Volume One, Chapter 52: You’re a Grandmaster Too?!

Top floor of the hotel.

Wei Kaizhong, Zhao Haibo, and several other sworn sons were greeting numerous wealthy magnates and high-ranking officials who had arrived in the hall.

“Lord Wei, congratulations on advancing further in your martial arts. Today is your birthday; I raise my glass to you!”

A high-ranking official stepped forward, holding a wine cup with a respectful expression.

He was Qu Lidong, the second-in-command of the coastal city.

Wei Kaizhong laughed heartily, saying, “Little Qu, you’re too polite. At my age, it’s just luck that I managed to take that step.”

“These sons of mine are all quite troublesome. You young folks should keep in touch more often. I hope you’ll look after them a bit.”

Upon hearing this, Qu Lidong’s expression turned both anxious and excited...

“Is it really that miraculous?” Han Luojia’s curiosity deepened, her eyes fixated on the green pill with a mix of eagerness and anticipation.

Seeing this, Rong Feng finally settled into a chair beside Zishu, letting out a long sigh of relief.

The diligent security guards stood aside, as any attempt to intervene only provoked more frenzied, piercing shouts. They couldn’t resort to force, and no one could outshout the mob, leaving them with stern faces and helplessness.

“All right, everyone, enough. Next, we head deeper inside. As long as we find the Dragon’s Heart, we can leave this place just the same,” the stout man said, limping forward.

I felt quite satisfied with my handiwork. I brought a mirror to him so he could see his reflection. Although he mocked me as childish, the satisfaction and happiness in his eyes reflected back unmistakably in the mirror.

At some point, Jiehun and Chen Jun had already appeared at the doorway. “It should be,” Chen Jun said, drawing all eyes toward him.

***

Meanwhile, Zhang Cheng and the others were equally astonished. It seemed they had already guessed He Chuli’s plan—it was undoubtedly a wildly audacious idea.

The chief protector inevitably felt a sense of shame, but setting aside that embarrassment, the sweetness wrapped behind it made him quietly joyful.

Although he had learned the full story from Shen Yuanxi, he still found it hard to accept why Xiao Yu had kept absolutely silent all these months, his words so ambiguous that it was impossible to discern truth from falsehood.

At least before this, the Zhou family had tried hard to distinguish between the core and non-core zones. They did this so that those truly intent on killing would fight in the core area, rather than rampage like fugitives indiscriminately.

Ning Qingjun walked silently beside them. Because she was close, Shao Heng’s nose caught a faint, elegant fragrance—it was like plum blossoms or orchids, yet subtly different.

A hiss echoed in the darkness, like the roar of a black-armored python. This beast was revered among the monsters, with unparalleled defense, impervious even to divine weapons. Yet now, it was suppressed and struck down.

“You must understand, you are a noble of the Roland family. As a member of the Luo clan, you may lack ambition or ability, but there is one thing you must not lack,” Hu Liancheng said, deliberately pausing.

If one could later break into the Gui Xuan realm, the external manifestation and the self would become one, naturally achieving unity.

Two sword energies shot out. Su Ao drew his sword to block them, but his body was still struck and sent flying, crashing into the wall as he coughed up blood repeatedly.

The sect leader of the Buyun Sect tugged at his disheveled hair, glancing around furtively. Then he sent out ten sound-transmission waves to the ears of the disciples of the Taichuan Gate. Only after Mi Dou heard them did his expression ease a little—the Buyun Sect leader was not without restraint.

Li Yunchen and the others pushed their speed to the limit, running nearly to exhaustion. They finally escaped this area before Di Wei could catch up.

Although Yao Gu claimed her Taoist arts could not harm others, outsiders did not know this, only showing reverence to the mysterious mountain master.

However, on the surface, Cao Cao remained polite to Zhang Xiu. Secretly, though, he schemed to provoke Dong Zhuo and Zhang Xiu into fighting again—preferably involving Lü Bu—so he could profit as the opportunist.

Of course, legends remain mere legends. I prefer to believe in science. Yet the tale of the Bixi cannot be dismissed outright. The Bixi statue has been unearthed, the platinum chains broken—what that implies is clear without words.

***

But the elderly also have another advantage: they are not so easily deceived.

With the factory affairs gradually arranged, Su Ruotong could finally relax a bit. She was now preparing for a trip to America.

Ling Shaohua grew suspicious but did not move forward. The phenomenon was too strange, and without absolute certainty, he wouldn’t risk falling into trouble.

Before Ailian could react, Shisi strode up, raised his hand, and struck her cheek hard, leaving it burning red and her stunned beyond words.

That night, a fierce snowstorm arrived. The biting cold outdoors made the venerable Zheng Immortal shun the snowy night’s beauty, instead hiding early in a sturdy stone house to keep warm.

Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu fainted suddenly. I hurried to support her and handed her over to Meng Lan, intending for her to stay at Meng Lan’s house that night. She surely wouldn’t want to return home before Wu Fei’s matter was resolved.

All the lights in Qin Yiheng’s home were on, flooding the rooms with brightness. Yet when I recognized the object, a chill rose from my heart—it was the wardrobe! How could it be here? Had Qin Yiheng made a special trip back to the ancestral hall to bring it again?

The furious were not limited to the old director. Far away in the New Ni Kingdom, Mr. Li of the Li Mansion was also on the brink of madness.

Yet amidst his frantic confessions, the person in his arms showed no reaction. She was like a shell, cold to the extreme. She pulled away from those lifeless lips and stared at his indifferent eyes. Now, she seemed unwilling even to struggle against him.

“What’s going on?” Chen Fei entered and sat beside the chairman, checking his injuries, then asked Wang Xiaomeng.

Leng Tianya had just arrived. He intended to investigate the light cocoon but seeing Luo Chen with a man he’d never met, he stayed hidden in the shadows instead of appearing immediately.