Chapter 96

"This matter is not simple. No need to send the calamity-warding officials; I shall go myself." Jun Zhiheng sensed that the recent incidents were linked to the infant abductions of twenty years ago, and therefore, the safest course of action was to intervene personally.

The old woman had a head of white hair and a face etched with deep wrinkles, yet she wailed in low, agonizing tones, appearing to be in her seventies.

Madam Ran was in poor health, a fact the two matrons had known before they arrived. Seeing her today confirmed it, but the news of the Jiang family taking on disciples had spread throughout Guangling, and these two women, sent by the Old Madam of the Xu family, had come specifically to test the waters.

A youth named Shaohao, dressed in animal hides, knelt on the ground. One hand supported his crumbling, sturdy frame, while the other still gripped his ring-pommel saber. Blood stained the corners of his mouth, and his breathing seemed labored.

Wu Fengwan had long since ceased her flight and returned, but after glancing at the scene below, she could make neither head nor tail of it.

"Causing tumors to grow inside a body, giving them hope only to snatch it away—what a unique way to die. Do you hold a grudge against him?" Yue Wanchen asked the empty air.

As for the children, their thoughts were occupied by nothing more than how to gain the greatest sense of validation among their peers.

"Rest assured, what I have prepared for you is enough to ward off the disaster!" Fourth Aunt added immediately.

This was the first time Lan Xing learned the truth about the infected, and while he was shocked, he keenly grasped a crucial question.

He was actually severely nearsighted, but to look more handsome today, he had chosen to remove his glasses.

Wang Yang could only watch the captain's quarters and the crew's cabins from afar; the ship was so dilapidated that if he approached, he would certainly be spotted.

A scream rang out. The middle-aged man's nose instantly began to bleed, and his face was smeared with steak sauce, presenting an utterly unrefined sight.

The next moment, the four of them transformed into four streaks of light, flying in unison toward the distant Jialan Academy.

Though the process was perilous, he discovered that the harvest after refining that energy was immense; he could clearly feel his soul power growing more profound.

Grandpa Pan had been driven by a greedy desire for the miraculous effects of the "Seven-Heart Pill," which was why he had conspired with the Mountain God to orchestrate such a earth-shattering plot.

"Brother Junye has high expectations of us, but as he said, we haven't let him down!" Qing Qing replied with a giggle.

With another dull thud, Lin Feng's right leg collided heavily with Simon's left. Both men leaned backward, barely managing to land on their feet.

Could it be that as long as Mu Yuan cultivated the Undying Sword Scripture, reaching the pinnacle of martial arts would be effortless?

Ji Fa took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anxiety in his heart, deciding to deal with the immediate situation first.

People are often like this: it is not that they do not want to choose a better path, but rather that, in many cases, they have no other choice.

Regardless, he had obtained ten ingots of gold and this gold-copper tablet. If there were any other rarities in this fish channel, he would never have to worry for the rest of his life, nor would he have to risk his life fishing for corpses in the river to make a living.

Xiong Peiyun was about to argue, but upon hearing this, he was stunned by the old Duke's words, momentarily unable to speak.

"And what is the meaning of this one?" Liu Zhenming looked at the second prescription Zeng Da had written for Zhou Rong, which read: two taels each of croton, castor bean, and musk, crushed and mixed with wine. The castor beans must be shelled, and five pints of lotus root juice and fifty aged hawthorns must be prepared separately.

Shen Nianhua had come to see Shen Xinyi, who had guessed from the start that it was about her younger sister, Shen Xinran, though she hadn't voiced it.

In ordinary times, this would certainly have aroused suspicion, perhaps even leading to a death sentence.

Ji Fa knew in his heart that these were merely excuses. The reason he did not want to go was not out of purity or nobility, nor was it the shamelessness of playing the hypocrite.

Gradually, Zhan Xiu noticed more and more people wearing hide loincloths around him, while familiar faces grew scarce, and those rushing toward him became increasingly ferocious.

Tu Baobao and Yin Ziye were the last pair of contestants to register, following ten other couples. The competition judged the tacit understanding between spouses; as long as they cooperated well, they could achieve a good result.

Moya's mental power surged, condensing into a single thread that pierced straight into the life energy in his hand.

"What do we do now?" Seeing the vegetable-beasts drawing closer, Chen Fei asked again. He didn't understand the creatures, so he had no way to counter them.

The satellite district was silent in the dead of night, allowing sounds to travel far. Because of the previous light and explosion, many people living near the perpetual motion machine had been jolted from their sleep, listening silently to the commotion.

Yet, there was not a trace of panic in Avelia's eyes; her blue pupils held only a cold, rational composure.

Leng Qingge swayed, her eyes reddening as she felt the true meaning of "returning evil for good" for the first time.

Of course, although our journey was filled with "laughter and joy," Liang Kai probably thought we were all quiet types; truly, experts are always unfathomable.

Now that the only force capable of blocking the chaotic beasts was gone, no one else, including him, could stand against them head-on.

His heart softened instantly, and his pity for her took precedence. He swallowed the question he was about to ask—"If you are unwilling to respond to me, why hold out an olive branch?"—and instead lifted his scarf to drape it around her neck.

Song Qiusang suddenly shuddered and snapped her eyes open, only to be met with the familiar bed curtains above.

"If there's nothing else, then leave. With your abilities, you are nowhere near enough to arrest me. You'd be better off going back and plotting properly." Fukuide K dismissed them.