Volume One, Chapter 87: I Poisoned the Food—Will You Still Eat It?

Just after finishing lunch, Wen Xuyu received a call from Wen Yuqin.

She knew then—she had won the gamble.

The other end of the line was silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Wen Xuyu, I’ll withdraw the guards and hand over the Lou couple to you. You must immediately make Bian Xunzhou stop pressuring the Wen Corporation!”

His voice was full of resentment and anger; anyone could hear it. Wen Xuyu’s fingertips trembled as she lowered her gaze to the polished floor, softly replying, “Alright.”

On the other end, Wen Yuqin hesitated, clearly unwilling to let go of the lucrative advantages this biological daughter might bring. But before he could say more, the call was already cut off.

“Damn it!” He slammed his palm on the desk, his face darkening.

No matter what, Wen Xuyu...

By Ye Xian’s nature, she would certainly stop at nothing to find Han Shuangyue herself, only able to rest assured after confirming her safety with her own eyes.

Moreover, the Academy of Grand Illusion, being exclusive to the Grand Illusion Palace, was formidable in scale. Given Ye Yang’s current abilities, he was nothing remarkable within its ranks.

In recent years, the imperial treasury had been so depleted that even basic treasures were scarce. Now flush with funds, the emperor had no interest in such things, and with Zhang Juzheng preaching thrift every day, the palace made no purchases of rare treasures. The loot confiscated from Luo Bingliang’s estate had all been auctioned off at the Southern Yamen; it was no wonder the Ming emperor had no discerning eye.

Had he chosen today to fight to the bitter end, not to mention detaining everyone, even killing this handful would have been no easy feat. Should a single one escape and let word slip out, it was easy to imagine that from then on, he and all his kin would live the rest of their days hounded by the Seven-Treasure Glazed Sect.

“Watch closely!” Oscar lowered his head and swallowed something—no doubt the food form of his third soul skill.

In the next instant, Ye Xian’s entire body erupted in radiant light; almost in a flash, he was enveloped in a sudden, blinding white glow, slowly vanishing from where he stood.

Qi Jiguang had never fought for fame or fortune, nor to secure an inherited title for his descendants. In the twenty-ninth year of Jiajing’s reign, when the northern and pirate threats loomed so large that many believed Ming’s downfall imminent, he fought only in hopes of calming the waves at sea.

Unexpectedly, Tang Tang approached him at a leisurely pace, her surroundings empty, her eyes fixed on something behind him as if watching a good show.

Pei Yuanjiu was her white moonlight, the love of her heart; the cinnabar mole and the moonlight were both him.

Yu Tianheng casually pulled off the white glove on his right hand, revealing beneath it a hideous, sharp dragon claw. Electric arcs leaped about the claw, making its inhuman, icy terror all the more pronounced.

There was no need to worry about danger in the Darklands, for the academy always assigned a good number of mentors to ensure students’ safety on such trips.

Bai Yiyang, seeing Liang Shan agree, quickly responded, though he wondered what, at Liang Shan’s level, could be worthy of his time.

Ordinary business was nothing special, just the usual commercial competition. But the high-profit trades were different: smuggling salt, or trading with the Mongol tribes of the steppe—these lawless places operated by the rule of the jungle, the strong devouring the weak.

This country-looking youth truly understood—everyone could follow his reasoning, but it was the first time someone had spelled it out so clearly, even the shrewd bookkeepers had only vaguely considered such things before.

Kai, Asuma, and the other elite ninja all responded at once; thanks to the prior full-team briefing, no one was caught off guard, and as soon as they sensed the shift in the field, they threw themselves into the fight.

Xing Tianyu continued along; the third stall he passed sold soul fire, all sealed within specially crafted crystal orbs, glowing in a dazzling array of colors. This stall was obviously popular, with several locals picking through the flames—even two summoners among them.

Baili Wuchen’s good mood was utterly ruined by Yu Weiyan’s actions. He immediately waved for Zhuyue to halt admissions and wanted to rise to check the crowd’s situation, but the rules kept him trapped where he was.

“Yang Xiong is a master of social dealings. Introducing the Wang family here was likely his idea,” Qin Chuan said, his tone laced with irony.

Yet all the imperial physicians had been summoned away by Jing Ye; even though the Empress Dowager’s arm was broken, not a single doctor came to treat her.

“Alright,” Zhuang Qingqing nodded lightly. Since Huo Lingfeng wasn’t around, she had one less ‘King of Hell’ keeping watch over her.

This battle made the Social Guild famous overnight, not only showcasing their formidable strength to countless players but also displaying their exceptional combat prowess and seamless cooperation.

Qiuqiu, seeing he couldn’t get help from his mother, turned his hopes to his father—but then reconsidered, recalling how often his father was punished by his mother to kneel on a washboard. He thought better of it.

Inside the room, Ji Zili wiped Mo Yujingchen’s forehead and body with a warm towel. He was drenched in sweat, as if he’d been immersed in water. Ji Zili called for Jing Lan to change towels again and again.

It’s true that Chinese and Chinese-descended people are diligent and good at making money. However, among the overseas Chinese elite, the higher their social status, the weaker their sense of unity.

Tsunade frowned, unable to retort. After all, Orochimaru’s reasoning was thorough; pressing the advantage would win greater victories and greatly boost morale. Most of the elite ninja supported this view.

The force of the blade was so fierce that, even though it wasn’t aimed directly at the three, they still felt a brush with death. The world seemed to dim, everything vanishing except the brilliant arc of the drawn sword.

“My lord, don’t. Miss Chu is your secondary consort; this could be easily misconstrued,” Ling Chen immediately intervened. Jin Feng shot him a glance, and Ling Chen’s expression changed, forcing Jin Feng to yield.

Feng Yan dashed out of the storeroom in a few quick steps, slipped into the hall, and, pressing the amulet in his hand, began to form a plan in his mind.

“Ah Chen, Yi’er carries a chill within her. When I fell from the cliff and into the river, I was chilled to the bone. Yi’er was born with this coldness.” Ji Zili looked at him, then turned her loving gaze to Yi’er.

Nor was the Northern Frontier Empire spared. Like the Canglong Empire, it barely managed to hold a sliver of land, avoiding annihilation by the Destroyers.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment—endlessly suspended, as if all the chaos and clamor of the world had been cut away.

Light streamed in through the window, falling across Wang Xiulian’s face, casting her pallor and myriad wrinkles into sharp relief.