Chapter 128: The Stone Wall

In about ten minutes, the man in the black jacket gave the red string a gentle tug. To his surprise, the grasshopper was not only still alive but hopping about energetically. He pulled out a variety of items and fastened them to his body in a specific order. Seeing the sticky rice hanging from his person, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Are you really going down there?"

...

Gradually, through self-cultivation and verification, he attained considerable magical power. He traveled across famous mountains and great rivers, visiting fellow practitioners in search of a path toward higher enlightenment, all while the Zhang family provided him with the necessary funds.

He had arrived quite easily this time, which left Mu Lingzi somewhat surprised—or at least caught off guard. He had expected the man not to come, yet after a mere mention, the man had simply nodded and appeared.

Seeing that he was merely covered in dust and otherwise in good spirits, the others relaxed and returned to their designated observation spots.

Outside the capital city, dark clouds gathered, blotting out the sun and sky. A vast ocean of lightning covered the heavens, manifesting in five distinct colors. Billions of lightning bolts condensed into millions of ferocious, serpentine forms, writhing densely throughout the sea of thunder.

"Just... who... are you?" The one who had yet to strike stared in disbelief. After a single exchange, his companion had traded palm strikes with the opponent, only to have his newly acquired physical body shattered by the sheer force of the impact.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of men in martial attire now lay unconscious in pools of blood. Even the fierce, domineering man who had unleashed the Wave-Shattering Blade technique was drenched in blood, leaning on his sword to keep from collapsing.

"The foundation of this human Heavenly Desolate Imperial Court is truly unfathomable. It is fortunate that the Dark Gold Demon Dragon Realm was the one to suffer this misfortune." Within the Demon Scorpion Ancient Emperor Realm, the half-step Demon Ancestor of the Demon Scorpion royal clan was deeply shaken, for he had sensed auras of death emanating from the Heaven-Turning Seal.

The two sides remained deadlocked over the ransom, eventually agreeing to a recess to deliberate further before informing the other of their respective positions.

Tongtian felt helpless. His disciples were disobedient, all of them like bloodthirsty bulls, easily provoked by a few words. He could not restrain them; they seemed hell-bent on seeking their own destruction.

As he spoke, Huo Jingchuan’s eyes grew red, and tears streamed down his cheeks. Fearing he might startle Lin Wei'an, he quietly closed the door, retreated to the living room, and began drinking from the liquor cabinet.

Huo Jingchuan was snapped out of his trance by Lin Wei'an’s voice. Seeing her grit her teeth as she spoke, he found her inexplicably adorable. He quickly agreed, "You are absolutely right," and gently patted her head, every gesture filled with indulgence and affection.

Su Shu pouted in frustration. She realized that Qin Ziling had not brought her along on the mission because he liked her.

Zhao Ling looked around to ensure they were alone, then cupped her head and fed her the osmanthus cake from his own mouth.

Just as he was about to return, he heard the sounds of sharp, spirited shouts in the distance, as if someone were training.

Ling'er thought to herself, "I wanted to refuse, but I couldn't find a reason." She gave her teacher a smile and stepped outside.

In his previous life, after getting drunk, a strange, lingering fragrance had led him toward Lin Qingmei’s boudoir, a scent that left him feverish and restless. Yet, no matter how long he sniffed the air now, that fragrance was nowhere to be found.

Altina and Tio, whose expressions were usually reserved, fared slightly better, their changes limited to the flickering of their eyes.

However, it was a step too late. Mo Xuan lunged but caught nothing, then looked up coldly at Xu Fengqian, who had retreated into the surging waves of lava.

Rockets—that weapon truly made no distinction between friend and foe; it was like being slapped across the face, impossible to dodge.

Since it was early morning study time, very few students were watching. At most, there were a few students in special programs or those who had no interest in their studies and were simply idling their days away at school.

"Alright, you didn't come to find me in the middle of the night just to thank me, did you?" Lu Fan waved his hand dismissively.