Chapter Eighty-Two: Brushing the Knuckles

The Mule Gate of the Western Regions no longer cared for rules, having been driven to utter desperation. The one-eyed vulture and his followers brandished their weapons and charged toward us.

The contest for the Hidden Treasure Wine Maiden had concluded; with this sudden turn of events, everything had evolved into a vendetta between sects, no longer bound by the rules of the treasure hunt.

I, too, was burning with rage. I drew my battered blade and stepped forward to fight.

Chang Yu and Fatty Zuo were even more fearless, kicking down two foes and snatching the weapons from their hands...

“Can you tell me about your master? After all, it was because your master was searching for drugged men that we came to blows.” Chu Wangshu asked casually, not expecting much of a response, yet to his surprise, the other answered without hesitation.

But it was neither Zhang Ji nor Du Xi who arrived, but rather Xu Rong and his three thousand cavalry, previously dispatched to Chang’an for reinforcements.

The great hall was already laid out with banquet tables. Cao Cao and Lady Bian sat at the center, surrounded by his concubines and various relatives.

“Mr. Sherlock, we have always behaved ourselves in this town, following business principles faithfully, and we are also clients of your bank. Why have you suddenly gathered us here?” a pirate captain protested.

The Ziyang Pillcraft was vast and profound, but much had been lost by his generation, leaving it incomplete. What he had learned was perhaps sixty to seventy percent of its former glory, and for that, he was profoundly grateful. He was determined not to let even that much be lost with him.

A day had passed, and despite all her efforts, there was not the slightest response. This left her disheartened.

Afu nodded in deep agreement, sizing up Shenling from head to toe, then glanced at the large pot in the kitchen, clearly intending to stew Shenling whole.

However, after two minutes, Yang Ting became as steady as a tumbler, swaying with the motion of the cart but never losing his balance, resolving every jolt with remarkable skill.

At these words, before Qiu Linger could respond, the steps of Old Shark froze in place—he dared not take another step forward.

The stone staircase spiraled downward into the earth, the air growing increasingly damp and stifling. Only after a long descent did the two reach another stone door at its end.

Gu Qianyu watched An Nuo walk around to stand behind her, her heart bursting with joy. She even thought it would be nothing to ask for an autograph or a photo.

Upon entering Pingcheng, the townsfolk had not yet scattered when a group of black-clad men leaped down from the eaves on both sides.

“The Prince of Shuo’s reputation is well deserved. In that case, at this hour tomorrow, I will lead my brothers down the mountain,” Evil Overlord Tian said to Rong Jing, raising an eyebrow as he spoke.

Xu Zhouzhou cast a pleading glance at Gu Lan, hoping for rescue, but Gu Lan, still caught up in his delight, failed to catch her meaning.

Her address of “Mr. Xu” was something she’d picked up from her child, who loved Xu Zhouzhou’s classes and would talk about them endlessly at home, so much so that she herself had adopted the term.

Her second and third brothers, along with her fourth sister, accompanied her to the town to help out. The fourth sister was adept enough to wash dishes and serve food.

As a servant of the Ye family, Song Biao’s life was one of hardship, while his master, Brother Kun, lived a life as different as heaven and earth.

On East Dragon Island, they had always upheld the ancestral teachings, producing only the most upright disciples.

Her mother felt the requirements were simply too demanding; the chance of finding an ideal match was probably lower than winning the lottery.

Yet the Nine Nether Sparrow was an extraordinary talent among spirit beasts. No matter its lineage, every Nine Nether Sparrow harbored the undying factor that allowed it to be reborn from blood and flame.

“At your current stage, you’ve already reached all the places where you can improve your strength. If you continue in such a high-profile way, it’s bound to cause trouble—surely you wouldn’t wish for that?” Ruth asked calmly.

Liu Zhang smiled; he had long wanted to deal with those two. When he received Xiao Chen’s order to investigate them and saw the information his subordinates provided, he’d wanted to execute them on the spot. Now that Xiao Chen himself had decreed they be punished, he was not about to let the opportunity pass.