Chapter 420: Scavenger Alliance

Ouyang Tian and his companions returned from their solitary trials, having distinguished themselves in the Vermilion Bird Academy tournament; thus, Principal White Tiger decreed they should enjoy a few days of respite, to return to their studies only once they had properly restored their spirits.

Lin Feng spoke with a crescendo of fury, as though confronting the very murderer of his father—and indeed, the reality was little different, for what rancor on earth runs deeper than the slaying of one's sire or the theft of one's bride, both sins past all forgiveness?

Placing a delicate slice of sweet, crispy glutinous rice lotus root stuffed with osmanthus upon the bone-china saucer before Su Ziqin, Tao Zhuohai's eyes filled with a radiant warmth as she folded her hands, quietly awaiting the other's reply.

It had to be said that these words held a cruel truth; she had originally counted on Zhang Haotian to sustain her in her twilight years, but looking at him now, such a hope was utterly shattered! When the time came, she feared she would die lonely and forsaken, with no one to lean upon.

A sudden spark flashed through Hu Tiantian’s mind, stringing together a multitude of disparate events like scattered pearls; remembering He Ziyan’s mountain of military merits, she found herself believing eight tenths of Ye Zhenzhen’s words.

The moment the conversation turned to the Tao estate, thoughts naturally drifted to the exiled family of Tao Chaoran; ever since she could remember, New Year's Eve had been spent in that grand house in bustling, joyous reunion, but now, scattered to the four winds, master and servants could only sigh in silence.

Zhou Bingran stumbled back three heavy paces, gazing down at his own chest; the sight of that gruesome, shocking wound sent a chill through his veins, seasoned warrior though he was.

With a wicked grin, Old Man Sun produced his keys and, utterly ignoring Uncle Liu who had already reached the car door, prepared to slam it shut.

Hearing Zhu Wu’s proclamation, the crowd was left utterly bewildered, save for Gongsun Sheng and Qiao Daoqing, who exchanged knowing smiles and nodded.

Though his lips offered these reassurances, Zhang Haotian's heart began to beat like a frantic drum; could Zhou Yingying also have been beguiled by that mysterious voice? If that were truly the case, she was in all likelihood walking into mortal peril.

"Brother Chen, you are awake? How is your wound mending?" Lu Yao, standing at his bedside and watching Jian Chen open his eyes, stepped forward with a countenance fraught with anxiety.

"Young Master, pray allow Jiaojiao to attend to you," Hu Jiaojiao murmured, her steps light as a drifting dance, seeming a creature of myth and dream as a heady fragrance billowed softly about her.

"Speak! Who precisely is your Palace Master? Why does he endlessly seek to cross swords with this seat?" Jian Chen infused a thread of primordial energy into the black-robed man, rousing him from his stupor, while leveling a stern, interrogative gaze upon him.

The partridge circled the tree once, discovering several scattered beads upon the earth; they seemed to have been struck by a formidable inner force, bearing the distinct, eroded marks of its consumption.

Having shed his outer garments, Ming Yanye strode to the bedstead, kicked off his short boots, and slipped beneath the quilt; Ye Qianxiang lay with her back to him, and he instinctively reached out to draw her into his embrace.

By this calculation, even if she were no longer his own wedded wife, she remained his brother’s bride; now that Shu Jun was absent, it fell naturally to him to look after her in his stead, for if any ill befell her, how could he ever absolve himself of the blame?

Jiang Chen and the others had not yet returned, so in the end, having no alternative, Zhao Ziyang could only escort Guo Yiqing back to his own chamber.

Prefect Zhao stepped before Li Hu, yet his gaze fixed upon Li Feng as he spoke: "This magistrate will dispatch men to hunt down that fugitive Wang Xing, so set your hearts at ease." He addressed Li Feng directly, knowing well that she was the true pillar of counsel in this household.

"We know not which elder of the Demon Race honors us with their presence? The Lan family has failed to welcome you properly; we pray you overlook our discourtesy!" Lan Tianming and Lan Tianyu exchanged a glance, sensing it wisest to strike a posture of humility.

If love existed, he would not have left her to freeze alone outside on New Year's Eve; if love existed, Cui Xianzhen would not have drugged her at her graduation gala; if love existed, Cui Xianzhen would not have kidnapped and harmed her, desiring even to destroy her in the very same manner she had destroyed her mother.

The moment Rong Hua's false name passed her lips, Yin Shan instinctively stole a glance at Jun Lin, whose ice-blue eyes flickered with a phantom of amusement.

All at once, a voice resounded from the earth, and the entire firmament flared into absolute brilliance, split cleanly in twain as a shroud of pitch-black and a sheet of blinding white vied for the heavens.

A furious thirst for slaughter caused the Eternal Sword to erupt with the majesty it rightfully possessed; though fleeting, it was an terrifying thing to behold.

"But you are a minor, and your uncle will surely invoke the Protection of Minors Act," He Lingyu said with a soft chuckle.

After all, an auspicious divine beast of the primordial dawn would not lightly discern hidden treasures or spiritual entities, but when its senses did stir, they were remarkably infallible.

"And over there, even more of them! Far more than we encountered before; it seems the demonic souls of the entire Phoenix God Holy Tomb have converged upon our position. Surely not!" Terrified by this overwhelming host, a cold sweat broke out across his skin.

No wonder she possessed the daring to choose so perilous a route for her trials; it turned out her underlying strength was formidable indeed, for a so-called genius is never fashioned by chance, and the labor expended is often beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.

Zhan Limeng crouched beneath the garbage truck with Zhuang Momo, successfully evading the enemy's scrutiny to escape into the suburbs, yet he dared not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

The Southern Emperor's lip twitched imperceptibly; this girl of the Mu clan possessed a spiritual force so unimaginably vast that he, a sovereign of his generation, had actually been looked down upon.

Among the twenty odd post-celestial cultivators encircling the unkempt man, a middle-aged cultivator at the peak of the post-celestial realm, seemingly their leader, barked an order; his words instantly steadied the panicked cultivators, acting as a soothing balm as they raised their weapons and glared at the unkempt man.

Fortunately, the adversary Yang Ruofeng faced was neither a saint nor a true immortal; Jiang Xia, Di Wentian, and their cohort could truly devise no means to overcome him. One could only wonder, however, how much longer his immortal art of shadowless rectitude could endure.