Volume One, Chapter 79: Xia Zhiyuan Accuses Lin Ranran of Capital Manipulation

Xia Zhiyuan had willingly lowered her status to become a substitute teacher here, hoping to win everyone’s approval. Yet Lin Ranran had outdone her by hiring eight substitute teachers herself! Not only that, but she paid them by the hour—a wage even higher than regular staff teachers.

In this era, teachers were not highly regarded, often derisively called “the stinking ninth.” Substitute teachers suffered even greater discrimination, earning less than even the farmers. Many people simply refused to take up such work.

Mo Jingchun glanced at the elderly man who arrived with Ma Benyong, known to all as “Old Tong.” His face was expressionless, blank as a slate.

The young student took a few hurried breaths, relieved to find his airways clear before he could finally relax.

Now he understood why, from the moment he set eyes on this fellow, there was an odd sense of familiarity. Yet, some mysterious force had suppressed his thoughts, and he hadn’t dwelled on it.

As for Chen Mo and his companions, their condition was even more dire. Under the mighty Elder’s devastating palm just now, they had gritted their teeth and resisted. Their earlier composure had been a mere façade. Now, exposed and defenseless, they were struck down and embedded into the ground, scattered about like grotesque human specimens.

Mu Nanjin saw that Bai Ze, White Tiger, Taotie, Xuanwu, Chaos, Xu Bo, Zhenzhu, Gong Xiurong, Ran Yue, and Xijin—they had all arrived.

Another matter was the strand of hair obtained after slaying Lu Cheng. That thing was likely a storage artifact as well, but sadly, Chen Yun lacked the method to unlock it and remained in the dark.

Wang Shui didn’t gamble on the Russell family’s influence here; instead, he relied on his status as an Awakened, paid twenty thousand, and secured a week-long pass.

“Very well. I too walked this path in my youth. I will guide you personally, but you must formally accept me as your master,” the elder said.

I do not wish for Muggles to become slaves. We have no need of slaves for production, nor do we need them to display our status. We have long since left behind barbarism. But Muggles must recognize their own strength, and their place in wizarding society.

The dazzling divine light made it impossible to count how many sacred artifacts adorned the ancestral hall—at a glance, there were at least a hundred.

Without a word, the atmosphere softened a little, like spun sugar, delicate and faintly sweet.

With the arrival of the most formidable from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, over thirty great powers among the sea beasts at the Dao Transformation stage fell, and five or six at the Void Piercing stage as well.

It was precisely because he sensed danger from Ning Fan that he yielded—otherwise, why would Jin Baiwan, himself a peak earth-level warrior, ever bow to an equal?

Yet, when I arrived at the room Lu Changfeng mentioned on the phone, I found chaos: chairs and tables overturned, a broken window, and Lu Changfeng sprawled on the floor, blood staining his chest.

Witnessing such horror, Kamada Shoko and Elder Yoshigang screamed and fled without a backward glance.

Because I didn’t know what approach Huo Jidu would take to handle the matter, and worried the diary’s contents would leak, I barely slept that night. The next morning, I rose anxious and uneasy, bruised shadows blooming beneath my eyes.

“It’s me, Long Yichen, representative from Yama City.” The one entering was indeed Long Yichen. Looking up at the Buddha enthroned in the hall, he smiled faintly and spoke.

At that moment, the Heaven-Reliant Sword burst forth in brilliant light, thrusting straight at Bai Yue. With a mere wave of Bai Yue’s hand, the sword was halted instantly. Then, with a clenched fist, the blade shattered as though made of paper.

That morning, Shen Yuan was busy with my discharge paperwork, and by noon we returned home. The cat demon leapt about excitedly, saying it had worried for me every day. Since animals weren’t allowed in the hospital, it had anxiously awaited my return at home.

Lin Xiaoru made her decision, and Wang Yu did not interfere further. Though it was because of him that these people had fallen, this was not Beijing’s base city—he was an outsider and couldn’t say much.

Today, nearly every family in the capital with a marriageable daughter had come. Luo Qingrong smiled helplessly; Consort Dai was acting far too brazenly, making no effort at discretion.

The binding light cast by the Second Elder on the Grand Elder lasted far shorter than the one on Wang Yu. This ensured that once Wang Yu broke free, the Grand Elder would only just be emerging from his own bindings.

If Ding Yezi held her standards so high as to look down on the Hao family, she might never find a match in Taihe County.

Yet even as he finished asking, Ma Dezhong strode over and delivered a heavy slap to Tang Shaoxin’s face, settling their earlier score.

These two boxing arts were much like Tai Chi or Taekwondo on Earth—no longer lethal, but valued for their elegance and health benefits.

Chen Huan knew well that Du Dao’s skills now surpassed his own; he could no longer rely on intuition to sense him.

Though everything had been hazy before, the vivid reality of it all told me it was true. I watched him, neither getting up nor speaking.

“Everyone atop the mountain, focus on planting trees! Those below, clear the city streets and repair the water and power plants. Troops, move out to rescue the victims!” Chang Lin issued his rapid-fire orders, then, with Xing Yuliang, flew the plane up the mountainside.

“Defense?” Vogel gave Henson a surprised glance; he’d always thought Henson’s intent today was to go all out in attack.

Before the match began, when Henson saw Popovich, he greeted him warmly. These two eccentric characters truly were kindred spirits.

James knew he had to keep his cool on the court, but Stephenson succeeded in provoking him—a childish puff of air and a blatant flop, enough to rile anyone, especially with the game so tense.

He had no intention of outplaying his boss’s moves; from the details, he could tell that the boss’s technique was flawless, his reflexes and tactical sense at the level of a champion. There was no point in showing off—he would have to wait patiently for his chance.

When Li Mu arrived, Elder Chen was seated at a round stone table by the lake, playing chess with another old gentleman.

Li Wen felt the same, always sensing a mysterious depth in the legendary President Yaohui’s gaze, as if storms were gathering in those dark eyes.