scene while holding hands, she would never have made such a high-profile entrance, even if it meant death. Cui Shanshan would surely tease her about it tomorrow.

Shangguan Che was not surprised; after all, he had already learned of this from Ou Yang some time ago.

Shangguan Jin froze at these words. "Cannot leave?" But she only had two years left to live. If she died, what would happen to Qi Fan?

A sudden sense of unease welled up in her heart, and Shangguan Jin shook her head violently, trying to shake the discomfort from her body.

The master of the Wind and Rain Pavilion was exceptionally cunning and never left any traces behind, making it extremely difficult to investigate. Bai Youlan’s appearance and intervention were an opportunity, but also a variable, and no one knew in which direction this variable might tilt.

Minzhi gathered her wits. Having never met Li Ling before, and seeing that Gao Shiman remained silent, she dared not answer his question and simply kept quiet, the standoff persisting.

The Wei woman again! She knew she had long been itching to marry her off, but to go so far as to rush to have her wedding gown custom-made was beyond the pale.

The person who said this wore a mocking expression, and his voice, which he made no effort to lower, did not sound as fearful as his words suggested.

The Emperor, of course, was not there to witness Yue Ying’s awkwardness, nor was he there to humiliate her, so this predicament did not last long before he broke the silence.

Watching the man lying on the bed, he felt a genuine sense of affection. In any case, during the time he had spent caring for him, he felt he had given a great deal, yet he did not regret that sacrifice in the slightest.

***

At that moment, he wished more than anything that Lu Huanong, having been provoked, would turn and leave; if she did, he would never have to act again.

Yet, he also savored this waiting. Seeing her every day when he pushed the door open filled him with happiness. It was as if a day without seeing her meant losing something vital in his heart.

"This is too much. Does everyone have to make me angry?" After hanging up the phone, Gu Chang’an slammed her mobile onto the table. The grievance on her face vanished, replaced by an arrogant, overbearing look.

"We’ll hand it over! We’ll hand it over! Please, stop hitting us, stop hitting us!" the ghost demons wailed in agony. The fat monk before them was a total rogue; if they dared refuse to hand over the Ghost Demon Clan’s cultivation techniques, they would surely be beaten to death by this fat monk who spoke so glibly of benevolence and morality.

"I really am a lucky bird." Mu Ying had no intention of hiding her thoughts, so Ban Dian could feel her intentions. He spoke up, speechless, his voice sounding quite aggrieved and helpless.

At that moment, the white-bearded old man happened to arrive with some spiritual fruits and tea. After the three of them tasted the offerings, they chatted about their insights into cultivation and the things they had seen and heard in recent years, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

"Vice Chairman Tang, this won't do. Long Xiao is a junior after all." Vice Chairman Tang laughed, "What of it? Long Xiao completed the mission brilliantly this time, saving the country hundreds of billions. Such merit deserves my respect. What does a toast matter? Long Xiao, let's drink."

"I feel... Chu Yi is terrifying when he gets irritable." Mu Ying hesitated before speaking, her mind involuntarily flashing back to the first time she met him. Back then, he was like a demon, capable of playing her in the palm of his hand.