Volume 1, Chapter 24: Beset by Danger

As Meng Tingfeng turned to chat with a young lady beside her, Meng Xueyi calmly flicked a silver needle from her fingertip. The water in the teacup on the table rippled slightly.

She then watched as Meng Tingfeng drained the tea in one gulp.

Meng Xueyi lowered her gaze; now, she only needed to wait for the show to begin.

Yet, she wondered when the performance promised to her by Cheng Cai would finally commence.

At that moment, a palace maid approached Meng Tingfeng and whispered something in her ear.

Meng Tingfeng nodded obediently and stood up.

"Sister, an old acquaintance is looking for me; I must go for a moment."

She then muttered to herself:

"How could I have an old acquaintance in this palace? Could it be someone from Mother’s past, someone in the palace..."

With a sharp scream, everyone present turned to look at her. Naturally, following the direction of her finger, they saw the blood-stained prayer mat.

Under normal circumstances, a few men sharing off-color jokes among themselves might be excusable, but times had changed. Consort Chen was no ordinary person—she was an imperial concubine. How could such jokes be told in her presence?

Everyone wept silently while holding their bowls in line, eagerly awaiting the next batch of delicious food to be served.

"Exactly, perhaps it was the blessing of the Grandmaster of Fuli," another disciple chimed in.

"Their children... I hardly held them. The total time spent together doesn't even add up to a month..." When you don't watch them grow up, your heart doesn't ache with such lingering regret.

***

Before long, the Second Mistress, Third Mistress, and the Second Young Mistress arrived, surrounded by an entourage. The three women, both mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, were dressed in new finery and wore beaming smiles. Although the Second and Third Mistresses disliked the elder Madam Yang, today was a joyous occasion; they were not foolish enough to ruin the mood and displease the Matriarch.

On this day, Cao Cao did not attack the city, but his massive army gathered outside Pingyuan Commandery. Watching the enemy forces swell outside the walls, it felt just like the time their own eighty-thousand-strong army had besieged Yidu. Unfortunately, Cao Cao’s side had been blessed by the heavens with days of torrential rain, whereas now, the skies were clear, the air was crisp, and there was no rain to be found.

For three days, she felt that even eating and drinking were a waste of time; she simply wanted to visit more places and sell more wares.

When the time came, wouldn’t the wages be hers to decide? Could her own son dare to disobey his mother?

"Great Master, it is said that three feet above one’s head, there are gods watching. I just wonder if you believe it," Zhang Sanfeng suddenly spoke up.

"I just finished handling state affairs and thought I would come by to see your flower-viewing banquet," the Emperor said in a casual tone.

Bojiu was a rare martial arts talent. Failing the mission entrusted to him this time could not be blamed solely on him; one had to admit that Jiang Fangzheng’s strength was also formidable. Once healed, Bojiu could still be put to good use in the future.

Added to her subsequent probing, Yingchun was ninety percent certain that this Axiu was hiding something as well.

How strange; why hadn't Qingxue mentioned this before? But since they were guests, Mayor Luo still warmly arranged for Long Yi to be seated and served tea.

That night, under the witness of several elders of the Zhigong Hall and the two men, Liu and Xie, Chen Chumo slaughtered a chicken and offered incense to Guan Yu, becoming the 11th-generation direct disciple of the Hongmen, the world's largest secret society. Liu Jinshui and Xie Zhigui were also 11th-generation disciples; the plan to take Chen Chumo as an apprentice was thus thwarted.

That year on a hillside by a temple in the suburbs, and a few days ago in the Imperial Garden—they had met in both places.

"Sigh! If that is the sentiment of you both, we as parents can hardly force the matter," Ye Mei sighed.

Li Jinglong opened his eyes to see a lean man with a shaven head like a monk, dressed in iron-scaled armor, crouching outside the iron cage beside him.

The fat man remained calm; he had known of Zheng Jingren's arrival for some time but had chosen not to point it out. He was curious to see if Zheng Jingren would show favoritism toward his capable subordinate once he saw him.

***

My master told me never to get close to someone too perfect, because beneath a perfect exterior often lies a heart of stone.

Here, in meditation, a mage could use their mental power to explore the universe at a deeper level, studying the relationships between energy, matter, and laws, while exploring their own potential. Although it did not directly enhance the effects of meditation, it was still immensely beneficial to the mage.

Caiyu and Qinghan exchanged glances, their eyes revealing a trace of surprise. They had not expected Lin Tian to treat them with such an attitude. Clearly, in Lin Tian's eyes, they were nothing more than outsiders.

The surrounding disciples hesitated for a moment before rushing toward the large pit one after another, pinning down Wu Bai, who had already lost his cultivation.

Lord Yan gripped the report of the victory tightly. He had read it several times already; it was no exaggeration to call this report a timely rain. Without even confirming its authenticity, he had rushed over to build momentum for it.

In the match, the two-to-one score held until the final whistle. On the 80th anniversary of its founding, Celtic finally stood at the pinnacle of European football. This was the first time a British team had won the European Cup, and it remained the only European Cup title for any Scottish team.

"...Dual control of the spirit and soul, manifesting as a long serpent..." Xiong Kun, standing to the side, provided constant guidance through soul-transmission, teaching Han Feng the techniques of control and refinement. At this moment, Xiong Kun split his divine sense in two; one half continuously instructed Han Feng, while the other monitored Lin Xue.

"Human, you have entered the realm of demons, and you shall inevitably suffer the punishment of demons. Your soul will be banished forever, cast out by demons into the void of heaven and earth—this is your destiny." The figure spoke in a voice devoid of emotion, and suddenly, extended a finger, shattering the void as it pressed down from afar.

Feng Yi remained expressionless as he issued a cold instruction. His heart was a tempest of turmoil; his entire being was immersed in the shock of the militia's sudden strike.

Ren Mengqi looked up, her beautiful eyes already red from weeping. The light of the night pearls illuminated her fair, cold, and pretty face, evoking a sense of fragility that made one wish to protect her. She was truly moving.

Because the battlefield was silent, one could hear a pin drop. Even the sound of the breeze blowing past became clearly audible. People gazed into the center of the field, watching the young man who was covered in blood, yet stood like a god of war.