Chapter 23

At this moment, the Imperial Guards and the Brocade Guard had completely surrounded the open ground, with Mao Xiang leading the Brocade Guard to station themselves directly in front of Zhu Yuanzhang and his party.

As the thought flashed through his mind, the thousands of golden rays descending from above were on the verge of closing completely, sealing Monk Fakong within.

"Damn it!" Comrade Yue Tiannan's face turned black with rage; he dropped the fish he was holding and stormed upstairs.

Old Master Zhao sat in the main hall, his graying beard trembling with his rapid breathing, his eyes filled with unconcealable sorrow. Xu Tian was a dear friend of many years, having come to the city pass at his request to provide aid, yet he never expected him to perish here.

Even if someone noticed, they merely assumed Old Wan was launching an attack against an evil spirit, never once considering the trajectory of the smoke.

Wool was available—the people of the grasslands used sheepskin for clothing—but duck down was something he had never heard of before.

The two separated for a fleeting moment, only to tangle again, trading blows and kicks, creating ripples in the void with every exchange.

With this lingering doubt, Qian Budo decided against heading to the eastern courtyard for now and instead walked directly into the central hall.

The onlookers in the distance also sensed that the surrounding environment had brightened slightly.

Huo Ziyin looked at him with surprise, offering no evasion, as the needle tip pierced directly into his mind.

Under the influence of Linyin's special ability, Ye Lan's body had indeed recovered somewhat, though he still appeared deathly pale.

Hearing this, Yi actually laughed. He knew that this so-called Fire God did not exist; the title was merely a means to bewilder the clansmen, much like the Fuxi tribe’s worship of dragons—it was simply a tool of governance.

***

By now, Lei Xiu and the others had reached Haifeng's side. After confirming that Kong Yu was safe and sound, they finally felt at ease; after all, Kong Yu was a valued friend and even a comrade-in-arms, and her safety meant everything to them.

It turned out that the three matches he fought at the start had greatly boosted his inner strength, pushing his "Soft Water Kill" technique to the next level.

Huo Ziyin recounted the events again, but the audience now included not only his own men but also guest advisors, the Great Zhou Flying General, Li Shicheng, and "Silver Hammer" Pei Wushuang of the Falling Moon.

As they ventured deeper into the Ming Clan cemetery, Lei Xiu and Irene finally understood why Lu Yun had adamantly refused to accompany them; the place was truly chilling and terrifying.

However, the sensation Yi felt was not one of fear, but an urge to rush forward and fight to the death. Yet, as a seasoned veteran of countless battles, Yi immediately suppressed the impulse, his gaze fixed intently on the battlefield ahead.

Anthony’s voice rang out in the classroom. Listening to Anthony’s distinct accent and the subsequent screams that followed, Lin Yichen seemed to grasp the situation.

This was a concentrated form of the Great Snake King's poisonous mist. Since his mist attacks were not naturally powerful, he compressed the toxicity to enhance their lethality. With a hissing sound, the Great Snake King's venom began to corrode Miao Baobao's protective spiritual energy.

One must understand that while Ma Shu held the title of General Jianwu, he was a general in name only—possessing rank without military authority. As his brilliance began to show, the noble families grew wary of him and were unwilling to see his power expand further. Even his original patron, the Liu family, had grown cold toward him as he became increasingly insubordinate.

The swirling snow left only a faint hue upon the world, and in the distance, the faint sound of barking dogs drifted through the air.

Wang Haitao took the thick stack of papers and sat on the sofa, reading them one by one. The price offered by Carlowitz & Co. was the balance after deducting the Japanese advance payments; including the goods purchased previously, the total came to 1.36 million US dollars, equivalent to approximately 5.8 million Japanese Yen.

Wu Yulin, who had been standing by the side, knew very well that his mother’s mood could not be good, but since the affair between Uncle He and others had become an established fact, anything more his mother said or did would be futile.

Tian Chou was certainly not hiding in the barracks shivering. He personally led a detachment of loyal troops, circling around from the south, preparing to cut off Xie Wuji’s retreat.

With such a litany of crimes, not to mention the people of Liao, the citizens of Jiangnan would never let Su Furui off the hook.

***

Hidden by clothing, the extent was unclear, but he was already drenched in blood. Zheng Jian let out a painful shriek, yet among those present, only Hao Qian had the ability to contend with Yu Qing, and since Hao Qian had tacitly accepted the situation, no one dared to speak up.

"Wait." Just as Yin Jisuan was overcome with regret, Xiahou Zichen stopped listening to his drivel, grabbed one of the bottles, and sprinkled the powder onto Yin Jisuan.

"Someone we know? Aside from myself and Qingzhe, who else could know General Qian?" Lu Qingyi shook her head in defeat.

Xie Chengdong and Fu Lianglan were speaking in the room; hearing footsteps, both looked toward the entrance.

She had a pair of incredibly alluring, beautiful eyes. As her lashes fluttered, a blend of innocence and captivating charm emerged, enough to stir the heart of any man.

"Can't you see he is covered in wounds? His beloved, ungrateful younger brother is about to be sent to the guillotine!" Su Xiyue knew that Mo Qianhan was currently enduring both physical and mental torment; how could he possibly have the heart for such things?

Hearing this, Xie Shan’s eyes immediately turned to her mother. Only after seeing Qi Zizhen nod did a flicker of joy appear at the corners of her mouth. After paying respects to her stepmother and biological mother, Xie Shan walked out of the hall to set off fireworks with her younger siblings.

Other noble families had their own factions, but compared to the intermarried Zu and Wu families, they were not in the same league and could only cling tightly to them for support.

"I cannot go to the human world, nor can I help you escape," Fabio refused her unexpectedly.

Wei Bao was not truly angry. He found Wei Zhongba to be more reliable; on one hand, Wei Zhongba was quite sharp-witted, and on the other, he appreciated that Wei Zhongba was always direct and honest. If something was easy, it was easy; if it was troublesome, it was troublesome—he never beat around the bush.