Chapter 23: Do You Dare?

Eunuch Feng smiled and said, “I know exactly how to respond.”

He made his way to the side hall reserved for officials to rest before court, where he saw Prime Minister Su and his group of ministers sitting distinctly apart from the newly promoted officials—such as Shi Lei and Su Huan—whom the emperor had recently elevated.

Though everyone appeared preoccupied with their own affairs, there was an unmistakable undercurrent of rivalry between the two factions. This was especially evident as some officials even held overlapping positions.

...

At that moment, Ye Fenglin, on lookout from above, casually picked an orange from a potted plant and popped it into his mouth, gesturing twice to his left.

Xiao Jing squatted down, cradling her head in both hands, as if she had suddenly found herself at a dead end, thinking, How could we ever hope for happiness?

Chen Jin, Yan Jiu, Ye Fenglin, and Xu Jinjing exchanged glances, but could only comply and wait for orders.

“Old Shang, no, I didn’t mean it that way...” As he spoke, Captain Fang shot a fierce glare at Chen Moye, his mind seething with anger—and now, even a trace of resentment—thinking, If Old Shang really sends me away, what future could I possibly have left?

On Huangfu Xijue’s face there was not the slightest trace of panic; a faint, composed smile lingered on his lips, making him appear utterly calm.

A long, slicing shot cut straight through the gap between Haitang and Qian, striking the far sideline in a diagonal arc.

“Did you have breakfast?” Mu Xiaoyan raised a hand to rub her eyes, stretching lazily as she asked.

Thud. The tightly closed office door was forcefully pushed open from outside. Xiao Zheng’s military boots strode firmly across the floor, heading straight for the desk.

Had she not trusted Gu Boxuan’s character, perhaps the two of them would have found themselves in a serious quarrel on the very morning after their wedding.

Only the three foremost peaks were open for visitors; the remaining two, the main peak and the welcoming peak, were off limits.

If it wasn’t possible to secure all the divine artifacts at once, then at least this one must be won—Fu Yan was already prepared for battle.

Lin Tian took a deep breath and launched himself forward like a great bird, skimming across the marsh. Behind him, bloodthirsty vine demons burst from the earth, plunging silently into the dense, misty swamp, leaving behind only a faint ripple on the water’s surface.

At this moment, the old man gave a calm smile, his expression tinged with indifference, and said softly, “What I want is simple. If you can defeat these ten subordinates, that will suffice.”

“No need, I have other plans. Go back and assist Mingyue!” With that, Qingfeng vanished from sight in a flash.

The opponent was fierce, and Lin Tian didn’t hesitate to enter the Life-and-Death Realm, a surge of pure energy flooding his body, his fighting power soaring. He charged forward again, engaging the Iron Tower War God in a fierce clash.

Yu Shanhuan remained silent, knowing that with Xiao Lin present, he would explain things to Lin Ying far better than he ever could; there was no need to worry about such matters himself.

The classmates had never seen Kazano Jinba play the bass before, and upon witnessing how well he performed alongside those accomplished musicians, they were instantly impressed and saw him in a new light.

The words “shameless” were drawn out at length, clearly intended for Lin Ying and the others to hear—a public rebuke, delivered without reservation.

Moreover, the man before them was no mere spin-top to be pushed and spun at will; he was a pioneering talent worth billions, accomplished in his field, commanding and decisive in business, highly regarded for his sound judgment and leadership.

Lin Tian accepted the object, feeling a surge of wild heat through his fingers, while the jade pendant, Blazing Heart, hanging from his neck, pulsed in response.

Eyes of deep crimson and bright silver glared aggressively at the Sin of Greed. Liu Ling spoke coolly to the greedy one, deliberately provoking him, hoping to enrage him to the point of losing all reason.