Chapter 44: There Is Something Wrong with the Dish

A look of radiant joy washed over Gu Xiaocheng's face, and then he pulled Su Luoluo down to lie beside him.

Chi Xingwan understood now. This was most likely a deceased child whose soul, for reasons unknown, had not entered the cycle of reincarnation, but instead found its way into the body of the parrot.

His fingertips trembled slightly. Fearing that his loss of composure might startle her, he pulled her tightly into his embrace.

Ruan Xingmian carried her meager luggage down the stairs, casting a fleeting, mocking glance at the hundred-thousand-yuan check Qiao Ronghui handed over.

Consequently, the streets outside the Martial Palace were lined with accessory shops, boutiques, luxury restaurants, five-star inns, mahjong parlors, chess and card rooms, billiard halls, and the like.

Yet previously, the Langya Wang clan had sided with the deposed emperor, making them practically adversaries. Why were they still appointed as prime ministers?

Shen Yuerou reached up to scratch her hair, a gesture that did not escape Aunt Fang's notice, who immediately recognized that she was in a foul mood.

Although he was merely a brute with little brains, who relied on a gang of sworn brothers in the casino to hold absolute sway in this Wanbao Town, he still understood the maxim that commoners should never contend with officials.

Of course, given their status, they truly had no need to conduct business by rigidly following rules and taking things step by step.

Chen Xianyi then lashed out with a kick, sending the dignified seventh prince's head flying high into the air as a fine mist of blood sprayed across the sky.

Yet even at such a speed, it thoroughly startled the future Vice Dean of the Academy of Wisdom and Quest for Knowledge, Franst.

Once someone took the lead, the rest naturally chimed in one after another. Ye Chen remained silent for a long time after listening to their accounts. These people had all inadvertently offended a certain faction and were thus suppressed, while their innate talent fell far short of warranting any other faction stepping in to mediate.

As prominent elites in the corporate world operating in different regions, they were nonetheless quite familiar with each other. After all, the Mo Corporation and the Zhan Corporation shared numerous commercial cooperation projects.

Ye Chen released the aura of a phoenix, far more formidable than before his nirvana. The entire Azure Spirit Bird clan felt the suppression emanating from their bloodline—a pressure even more intense than facing the Demon King, for among avian beasts, the phoenix was the true sovereign.

Everyone entered the hall and took their respective seats, whereupon Qiao Shuer instructed the kitchen to begin serving the meal and dishes.

Time slipped away quietly, and a month passed just like that. During this period, the Royal Academy remained as usual. On account of the Fledgling Dragon Trial, the cadets on the leaderboard were intensifying their cultivation, while ordinary cadets diligently completed missions to earn merit points, securing more cultivation resources to support their future progress.

It would be a lie to say he felt no disappointment. Having constantly been hailed as a monstrous talent by Yang Yunshan, though he repeatedly reminded himself not to grow arrogant, a sense of pride had nonetheless taken root in his heart—even when facing Bai Chengfei, he had not spared him a shred of serious regard.

Moreover, this was merely drawing a bye in a single match; it did not mean he would never have the opportunity to return to the arena. Perhaps, just as Zeng Qingyan had said, once he completely conquered the fear and hesitation within his heart, the throne of the King of Air Combat would one day return to his grasp.

Wen Yunshu had long since grown accustomed to gazing at Qiao Wan'er's receding back. His heart was calm. And what lay beyond that calmness? Piercing agony like a knife's edge, burning torment like roaring fire... all of it had lost its meaning from the very moment Qiao Wan'er chose to return to Zhou Yu's side.

Qin Mu nodded. As a commander of a major military region, he was indeed capable of reacting swiftly even when encountering unprecedented phenomena.

Ellie thought for a moment: "When the others arrive, come back first and demonstrate your interception technique to everyone." She still wanted to see if Cui Jian had been bragging.

She had only recently survived the thunder tribulation; ahead of her lay even fiercer fire, wind, and demonic tribulations.

The onlookers in the distance could still feel that the surrounding environment had brightened slightly.

When the time came, this song would undoubtedly make countless people recall that period of ancestral resistance against foreign invaders.

The young man before her could injure her only by employing some special technique or unique magical artifact. Judging from their previous intelligence regarding the Xuan Sect of Kyushu, regardless of whether it was a technique or a treasure, they stood no chance of using it a second time within a short span.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" A succession of deafening explosions echoed as the thunder pearls detonated in midair, unleashing blinding light and thunderous roars.

Gan Lan instinctively tried to sit up, but Liang Jingyan smoothly pressed her down onto his lap, his palm pinning her waist so she was left utterly unable to move.

Furthermore, this physical constitution—surpassing that of his peers at the same age in his previous life—was one of the foundational reasons he managed to struggle for survival in this cruel world.

That kind of pain pierced straight through the physical flesh and struck the soul directly; even a living corpse could not withstand it.

Although the White Lotus followers were outnumbered, they were nonetheless skilled fighters. Facing the surprise attack, they did not panic, quickly organizing an effective counteroffensive.

Phew. Watching the departing figure of the icy master, Qian Cai let out a long breath. Heavens, she had nearly frozen him to death just now; even the air seemed to have solidified. He truly could not fathom how the Emperor managed to endure this Palace Master Han.

His etiquette was flawless and meticulous, striking a balance between offense and defense, advancing and retreating with perfect propriety. Ou Guansheng could no longer find a single fault with Zhuo Ling.

With that, he fell into a fit of endless coughing. The two of them helped Ye Lusheng back into the room, with Shen Yun arranging for Xianghua to summon Doctor Zhang, while having Ye Lusheng lie back down on the bed, alternately applying cold compresses to his forehead and feeding him water.

Ye Lusheng had ultimately underestimated the so-called rustic simplicity of the people here. With this thought, he walked aside with Laze. Upon arrival, he saw a vast expanse of grassland, pleasingly verdant and lovely.

Huang Chang showed not a shred of a father's tenderness at this moment; instead, his face was contorted with regret that he had not struck sooner.

The vermilion gates, streaked with water marks from the torrential rain, burst wide open. The eldest young master of the Ye family, Ye Lusheng, emerged cursing while holding an oiled paper umbrella, though even so, a large section of his black robe was soaked through.

Until reaching the eighth floor, Lin Yumeng's eyes lit up once more. The door to the eighth floor bore the words "Storeroom." Pushing it open, she found all sorts of odds and ends piled inside. To her immense regret, however, the moment the door was pushed open, those medicinal herbs instantly vanished into thin air, making Lin Yumeng twitch in physical and mental agony.