Chapter 43: Nanji Roast Duck

This is by no means a coincidence; it bears all the hallmarks of a deliberate arrangement. Yet whose arrangement it is, and why it was set up in such a manner, remains a mystery that no one can quite unravel. Once Ning Fuchen completes everything he is currently experiencing, perhaps he will understand it himself.

The old man continuously tapped his thumb against his other fingers, his nose twitching from time to time.

Seeing that the Dowager's birthday was fast approaching, a myriad of trivial chores within the estate all fell squarely onto her shoulders. Fortunately, with Mother Liu assisting nearby and Hongyou's injuries having healed, she was finally able to steal a moment to catch her breath.

Although he felt this form of compensation was utterly unreliable, he had no other choice at the moment. Even if he refused, those two martial brothers of his would simply conjure up an excuse to push him forward anyway, and the outcome would be precisely the same.

Entering the hospital this time, he had no money to his name, and his family was equally destitute, leaving him with no option but to delay paying the medical bills.

With Ye Luo's victory, all five hundred taels of silver he had wagered went down the drain, leaving him boiling with rage. Logically, his primary target for vengeance should have been Gu Shurong, for as a warrior at the eighth stage of Body Tempering, he had actually suffered defeat at the hands of someone in the sixth stage.

Third Madam grew somewhat flustered. Jiang Xinyu had clearly attributed every single action and word to her, yet now that the girl had blurted it out directly, she turned around and claimed she had never meant it that way.

Those fellows encountered just moments ago were truly audacious. While True Justice Fan was busy upholding chivalry and righteousness, they actually dared to launch a surprise attack amidst the chaos. If they were not taught a lesson, it would certainly not do.

He spoke thus with an indifferent expression, resembling a sovereign of feudal lords. To him, the flowing river water and the swimming fish within were merely passing phenomena; he, the Prince of Qin, had always watched impassively as actors took their turns upon the stage, knowing that all worldly things ultimately turned to fleeting smoke and dust. Only he, the Prince of Qin, would stand as the ultimate victor.

The black characters upon the white partition wall shone like stars scattered across an eternal night, gleaming brilliantly and coalescing to resemble a Milky Way descending from the nine heavens.

In truth, Xu Wei had made preparations in advance because his intuition warned him that something untoward was bound to happen. Since Qin Muzhuan was, after all, an ordinary mortal, Xu Wei worried that she might not be able to handle it alone.

"Go be intimate with whoever you fancy; she doesn't care to know anymore." Shu Jinjin's lingering romantic impulses had not entirely faded, yet she seemed a completely different person from before.

Following them, Ren Duxing, Qin Mingyue, Di Jiuge, as well as Su Jiuer, Lü Bu, and Ross were also on the leaderboard, though all ranked beyond the top one hundred.

"Haha, Martial Emperor Jialuo, you are the one leading the ghostly army to trespass upon our Underworld. What, are you saying we are not permitted to establish a grand formation?!" True enough, a voice echoed from within the sandstorm.

My throat felt parched, and my heart hammered wildly against my ribs, threatening to burst from my chest as I slowly turned my head.

Jiang Qi hoisted himself up from the ground with great effort, and after taking a moment to steady his breathing, he let out a sigh of relief. He then walked over to the wall where Bai Jin and the others had vanished, desperately searching for a way through.

"Sigh, my eyes deceived me. Turns out she's just a bespectacled girl." The one surnamed Fuchen felt a sudden urge to find a brick wall and smash his head against it.

Initially, Ouyang Changkong's opening remarks had left Zhan Wushuang utterly stunned. Could this old fogey have cultivated to the realm of regaining his youth? Judging by his tone, he seemed to belong to the same generation as Elder Zhan... Yet the latter half of his sentence made a murderous intent surge wildly within the young man. He cast a chilling glance at Ouyang Ruolian, cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Pardon me, our Liangliang is just like this. Apologies, apologies!" the young man said with a somewhat apologetic smile.

Cao Zihua was thoroughly subdued. The combination of grace and might, wielding both the carrot and the stick, bore no resemblance to the methods of a mere youth. Before encountering these individuals, he had fancied himself quite precocious, yet he was simply no match for a scheming mastermind like Su Qiong.

It was that comforting sense of steadfastness—the kind where people are friends when times are uneventful, friends when trouble strikes, and destined to remain friends regardless of what the future holds.

The Blue Mill stood as the iconic landmark of the entertainment district, occupying an entire street and exuding opulent splendor. Its towering dome, exquisite statues, and rare flowers all served to showcase the owner's immense power and influence.

Although the visage granted by the Disguise Pill was hardly pleasing to the eye, one had to admit that its actual efficacy was remarkable.

President Lan succinctly recounted the events that had transpired, leaving Old Master Lan dumbstruck. The old man had certainly witnessed various traditional Chinese medicine practitioners once hailed as miraculous healers, but he had never laid eyes on such a heaven-defying feat as extending the life of a dying man for another two years.

"No problem. As you said, I grant you five requests. A gentleman's word is as good as a team of horses; there will be no going back on our word. It is settled then. Since this is merely a transaction between us, we ought to establish three simple rules beforehand. Some matters are better clarified early on to avoid any future misunderstandings."

"Shall we go together?" Though her face was flushed red, Chanxiu showed not the slightest inclination to withdraw her hand.

Tali realized that her current posture was indeed rather unseemly, so she immediately stopped and resumed eating.

"The daytime is too illusory; the night is far more real!" With that, Big Mouth tossed a money pouch toward the robed figure in black.

"My entire appearance is a mess from head to toe, right down to my hair. Visiting your factory looking like this probably isn't very appropriate, is it?" Chao Changchang expressed a multitude of grievances regarding her present state.

Yet with a single slash, that massive figure offered no resistance, nor did it let out a roar; instead, it emitted a wisp of pale smoke accompanied by a sizzling sound.

He had felt truly blissful during this period. The fact that she neither repelled nor resisted him was already a great grace in itself, so he hoped that one day they might be together without any barriers. For now, all he could do was endure, letting out a silent sigh that made him feel as though he had aged several years.

"Go on, go ahead!" Yao Shiyi waved a hand dismissively in his direction, signaling him to hurry along.

The serpentine entity frantically darted its crimson fork-tongue a million times, its cold, gleaming body trembling involuntarily. In the eternal void, it was a supreme deity of the netherworld, and in the mortal realm, they were certainly no weaklings.

"Did you never consider what would happen if the steward's judgment proved incorrect?" Narrowing his amber eyes slightly, Li Yan's unperturbed demeanor masked a simmering frustration.

"I'm afraid of pain!" The owner of these words delivered them entirely without guilt, offering a concise and straightforward explanation.