Chapter 80

“This game is unwinnable now—no matter what we do, we can’t beat them. Their ADC and Lux are just too far ahead,” Lin Yao explained, forcing herself to remain calm. The masked man had once saved her life, so she naturally spoke without the mocking tone the others used.

To him, Lin Wan’er’s status and position meant a tremendous turning point. If he could gain her help, his plans for revenge would proceed much more smoothly.

No one knew the answer, nor did anyone respond. In truth, every member of the Hanmen Guild was just as baffled.

“Emotionally blank? You seem to know him quite well for someone who claims not to,” Prince Qing remarked sharply.

“My name is Jiang Ruanruan, and he’s my husband, Liu Zhengxu, a soldier in the army. We just got married and are about to return to the base,” Jiang Ruanruan replied.

In her previous life, this man was like a stain upon her existence—a nightmare she never wished to remember.

“In the Western Blessings Palace, only Nianmeng watched from behind the screen. I had someone keep an eye on her, but she showed no particular concern for anyone,” An Xia reported.

Li Yu nodded; that was just what he had been thinking. His skills were suited only for close combat, and on the battlefield, one couldn’t expect to fight the enemy hand-to-hand.

“I only played a harmless joke on my third sister-in-law. Who knew that my third brother would drink that cup of wine…” Before he could finish, Long Jinyu’s head was suddenly knocked to the side, and the outline of a handprint slowly appeared on his face.

Because the emperor now addressed her not as “Princess of Beimang” but as “Envoy,” Fang Xiang naturally realized His Majesty was displeased.

The true essence sealed within the bamboo mat was equivalent to the early stage of the Master Realm—a full realm higher than both Ahu and Aba. He believed that a single sweep of his staff would be enough to kill them both.

Xiao Yan came to himself and smiled. “The commotion here was too great—father was annoyed, so I hurried over to check.” He couldn’t help glancing again at Feng Miaojun, thinking that the Grand Preceptor must have either lived in abstinence for years, or else had found such a beauty as this, which suited his character: silent for years, then astonishing all at once.

Xu Yiru immediately lost a great many fans and, after this incident, could no longer show her face in public.

In the dimly lit room, Wang Ying was excited to see it really was Yu Zhen. Though they’d barely interacted before, she couldn’t help but hug him.

There are countless factors that contribute to a team’s success, but over a long season, what truly matters is the ability to win consistently, to string together six or seven wins at a time, to go ninety matches unbeaten.

For the army, it was another sleepless night. The camp bustled with activity, emergency orders flying, soldiers and laborers rushing everywhere.

Princess Changle sat nearby, and many envoys came up to converse with her. Surrounded in the center, she remained calm and charming.

The group moved with practiced efficiency, their methods deft and precise. Normally dignified, they now looked every bit the ruffians.

Lan Ao waved his hand, signaling Li An to get back to work, then stepped outside to stand by the window, lost in thought.

After a while, the scout Xiao Mo had sent out finally returned. Without any unnecessary words, the scout reported his findings directly.

The young man gestured for those kneeling to leave, and as if granted amnesty, they thanked him profusely and hurried away.

Xiao Lanyuan feared she would worry and not eat or sleep well; he also feared she would fret and, while pregnant, insist on preparing things for them; worst of all, he feared she would lose patience and come to the Dark City herself.

At that moment, Ruan Qingyu rushed back to her room and pretended to be asleep, instructing the servants to tidy up the adjacent room.

Li Daoxuan held his wine cup, not speaking in haste, pondering the best way to approach the matter.

The soundproofing in this private room was mediocre; even after sitting down, they could still hear conversations from next door.

In the pitch-dark underground, with no sense of time, it was normal not to know what hour it was. The three of them likely only saw each other when someone entered; otherwise, they had to huddle together for warmth.

Sure enough, the next day Zhang Su received a secret letter. Upon reading it, he burst into hearty laughter.

According to the intelligence just analyzed, Higashido Aoi’s technique could only swap objects imbued with magical energy—or, at the very least, with faint residual filth.

Ye Yong’s smile faded, and his tone lost its malice. Suppressing his inner fear, he strove to remain calm.

Yin Yiyi’s face darkened slightly—she had no right to boast. Now, she was merely walking the difficult path of an unmarried mother, hoping only not to be despised by others.

At this moment, Song Hongguang had been thoroughly stunned by the money Zeng Guixiang kept producing. So all along, his mother’s cries of poverty had been a ruse to cheat him out of his own money?

When he saw Yin Yiyi slowly walking in the opposite direction, he sighed deeply and couldn’t help but turn back to catch up with her.

She too wished to leave, but knew it was impossible. These things she’d learned from the village chief.

The Zi Ping method of fate calculation was just as Old Master Zeng had described: a system created by the reclusive cultivator Xu Ziping, built upon ancient theories from Guiguzi and Li Xuzhong, integrating the Na Yin and Shen Sha methods to form the Four Pillars of Destiny framework.

But what he didn’t expect was that Ji Xueyan, just a few steps away, showed no sign of slowing down and charged straight at him.

If Jin Zhuo willed it, the Spirit-Linked Gold Bracelet could transform into a gourd-like object, instantly capturing many souls and destroying them, devouring their yin energy and transforming it into an icy-cold substance—what was called the Cold Ice Pellet.

Only those two dark stars were variables, and among them, Huang Tianxiang’s anomaly was the greatest. Yet these thirty-six Heavenly Spirits all took orders directly from the Yellow Emperor, and Huang Tianxiang was merely a nominal leader with no real power. So why did Master Xingyu flee in such haste?

“If I say you left your brains at home, you still won’t admit it. Let me ask you: Don’t you think Tang Biao and his men know how to use poison? Would they really break into Prince Wei’s mansion in broad daylight?” The Fifth Elder sneered.

“This thing is impossible to restore,” Li Lizhi snapped, tossing the inkstone to Li Tai in anger.

Liedou spoke slowly, suddenly realizing he’d underestimated himself. He once thought he was the strongest in the Land of Wind—perhaps even throughout the ninja world—but compared to the masked man’s current display, he was completely outclassed.

All around, vines and tree canopies were everywhere. The monkey could easily use its remarkable climbing skills to evade the Steel-Bristle Boar’s attacks.

Recognition was inevitable, for Ji Zi was disguised as her, dressed in a black suit, movements crisp and efficient, and wearing a pair of sunglasses.