Volume One, Chapter 61: Life Is Like a Journey Against the Current

“This level of mastery is not so easily attained.”
A mocking voice came from behind the wooden shelves, as if it had overheard his words just now.
“A lifespan of nearly a thousand years…” Ji Die was lost in thought, still astonished to hear that Nascent Soul cultivators could live so long. No wonder they were regarded as immortals walking the earth—there was hardly any difference between them and true immortals.
But he quickly collected himself, put down the scroll, and looked around anxiously.
Since he entered, the “Pavilion of Ten Thousand Scrolls” seemed not to have welcomed another soul, so where had that voice come from?
Soon, his gaze landed on a figure dressed in red, crouched on the floor.
The shelf had three tiers. She was absorbed in searching through the books on the lowest level, as if she had always been there, paying him no mind…
The two reporters tailing Takahashi Rumiko were both women—gender played a major role, but that is another matter.
Yet, the intensity still seemed lacking! Zhang San pondered, then decided to add another twist: when using force or during a ransom, He Lianlian would leave behind a final farewell. That should be enough to push him to the edge! But should it be a ransom or a violent confrontation?
Just outside the cave lay the summit of Ghost City. Li Xiangyang and the others were still locked in endless combat. Those who had managed to escape first lay wounded on the ground. Li Xiangyang saw that all his most capable subordinates were bleeding. He meant to ask about it, when suddenly a tremendous force shattered the rooftop, and everyone was sent hurtling through the air by the shockwave, forced to unleash their magic to protect themselves.
Jim nodded in agreement with Zejin’s view, for he had thought the same. In a situation where both sides were unfamiliar with each other, this seemed the safest and most effective choice.
A deafening roar! This strike was devoid of any flourish—there was only the wild, unbridled surge of elemental power.
On an ordinary day, his mother suddenly arrived in Qianjiang City to visit her son and daughter-in-law.

“Hao Yu! Consider yourself lucky this time. Next time… next time I’ll slaughter you.” Through the porthole, Feng Yan watched as the distant scenery quickly dissolved into a blur, cursing bitterly in his heart.
But as a public figure, these sorts of things were inevitable. No matter how wild things got online, it never really affected real life.
Of course, Bian Yuanhang, who had no idea about any of this, was still waiting for the message that stubbornly refused to arrive.
“Aunt Wu, I’ve made up my mind—if I ever marry, it’ll only be to Hong Huan. I may not have agreed to him now, but even if he’s destitute in the future, I’ll still follow him anywhere!” Yun Cui declared earnestly.
Po Jun’s refusal instantly thickened the tension in the air. Waves of vital energy began to ripple from both men, and even the blade and sword at Po Jun’s back trembled with killing intent. A fierce battle was imminent.
Of course, Ba Fenghan had not yet perfected the Grand Five Elements Technique, so he couldn’t quite distinguish its subtleties. He could only compare the two elements—earth and fire—that he had cultivated so far. Even so, these immortal restraints were not something Ba Fenghan could withstand at this stage; overcoming them would take a great deal of painstaking effort.
Meanwhile, Chen Shi suddenly felt an emptiness within him, a strange sensation rising in his chest—like a person suspended in midair, neither rising nor falling, caught in limbo.
The old man seemed not to notice him at all. Eyes half-closed, he leisurely waved his fan. After a moment, he fished a coin from his pocket, flicked it so that it spun half a foot into the air, caught it in his palm, and flicked it again. Back and forth, he played this little game.
Having twisted the sentry’s neck, Wang Nanbei rolled forward. As he passed the doorway, he tossed two grenades into the yard and, in one smooth motion, yanked the dagger from the man’s chest. Only after vaulting the wall did he finally exhale, just in time to hear two explosions erupt within the compound.
One day, two days, three days—three full months passed. Ba Fenghan’s spiritual awareness, guiding his body, entered an extraordinarily long sleep. His body’s automatic responses had drawn in the surrounding energy, replenishing his nearly depleted meridians. Rested enough, he finally awoke.
Nightwing narrowed her sky-blue eyes, puzzled: From the very moment she began following Commander Black, he hadn’t uttered a single word—just kept walking ahead, never needing her to lead the way.
The giant tyrant salamander swallowed twice, gulping down the entire gargoyle. Still unsatisfied, it raised its head in a show of dominance, fixing Old Wang with a disdainful glare.
“You old fox, so you’ve made yourself emperor.” Xu Bansheng silently addressed the ruler on the dragon throne, whose face brimmed with authority and self-satisfaction.

Entering the Arctic Wastes, such a silver surface would be far too conspicuous in any other setting.
“Good evening, General Ji. It’s far too noisy and chaotic here. Please, let me show you to a private dining room reserved for senior management.” Manager Zhang from the Marketing Department led Chen Feng toward the exclusive suite.
She knew that his happiness at this moment was because of her. And she was willing—no, she wanted—to bring him more joy.
“Don’t be disheartened. There’ll be plenty of monkeys to see later on,” Meng Yihan comforted his sister when he saw her disappointed expression.
Zhao Kunling had been missing from Lanxi Manor for eight days already. There were no police or such in ancient times; in the modern world, eight days would be enough to die a hundred deaths.
His words were resolute, his attitude unwavering. It was clear this was Exxon’s team’s final decision.
Bei Chaoyang, clutching his dull sword, charged forward. A zombie with unblemished skin was making its way toward them.
The Virginia stag stepped closer, its handsome coat gleaming even brighter in the sunlight. Occasionally, it scraped the earth, thick with rotting branches, with its forehoof, while its short tail flicked restlessly behind.
The old man still had his skills. Though he had seen upheavals and wars, he had never abandoned the arts passed down from his ancestors.