Flattery always takes the lead.

“Auntie, there’s no need, we’ve all finished eating. Please, sit down and rest for a while.” Yanran stood up and came to my mother’s side, speaking to her politely.

As she watched the departing figure of Granny An, all the sorrow, stubbornness, and forbearance in Wen Yuke’s eyes vanished, replaced by a victorious smile. She had orchestrated everything with precision—the lotus vase, the Yu Jiao tea, the Longevity Painting—subtly ensuring Granny An saw them, asked about them, and kept them in mind.

A deep and resonant horn sounded, spreading across the battlefield in an instant. The barbarian cavalry were all emboldened, yet to the Central Plains army, it sounded like the pipa that summons death.

The day passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, after breakfast, Lei Xiao said he was going to take on a mission. However, not long after, he came running back in a panic, breathless and flustered.

“Of course not. Are there really that many fights for the local thugs?” The one speaking was Hu Xie, who was watching a sugar sculpture being made. His words startled the vendor.

At first, I had no idea what Blue Moon’s intention was. It wasn’t until two and a half years later that I finally understood her painstaking efforts.

After replenishing my health with the Dark Pact, I sat down slowly. I had intended to go scout the surroundings first, but the restraint of the Deep Sea Shield made me give up on that idea.

“What, do they still dare to stay and resist?” Hua Hu imagined Hu Xie and the others were desperately breaking out, thinking that even if he gave chase with all his might, he might not catch up. What else would happen along the way?

Moreover, the situation had become even more troublesome: as the distance between the fragments of the Celestial Lands grew wider, the void rifts not only failed to decrease but multiplied several times over—dense and perilous. A single misstep could see one sliced in two and swallowed whole.

Tiansheng and the others speculated that at this moment, Sicole was certainly preparing to make his move in secret. They just didn’t know where his first target would be. For now, all they could do was wait patiently.

Ye Shao gently patted Han Xue’s waist and said, “Wife, let me be honest with you. What I did today, at first was because I was dissatisfied with the association’s arrangements, but afterwards, it was really about Wolf Security Company. Why should they sit on the stage while we sit below?”

Shrewdness was Cheng Anya’s virtue, and she felt she was always living up to it. Provoking someone stronger than herself, especially on their own turf, was never wise.

The blood and skull of the Sand Witch’s descendants were hidden by Alexei in a secret base in the Fog Country. It was guarded by terrorists from the Black Sand Organization, and only Alexei himself could enter.

He had never forgotten his hatred for the Purple Court Star over the years—it was all he ever talked about.

Returning to Dragon God One, he withdrew the Demon Domain troops as well. Rather than have Nicole create a difficult space-time tunnel, wasn’t it better for Core One to open it himself?

“Ling’er didn’t mean that at all. She’s just afraid—” Ling’er hurriedly grabbed her sleeve in protest, but Momo stuffed a custard tart into her mouth.

Ye Shao immediately thought of this, but didn’t say it out loud. He suppressed his excitement, waiting for Lin Yin to continue.

“It’s quite simple. Either someone with influence over the organizing committee was bribed and secretly told the supervisors to turn a blind eye, or they’re intimidated by Wolf Company’s silver reputation and dare not speak out.”

It seemed the Dragon Slayer’s plan was flawless—at least so far, everything had gone exceedingly well.

Tomorrow, the envoys from Blue Ridge Country would leave. Fortunately, the people from the Cloud Society discovered this news. Otherwise, if she had been taken back by the Blue Ridge envoys, it would have been difficult to find her again.

Han Zaicheng got out of the car and came over, taking a close look at the elderly man. He was dressed decently, not at all like someone abandoned. He quickly pulled Hui Cai along, “Alright, let’s go! I’m hungry!” He had set out as soon as he got the call for Hui Cai to go to the police station, braving the sweltering heat.

From their first meeting, all he’d ever done to her was humiliate and hurt her. Yet she always wondered how to please him, even numbing herself with the fleeting pleasure of the bedchamber.

Her silence was a form of protest, hoping he would sense her tolerance—not out of necessity, but out of love. She wished he would understand that though she might not be as beautiful as Min Xiaoying, she had enough confidence to love him more. Every time she cared for him, it was not out of pretense, but genuine affection.

Just as the guard reached to knock, Qin Jingyu pinched his fingers, and a beam of white light shot out, felling the guard. Glancing to the side, he saw Yan’er already veiled and ready to strike.

“Your humble servant greets the Princess Consort!” In the presence of others, Han Si maintained all necessary etiquette.

Fang Jinghao held her waist tightly without betraying any emotion, said a few words to Zhou Yuchen, and then led her inside.

“My grandma and grandpa have always been good to me, haven’t they?” As Chen Zhengyang spoke, tears fell again. Once in the car and buckled up, the thought of how Xian Zhijian had shoved her earlier brought a sharp pain to his heart. Some wounds, thought to have healed, ache all over again when touched.

Following the road into the town and rounding a mountain bend, two adjacent peaks came into view, perfectly framing Gourd Valley below.

Chen Tianyun was utterly shocked. Huanhuan had just said this child was the one she loved most? Suddenly, he realized this explained why, after being violated, she insisted on keeping the child—she truly loved Wang Musheng.

A chilly wind rustled the leaves, the temperature dropping. Only the Tear Eaters were immune to the change, while the other five shivered through the night, the cold after rain cutting to the bone.

Heaven knows how long she had been hiding it. Now, just as she had finally withdrawn from the game and washed her hands of it, she got caught red-handed. Her luck was truly something else.

After all, the late Ancestor Ren was a good man; his reputation still lingered in people’s hearts.

She hadn’t even stepped through the door when Lady Xiao’s slightly reproachful voice came from inside, clearly dissatisfied with her late return.

Tong Niu’er was momentarily bewildered, not knowing what had upset her this time, so he could only hang his head and follow behind her.

Right now, both sides were vying for every second and every minute. Whoever seized the advantage first would claim victory. But this time, the stakes were unequal: for the Three Sects, victory meant survival; for the Demon Sect, it meant slaughter.