29. A Toy for Dispelling Loneliness

Ji Qingran’s face turned pale with fury, her lips trembling uncontrollably. She sat in the taxi, the audio recording having just played; the driver had heard it too, casting a strange, meaningful glance at her through the rearview mirror. But she could not spare a thought for that now. Her palms were slick with cold sweat, clinging stickily to her phone.

Where could she be? She had searched the entire Dome Mountain, yet Qiqi was nowhere to be found! Could it be that Qiqi had left Dome Mountain? No! It was impossible! It was impossible for her to have left! With the combined powers of our God and Demon clans, even we were helpless against the beasts in the demonic layer; how could Qiqi possibly survive?

As for what happened next, Xisa could neither see nor hear. When he awoke, he found himself leaning against Yi Zhi in a stone cavern, a roaring bonfire before them radiating heat. While the physical wounds on his body had been healed, the agony caused by the trauma to his veins persisted.

In accordance with Xiao Han’s instructions, the visit was a complete surprise; the school had not been notified in advance. Thus, when the delegation arrived, the entire campus was quiet. Aside from the occasional sound of students reciting, there was no one there to formally welcome them.

Zhao Zhengce’s gaze, however, drifted toward the window. Out in the fields, the peasants were working among the rapeseed, and though their labor might not yield significant results, Zhao knew that a farmer would never feel at ease unless he spent his day digging a few times in the dirt with a hoe.

The door creaked shut as the four people retreated one after another. Their departure had no effect on Master Yuding, who had reached a state of total self-oblivion, focusing entirely on preparing for the battle.

"The greatest humiliation of my life was abandoning the Dao for the Buddha," Duobao had said back then, facing the Saint Jieyin.

The rage was extinguished once more by these calm words. The ferocious expression on the man’s face lingered for a moment before suddenly collapsing.

Father Gu did not respond. Gu Yuchen had always been a man who brooked no interference, and his methods were notoriously cold; even he dared not say a word.

At this point, Ye Zitao’s voice choked up: "That day, I witnessed a scene I will never be able to forget for the rest of my life."

To this end, the Yanling Demon Suppression Bureau had dispatched a large number of personnel to maintain order. Rumor even had it that the White Tiger, one of the four commanders, had arrived in person to ensure the selection process proceeded smoothly.

Brother Wuji was utterly enraged. He stepped directly in front of Qin Chen and prepared to kick him in the leg, intending to force him to his knees.

They were creatures often found in fairy tales; Xia Ya suspected they were spirits born from the natural world, perhaps flower fairies, water nymphs, or even the legendary Tooth Fairy—they were all likely the same type of being.

Like Fan Baoyi, the other bondservants marched with the same dream of becoming slaves to the Qing Emperor, their rhythmic footsteps echoing as they stepped into this meat grinder.

A pair of iron-muscled arms looked incredibly thick, and the calluses on the fingers of his right hand signaled that he was undoubtedly a skilled archer.

"Fine, fine, fine. You talk to him then; act as if I said nothing at all." Shi Zuizui went to the side, sulking.

Mo Li even found himself thinking of the fermented rice cakes he had enjoyed at Cihui Hall at noon; it was a pity that Meng Qi hadn't been there, or else he might have tried to slip a piece into his sleeve, though he couldn't do so under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Yang Qian: This extravagant spending habit of Ji Heng’s seems a bit much to handle. Is he at risk of going bankrupt at any moment?

"I am a failure. I barely notice whether the sun is shining or not, because I have no time."

"I saw a strange mark on his chest, a bluish-black color. I can't describe exactly what it looked like; the lighting at the time was simply too dim."

"Your master has errands to run and wants you to stay here for a while. Would you be willing?" Shi Hui asked with a smile. Although Jing Wuming was unreliable, she couldn't bring herself to be cold in the face of such a lovely child.