Chapter 54: Winning Respect Through Strength

Because he had been exceptionally obedient when he was captured and beaten, offering no resistance, the careless constables never thought to replace the rope binding him with iron chains.

The moment he broke free from the rope, Dong Yuyin had only one thought in his mind: It’s over...

Almost simultaneously, Ye Yue flashed forward to stand in front of Tang Yu. Had she not known how important this person was to Tang Yu, she might have acted straight away...

The leader of the Nether Clan frowned slightly, staring intently at the two lingering souls. His expression grew grave and complex, as if lost in deep contemplation.

Back in those years, his Thunderous Strike could annihilate entire cities and fortresses; even the fierce northwestern winds would withdraw before his might, unwilling to clash head-on.

“Shen Shaoqing was just recently married, and for the sake of national affairs and duty, he left his new wife alone at home to guard an empty chamber. He truly deserves to be called the emperor’s most loyal subject,” Yin Qi’s words were laced with undisguised mockery.

At this moment, every member of the Falcon Squad felt their hearts leap into their throats. None of them were armed now—their very lives rested in Lin Feng’s hands.

Shen Nianyi knew well how much manpower and resources the late emperor had spent to eliminate Yiyantang. Now that this matter was finally resolved in the current emperor’s reign, it was indeed cause for great celebration.

When they arrived, they saw several streaks of radiant light shooting from a distant mountain, quickly appearing before Qin Tian and his companions.

“Alas, Hanyun’s meridians have been completely destroyed and his body is alarmingly weak. He needs extensive nutritional support,” Ning Yi sighed heavily, fear lingering in his heart. Ning Hanyun was only a step away from death; had they been even three or four seconds later, he would have perished on the spot.

What’s more, the Immortal Flower and Herb Sect still faced threats from demonic gods of the upper realm! To live peacefully near the Wind Eye was simply unrealistic.

Suddenly, riding beside Chen Fei, Yin Ping furrowed his brow, as though sensing something amiss. He abruptly looked up ahead.

He didn’t really want to hear Shen Nianyi’s answer. The Shen family already had a bitter precedent—years ago, Shen Bosen and Shen Xiang’s status was even higher than their sons, yet they were cast aside in an instant. Such immense power meant nothing in those eyes.

This blade was as thin as a cicada’s wing, narrower than a palm, transparent like crystal. It looked more like a toy than a weapon. But anything conjured by Mo Tizhun’s hand was never so simple.

The child and Ling’er were sleeping in the inner chamber. Fearing he might suddenly burst in and startle them, Shangguan Ying led him to the inner hall’s soft couch to rest. Dong Yulin reclined on the couch, squinting at her in the lamplight.

But everyone knew full well the Fire Spirit King’s foul temper. Yuan Fengzheng and the others understood that once he set his mind to something, no one could stop him. Moreover, he was one of the Heroes’ Society himself—at most, they could try to persuade him, but if that failed, there was nothing more to be done.

“Could this be some sort of trap?” Li Ming’s second wife, Madam Zhang, muttered to herself in secret.

A tall, slender man stood before the Royal Hospital, his bearing so imposing that he seemed to merge with the grand, magnificent façade of the building itself.

Your renown now poses a dire threat to their positions—they will never allow you to return to the capital alive, bearing unmatched military merit. Since ancient times, only the dead are posthumously honored as sages. A living sage is always a target.

It turned out to be a pot of white porridge, simmered to a soft, fragrant smoothness that melted in the mouth. In the middle were flecks of red; Feng Miaojun fished one out and tasted it—sweet potato.

Though intelligence gathered from the great clans and Hu Hongtu made it clear that there were many humans among the demon realm’s inhabitants and they remained a major race, the harmonious and prosperous scene before Herlin was still a startling contrast.

On that day, after Jin Zibo reported the capital’s situation to Wang Mang at Kunlun Mountain, half a month passed. Escorted by elite warriors of the Murong clan, he safely arrived at the main city of Weiwu Pass in Gansu.