Chapter 54: Deceived

Song Qiao was given no room for refusal before she was pulled away by Mu Yi without a word.

Upon stepping outside the military tents, she saw maidservants bustling about, preparing the evening feast, creating an extraordinarily lively scene.

Instead of stopping, Mu Yi called for his prized blood-sweating steed and turned to offer his hand to Song Qiao.

Song Qiao hesitated for a moment. Meeting his resolute gaze, she finally placed her hand in his palm.

"Since you have traveled thousands of miles to come here, naturally I will not let you leave disappointed," Mu Yi said. "Your stone giant may be able to suppress the immortal beast Fire Phoenix, but let us see how my True Body of the Thunder God fares." As he spoke, lightning answered his words with a continuous, rumbling crash.

Frowning slightly, Shui Dao said nothing, merely shaking his head. Those two had been gone for a long time; logically, they should have returned by now.

Looking at Qin Xiaotian, one could see his clothes were disheveled and his sleeves stained with blood. Yet his expression was so sincere that Song Ruilong could not help believing him to some extent.

The last time he bought greeting cards, he had miscalculated, thinking a few dozen wouldn't cost much. After all, back then he was a man holding hundred-yuan bills and felt utterly fearless, so he hadn't cared much about the price, bringing Jiang Hai along simply as a companion who cared even less about money.

Daoist Lord Ruyan also made his move. The Heavenly Ark pierced through the clouds, immediately followed by the Azure Cloud Slash of Heavenly Light. The protective power of the Heavenly Dipper Bell blocked a portion of the opponent's offensive might.

On the morning of the seventeenth day of the seventh month, Liu Qingyou once again walked along Anding Road with a bowl of rice porridge and five meat buns, arriving at House Number 18 in Chaoyang Lane.

Though Zhang Cuizhu's complexion was haggard, her beauty had scarcely diminished, stirring a hint of emotion even in Song Ruilong's heart.

A moment later, the table was laden with a sumptuous feast. This was both to welcome them and to wash away the dust of their journey, arranged beforehand by Wada.

The Ancestor's words completely convinced Gongsun Miao that this maiden named Moyao would inevitably influence the Blue Sea Immortal Palace.

However, this was merely a thought that flashed through his mind. What was already done was done, and Lin Yi would never waste time doubting himself here. On the path of cultivation, such incomprehensible encounters were not rare; if he were to fret this much over every single one, he would never have made it to today.

With every roar the burly man uttered, he slammed down a heavy fist, sending water splashing wildly across the surface before him, while Tianye still failed to emerge.

Shi Le's father had made a mistake three years ago. Not only did he trick the innocent and kind maiden Xuan'er out of her chastity, but wishing to cast her aside irresponsibly, he also executed a cruel scheme.

Yet she felt this matter could not be persuaded; one had to figure it out and learn to view it with detachment on their own, otherwise all efforts would be in vain. Fortunately, Li Ye did not seem like someone unable to move past it or let go. For this, one had to thank the fact that for all these years, the Emperor and Li Ye had never been particularly close.

That being said, since Chu Sang had no desire to explain how he managed to find her, she found it inconvenient to press him further.

If the Empress Dowager had directly sent hidden guards to investigate, she might have learned the truth, but by then it would have been of no use.

Human hearts are made of flesh. Even though Wannian possessed a humble background, she had meticulously cared for the Old Dowery for all these years, and the Old Dowery naturally held her dear. Sitting by the bedside with a worried expression, the Old Dowery gently stroked Wannian's cheek, her anxiety evident in every feature.

Upon hearing this news, Shangguan Feng found herself unable to sit still. Disregarding the biting winter wind, she donned a mink fur coat, packed some pastries she had made herself, and went to check on her. Had she not gone, she would never have known the extent of it—upon seeing her, she was shocked; in just a few days, the girl had grown drastically thinner, prompting Shangguan Feng to hurriedly send for an imperial physician.

Emerging from his cold shower, Anweichen collapsed onto the sofa in the most comfortable posture, and within ten minutes of closing his eyes, he drifted into a hazy sleep.

Before even entering the village, they discovered that in the fields close to the river, a large patch of cornstalks had been knocked down. Many of the stalks were stripped bare, and the ears of corn were completely gone. A single glance revealed that these had been snapped off—clearly the work of the Goryeo people.