Volume 1, Chapter 29: You Have Talent, I Have Tactics

Sun Wu and his forces afforded the clans no time to deliberate or choose. Once the main army bore down upon them, they issued an ultimatum: any failure to respond within the duration of a single incense stick would result in an immediate assault. As for those families that chose to resist, Sun Wu and his men offered no parley, proceeding directly to their annihilation.

He Lanting may not have been particularly fond of power itself, but she knew that to clean up the underworld, she had to grasp power; only with that authority could she possess the strength required for such a task.

Unfastening her robe, I once again inscribed the six talismans upon her. Utilizing such talismans in continuous succession is inherently taboo, as an ordinary body cannot withstand the strain. Xue Jing remained calm, feeling no pain at all.

Ye Song had eaten her fill, and as the night deepened, the guests dispersed. Ye Qing supported her as she returned to her room to rest.

A dark shadow, so faint it was nearly invisible, flickered by; Han Long’s figure appeared atop the roof of a three-story building.

In truth, Sister Cai was much the same. She believed that those around her were all insincere, devoid of any genuine affection, and motivated solely by money. She viewed wealth as the only bond maintaining her relationships.

Under the full-force bombardment of Chu Feng’s Reincarnation Sword, the murderous aura of Sheng was completely detonated. The entire aura was ignited, and Sheng lost the heaven-defying barrier of murderous intent he had accumulated over countless millennia.

Ye Song had lived too comfortably over the years, never having suffered the slightest physical hardship, and she had become one who feared pain. No matter how hard she tried, it was never enough, until finally, she felt utterly exhausted, one foot already stepping into the gates of the underworld.

Shortly after, the group of five left the tavern and headed straight for Qingliang Temple. Feng Yi bribed Monk Meng Yi with a piece of dragon meat and a jar of wine. About half an hour later, they arrived at a vast mountain, where an endless stretch of temple buildings extended from the base all the way to the summit.

When the Emperor first set up that target, everything remained a mystery. By the time everyone looked up in astonishment, the man was already standing atop the high mountain in the brilliant sun.

***

However, having clarified the identities of those with potential spiritual power who were openly associated with Fred Morse, Tong Xinxiao felt she had a grasp on the situation.

For a time, rumors swirled through Guanyue City, with everyone offering different accounts. No one knew if the rumors were true—if an Emperor’s Weapon had truly appeared, it would indeed be a shocking piece of news.

The top-tier sports car had been reduced to a pile of scrap metal, crushed and deformed beyond recognition.

Beyond the Northwest Sea and north of the Red Water lies Zhangwei Mountain. There dwells a god with a human face and snake body, crimson in color. Its eyes are straight; when it closes them, it becomes dark, and when it opens them, it becomes bright. It neither eats, sleeps, nor breathes, and it commands the wind and rain. This is Zhujuyin, the Candle Dragon.

This spark of fire, starting as a mere dot, grew ever stronger until it became a sea of flames, spreading in all directions.

Yet, unexpectedly, Lin Xuan still held a trump card. With a single palm, he shattered the Undying Emperor.

This endless, unblockable aura of slaughter left Qiao Yu with nothing but a face of pure despair.

"He... he... he must be at the Special High Police Department, right?" Captain Li was nearly scared to the point of wetting himself. Aside from the Japanese, he had never seen anyone dare to be so fierce with him.

Sha Tao had hoped to see fear in Li Chenxuan’s eyes, yet he saw nothing of the sort. Instead, a flash of bloodlust flickered in Sha Tao’s own gaze; the savage murderous intent on his face made him look less like a man and more like a beast—a bloodthirsty beast.

The Golden Crow Demon King reacted a beat too slowly. He was staring at the vast ocean, lost in deep thought, and failed to notice that his opponent had already struck.

***

The MAI-3 was truly a magnificent piece of equipment. It was a twelve-barreled, electrically driven, heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire. Before the insect invasion, such weapons were mounted on vehicles, capable of unleashing ten thousand rounds per minute with devastating power.

As Leng Kong and the others gathered to investigate, Zhang Yuanhao flew over the lava river. He drew a purple-gold dragon crown from his storage belt, placed it upon his head, and dove into the scorching magma.

For the first time in a year, the Liangshan war drums were sounded. Upon hearing the rhythm, the leaders of the various camps hurried up the mountain, questioning one another as they went. Once they had all gathered, Xiao Rang explained the situation, and the others began to howl with indignation.

The one who had entered was Xiao Rang. In addition to overseeing the spiritual development of the Liangshan army, his Education Battalion was tasked with selecting suitable candidates from the Tianxiang Academy to place into key positions in the prefectures and counties surrounding Liangshan, specifically those who harbored resentment toward the Great Song court.

"Understood, My Lord!" Xu Guanzhong replied and stepped back. Wu Yong and Gongsun Sheng exchanged a glance; everything was understood without a word.

A vortex of energy rose within Zhang Yuanhao’s dantian, sweeping away the previously abundant spiritual power as if it were a voracious black hole.

Suddenly, the crowd split into two groups: one rushed toward the wine station, eager to drink a bowl of white liquor, while the other headed toward the entrance of the tavern, curious to see what was so extraordinary about this Qionglou. They had sampled the fine wine, but the delicacies remained untasted.

Furthermore, with various factions moving into the interior of the Kunshan Sea, while the overall strength of Kunlun had indeed increased, their actual wealth had diminished significantly, as it now had to be shared among many.