Volume 1, Chapter 26: I Shall Protect You, and I Shall Also See You Out of the Palace Sooner

Only by firming his resolve to usurp the throne, believing that with his talent he would surely achieve great things, could one proceed. Once he had paved the way, he could be cast aside, and one could ascend the throne themselves. Thus, he repeatedly sowed discord before the Emperor, ensuring the prince could never become the heir, forcing him to choose the path of rebellion.

Jiang Mingxin’s expression was grave as he said, "Kexin, take my advice: have less contact with Zhang Cheng in the future. It will do you no good to be too involved with him, do you understand?"

Following his enlightenment with Sword Seventeen, Yang Qi channeled the Primordial God-Worm, gaining further insights and benefits.

I observed the expressions of Xia Qing, Ye Qingcheng, Huang Nan, and Gongsun Junjie; they were clearly in the mood to watch a good show.

Cries for help echoed from nearby. Xiao Sanlang, Yin Shisan, and Du Boyang scanned their surroundings. Du Boyang spotted them first. High in a tall tree, Shu Jin was tied to a branch that grew at an angle.

"The odds are against us this time; we must learn our lesson. Han Lang, Yun Xing, you continue to absorb the essence of the gods. My seventh sister and I will make some preparations. This must never happen again!" the Heaven-Defying Jade Rabbit declared.

"Was everything just now... an illusion?" Han Lang muttered to himself. It had felt so real that he still felt a lingering fear and dared not attempt it again.

Master Xia was instantly filled with shame, recalling those words about "ancestors' brothers" that he himself had once said to Ping Ruoyu. He had never realized how grating they sounded until he heard them spoken aloud.

Before Xie Yifan could finish his sentence, Shu Xin burst into unbridled laughter, pointing at him while spinning and jumping on the spot.

A melodic sound emanated from the Wolf Queen, but to Han Lang, it was like the chanting of an ancient, vengeful ghost—repulsive and terrifying, filling him with disgust.

"Huan Meng, use detection magic," Huan Meng said, tossing out a magic orb. It passed easily through the iron gate, casting light that illuminated the vicinity.

Since they had met during the Lantern Festival, it was a rare opportunity for him to get along well with Guiyuan, so why not bring her along?

He figured that making pastries would take some time, and if it grew late, the Emperor might summon his concubines, making it difficult for his master to deliver the pastries to him.

***

Now that Ye Yihan had not yet entered the family, Zhong Hao felt a bit awkward about going to that carriage. Of course, if it weren’t for Fu Ruozhu, it wouldn't have been so awkward, but with Fu Ruozhu in the same carriage as Ye Yihan, it was difficult for Zhong Hao to join them.

Who would have thought that upon entering the outer hall, Princess Chang’an and Liu Ying would be sitting there, beaming with smiles?

She had only meant to tease, but she hadn’t expected Chen Ru’s expression to shift in such a strange and varied way immediately after her words.

"Since the founding of the 'Light of Dawn,' our army has never truly exceeded fifty thousand. It is not that we cannot afford to arm more soldiers, but because I will not let ordinary soldiers face the powerful Burning Legion—that would be sending them to their deaths."

Behind him, brilliant lights danced in the night, yet the youth beneath the tree felt as though his heart were being shredded, his spirit utterly broken.

Ever since Tang Fei gained favor, the maids all felt that their mistress was no longer the person she once was; she had become precious indeed.

Wu Shengsheng was not in a good mental state at the moment, feeling cold all over. This was not the first time it had happened recently; she lay in bed, not even wanting to respond.

And now, I couldn't be bothered to ponder all the "what-the-hells" or whether Zhang Minglang would be embarrassed by their actions.

Reflecting carefully, her master’s appearance just now seemed to have been triggered by the Nether Bone Ship. Was she abandoning her disciple? Was she creating an opportunity for Lin Xuanjun to play the hero saving the damsel? Why hadn't he come to save me after receiving my distress signal?

"For example, after washing the cups, they must be placed on top of the cabinet." Bai Yang stood on tiptoe, trying hard to put the cup up, but failing to reach the height of the cabinet, he gave up.

Stars danced before my eyes. I released my sword and stumbled back a few steps. The man threw another punch at my face, causing my nose to bleed profusely, and I fell backward. The man hooked his left foot behind my knee, and I couldn't help but collapse at his feet, still struggling to stand.

The drone scanned the area, and the projected map was filled with dense red dots. The number of goblins was at least 30,000, and they were all mobilized for war. All the goblins rushed out in a swarm, engaging in a brawl. The gray dwarves, who had previously relied on superior equipment, suffered heavy casualties.

Basel was likely affected by this loss, earning only 1 point from a draw, widening the gap with Grasshopper Club to 3 points.

***

In truth, there was already a hint of anger on my face; though not very obvious, I felt Zhou Yaze must have sensed it.

The Kitchee team also made substitutions, and both sides traded blows in a tense stalemate. Although neither side scored, the match was far from dull; it was intense. The back-and-forth between offense and defense was particularly thrilling.

The former Emperor had been sitting there in silence for half the night. When the time came, a bald man approached and placed his hand upon his head.

"Awoo!" The Kung Fu Dugong was instantly excited to see the collar on its neck shatter and fall to the ground. It immediately said something to the nearby blue rabbit while pulling a key from its shell, rushing over to unlock the cage.

The two men in front charged forward to intervene. Unexpectedly, Lin Chuan lunged with lightning speed, grabbing their ankles with both hands, and in that instant, he hurled them violently from the air.

At this moment, Yuan Ying had to resist on both fronts; externally, he had to constantly refine the intruding seven emotions and six desires, while internally, he had to seal his avatar to prevent it from escaping. He was truly caught in a dilemma.

Lan Ruxin was deeply worried about her beloved disciple and intended to head there, but the next moment, she halted her momentum abruptly.

However, the moment Wang Zhen stepped out of the gate of Niu Jia Village, his peripheral vision caught the half-corpse crouching in the corner. His brow furrowed involuntarily, and after a moment of hesitation, he withdrew his foot in an unnatural manner.

Was it the revolutionary friendship born from long-term failure, or was it that having this long-term bottom ranking allowed this boy named "Liu Xu" to not feel so lonely?

Lin said this, but he didn't move. After a bout of wrestling, the two were practically embracing; the soft touch beneath her nightgown and the scorching breath made his mouth and throat parched and restless.

Liao Kong spoke these words with a sorrowful expression, following Lin Fei's signal, yet harboring his own hidden intentions.