Volume One, Chapter 30: The Puppets’ Dance

The aftermath of the explosion gradually dissipated. Only a scorched, smoking crater remained where they had stood; Lin Feixue was nowhere to be seen. Only the silver bracelet hung suspended in mid-air, unscathed, its purple light flickering intermittently.

"Is she... is she dead?" Su Haoming’s throat felt parched, his voice strained.

"Only her physical body has been destroyed," Liu Ruoxi wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth, her breathing uneven. "That old wretch Zijin wouldn't let the fragment come to harm. Lin Feixue’s consciousness... I fear it was devoured long ago, becoming a part of the fragment."

Before she could finish, the silver bracelet suddenly began to vibrate violently! The purple light condensed sharply, forming a beam of light that shot straight toward the mark on Su Haoming’s chest. Su Haoming felt a sharp pain in his chest...

Indeed, faced with this, he could only call out once more. His heart was filled with disbelief, as if this had been dragging on for thirty years, exhausting his strength. "Do you really think acting like this makes you so impressive to me?"

The four men were dressed in green robes, their faces hidden behind masks. Their expressions were blank, betraying no emotion, yet the aura surrounding them was terrifying, causing the very void to tremble.

The giant turtle approached, lifting its head to unleash a water jet from its maw that was a mile long and dozens of meters thick.

After enduring a thousand hurts, one becomes numb. Having seen through it all, she finally gave up. She stitched her shattered heart back together, only to find it had become unnervingly hardened. When she thought of Bai Junfan again, she might feel anger or hatred, but the adoration and love were gone, as were any lingering feelings of longing or sorrow.

Setting aside the impropriety of two grown men sharing a tent, the explanations alone would be a hassle; it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

"Great Master Tai’er, how dare you strike my grandson?" A majestic, furious roar echoed from the distance.

The moment he stepped out, he regretted it. The gamble had not yet concluded; wouldn't withdrawing be an admission of defeat?

Feng Qiang could not understand. Such extreme words should not come from the mouth of a Buddhist, unless there was a deeper meaning.

"Four Joys Pavilion? Didn't Jinghong shut it down later?" Shen Yanjiao asked, puzzled.

***

Yet sometimes, a noodle shop that offers free refills is the only place in this massive city where one can feel the warmth of a stranger.

He never imagined that the entire planet was merely nourishment to cultivate the Great Demon Body. Once he absorbed it, the Great Demon Body achieved resonance, took form, and then, the process began.

"My sister arrives late; I ought to offer you an apology." Having said this, Li Ru bowed to Xue Rong with an air of indifference.

"I might not like you as much as you like me," Liaowuyu spoke the words she had hidden in her heart for so long.

As for Zhu Mao, he had assumed this task was a sure thing; who could have foreseen he would hit such a wall? If he failed to handle this properly, the mere thought of the consequences sent a chill down his spine.

Riding his horse, the messenger used the unique signals of the Liangshan army to locate Zhang Heng and Li Jun.

At that moment, Ping was being carried to the bed by Boss Huang, who was kissing her neck frantically. Ping kept her eyes closed, her mind filled with the image of Fei.

Within the Kingdom of Li, after Zhan En finished his "New Li Kingdom Manifesto" speech, he was targeted by the two major powers: High Leader Barrot and the Salvation Society.

Passing the restaurant at eight in the evening, business was still booming. While not packed, more than half the tables were occupied.

Before the silver star could fall, Xu Gong of the North City shattered it with a mirror, reducing it to countless shards of stardust.

Miao Huai thought it over and specifically sent Lai Damin to Qingjiang City to buy a sturdy, durable toy car.

"Truly subtle and undetectable; like master, like servant," Feng Zhirong praised sincerely, though she did not forget to mock Prince Jing.

Although the water was an illusion, it still produced real effects when it manifested upon him.

As they spoke, the leader removed his helmet, revealing an old, weather-beaten face with a simple, honest smile.

"Right now, protecting Tang Sanzang on his pilgrimage is what matters most." Zhang Qingfeng shook his head slightly, uncertain if he could convince Sun Wukong to help.

Mi Che clicked his tongue on the side. Who asks their own master such things? Moreover... hadn't Feng Zhirong only just become an apprentice not even a quarter of an hour ago? How could she be so familiar?

Du Haoming’s face flushed red. He took a deep breath and quickly channeled the spiritual energy within his body into his left leg.

***

While Chen Ruzhi felt the situation was unfair, Lei Yunxia was not particularly satisfied either, grumbling about Lei Ting’s faults as they left.

The students receiving their diplomas wore all sorts of expressions; most were happy, though some were sad. Two guys in the major had failed several courses and couldn't graduate; seeing others laughing and joking, they felt miserable.

The news that Lele had been rewarded with a car caused an uproar in the company. Those who were usually lackadaisical were filled with jealousy. They crowded around to fish for information, and from then on, the company's work enthusiasm reached a new level, with business volume rising sharply.

When he opened his eyes, he was astonished to find that he hadn't returned to the tree hollow, but had arrived in a dense forest. This forest was filled with the aura of death, and everything within it was dark, which was deeply unsettling.

He reached into his robe, pulled out an 'Escape' talisman, slapped it onto his forehead with a 'pop,' and in a daze, vanished.

Sima Buyi was not disdainful; on the contrary, he was delighted. Only in this way would he have an opening. What did it matter if she was fickle? As long as he liked her, that was enough.

The two were not bad-looking, and their dancing skills were decent—better than amateurs, but worse than professionals.

Hearing the muffled sound coming from beneath the quilt, Wan Tianyou shook his head helplessly, took the card, and left the ward.

Once Si Yue gave up on her desires, she was determined never to let go of what she already possessed.

After Si Yue vented her emotions, her mind began to function again, and she regained her clarity. As Tang Qiyue’s double, she had to play the part completely.

The white horse suddenly turned its head to stare at Ning Zhiyao, sniffing the air, its eyes wide as if in intimidation.

"Teacher, what’s wrong?" Hu Liena was startled by Bibi Dong’s sudden action and hurriedly rushed over to support her.

The campfire party was nearing its end. Apart from a few night owls, many players had exhausted their stamina and gone to sleep.

Taking the elevator downstairs, I glanced at Li Rui. His face was ghastly, and I could tell he was feeling deeply unsettled.