Volume One, Chapter 23: In Hand

"I thought you weren't coming," he said.

The sky was draped in a curtain of night. At the foot of the crimson peak, a figure glanced around anxiously until he finally saw a young man approaching from a short distance away. With a tone full of complaint, he hurried forward.

"Hurry up, or we'll miss the end."

"Wait... Let's put aside the matter of the Breakthrough Pill for now. I'm here to return this medicine..."

Duan Kun paused, a little taken aback. Ji Die, looking somewhat embarrassed, produced a jade vial.

"I don't need this pill anymore. Can you take it back?"

"Ahem, return the pill? Sorry, but once our store sells a pill, there's no refund." Duan Kun's eyes flashed with cunning.

"Besides, the effects of this Yellow Court Pill..."

Long Aoting collapsed onto the grass, breathless, her cheeks flushed a deeper red. Beads of fragrant sweat rolled from her face and delicate nose, sliding down onto her fair, ample curves—an intoxicating sight.

Ivankov grinned broadly, his fingers transforming into syringe-like needles as he plunged them into the bodies of the two Celestial Dragons.

To claim Yun Feilong's life, not only did he forego demanding double compensation for the deposit, but he even paid the remaining fee for the job in advance.

Wang Badan clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on the back of his hands bulged. If not for his precise control of his strength, the blood in his veins might have burst through.

That feeling of being exalted only to be cast down so harshly was unbearable. Who was Tang Mochi? Someone she could never hope to reach in this lifetime, and yet she had foolishly hoped for his forgiveness, his indulgence.

Qin Han believed that if he could recruit such a dual-class, SSR-level subordinate—or rather, follower—the problems facing the development of the new game would surely be solved.

Due to Immortal's warning, the area around the research institute was under heavy guard. Hao Yu decided to find a place to stay first, planning to scout the surroundings under the cover of night.

There was even a day when, after Yang Baijie sent a message, there was no reply from Bian Yuanhang until the third day.

Having not tasted such delicious Saitama in ages, everyone ate with particular relish. After two days of hunger, they gorged themselves ravenously, yelping as the hot food burned their mouths.

It was a prudent decision. Though the public clamor had reached its peak, many loose ends remained untied.

After asking his question, Gao Yang had nothing more to say. He signaled to Elder Liu, then moved aside to do some warm-up exercises.

"Today, the CEO of D-M Biotechnology was murdered, so our tour of their company has been postponed to tomorrow," Chen Jun said with an exasperated smile.

It's like helping someone else fight in their home—sure, it might mean they'll help you out in return someday, but it's ultimately intangible.

Annoyed by this matter, Mo Qingcang was in no mood to care what his sister was thinking. He brushed his sleeve dismissively and left for home ahead of the family.

"No problem, not a gram less!" The old man was deeply surprised by how straightforward the other was; usually, buying or selling a car involved days of haggling, sometimes even falling apart over a mere hundred yuan.

Orienting himself, Gao Yang headed left, glancing around before finally looking up at the crown of a large tree beside him. He placed his hand on the trunk and instantly reduced the tree to ashes. His backpack fell to the ground.

Noticing the elders' odd expressions, Mu Jinxi felt a twinge of uncertainty. Was this about her?

This sudden upheaval in the East Sea left all the watching powers—schemers and spectators alike—no longer able to remain calm. They all furrowed their brows, pondering what had happened. Was the Heaven-ordained Human Emperor really capable of this?

Hua Qingyue was also slightly surprised when she saw Su Yang's back—firm muscles, no bruises, only a faint red mark.

But to unite a hundred emperor-level powerhouses as one was no simple task.

Princess Qingyue represented the royal family, and the emperor had deliberately asked the empress to bestow extra gifts, giving every possible honor. If any conflict arose, it would surely be Qin Yao who suffered the grievance.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen." Li Jiannan was unconcerned; what did a real man have to fear?

Shen Zhiqiu gave a blink after glancing over. She hadn't expected those two to end up together, and was puzzled as to why Meng Jiajia would tell her this. Though her words were sharp, there was no malice in them.

How had he managed it back then? Qin Nan couldn't help but rub his thin lips, rinsing them with beer.

Before, when Yang Shaolong had been sent flying by her kick, she'd thought him a pushover, never realizing it was all an act.

"Hiss—" Qiao Hanye winced in pain, frowning. She struggled out of his arms and walked into his lounge, climbing onto his bed and breathing in the faint scent he’d left on the sheets.

Later, Zhi Yuan hesitated for a moment—she seemed not to recognize him. "What happened?" Was it a shock that had caused her bruises to dissipate? He didn't know that she'd hit her head at the hotel while pushing Gesang into the room, quietly enduring the pain.

So he was always telling Qiao Hanye that, no matter how deep the enmity, it wasn't so important—what mattered was living well.

"Keep extra men stationed nearby these next couple of days. At the first sign of trouble, evacuate the people immediately," Ling Shaojun said as he passed through the town.

Counting the days, today was the day for the mountain teachings. To strengthen the cohesion among lower-ranking disciples, Medicine King Mountain held a monthly public lecture on the mountainside, with elders teaching openly for all disciples to attend.