Volume 1, Chapter 36: Little Tricks

"What is happening?"

Yun Xiang had received word that Ji Yu would be visiting, only to hear a clamor rising from outside.

"My Lady, My Lady, it’s terrible! Chunlin Garden is on fire!"

A maidservant rushed through the doorway, stumbling over the threshold and nearly falling, before looking up to report to Yun Xiang.

Chunlin Garden? Wasn't that where Yun Xi resided? How could it have caught fire?

Yun Xiang pushed the maid aside and strode out.

Beyond this point, there were not only trials but also numerous field assessments. Given Hu Yizhi’s current condition, let alone reaching the valley they had visited before, he would never pass the final hurdle awaiting them, even if he managed to reach the imperial examinations.

Consequently, the Plymouth Shipwrights’ Guild dispatched a senior designer to conduct a re-evaluation of the speed-optimized sloop that Gangzi had submitted.

As expected of Jing Shengyi, the number one on the Earth Ranking; his strength was truly unfathomable, Luo Hui and the others sighed inwardly.

Lin Feiyin opened her phone to check it, but it still showed no signal, and the battery was down to a single bar. Thinking of the zombies and those two strangely dressed people she had just encountered, she felt a profound sense of dread.

At the very least, as far as the Chunyang Sect was concerned, according to Zhen Pingfan, they were privy to everything—even how many illegitimate children the head of the Moyi family, Moyi Liusu, had, or which God Emperors within the Benevolence Alliance were at odds with one another.

Before he could finish his question, Bai Qianqian had already cried out, "Uncle! It’s me, Qianqian!" With that, he looked up at Fang Yuyang with a nervous, expectant face.

He recalled the appearance of Fang Yuxin in his mind and compared it to Fang Mengyao’s current face, finding her suddenly incredibly pleasing to the eye. Without giving Fang Mengyao another chance to speak, he turned and walked away.

Lin Fengyan’s calm tone left those behind him dumbfounded. While it was true they didn't know what a Soul-Absorbing Gu was supposed to look like, even if Lin Fengyan knew its original form, how could he possibly know what it looked like now?

After the eldest and second uncles arrived home and freshened up, seeing that it was still early, they brought gifts prepared for Great-Granduncle and went to visit his home. Great-Grandfather and Granduncle were in the main hall, having tea and chatting with their cousin Wang Bende, who had come from the North.

There were an unusually large number of guests today. Beyond the family, friends, and acquaintances who were welcomed inside, there were ten tables set up outside for beggars and others who were not permitted to enter the prefect’s residence.

In a moment when no one was paying attention, the heavy curtain at the tent entrance was quietly pushed aside. All the guards’ gazes snapped toward that direction. They saw a remarkably calm person methodically rolling up the curtain.

The skating rink was in full swing; the scene was spectacular and bustling, with more and more people entering.

Ru Qing gulped down large mouthfuls of boiled water. Water resources in this ancient era were certainly abundant, and the quality was excellent. It had a natural, refreshing taste; it was said to be mountain spring water drawn from over ten miles away—pure, natural, and unpolluted—crisp and delicious, with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

Seeing Cao Xue’s attitude, Murong Xue felt a wave of helplessness. In truth, Cao Xue longed to marry, and these excuses were merely that—excuses. The reason she made them was simply because she had yet to meet her Prince Charming, though where that prince might be, no one knew.

Like the protagonist of many martial arts dramas, Qin Xuan faced over a dozen men with his bare hands. Each of them brandished a weapon, yet against the supernaturally agile Qin Xuan, they didn't even stand a chance of getting close.

Fang Jingxuan bit his lip hard, staring at his mother in disbelief, his expression a mix of shock and grief.

At the break of dawn the next day, Lu Yi went out to find some of his associates from the underworld to help maintain order at the pharmacy.