Chapter 84

The next day dawned bright and clear. As the hottest days of summer approached, the weather grew so stifling it felt as if people might be roasted alive. Qiyue Qian, who always favored a light and breezy style, had changed into a Bohemian long dress paired with wedge-heeled sandals and a short-sleeved white shirt. She looked every bit the essence of summer; as she walked, her skirt swayed gracefully, becoming a moving landscape all its own.

San Xianzi had been in good spirits lately; ever since the old master’s cough had improved, his mood had rarely faltered. Those eyes of his, always half-smiling, glanced at Siyou Han, silently conveying, “If someone in the company is bullying my wife, you’re the boss—do something about it.”

After composing himself, Li Zixiao pushed open the door to Wang Cuixia’s hospital room, but before he could speak, the sight inside left him momentarily stunned.

Thus, people in the underworld had always disdained those impeccably dressed types. Although Qiyue Qian’s prejudice wasn’t quite so intense, she still harbored a hint of bias. Still, if he wanted to act, she was willing to play along—after all, she had been feeling rather stagnant lately.

He lunged to grab the artifact spirit, but it darted away in a flash to another spot. Wulang refused to give up; the fact that the spirit was so powerful meant the artifact itself must be extraordinary, and that thought filled him with delight.

Yang Chen, meanwhile, was deeply immersed in this state of perception. When his divine sense encountered a barrier, he didn’t force it to break through; instead, like a spirit snake, it slid along the surface of the barrier, extending ever further.

Ye Shaoxuan hadn’t even had time to knock on the door of the Bodhi Hall before Master Yixin, who was meditating inside, seemed already aware of his arrival. The door creaked open with a gentle sound. Well, Ye Shaoxuan was long accustomed to the ways of such inscrutable individuals.

In no time at all, our team had devoured all the seafood before us, leaving not a trace behind.

“You call that cursing? I’ve never cursed anyone who wasn’t deserving!” With that, he whipped a baton from his waistband, flicked it to its full three-foot length, and swung it at Li Jun’s head with all his might.

“Yes! Your father was a good man—a truly good father!” Li Li interjected, unable to find more fitting words.

Upon hearing the commotion, Zhuang Shaoyou looked over and saw Dong Zhong enter the hall in plain clothes, led by the steward. With a broad smile, Dong Zhong addressed Zhuang Shaoyou in a loud voice.

He knew his own strength well; though he had kicked the man out with force, it was not enough to cause lasting harm.

“Who have you come to see?” Feng Qianqian’s face turned pale. She clutched Li Xiang’s arm in terror, her voice trembling as she asked.

After being struck with the baton, the other soldiers, without waiting for the extras to come help them up, got to their feet on their own, dusted themselves off, and strode away. The officials were all bewildered, Zhuang Shaoyou struggled to keep from laughing, and only Yuan Shao’s face had turned a deep shade of purple.

Though they didn’t have enough money yet to buy a house, it was still necessary to understand the real estate market in the capital and to know the general housing prices.

Deep down, she understood clearly: Yu Tianzheng’s kindness and meticulous care for her were not merely out of guilt or compensation for having implicated her in his troubles. He had once said he would wait for her, no matter how long it took. That was exactly what he was doing now—waiting for her heart, waiting for her answer.

By now, Luo Yubin could guess the sorts of people seated at the main table. Though he couldn’t identify them exactly, he knew each was more formidable than the last. When he glanced at Li Xiang, there was now a hint of wariness in his eyes.

“Oh! So you’re the newly appointed inspector recommended by Lord Wang Guocheng!” The tall one and the short one suddenly understood, bowing low with clasped hands.

Su Ci was a little money spirit, weathered by hardship since she first became aware of the world. Through changing times and endless wandering, she was finally bought by a poor painter.

Second, any palace attendant or servant must immediately withdraw and not linger to eavesdrop when the emperor or court officials are discussing state matters. Those who disobey shall be executed on the spot.

Consort Li, Lady Yun, was exceptionally beautiful, her looks surpassing those of the three thousand ladies of the harem. A touch of vermilion on her lips and elegantly arched brows gave her an indescribable charm. After decades in the palace, she remained ever in favor, managing the inner court alongside the empress, her status second to none.

Fang Shanmou, eager to return home and negotiate with Sheng Chen, hadn’t looked too closely; thinking it was decent enough, he let Cheng Pengpeng confirm it. When Gu Hao returned, he too reviewed Jiang Chengzi’s résumé and found it satisfactory.

All these people were from the Yun clan. Drawn outside by the sudden actions of Jitian Zong and Yun Heng, they now blocked their way.

With a wave of his hand, Ye Hua made all the dishes on the table vanish, then stepped into the vortex once more—this time, there would be no mistakes.

After careful planning, Zhou Xiao devised a series of countermeasures. When work ended, he called Jiang Fuyu.

Vanessa soared high into the sky, carefully observing the positions of both friend and foe. Her gaze swept into the distance as she made silent calculations.

Wherever she went, she felt Fu Yisheng should be by her side, within arm’s reach. Not seeing him when she turned around left her feeling hollow and lost.

Storm City, with a population of two hundred thousand, was naturally the main focus for her publicity. She set up a base of operations there, hiring a few loud-voiced workers every day to ride goats through the city, shouting the news.