Chapter 49: Arrogant Upstart

Returning from the palace, Pei Shijin was bent over his desk, drafting tomorrow's memorial.

Xiao Ling strode in from the night, his face beaming with joy as he said, "My lord, the affair of the Thousand Gold Pavilion has spread everywhere!"

Without lifting his head, Pei Shijin's eyes remained calm against the lamplight on the desk as he replied indifferently, "We have only taken the first step. Are you really that pleased?"

......

As Ye Jiaren had said, the business world had its own rules, and one could certainly understand the desire to win the bid! But no matter how difficult things got, one should never resort to such cheap tricks.

Damn it, talk is cheap, Ling Ke cursed inwardly. If not for my hard-fought efforts, how could the Lakeside New City project have fallen to the indigenous residents now? So fucking hypocritical.

Yet, lacking a formal pedigree, a distinguished lineage, or any foundation, a wine-born cultivator could only drift like a free cloud and a wild crane, wandering between the mortal realm and the world of cultivation. In the mortal world, such a person would appear majestic and imposing, but in the realm of cultivation, they were merely a rogue cultivator with zero prospects and no influential backing.

Seeing the slender, delicate hand drawing closer and closer to his forehead, Master Yan was startled. Like a frightened rabbit, he instantly bolted backward.

He naturally understood that Aotian had bid such a high price to obtain that scrap of iron, but even more so, he probably simply refused to swallow his pride.

Upon hearing this, Aotian could not help falling somewhat speechless. Was this merely "somewhat better"? It was practically better than heaven itself! Yet from this, one could also perceive the profound heritage of Xuantian Academy. Otherwise, how else could the academy possess the strength to equip every inner-court student with their own private courtyard?

It was a dream of nakedness, with the entire body appearing as transparent as crystal. The sunlight seemed to pierce right through the dream's form, a golden dream. Walking barefoot across the dry earth, dust clung to the soles and tops of the golden feet, resembling a pair of shoes.

If there was any difference to speak of, he indeed differed from those cultivators who had ascended from the mortal realm; he had arrived bearing a divine spark, whereas those cultivators possessed not even a single immortal root. If the divine spark represented the advanced tier and the immortal root the lower tier, then Master Yan, blessed with a divine spark, genuinely had no need for an immortal root.

Wait, that did not sound like a comfortable moan; instead, it carried notes of pain. Could she... perhaps be falling ill?

As for the Steel Drill Beast, it was sent flying by a single claw of the Chimera Beast, crashing heavily against the wall and shattering it into a web of cracks.

Bo Shaohua cast a puzzled glance at her while flipping the meat patties in the pan. "What is it? Did word leak out? Who? When did this happen? Today? Xiaoman?" It did not matter; there was still time to handle it now.

"Boss? What do you mean?" Huo Er pressed further, while the others similarly turned their gazes toward Baldwin.

Liu Hui was currently entertaining guests in another tearoom. The visitors were guests from upstairs who had specifically come to the traditional courtyard house to spend the New Year.

His complexion truly looked wretched, and his eyes were bloodshot—a clear sign of a sleepless night.

Of course, if they were going to move, it had to be into the traditional courtyard house; her residence simply had to remain in Yunling Village. There was no helping it, for none of the surrounding villages possessed the breathtaking beauty of Yunling Village.

Yong Yule opened the slip of paper, yet what was conspicuously written upon it was not the information she desired concerning the man named Xuanyuan Hao.

Shu Quan and Gan Meili also turned their gazes to the virtual screen, evidently harboring considerable curiosity regarding the matches between players.

"Is that so?" Isabella smiled faintly, offering no clear stance. Earlier, the concepts of public schools and private schools had indeed flashed through her mind.

"Although there are still one hundred and eighty years before the wedding procession arrives, the procession will most likely come ahead of schedule. I had better recover as early as possible!" Dongfang Han made his way to the training chamber in this secluded place.

Li Yi paused here for a moment, pondering the situation. Seeing that there were no loopholes, he turned and began his walk back.

How much time had passed? The four finally opened their eyes in lucidity, for there was no longer any surrounding energy left to absorb, nor any remaining pressure.