Chapter 1238: Qilin Immortal

The Fengdu Space.

"A mere counterfeit dares to exchange blows with me!" Meng Jingzhou roared, his entire form erupting in a combustion akin to wildfire.

Yet this was no true fire; it was the sheer, overflowing exuberance of his vital essence, a pure yang aura so potent it ignited the spiritual energy surrounding him.

Anyone who drew near would find themselves scorched by this radiant blaze, which was precisely why the Thief King dared not approach him.

Never in the annals of history had such a phenomenon as the burning of pure yang essence been recorded; if not for its perilous nature—

As twilight deepened, Shi Chen brewed a bowl of porridge for Ling Yu. Still languid and drained of strength, Ling Yu could not stomach rich or greasy fare, making the fragrant, simple rice broth the perfect balm for his palate.

"Bai Kun, if you have truly colluded with foreign clans, I implore you to sever all ties with them immediately. We are both sons of Huaxia; do not forget the humiliation our ancestral star endured during the great war of old!" A sharp, menacing gleam flashed in Ji Luosheng's eyes as he spoke in a low, resonant voice.

Had Qi Wuce not been the very creator of the God-Slaying Spear, possessing unique countermeasures of his own, even his avatar could not have survived this long after being struck, let alone achieving the near-impossible feat of keeping a mere mortal like Scathach alive after such a blow.

How could a team dominated by the Dutch faction employ a Paraguayan as their caretaker manager? Should it not have been Seedorf or Bogarde, men of far greater renown? Or perhaps the veteran Dutch striker Bosman, or Ba Yi, the sole local coach? Why on earth was a goalkeeping coach being tasked to lead the squad?

The party of six arrived at the Shenwu Platform, only to find that sixty elders, led by Jing Yi, had already been waiting for some time. Sikong Qingyu, Tang Ze, and Gu Xuan were also among their ranks. Seeing Ling Yu and the others approach, Jing Yi gave a silent nod, turned, and began walking toward the Mount Dunshi.

Even from a great distance, Lin Tian could sense that the auras of the magical beasts within his line of sight were not particularly formidable, peaking at the third or fourth rank at best.

Shi Tou had accomplished deeds that sounded like wild fairy tales, which lent him a shred of confidence in his own abilities; after all, he still had several decades left to prepare.

The crescent-moon ancient zither materialized so abruptly within Ming Ji's palm that he remained entirely ignorant of how it had even appeared.

Everyone well understood that this match presented an almost impossible task for Tianjin Ajax, stripped as they were of their manager and assistant coach, missing both goalkeepers, deprived of their two star forwards, and facing an opponent two tiers above them.

"There is an even greater joy to share!" Yan Xin remained draped over Gu De, her gaze brimming with unadulterated adoration as she craned her neck upward, inviting a kiss.

When she arrived at the estate of the Prince of Chu, Chu Liufei was absent, but the warmth and hospitality of the servants coaxed her into staying.

The Su family was a millennium-old clan that had endured through several dynasties, their scions lurking like crouching tigers and hidden dragons both within the imperial court and across the wilderness. Su Ruhui belonged to the direct lineage; the family's presence in court was currently spearheaded by her eldest uncle, Su Wanrun, the Duke of Dingguo. He was a veteran general, though he had retired due to illness, retaining only his noble title to live out his days in comfort near the capital.

Man and horse had ridden far into the distance, and those watching their departure remained unaware that Chu Jiu, perched high upon the saddle, already had his vision blurred by a veil of tears.

This was an official residence, not a property acquired by plundering the silver of the common folk. Throughout his twenty years in office, he had never accepted a single bribe; otherwise, how could he have risen in this very place from a hated magistrate hounded by the populace to the Viceroy of Liangjiang, whose single call rallied hundreds and who commanded the devotion of ten thousand souls?

"How is this different from what you recounted to me?" Long Jinyu snapped his folding fan shut with a sharp crack, observing Long Haoran with a faint, ephemeral smile dancing upon his features.

Following days of relentless exhaustion, Ning Ruxi sank into relaxation, falling into a slumber so profound it seemed he was utterly lost to the world. Yet in the depths of his heavy sleep, someone suddenly seized him by the hair and yanked him forcefully upward.

"For all these years, this Palace has commanded you to watch over and protect her. Do you know the reason why?" Noble Consort Huo asked in return, choosing not to answer.