Volume One, Chapter 106: Shelter

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How was she supposed to answer that?

To say she liked him seemed rather shameless; to say she didn’t, would surely wound Meng Xingyi’s feelings.

It was a difficult situation.

Between yes and no, Shen Chaowu chose or. “You can give it a try. Maybe I’ll like it.”

Meng Xingyi’s eyes suddenly lit up. He couldn’t believe he’d just heard the word “like” from Shen Chaowu’s lips.

The youth clearly had no intention of revealing the truth, but his fondness for the heavy sword, coupled with his lack of cash, tempted him to sell the potion immediately. For the old man, this was a golden opportunity.

Nangong Yier exclaimed in surprise, “You’re not even asleep! Then why pretend?” She feigned annoyance, giving him a playful punch to the chest.

With a few commands to Treading Snow, she excused herself, citing official duties, and hurriedly left Fengyi Palace.

On one side of the hall stood a wide seventeenth-century Carrara marble double helix staircase, leading up to VIP rooms where various games of chance were played. The entire VIP lounge was a separate enclave, completely isolated from the hotel casino on the other side. Here was a paradise for the wealthy—a true den of gold, rarely accessible to ordinary gamblers.

Zhang Fei, seasoned and unflappable, met the crisis head-on. With two quick slices, he alternated offense and defense, blade shadows flying across his chest, fierce winds swirling—an unstoppable force. With a deft turn of his wrist, the blade flipped upward, its back striking Yang Bai’s elbow with a heavy blow. Yang Bai’s arm went numb, the strength vanishing from his fingertips, and he staggered backward in panic.

The Capital Guard was the city’s defensive force, always commanded by the emperor. But since the emperor fell ill, control of the Capital Guard had quietly slipped into Yu Kui’s hands.

The soldiers of Longhu Manor were delighted upon hearing the news. Their heads, it turned out, could fetch five taels of silver apiece—had they known, they’d have sold them long ago.

This was trouble—the Longhu Army’s Thunderclap Bombs had no waterproof features and couldn’t be thrown into water; doing so would only waste them.

With his left hand, he conjured a burst of energy light; his right, wielding a longsword, carved several vortexes through the air, launching a simultaneous attack skyward. His form vanished once more, only to reappear at his original foothold, icy gaze tracking Marit in the clouds.

Wuyou met with Old Madam Gao and recounted the contents of the letter. It turned out that Changsun Wuji, on his way back to Jinyang, had sent word ahead to Wuyou, telling her to prepare and pack. Li Xiang wanted them all to move to Longmen, as Jinyang was about to descend into chaos, and Longmen would need her assistance.

Ju Yi’s heart was wracked with pain—his dignity ruthlessly shredded. Rage and resentment consumed him, but he knew he lacked the power to turn the tide; he fled, bitterly.

The execution scene Han Zhong had witnessed was, in fact, orchestrated by Tao Shang, who had instructed Jing Ke to arrange it. The purpose was psychological intimidation, a tactic that proved effective.

His hatred for Ou Yanghua was no less than Ding Manman’s, who carried the enmity of a slain father—perhaps even greater.

The remaining S-class special item was far more intriguing: the Card of Invincible Talent. The note was simple—apply this card to a child under five who had not yet studied martial arts, and the child would gain all the martial prowess of the legendary Invincible.

He had worked to win Sichen’s favor, and succeeded—Sichen had always thought well of him, and if possible, would gladly call him a friend.

“Qingye.” Lan Junyuan appeared at the front door, no one knew when. Seeing it was truly her, he ran over as if desperate.

Tao Shang’s words brought sudden clarity. He sprang up, studied the map carefully, weighing the points Lü Zhi had made.

Ye Tufei wasn’t joking with the sergeant. He stopped the car, grabbed his gun, and jumped out.

Sluggishly, he opened the door. As expected, the anxious-faced owner stood outside.

Nalan Bihan slept soundly through the night—without a single dream. For days, she hadn’t slept well. Now, after deciding to reconcile with him, her heart felt suddenly light and joyful, free of repression and pain.