Volume 1, Chapter 35: Machine Malfunction

It felt like being suspended inside a volcano, scorched by magma; the thousand-degree heat seemed to bake the very fat from your body. Yet, that agony was fleeting, whereas the pain Zhang Xuan endured now came in endless, relentless waves. His eyes were wide with strain, but he could only clench his teeth and bear it in silence.

Everyone present seemed to have wandered into a sea of flowers, their vision filled with soft, beautiful faces.

However, even now, Jiang Ke had no intention of stopping. Harassing his sister and putting her in such a dangerous situation—this was not a matter to be resolved easily.

Gao Si stood with his hands behind his back, clad in a snow-white Tang suit and traditional Beijing cloth shoes, truly carrying the air of a martial arts master. He was practically radiating pretension.

These soldiers had known from the start what they were facing. Unlike the others, they immediately began to treat the mutations on their bodies the moment such a situation arose.

Cao Shuang smiled, instantly understanding Bixie’s intention: to set a trap and frame Sima Yi with a fabricated crime.

She stepped forward, grabbed Kong Yanyan’s other uninjured hand, and twisted it with the intent to dislocate it as well.

Gao Si pretended to cover his ears, refusing to listen, yet he nodded along as Shao Tianxiang spoke, looking utterly ridiculous.

"Greetings, Master. Do you have any instructions?" Hu Wei looked at Qin Yi and asked respectfully.

As expected, Chao Luohua did not refute him; she merely smiled slightly, her gaze fixed on Jiang Ke in the arena, eventually letting out a sigh of regret.

Xiao Honglin nodded repeatedly, then looked toward the man with the prominent nose, offering a fawning smile before whispering a long string of words.

***

Although the Turkic princess felt Fang Jue’s actions were somewhat unusual, upon closer reflection, she realized the Chu family of the border town must have had a grudge against him—otherwise, they wouldn't have besieged him, and his recent actions could be considered a form of retaliation.

Hearing this, the Lord of the Demon Dragons felt even more depressed; he had been used as a shield. If the Lord of the Flame Demons were here and had been put through such an ordeal, he would likely be dead or close to it. That fellow couldn't compare to him.

Sect Leader Wu, constantly receiving news of other sects and powers forming alliances, grew anxious, pacing back and forth in his room.

Upon recalling the missiles mentioned in the intelligence reports, Silinkaye’s expression shifted. Even without seeing them firsthand, their destructive power and launch methods appeared to be products of alchemy.

A slightly intoxicated Emily was helped into the backseat of the car, her mind wandering to where they might be headed—surely a place of fascination.

Han Yumo had once said something similar. On the day they rode their bicycles to the Green Summer Farm and the Gardenia Garden, the wind carried the fragrance of the trees, and the wind-chime-adorned tree emitted a pleasant, tinkling sound.

Fang Jue sent scouts, discovering that five thousand men lay in ambush by the roadside, flying the banners of the Tibetan Prince Tuba Zan.

The four men looked utterly hopeless; with their dantian and spiritual meridians destroyed, it was practically a death sentence.

Fan Jianguo’s mother and grandmother had just returned from the cafeteria. Hearing the hearty laughter from the other side, they felt a complex mix of emotions.

But when this technique of reincarnation was unleashed, the Taiji Demon Ancestor’s "Fist of Heavenly Dao" began to weaken continuously, its power fading. In reality, this power was being transferred to Yan Zhen’s fist, making him increasingly stronger.

In particular, the monks and Taoists arriving from afar—one declaring the Prince to be the reincarnation of the Phoenix Great Bodhisattva, the other claiming him to be the earthly manifestation of the Phoenix God—had been treated kindly by the Prince, leading the commoners to pragmatically accept the leadership of this "Phoenix God" Prince.

***

With Xinzhou City having just endured war, the arrival of monks and Taoists to perform rituals, recite scriptures, and preach was helpful in pacifying the hearts of the people.

Tuka Feng erupted in fury several times, but Black Pock’s strength suppressed her firmly, rendering all her efforts futile.

"I have done what you asked of me. Now it is time for you to fulfill your promise," Wang Xiu said, feeling uneasy, her eyes darting about.

After shopping all day, he had managed to purchase common-grade medicinal herbs for refining Jade Dew Pills, Snow Skin Paste, and healing pills—all of the post-celestial level. Refining some high-quality pills later would compensate for the cost of the weapons he had purchased.

As an older brother, Tuoba Jie had not observed his sister Tuoba Xue’s inner thoughts as closely. It was her senior apprentice brother, He Liang, who noticed it keenly; he saw tears glistening in her eyes, especially when she spoke of Helian Jinyan potentially taking a wife and having children—a look of helplessness and sorrow.

Tuoba Jie, moved by the sight of his soldiers, nodded and agreed, "Very well, let us return together." With that, he led everyone back to the Khan’s residence.

The Hanlin Academy was situated beside the offices of the Six Ministries, adjacent to them but slightly set back. It had three gates, the last of which was called the Dengying Gate, implying that passing through it was like ascending to Yingzhou, the realm of the immortals.

Seeing the gift list, Zhang Qing understood the implicit meaning immediately. He readily agreed to the request in Helian Tuo’s letter to have Princess Jielan’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Jiang, sentenced to death. He wrote a reply and had Helian Jinyan take it back.

"What do you want?" Xiao Luo asked, unable to speak clearly, his black pupils fixed on the man in green robes.