Volume One, Chapter 31: A Slap in the Face

When Ye Qianyao finished her presentation, thunderous applause erupted from the Pinxing side. Several judges were full of praise. Mr. Liu sensed something amiss but said nothing, joining in the applause nonetheless.

When it was the Dawn Studio’s turn, Ye Zhaoying rose with a cold face, glaring at Ye Qianyao.

Ye Qianyao showed no displeasure; instead, she beamed at Ye Zhaoying, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower.

Ye Zhaoying took the stage and began to narrate her proposal with composure, then, under the rapt attention of the entire audience, unveiled her first piece of work.

Zhu Jingkun remained affectionate and respectful toward the Zheng family, his attitude seemingly unchanged from usual. He repeatedly reassured Grand Marshal Zheng and his wife, claiming he had already discussed their cousin’s situation with Imperial Consort Zheng and would surely secure her a bright future, ensuring she would never be wronged.

The depth of the Ling family’s heritage was beyond what outsiders could imagine. To prepare for this clan competition, no fewer than fifty True Essence Realm cultivators were deployed solely to maintain order and security within the clan.

Countless black cages held a living soul in each; among them were beasts, demons, and, of course, humans.

Butcher Zheng’s wife tried to argue further, only to hear heavy footsteps as Li Yuejie hurried in through the back courtyard gate.

"Not a single fool among them!" Zhou Yunfeng flashed forward, heading straight for one of the Yaoguang Dao Fruits.

Listening to Ruixue’s words, Wu Ling also caught sight of the golden glow lingering in the sky, a light that seemed to be rushing toward them.

Like other ape-men, the greatest weakness of the four-armed earth ape was its head. Boom, boom, boom—the creature’s head rang with the force of the blows; though it did not kill him, it dealt massive damage.

Zuo Ran thought it reasonable; these men were merely acting under orders, and killing them or sparing them made little difference. They were not the true culprits.

Empress Dowager Cixi’s expression flickered with uncertainty. Though the request was difficult, it was not entirely impossible to grant.

Princess Seonhwa’s face flushed red, and she hurriedly pulled away, as if she had been caught doing something scandalous.

Most masters who can cultivate to the super-first-class level possess a heart of innocence. Regardless of whether they are good or evil, they are far more sincere than ordinary people in the secular world—a quality that Jiang Ning deeply appreciated.

"Could it be that the other party is some kind of... intelligent life form with self-awareness?" At this thought, Chu Cheng felt a shiver run down his spine. If the entity were truly an intelligent life form, his refusal to answer might well have provoked it.

Dressed in red like the sunset clouds on the horizon, with black hair cascading like a waterfall, she wore a mask on her face and held a bright red flute to her lips. The light behind her obscured her features, leaving only a figure rimmed in silver.

"What exactly was that thing just now? The Solar Ring is a human habitat, isn't it? How could such a terrifying thing exist there?" Chu Cheng’s pupils lost focus for a moment before he suddenly sprang to his feet and addressed Xian Yi.

Furthermore, Shijia Media owned its own cinemas and production crews; from filming and production to distribution, the company could handle the entire process in-house.

Chen Chuan chuckled to himself. If someone had told him before he lost his job that he would earn over a billion, he wouldn't have feared those days of unemployment. Living off his parents was a prospect that came at the cost of his dignity.

Wu Qing kept her head down, eating her food while seriously ruminating on what Fang Zhongqi had said.

Fine, considering how hard the other party had worked, he would give them a chance. Though exhausted, he could still manage to take a few steps.

She glanced toward the Crystal Palace. Although constructed of crystal, the walls were likely too thick to be transparent, making it impossible to see what lay inside—or, by extension, how Di Fuyi was meditating within.