28 Monster (28)

So he hadn’t lied; this was indeed what he had planned to use for the exchange, not something he thought up on the spur of the moment.

Yingjun wrapped his arms around Lin Ruoxi. Lin Ruoxi paid no mind to his mischievous hands, pressing her bridge gently against Yingjun’s chest, her delicate face radiant with happiness as she listened to his strong, powerful heartbeat.

The moment Gao Jianli mentioned he had a strategy, everyone’s eyes turned to him! At a time like this, a better plan was naturally more than welcome.

Unconsciously, Yin Junfeng found himself walking toward that place, his steps guided by some uncertain instinct. Before he knew it, he had arrived beneath the Demon-Sealing Tower.

At the sight of the newcomer—face like a ripe date, phoenix eyes, and five long whiskers floating down his chest—Li Jue and Guo Si recognized at once that it was Lord Guan, Guan Yunchang.

Everyone needs a friend, for sometimes a single word between friends can untangle a host of complicated matters, bringing sudden clarity. That is the gift of friendship.

Such an outburst stunned the songstresses present and left Yuan Shao momentarily speechless. After all, in this era, when would a young lady ever raise her voice in public?

“What are you doing? It was clearly you who swerved recklessly, and now you’re blaming us? Wait, Wang Zhe, is that you?” Long Miaomiao leapt out of the passenger seat, furious at having been rear-ended and scolded, only to discover the culprit was an acquaintance—the very Wang Zhe of the Wang family from Yanjing.

“Haida Fu, why did you leave just now? Did you kill those people drained of blood? And is this blood pool your doing as well?” Meng Hui shoved Yingjun aside and glared angrily at Haida Fu, who stood at the entrance of the hidden cave.

“Fine, I didn’t expect… Brother Bi to be so straightforward.” As Huang Yun spoke, she walked to the bedside—a soft couch adorned with intricate carvings, draped in a crimson quilt embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks at play on the water.

Xu Siyu felt wronged as well. She hadn’t anticipated that Lan Tian wouldn’t be the least bit anxious about the drama she’d staged, nor that public opinion online would so completely reverse.

The flavor of this braised pork was unlike anything served elsewhere; clearly, the chef had real skill. No wonder Fortune Mansion enjoyed such a sterling reputation.

Sensing something amiss with his body, Wan Long grabbed a bottle of nutrient pills from his pocket and gulped down half of it in one go, then retrieved a dark gray stone from his drawer and clutched it tightly in his palm.

Yun Genggeng locked the door behind her, glanced around, and, seeing no sign of her uncle, darted outside without looking back, fleeing into the eastern mountains to hide in a cave for the night, hoping to come up with a plan in town the next day.

Just as the old man predicted, Lin Feng’s earlier demeanor had been a mere act. Now, thinking of the auction house’s commission, Lin Feng felt a pang of regret. The house would take over a hundred thousand spirit stones from that batch of elixirs alone.

“I know you said Mr. Song has some influence in the underworld, but I just couldn’t set my mind at ease. That’s why I came to find you,” He Min replied.

As soon as the host finished speaking, all eyes in the room turned to Lan Tian, seated in the corner.

Wang Yuyan looked back, her face full of concern for Ye Feng, who nodded reassuringly, giving her a look that told her not to worry.

The newcomer was tall and handsome, clad in a pure white martial robe trimmed with gold, tailored to perfection—like a nobleman stepped out of a comic book. Yet beneath those striking features lurked a hint of devilish charm.

“No, the princess has always been the kindest person.” The guard was startled for a moment before responding hastily. In truth, the princess was indeed kind, but her strength often overshadowed that gentleness.

Dongfang Fengfei nestled naturally into Ye Qingmo’s arms, twirling a lock of his hair around her fingers, and spoke with a gentle smile.

In response to Kou Zhong’s self-deprecating remark, Xu Ziling only replied indifferently, delivering yet another blow to his confidence.

The implication was clear: he could guarantee absolute safety inside the shop, but not beyond its doors.

Understanding this, Zhou Rong felt his mind clear, his sense of self deepening.

After all, when enemies cross paths, their hatred flares up all the more—especially when the rival is the adulterer who’d put a superlative green hat on his head. Seeing Han Yuan, all of Cai Chuning’s anger surged forth at once.

With a snap of his fingers, he shattered the teacup. Unexpectedly, two shards flew straight at his face. He twisted aside just in time; the slivers grazed his cheek. Springing up, he wiped his fingers across his face—there was blood.

With each failed attempt, the rewards from challenge mode dwindled, even becoming a loss in the end.

Since Ye Ning dared to swallow the three treasure boxes, he was already prepared to break with them. In his plan, with Yuqing and Ahan’s help, the three of them could escape the encirclement without much difficulty. Even bringing Lin Jingyu along wasn’t impossible. Their opponents had numbers, but none with the supreme strength of someone like Tun Mi Ruofei.

This period had indeed been exhausting. The myriad unexpected situations had left Jiang Lijun overwhelmed.

Liuyun, too, had been saved by Shen Ninghua. Gravely wounded, he’d spent a long time recovering in the valley, always cared for by Bai Ruo. Over time, the two developed feelings for each other. When Shen Ninghua returned to the Shen family, it was impossible to bring Liuyun along, but the timing was perfect for Shen Xuanlin, who needed a martial arts tutor.

“No! Godfather, I will get you out of here!” With that, Ying’er hoisted Lin Yuxi onto her back. Thanks to her martial training, Ying’er’s strength surpassed even that of a robust grown man.