Chapter 126: Commanding Wind and Rain, Striking from the Shadows

In mere moments, the main peak of Red Pine Mountain was engulfed in raging flames. Countless ancient pines, cypresses, and even rare orchids and fragrant herbs withered and curled under the searing, poisonous heat; it seemed that in no time at all, the entire mountainside would be reduced to ash. This was a tribulation destined for the spiritual roots, a calamity ordained by the unseen powers of the universe—a manifestation of the natural cycle of creation and destruction. The ancient Flat Peach tree had once suffered such a trial by thunder and fire, leaving behind only its withered roots.

Du Qingfeng responded with a nod and led Jing Ye and the others up the mountain. Guests arrived in an endless stream along the path, and Du Qingfeng whispered explanations to Jing Ye one by one. True to expectations, most of the prominent figures from the fringes of the Borderlands had arrived; the matter was of such great importance that they felt compelled to attend in person.

The crowd began to echo these sentiments, shaking off their earlier gloom to face their current predicament.

Zhen Shifeng smiled faintly and gestured toward the ceiling. Not only he, but the others also noticed it: a simple square ventilation duct, roughly thirty centimeters on each side and covered by an iron grate, was positioned diagonally above the desk. In the confines of this secret chamber, it was the only possible way into the room.

Thirteen and I hurried away from the abandoned factory, sprinting for over twenty minutes before finally reaching a national highway.

"By the way! What exactly has happened over these past three days? Why are the others nowhere to be seen?" Yue Chen asked with a hint of suspicion.

Watching Zhang Liao depart, Jia Xu fell into deep thought. As the saying goes, one should not concern oneself with affairs outside of one's jurisdiction, but Jia Xu was currently the acting commander, with the fate of the entire army resting on his shoulders.

In truth, the grand ceremony was held within the Temple of the Taiyi Emperor. However, only sect leaders, elders, and invited dignitaries were qualified to enter. The vast majority of people could only remain on the Sea-Viewing Terrace, unable to even approach the mist-shrouded grounds.

Zhu Shuangsi's look of suspicion grew more intense, his eyelids twitching. He still dared not rise, his eyes darting frantically as he pursed his lips, lost in thought.

"Damn it, to have us go out for food in this godforsaken weather—what rotten luck!" one of the men cursed.

Before leaving, Old Man Fu shoved a high-quality purple clay teapot into my hands, calling it a gift for accepting him as a student, and insisted he would visit me another day to learn more about my "methods of discipline." No matter how I tried to explain, Old Man Fu maintained a look that said he understood perfectly. With no other choice, I accepted the teapot and drove off.

Having beaten Hao Yu until he was rolling on the ground, the man’s fury remained unabated. Consumed by rage, he pursued him, raised a foot, and stomped down toward Hao Yu's head.

Tian Ming struck with lightning speed, lunging for the Crystal Soul Tower as it flickered in flight. His potent internal energy swept out like a gale, severely suppressing the tower's speed. Though the crystalline particles were only a meter from the ground, their movement suddenly slowed to a crawl, as if frozen in place.

If Wang Mang had further consolidated his power and waited patiently for another decade to ensure his authority was absolute before implementing his new policies, the probability of success would have been much higher.

Chu Feng had no desire to encounter the wildcat in the wilderness. Judging by the corpses of the vagrants, this creature was clearly formidable; otherwise, it could not have dispatched them with a single strike.

Though they did not enter the ninth level of the prison, that did not mean they were indifferent to problems arising there.

"Cough, it was clearly she who forced me to argue," Wang Qiaozhen said, seeing her brother's dark expression. Having vented her anger, she took her seat and drank her tea as instructed.

Rows of bamboo trays were spread with mulberry leaves. Within the piles of leaves, countless white, mature silkworms writhed and crawled, heads buried as they voraciously fed.

That farm dog was the type to watch two packs of strays fighting and excitedly join in; one look was enough to tell he was no well-behaved or respectable canine.

The Labrador glanced at Xiyao with disdain. Having spent so much time in the Criminal Investigation Division, she still viewed things so superficially—not a shred of progress. Even a Labrador like him, who spent his days idling about, knew how to discern the deeper truths.