74 The Endless Journey of Learning (11)

The Soul Bewilderment Array shattered as effortlessly as a defenseless infant, breaking apart before their eyes.

Midnight had arrived. Zuo Zongtang was so drowsy that he yawned incessantly, yet Zeng Guofan stared fixedly at the chessboard, his whole mind absorbed, unwilling to relax for even a moment.

Zhao Li’an reached to pull Qiao Neng inside, but Zhao Yuanhang, sitting in the car, scoffed with disdain, slammed the door, and strode past them. The sudden sound startled Nie Wanluo, who let out a sharp scream; Qiao Neng and Zhao Li’an immediately ceased their tugging.

Kava’s foot, just about to stamp down, froze in midair—though only for a fleeting instant. Yet that single moment was enough for Kota to escape danger. Even as he fled, Kota managed to swing his blade back, shattering Kava’s foot.

The Duke of Petrovich spoke with hidden meaning. Back in the era of Eleksom IV’s grandfather, Eleksom II, Petrovich was already an independent young noble. As soon as he uttered those words, Hollo realized Petrovich harbored ambitions of replacing him.

Ye Xue had stopped crying. He hadn’t expected Lin Yu to endure such hardship, and couldn’t help but feel sympathy.

Lin Yu and his companions had spent the entire day exploring, and their gains were decent. At least Lin Yu had spent sixty mid-grade spirit stones to purchase two formations. The day after tomorrow, Tian Ding Sect would begin their admissions; crowds were expected.

Thirty-six acupuncture points whirled with dark elemental force, Yang Chong sacrificing his life’s energy, blending the essence of the evil spirit with the dark force to create a pure core skeleton of darkness. Around him burned a fierce, ghostly fire—an avian shadow, alive with dark vitality.

Qiao Neng paused, lips pressed together, feeling the rough texture as expected. Embarrassed, he raised his cup and took a sip.

Feng Ziling had intended to say more, but seeing him let go so decisively, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss, an urge to have Lin Yu continue holding her hand—a feeling she quickly suppressed.

Ordinary people, surrounded by so many taking photos, would surely be flustered and nervous.

Zheng Zhilong, eager to surrender to the Qing court, finally revealed his true colors. He ordered Shi Fu to retreat from Xianxia Pass, leaving it open. The Qing army’s thirty-thousand-strong vanguard swept straight toward Yanping Prefecture, while Li Chengdong’s troops marched on Fuzhou, breaking through all resistance. Emperor Longwu, terrified, fled to Tingzhou Prefecture.

Cang Yun said, “No matter, take your time investigating.” Secretly, he mused that Chenbo was renowned in the Demon Realm, yet had vanished for quite some time. As a respected figure, he should have shown himself by now. Could it be that Chenbo was already striving for mastery of Yin and Yang?

“It’s good you’re alright. Rest well and recover completely. When you’re fully healed, we’ll visit Yang City again,” Zhao Wujie instructed earnestly.

After chatting a while, Zhang Xingxing noticed Anmi, Annie, and Natasha still waiting nearby.

“Yutian, didn’t you want Star Fairy cosmetics? They’re right here—why aren’t you taking them?” Zhang Xingxing laughed.

Many present didn’t belong to Wailing Ghost City, but the reputation of Qiu Zhong’s Black Skull Sect was formidable. Eighth-level Spirit Masters were nearly unattainable for most.

“Humph… Qin family’s worthless wretch… do you think you’re so powerful?” After addressing Tang Jiu, his gaze fell on Qin Guyue, his face twisted in even deeper ridicule than before.

Hearing the city lord’s words, Lin Weiwei was stunned. The master of this secret realm seemed to be called Holy Emperor—but how did the city lord know? Did he know the Holy Emperor personally?

“Very well!” Daosheng took the Origin Pearl and departed. His purpose here was the ancient war general; for that, he would agree to any condition.

Suddenly, a clearing appeared amid the dense forest, where a great many magical beasts had gathered—yet they were eerily silent and peaceful. Only as Zhang Tian approached did he discover this peculiarity.

A bit of luck might let someone top the ranking board for a day or two, but to remain at the summit required true strength and continued fortune.

This meant that from Ye Xiu, they could now glean many genuine, sensational stories.

After Zhao Yan finished, I was certain it was a ghost—specifically, a water ghost. Yet I couldn’t understand why it tormented Zhao Yan every night instead of killing him. The mention of a water ghost inevitably brought to mind the drowning incident in Lianxian Village.

Hearing the word “wages,” the Three Laughing Demons nearly coughed up blood. Their predicament was like working for a year, rising early and toiling late with no benefits or holidays, only to receive a hundred yuan in the end.

“There’s a false bottom.” Wang Anquan lifted the box and smashed it to the floor. It shattered instantly, revealing no hidden compartment. Instantly, all eyes turned to Wang Anquan, their gazes hard to decipher. Wang Anquan was mortified but managed to maintain composure.

His phone had been ringing nonstop these past days, almost always with calls asking what had happened. So Zhou Jiadong simply switched it off. Yet unable to endure solitude, he’d sometimes sneak it on and download a couple of web novels.

A ray of light descended from the heavens, illuminating Ning Lin’er and appearing in her dreams.

The Ninth Prince, his face dark, said, “Fine, then let Ninth Brother live well…” He pondered how to help the Tenth Prince climb over the wall, supporting him as they walked away. Quan’er at the door hurried up to help, but ended up steering them forward.

The whole affair began when Qi Hui formally requested the emperor to grant him a chance to train in the military. He didn’t aspire to be a great general; even starting with tending horses and stoking fires, he hoped the emperor would allow him to join the army.

Jing Shu did indeed think so, but the emperor’s tone seemed dismissive. She nodded timidly, not daring to say more.

Zhuo Lun stood stunned. So she… couldn’t even see through this? He clenched his fists. Who was responsible? In the end, he dared not ask, afraid the truth would shatter the fragile trust between them. If it really was the Immortal Clan’s doing, their relationship would only grow more difficult.

Su Qian was about to retort but her gaze fell on the hickey on his neck. Instantly, she understood why Xiao Cheng was so angry.

Perseverance paid off. At last, when my hands grew numb from digging, I uncovered a leg, curled downward. Tears burst forth. I clawed desperately, freeing the person from the rubble. Using my sleeve to wipe my tears—over and over—yet I could not stem their flow.