Chapter 124: Entering the Mountains

Gu Tingzhou finalized the winter hunting plan for the morrow with his father, then notified each of the men who would be joining them, before finally trekking home through the wind and snow. Li Qingyun had already washed up and put the two children to bed. "Dad, come to bed! Our new heated brick bed is so warm, and we have new quilts too. They're soft and cozy, not cold at all," Dabao called out loudly to his father, snuggled deep under the covers. "Coming," Gu Tingzhou replied, finishing up his chores. The family settled comfortably onto the heated bed in their new home, huddled together beneath a heavy, eight-jin cotton quilt. It was wonderfully warm, even a bit too hot. Ji Xiyan writhed in agony, weeping uncontrollably as the sensation overwhelmed her. Her soft, lithe body pressed relentlessly into Chu Aotian's embrace, stoking the flames of his desire. A cold smirk crossed the face of the main force member, but Jing Zhongyue clashed blades with him fearlessly, matching his strikes blow for blow. Yan Xiaoxiao trailed off. Jin Guangyan glared at her with a sinister gaze, as if she were his sworn enemy. She could only watch helplessly as he called for a doctor and then stormed into the bathroom. Everyone returned with a bountiful haul. Pockets and bags were stuffed to the brim, and hands were full. Those without bags wrapped their loot in their clothes; some even used their trousers, tying knots at the cuffs to make makeshift sacks that worked even better than bags. Qingrang knelt gracefully on the ground behind Hua Shu. As Xin'an stepped forward to help Hua Shu up, Qingrang stole a glance at the man now vying with the Crown Prince for the empire. He was indeed striking and imposing, possessing the very heroic aura that would captivate Hua Shu's heart. Luo Lie nodded. It was a promise he had made to Ren Tianjun. Thinking of the century that had passed, he realized Ye Qinghong must have spent her entire life in pain and waiting. Luo Lie shifted his gaze to Sparrow; in truth, wasn't Sparrow's fate much the same? These black scorpions were venomous, and Lin Tianyao couldn't quite discern their exact nature. It wasn't until they were absorbed by the two martial arts that he detected a trace of martial power within them. Before the crowd could react, everyone dropped to their knees. The eunuch's shrill voice read aloud the imperial edict, its contents carrying to every corner. The first half was filled with lavish praises for Hua Shu, speaking as though the Emperor had watched her grow up, while the second half contained but a single decree: betrothing her to the Eldest Prince and conferring upon her the title of Princess Consort Shude. Given all this, the Changmen sect now had a rare opportunity to grow stronger. It was a chance so deeply coveted that its very existence proved just how exceedingly rare such opportunities truly were. Nangong Ming began to coax information out of him. He didn't want any material possessions from Nangong Jianxun; rather, he sought the method to break through the limits of the Ink Pupil, the way to maximize the efficacy of the Spirit Gathering Pill, and the secrets to utilizing the legacy of the Dragon and Phoenix Seal. Li Shan's voice trailed off. He stared at Ye Cuo with wide, unblinking eyes, resembling a primordial beast ready to swallow him whole. Suddenly, a player came sprinting hastily from the Inner City toward the Outer City. Li Zhiqiang fell silent. What he did next struck Yao Yayao as rather peculiar. She glared warily at the colossal behemoth drawing ever closer, poised as if ready to lunge and tear her apart at any moment. Forcing herself to stand tall, she took deep, heavy breaths, drawing on an invisible strength to slowly straighten her spine. She fought to suppress the trembling that wracked her body, striving to project an aura of formidable defiance. He looked around, surprised to find himself lying in an unfamiliar room. Bewildered, a sudden thought struck him, and his face filled with shock. Both sides picked heroes commonly seen in high-rank matches, employing the standard lineup of an offlaner, midlaner, jungler, safelane carry, and a support pulling creeps. It was a familiar strategy, though when comparing late-game scaling and crowd control, the enemy team held the clear advantage. Off to the side, Young Master Canglang stood dumbfounded. He had been racking his brain over how to protect Jiang Jichen, but seeing the man's fierce prowess now, it was clear he needed no protection at all. Yet, just as this thought crossed her mind, a generous breath of oxygen passed from his lips into hers. It was crisp, cool, and refreshing, surging through every capillary in her brain and instantly clearing the fog from her drowsy mind.