Volume 1, Chapter 23: Aurora III

The aurora in the sky grew increasingly magnificent, shifting through colors in a dreamlike, spellbinding display.

Wen Zhi withdrew her gaze, looking up at the sky with rapt attention, her eyes sparkling. Those shimmering, limpid depths were filled with sheer joy. Her radiant expression was so captivating that it seemed to make the rest of the world dim by comparison.

Shen Nianchi stood beside her, watching the way her eyes crinkled with delight, and could not help but let a smile tug at the corners of his lips. That smile was devastatingly charming, leaving the viewers in the livestream completely mesmerized.

Ma Daochang and Zheng Qian were both secretly elated. They were not aiming for Tang Zuier herself, but for the Tang Sect. They had long heard of Zuier’s capabilities; the Tang Sect’s hidden weapons could hold off ten men at once. If they could forge a marriage alliance with the Tang Sect, the Hengshan Sect’s future would be paved with endless possibilities, perhaps even allowing them to surpass the Five Major Schools.

Even if those weapons could strike him—or even if they missed—the clouds of dust and smoke would inevitably reveal the Black Angel’s trail. This situation was, without a doubt, dire for him.

Xia Liu nodded and walked to Chen Jiaxuan’s side, casting a glance at the bruise on her neck.

"Zhou Li’s answer is exactly what I wanted to say," I remarked. "Based on past experience, pain is not necessarily a bad thing, so I do not wish for others to worry in vain."

Yet, his heart was not entirely filled with joy. If he were still the man he once was, he would have fought for her with every fiber of his being, without a moment’s hesitation. But now, he was a broken man—what right did he have to keep her by his side out of mere pity?

Wu Ming did not bother speaking to anyone at the inn; he went straight to the second floor, entered an elegant private room, and sat down.

As it turned out, Xiang Tian’s technique, "Returning Sword," involved using intense internal energy to crush a longsword into fine powder, then generating a vortex of energy to control the dust just as one would control sword qi.

"It really can be opened!" Wang Yun exclaimed in immense excitement, for inside the metal brick, he saw an object wrapped in white cloth that looked much like a sachet.

"Could it be that the Elixir of Immortality was also taken out of the Imperial Mausoleum by General Beicheng Yu at the time?" Consort Li voiced her inner speculation.

However, the moment Liang Xiaoyi’s words fell, the surrounding crowd erupted into an uproar.

Ling Lan finally realized that they had been discovered and suspected by the people in the car. It would clearly be inappropriate for them to continue tailing the vehicle; they had to switch trackers.

"It doesn’t matter if eating is inconvenient," he said with calm composure, "so long as it doesn’t delay me from doting on my wife."

Officials like Liu Jingyao, or even those of higher rank like Lu Xiangsheng, were the best among the mediocre—officials who could dance within the hidden rules while still possessing the capability and integrity to actually contribute to the country and accomplish real work.

Upon entering the inner room, both of their hearts sank immediately. Wu Zhiqiang was not being excessive; he simply had no choice but to let his child take care of him.

It was likely that her previous behavior had been entirely deliberate, intended only to make Chun Xi’s nouveau riche sensibilities appear even more pronounced.

The defense cannons of China City saw them off all the way to the gates, and the Super Secret Art Tower of the Guild Heights even gave them a parting shot.

"So, you have come to present a treasure." Hearing this, the Empress Dowager quickly asked, "What treasure do you have? Why not bring it out for me to see?" Lin Baoshu then handed a purple jade hairpin adorned with nine phoenixes facing the sun to the Empress Dowager.

"No, that’s absolutely not it!" Cai Yan said, her face flushed with excitement. She had noticed something amiss earlier and couldn't help but take a closer look. As the tears falling onto Liu Feng’s head increased, the marks became more distinct, and she realized the cracked skull was suspicious. One rub, and she confirmed the anomaly.

The Empress Dowager, her expression filled with pity, handed her an imperial decree. Princess Anmin opened it and read the contents, finding her heart strangely at peace.

In her panic, Nanny He had focused only on clearing her own name, completely forgetting the most lethal part of Ye Kui’s words.