Volume 1, Chapter 32: Father! I have burned incense and paper offerings for you!

After a brief exchange, Elder Pei tried to probe Xia Zining’s identity, but he could glean nothing from her.

The effect of a battle formation is far more than just the simple sum of individual combat strengths. Naturally, to push the "Strategizing" skill to its absolute limit, one requires the support of the user's own inner strength.

I gritted my teeth, bracing myself against a nearby tree. My vision swam, and through the blur, I saw Shan Pao picking something up from the ground. I shook my head; the agonizing pain in my abdomen helped clear my mind.

It turned out that after the Battle of the Fortress of Radiance, the Lord of War had abandoned the followers of Aragon. The eighteen Temples of War across the empire lost their former glory, overnight becoming nothing more than empty structures devoid of any divine aura.

Because of this, the people were deeply grateful to the officials of the Liubao Township government, and they were especially full of praise for Qin Yang, who had successfully introduced the project.

There were many training centers in this building—dance classes, art, music, and more. Looking at the posters by the entrance, I sprinted all the way up. By the time I reached the sixth floor, I could hear shouts of "Hi-ya! Take that!" echoing from within, which filled me with excitement.

The black mist was imbued with the immense power of the Blood Realm. As that law-based pressure surged, it completely suppressed the souls of everyone present; even the Behemoth Orcs could not move a single inch.

"Let’s go!" Bear-Man pushed me, and we walked toward the seating area. I sat down next to An Ning, and as I watched her sweet smile, I forced a smile in return.

Evening had fallen, and the lingering rays of the sunset stretched the shadows of Xiao Yu and Lilin long across the ground.

"Could it be because of those people from a couple of days ago?" Xiao Yu had killed Edmund, Emerton, and Ruby just two days prior.

Bu Lianshi gazed at Chen Jue, a hint of worry in her eyes, yet she did not know how to help Lin Chuan.

***

Because Liu Jingshi had classes today, she was dressed in professional attire that perfectly accentuated her slender, curvaceous figure. She had tied her long hair into a high, perky ponytail, and combined with her moving face, she carried a unique charm.

"San-lang, thank you." Stone, whose hands had been kneading dough, suddenly went still, his eyes welling up with tears.

Seeing that Ale had issued an order for them to leave, Xi Feng realized that the situation was exactly as described; staying any longer would inevitably lead to friction with the Norma tribe. In his view, these people were already miserable enough, and there was no reason to come to blows with them. He bade Ale farewell and took his leave.

Kerry looked somewhat disheveled, and she was not at her best, so she would not catch the eye of passing men, but Sun Zhuo knew what a stunning beauty she would eventually become.

Recalling that Nangong Ran was burdened with pain, far from home, and estranged from her father because of him, Xi Feng grew deeply concerned and began to ask for details repeatedly.

"Boom!" A flash of red light erupted in the room. The Blood Demon finally burst forth from the placenta like a wounded beast, even more ferocious than before. Its mouth agape, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, it lunged toward Kindaichi.

It was a temple built of stone, a hidden gem. Inside, there were no statues to worship, only a single bell.

Feng Jiaoniang caught a glimpse of Long Teng’s face in the dim light, and at that one look, her beautiful face trembled. She took two quick steps toward him, then stopped, struggling to suppress the urge to throw herself into his arms.

The orange cat had been licking its wounds, but upon hearing Lin Chuan’s words, it raised its arrogant head, rolled its eyes at him, and promptly ignored the idiot to focus on its own injuries.

"Why? Have the Sea Siren race and your Sea Clan not always been at odds?" the Dragon King asked, deeply puzzled.

"I still don't like waiting for people." Yu Chen felt that something was wrong, yet he didn't give it much thought. He had the confidence that, with his high-level innate power, he could protect Yihan.

***

Battle aura and magic surged wildly. Beneath the pitch-black sky, the brothers of Dream were incensed, but at that moment, Silence offered a calm smile, slowly raised his hand, and stopped the advancing Dream players.

"You've arrived? Where are you?" Liu Mengxue replied hurriedly, then pulled Shen Lianxing over to manage the guild members for her before summoning her mount and racing toward the Lost City.

However, Liu Yunfei did not think so. He knew that the most dangerous moment was only just beginning. Agares had not yet unleashed his ultimate skill! Under normal circumstances, the boss’s first major outburst usually occurs when its health drops to fifty percent.

She slowly leaned down and kissed Guo Yi on the forehead. Deep in his sleep, Guo Yi impatiently waved his arm, rolled over, and continued to snooze.

"Thus, the match between Nie Feng of the Dark Sect and Ye Gucheng of Tianquan Peak is a draw! The next round may begin!" Once Nie Feng and Ye Gucheng had sheathed their swords and returned to the ground, the elder announced loudly. Nie Feng and Ye Gucheng’s copper plaques remained securely fixed upon the black stele.

Hao Shuangtang stared at the calm surface of the lake, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. When the man pointed it out to him, he finally saw bubbles rising near the shore. However, the figures that emerged were two strangers he did not recognize.

"Clatter! Clatter!..." A sound of hoofbeats approached from behind the crowd, accompanied by a trail of dust. Xue Rengui looked back to see that it was none other than the giant, Dalba. "Why is he here?" Xue Rengui was very surprised, unable to fathom why Dalba had come to this place.