Volume One, Chapter 36: Wanting to Protect Her

Behind him followed dozens of guards, all expressionless, their hands resting on their sword hilts, exuding an air of vigilant readiness.

“Lady Lin, do you know your crime?” Eunuch Shun’s shrill voice pierced the night, jarring and harsh.

Lin Wantai forced herself to remain calm. “What do you mean by this, Eunuch? I do not understand.”

With many hands joining in, curious villagers had flocked to help; within half a day, this massive project was already nearing completion.

At this moment, Zhou Chen felt as if countless ants were gnawing at every inch of his skin, while the effects of the medicine began to take hold.

As the curtain was lifted, Chu Yun slowly emerged from behind. He glanced at Master Zhang, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked, “Is it credible?”

If he truly had to seize control of Earth by force, then even if victory was possible, the grave consequences would be far from what he desired. Should his actions spark a third world war, causing billions of deaths and injuries, setting back the economy and technology by centuries, it would be a bitter and pointless triumph.

Inside, every step forward demanded the utmost caution and vigilance. Stars fell in succession, as if sand and stones were flying, and the waves in the Sea of Bitterness soared to the sky. Such a scene inspired both doubt and dread.

Danger—extreme danger. Ever since the jade sword was activated, Dugu Qiubai felt himself locked onto by an unimaginably powerful spiritual will; escape was impossible.

As he spoke, Zhang Heng abruptly hung up the phone. Only the busy tone echoed from the line, but after hearing Zhang Heng's words, the President of the United States turned ashen. His body went limp, collapsing into his chair, sweat pouring down his forehead.

Suddenly, a divine dragon, visible to the naked eye, appeared and shielded Liu Hao, blocking the lethal strike. Immediately afterward, the dragon’s energy seemed to wane considerably.

Zhou Chen glanced at his counterpart and smiled faintly, unwilling to explain further. How could he tell them that by simply inserting yuan stones, one could react with the immortal energy in the restriction, thereby weakening its spiritual strength? For most prohibitions, three to five stones would suffice; after all, he was now a cultivator at the early Golden Core stage.

Ling Rui saw the fleeting shadow of worry in their eyes, and suddenly, a deeply hidden emotion within him was stirred.

“Long live the cultivator!” Some of the guardians began to shout as well, though a few others looked displeased, clearly not in agreement with this course of action.

Yet he knew he had to remain calm, he must be responsible for Xia Ling’er. After all, he and Xia Ling’er were not in that kind of relationship—at least, not yet.

But his expression and his gaze were icy cold, diminishing his handsome features and lending him a sharper, more intimidating presence.

Half-awake, Lin Qingqing heard Lin Yan’s voice. She was instantly alarmed, realizing she was still in Ou Yuanlan’s arms, and struggled to free herself, wanting him to put her down.

“Do you really think you’re my match?” Gui Bian curled his lips, but the cold sneer on his face was now less convincing.

At this moment, the Xuanyuan Sword grew entirely serious—and when Xuanyuan Sword became serious, it was a thing truly to be feared.

Especially since he possessed the cultivation of an Emperor Lord, having soared to become one of the top experts across the Nine Realms. On the entire Xuantian Continent, he could walk unchallenged.

Just then, Ou Yuanlan walked out from the dining room. “I’m going to the company. Call me if you need anything.” His gaze lingered for a moment on Xu Yanran’s sorrowful face before drifting away again.

Gu Ye’s sudden desire to play a game startled Qin Feng at first. He knew Gu Ye suffered from psychological issues and had heard that gaming could help treat depression. He was unsure whether teaching her to play “Glory of Kings” was truly a good idea.

Zhou Qing understood well why his second brother spoke in such a manner, but only shook his head. Then, looking around, he considered: this fellow seemed quite capable. Yet the most pressing problem remained—how to find a specific team, especially one holding the Seven Star Sword, among the myriad branching paths of the Divine Vault.