Chapter 78

With a clang, the curved blade collided with the copper hammer, sending sparks flying. Jiang Anyi, using the force of the recoil, floated into the woods, his figure vanishing behind a tree.

Though the place appeared worn, the rules of the magistrate’s office remained strict—especially in Datong, a frontier town that required vigilant defense. The security here was even tighter. The guards outside the prefect’s hall were not ordinary constables but sharp-eyed, energetic soldiers.

The eight men under his command suspected nothing and returned ahead. Such events were neither rare nor unfamiliar; they had grown accustomed to them.

He had not met Liu Dingtian, but he did encounter Doctor Zhang. It seemed unlikely Liu had died of illness, and he knew well that his benefactors, Honest Liu and Lotus, had been murdered. There was no doubt left in his mind.

After a week of research, I came to Kexin’s palace with my karaoke device. Using the sword’s point and channeling the wood element, I successfully conjured a field of roses—roses that would not collapse under their own weight.

“Judging by the silhouette, it must be a student. But which class is this student from?” a teacher asked in puzzlement.

The three-headed demon lord, with six bulging eyes, fumed, “Hmph, hmph, I’m furious, absolutely furious!” The one-foot, one-hand demon by the crystal cowered in terror.

“Is it about the exam questions? Did Ji Tai notice something odd?” Lu Zhen had a notion and casually asked.

At this moment, every villager in Taibai Village regretted their past actions. Yet, when they thought of never having to hold sacrifices again, never enduring painful partings with loved ones, and no longer wearing long, bitter faces each day, a profound sense of relief and happiness washed over them.

The vine cicada reeled from the blow, stumbling to the ground, but soon shakily climbed up and charged out once more.

She was the most well-informed person in the design department, naturally aware of what had transpired. Seeing the expressions around her, she understood; such matters were impossible to explain.

The materials Zhang Yuan brought were extremely detailed and vivid, allowing the council members to easily grasp the current situation in Heyue.

“I’m merely looking, so what? If you embarrass yourself, you can’t expect others not to laugh.” Yet, that noble young man was no pushover; tomorrow, these noble sons would all be rivals, so of course, none would shrink from the stage.

Since visiting Du Ruo’s rented apartment, Qiao Anming had not seen her again. Though they worked at the same company, their statuses were so disparate that there was never any intersection.

Some said Su Xiaomei had befriended a wealthy, middle-aged man outside, and took Liu Dalan with her to enjoy the good life. But the man’s wife discovered them, brought people to confront them, and informed Su Haisheng, who, in his rage, dragged them back and beat them severely.

Since being brought back, she had not spoken a word. But when she finally opened her mouth, her voice, youthful yet tinged with a low, husky resonance, was indescribably pleasant.

At dawn, mist drifted through the forest, the air cool as water. Birdsong rose and fell like a natural symphony, imbuing the woods with a sense of enigmatic depth.

She had just left when Mo Jingyuan arrived at the design department. Seeing the empty desk, his handsome brows furrowed.

“Dark Paradise,” Wang Qianyuan murmured, then suddenly turned, pulling Zhang Yun with him. Just as they turned, the assassin looked back, seemingly sensing something, his gaze sweeping the street behind them.

A torrent of metallic clashes burst forth like a rainstorm. Porcelain-white sword shadows, crimson sparks, and the pale crescent of a blade interwove, energies exploding, stones flying, and circular shockwaves surging through the underground mine, echoing with terrifying thunder.

“Senior Master is absolutely right. I’ll write to the three nuns of Mount Heng right away,” Ding Mian replied respectfully, rising to his feet.

Pang Shanmin’s move seemed intended to use stillness to counter motion, waiting to see how the two lords would respond afterward. Guo Jia thought Sun Quan, now ennobled as Prince of Jin, ought to take responsibility. Yet the Jing and Xiang regions remained inert, leaving the King of Wu at a loss.

Immediately, he lunged forward, grabbed Li Jinlong by the collar, dragged him from the ground, and slapped him back and forth over a dozen times.

Leaving aside the events on the grasslands, Li Mi’s Wagang Army and the Twin Dragon Gang clashed violently. Li Mi died in defeat, and the Twin Dragon Gang claimed all Wagang territory, taking control of Luoyang. Meanwhile, Jiangnan’s Ming army began preparations for war in Guanzhong.

Only the commanders of each unit knew that when Yang Bo received the report of more than two hundred casualties from the Rock Brigade, he was surprised and promptly changed the plan. Instead of the Rock Brigade advancing in layers to pin down the main enemy, he ordered the Iron Fist Brigade to charge ahead and besiege Fuzhou.

Receiving Li Wanggen’s pleading glance, Li Shunli pondered briefly before turning his gaze to Li Yuling and Duan Tianya. Yet at that moment, Li Jiahui gently tugged at his sleeve.

The thirteenth year of Jian’an passed swiftly. Another month went by, and after the lords had arranged for spring plowing, the clouds of war gathered once more.

However, Hebei had no navy; traversing the great river relied solely on merchant ships and military transports. If, in the future, the Jiangdong navy loyal to Pang Shanmin were to blockade the river, how could such a narrow waterway be defended?

Sensing scrutiny upon them, the fierce elder and the scholarly gentleman simultaneously cast their gaze toward the trio.

Unable to form a cohesive system, they could only study one book at a time as they acquired them. Naturally, in many respects, their level was not optimal, and their foundation was less stable than those who had received systematic training.

With delicate, picturesque brows and a blood-red vermilion mark at her forehead, it was none other than the Wishful Child, who had been chasing the strange fish.

In that instant, Long Bing’s mind went blank. He simply lay there, letting Zheng Rou’s body shield him.

News of the Taihe Gang’s complete arrest by the police had spread throughout the underworld, making the day unusually quiet. No one fought or caused trouble, and Long Bing finally found peace.