Chapter Twenty-Six: The First Touch of Spring in the Martial World

The person at the door was dressed in a rare indigo-washed jacket, worn cloth shoes on his feet, and a thick canvas bag slung over his back. His hair was a tangled mess, seemingly unwashed for half a month, and his face was streaked with grime. He looked to be in his thirties.

At first glance, it was easy to mistake him for a beggar.

But as soon as he spoke, I realized I was wrong.

A gold tooth gleamed at the upper right of his mouth, and a watch adorned his left wrist.

...

The atmosphere was so tense and strange that everyone felt a sense of oppression. Yet Li Yi glanced at Feng Feiyang, then at Yun Wuji and the others, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

With a heavy thud—though the location was different, the hardness of the asphalt was no less than that of tiled flooring. The injury from the last fall had not healed, and now, with Xia Zhiqing throwing him down again, Wang Hu sprawled out on the road in the shape of a character, completely unable to get up.

"Alright, big brother, let’s do this!" Li Deyi was thrilled, determined to give it his all since his brother supported him so much.

Of course, only Li Yi could absorb two different types of demon cores at the same time, and only he dared to attempt it.

"Why? Why is it like this?" Qi Yongbing’s eyes suddenly brimmed with tears, which slid down his cheeks. He didn’t even bother to wipe them away, his face the picture of utter despair, and he let out a long sigh.

"Though it’s unnecessary, you can’t avoid it," Tang Yin was a little more at ease now; to be able to leave the banquet hall unharmed was a stroke of luck within misfortune. As for the martial contest, she had every confidence in Mo Mo’s strength.

Luo Lingxuan had no other thoughts. After meeting Leng Youyou—especially after seeing her in action just now—her heart was filled with profound admiration.

"I was the one who broke it, but who told you to try and extort me? So, I’m not paying!" Lin Ruolan said haughtily, looking justified.

Perhaps to outsiders, it seemed that Ye Yun had shut his eyes to sleep, but Tilan knew he was cultivating.

A voice, both angry and sweet, sweet yet sharp, rose in the darkness with the sound of impact.

The sixth senior brother within the barrier wore a blank expression; it was impossible to tell what she was thinking, or if she’d even heard my words.

"This is wonderful, Beishan! Tell your brother, we must capture Ouyang Xuanlang. He is the key to the entire plan. Only by catching him can everything be brought to light," Lan Ziyue exclaimed in delight. No one stays favored forever, nor do flowers stay in bloom for a hundred days—Lan Zirou, your era has come to an end.

When Jingchen heard these words, tears sprang to her eyes. I panicked at once, not knowing what to do.

There was pain, and there was numbness. I looked back once more at the indistinct cluster of buildings, but in the end, I walked toward the city gate without a backward glance. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the whole of Beiping, making it look gentle and warm, stripped of its usual severity and solemnity.

Jingshu’s heart pounded as she leaned against the door, afraid to take another step. The emperor’s cold voice called, "Come here." She trembled from head to toe in fright.

"But isn’t the wedding ceremony the main part of getting married? If you skip that, how is it a real wedding?" I pretended to be angry.

Once the squad of guards had gone, Liangsheng and I peeked from behind the pillar and crept slowly toward the dungeon.

The brief moment of surprise soon faded. Now, I had to remember my role at all times, carefully controlling every subtle emotion.

Xiang’er, listening to those words, was deeply shaken. Seeing Su Jinghui as she was now, she was completely convinced that “the old Su Jinghui was just a facade.”

The child clung to Niansheng, gazing about curiously. When Su Yuebai teased her, she didn’t cry; instead, she burst out in delighted giggles.

So this time, Yun Ran didn’t target Yun Shaohua’s work at Yun Corporation. Instead, she chose to exploit Yun Chengli’s habit of bribing people to lead Yun Yu astray.