Volume 1, Chapter 35: No Regrets Allowed

The Great Black Abyss Bear roared in unbridled fury, its massive forepaws striking repeatedly in a desperate attempt to crush Ye Tianxun into a pulp.

Yue Chen replied softly, then paused in thought, retrieving a star disc as dark as ink from his spatial pouch. While he remained deep in contemplation, those around him let out low, guttural growls. Yue Chen scanned his surroundings, only to discover several exceptionally bright gazes fixed intently upon the ink-black star disc in his hands.

With a flash of black light, Gu Qing summoned his low-grade divine artifact, channeling a vast amount of divine soul energy to deflect two streaks of white light.

Once his physical form had been stretched to its absolute limit, the Profound Yin Water, now reduced to molecular form, began to coalesce once more. In the blink of an eye, it condensed back into a slender, trickling stream, weaving its way through his body.

Wukong looked up to see the room's door being incessantly battered by a monster radiating a dark, baleful aura. "An Asura Ghost Spirit!" Anxiety flared in his heart, so intense he felt the urge to tear open his own chest and claw at his heart.

"The blood of a Kui Ox is a top-tier ingredient for alchemy. Shouldn't our Alchemy Hall be entitled to a third of it?" Lao Qianxing asked with a frown.

They were, it should be noted, barely a hundred yards from where the two spirit beasts were clashing—a mere few dozen steps for creatures of such immense size. Moreover, both were at the Origin Opening stage; their battle would inevitably wreak devastation over a vast area.

These people acted more like marauders, killing anyone they encountered and looting everything in sight. They spared not a single cultivation material, even the lowest-grade Tier 1 items. In less than an hour, they had stripped the two major sects bare. Dozens of burly men even departed with satisfaction, each carrying a heavy slab of stone on their backs.

Qin Shou sneered. With a swift motion of his hands from his pockets, he produced two acupuncture needles and, with lightning speed, plunged them into the left and right sides of Xiong Ba's forehead. From a distance, he looked like he had sprouted two antennae, instantly transforming the fierce warrior into a Teletubby.

Having broken through to the Origin Opening stage at the age of twenty, she could rightfully be called a youthful prodigy. Her strength was beyond reproach; as the leader of the Spark Mercenary Group, one did not earn the title of "Big Sister" without formidable power.

He was a man of few words, often stuttering and prone to blushing, yet Tao Hua knew that Zhou Yuan was a friend who cared for her deeply.

***

The crowd gradually dispersed. As the brilliant lights faded, the true struggle for the prize perhaps began in earnest.

"Ouch, who the hell is disturbing my sleep this early in the morning?" the old Taoist priest grumbled, cursing as he groggily opened his eyes.

Donning a new piece of level 130 equipment dropped by a boss a few days prior, Lilith’s dark leather armor had been replaced by a fusion of leather, lace, and straps. It was a blend of medieval European style and classical artistry—sexy, ornate, and imbued with the subtle, brooding air unique to an assassin. In short, it was stunning.

A moment later, a group led by a burly man with a high nose bridge rushed onto the blood-stained wall, surrounding Ye Tian and his companions.

"Get out, and take this flower with you," Duan Chengyu said, lowering his head to continue his work.

Long Xiao nodded slightly and fell silent. His figure shot into the sky, transforming into a hundred-foot-long dragon that pierced through the clouds and vanished into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Fearing that Red Boy would continue his interrogation, Wujin made a hasty excuse and stepped outside.

"I told you I didn't know how to wash it, but you insisted..." After leaving the bathroom, Prince Hao muttered indignantly. He looked down at the palm he had cut on the glass, then back at Tao Hua, who was already in a frenzy. He remained silent, turned around, and retreated into the bedroom.

"Is Yu Tong in his room? I really want to go check on him." It felt like I hadn't seen him since Red Boy put the ice crystal away.

Li Jiang nodded, though the doubt in his heart remained long unresolved. Perhaps, in the distant future, this mystery was still waiting for him to solve it.

"The boss is right. Whether it's a ghost cultivator, a demon cultivator, or a spirit cultivator, if they dare to bully us, we'll kill them all the same!" Shi Zhongqiu declared dismissively.

***

Chen Ru'er suddenly flashed a wicked smile, and a brightly colored frog leapt from her sleeve, darting swiftly toward Mao Leyan.

Wen Xin watched Yan Wu approach and was surprised to find he intended to treat him to a drink. It was interesting that this man, having just been defeated by him, was now in the mood to buy a drink for his victor.

The black-and-white demon on the paper vanished, replaced by text. It was a letter—short, but written in a frantic, scrawled hand.

The Golden Silkworm was hidden within the blood of the fractured heart, making it nearly impossible to detect. It was only when it flew out from the heart that Yang Yunhan’s sharp eyes caught it, but by then, the silkworm was already inches away.

"You blockhead, you were the one who fell asleep first last night. It's my turn tonight; you keep watch!" Er Gouzi complained.

Qing Zijun and the other elders also took their leave. Xue Wulei, however, did not depart; having brought all the disciples of the Blood Demon Sect with him, he simply merged them into the Profound Nether Sect.

Before the last word had faded, Zhongli Feiyue and Mochou smashed through the window and, in a blink, vanished into the darkness before dawn.

The thought had barely surfaced before it was crushed by the heavy sword. They had to remember that most of this wild area was under their surveillance, with both fake and true wards standing guard.

With the sound of trickling water, the chirping of insects, and the song of birds, a gentle breeze left my entire body feeling unusually refreshed. My eyelids felt heavy, and after a long struggle, I managed to crack them open. A beam of bright light pierced my eyes, forcing me to close them again. I thought to myself, I seem to have seen a cloud in that radiance—could this be a dream?