Volume One Chapter 26: Even Ten Thousand Deaths Would Not Suffice for That Old Beast

Qin Zhan did not return home until late into the night. In the past, he would not have come back at all, but now there was someone waiting for him at home, and he could not sleep without seeing her first.

The room was shrouded in darkness. The woman on the bed had long since drifted into deep slumber. The air conditioner hummed softly in the background, and Qin Zhan raised the temperature a few degrees. He settled onto the small sofa nearby, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the jade ring on his right thumb, his expression obscured in the shadows of night.

His gaze fixed upon Yan Qiuning, lying on the bed, a silent net woven of longing and possession. In the end, he refrained from disturbing her dreams. He sat for a while, and when a message arrived on his phone, he quietly left.

The next morning, sunlight flooded in. Yan Qiuning awoke naturally, well-rested.

"It was Mother who worried you might be bullied. This twenty percent was always rightfully yours—I was merely keeping it for you."

"What are you implying? Magistrate Xu, are you suggesting that among our officials and commanders, there are those who would secretly pledge loyalty to Pei Ju?" Changsun Wuji’s voice was edged with irritation.

"Da Niu, I see you’re drenched in sweat. Here, wipe yourself off," Wu Zhen said with a smile, handing him a towel.

Yu Ming’s manner was earnest, his words moving the officers and soldiers of the Xia army, many of whom found themselves persuaded.

Today, he had not deliberately avoided Han Hao and the others. In truth, he never mingled with the Third Prince’s circle, determined to live up to his reputation as a maverick.

Lin Yue swallowed hard, intending to find Zhou Chu at once to plead for forgiveness, when his phone rang again.

As expected, a kiss came out of nowhere—fierce and consuming. Yi Yuefeng, like a starved beast, pinned her to the grass, kissing her deeply as if she were the most delectable prey.

"Silence! How dare you utter such words before the Divine Lord!" The two nine-demon elders shouted in unison.

"Heh, greetings to you all. Why didn’t you three leave earlier?" Li Daniu found Huang Shilai rather amusing and struck up a conversation.

Even the Master of the Mirage Palace, a formidable figure, was shaken by Jiang Yi’s punch. If he had had to face such a blow himself, he too would have suffered a hidden loss.

"Heh, I apologize for yesterday. This plate of steak is for you," Li Daniu said casually, handing her the dish.

"You don’t believe I’m carrying a gun, do you?" With those words, the deputy director reached for his waist.

The eight ninjas atop the main building first glanced toward the spot where Hao Ren had thrown the stone. Sensing nothing amiss, they began whispering among themselves, oblivious to the poisonous bees that had already landed on their heads and crawled into their hair.

Han Bing swayed unsteadily, barely managing to stay upright, but everyone saw the blood at the corner of his mouth.

Consort Li did not insist—she smiled, exchanged a few polite words with Shen Mingzhu, and reminded her to send for them if she needed anything at all.

He quickly realized there was a secret, and the secret was hidden in the optical computer. But how could he open it safely?

It was a grand performance composed of the traditional dances of various ethnic groups from West Hang. The lighting, the backdrop, the costumes—everything was dazzling, a feast for the eyes.

"Count, you need only tell us what to do. Point us in a direction, and we will charge forward for you!" declared a young man, his voice ringing with passion.

But this was hard on most of the pampered academy students, especially the mages. Huang Yan’s demands for physical training were relentless. Luckily, they too possessed a stubborn resolve, spurring each other on, unwilling to fall behind.

The group moved in stately procession, their attire sumptuous and striking—anyone with sense could see they were people of wealth and status. There was no need for subterfuge; they revealed their identities openly. A few constables led the way as they strode straight toward the village.

Hao Ren’s sudden appearance left Han Yan, Wu Shuang, and Ruiya stunned. All three rushed forward, vying to embrace him.

Jia Tingxue, who had spent countless years within the cake house, was now utterly deranged.

When Wang Xi lifted the scarlet lid, everyone heard the distinct sound of rushing wind.

Wang Xiao glanced at the time—it was only a little after three in the morning. He decided to use these early hours to arrange the formation. Without further delay, he filled his storage ring with formation stones, packed a whole crate into a wooden box, hefted it onto his shoulder, and slipped out of the temple under the cover of darkness.