Chapter 75: A Mind Awakened

In the utterly white and empty expanse, a slender sprout of ice and snow suddenly emerged, exuding a chilling aura. Its crystalline, supple shoot grew swiftly upward, and before long, it had become a small tree. The ice tree stretched out its branches, and one by one, flower buds peeked out from among them.

Ming Shuang rose to his feet, and the hazy scenes that had just floated through his mind gradually became clearer. He seemed to own a purple robe embroidered with plum blossoms, a gift from someone who was truly kind to him.

That person was a flower spirit dwelling among the early spring’s forest and grass, a beauty who stood motionless beneath the waning moon on a cold night, as though painted into the scene. He could be as imposing as thunder, awe-inspiring in his presence, yet just as easily, he could sit quietly by Ming Shuang’s bedside each night, keeping him company as he slept.

The tree of ice was about to blossom.

Assuming the form of Jia Chengyu—

“So, to sum up everything you just said, you’ve been hating me all along?” Mrs. Ling’s shrill voice suddenly pierced the air.

Tommy, smiling, bid farewell to Yuan Jiaqing and the others, and finally, under the guidance of someone trustworthy from his team, made his way back in the right direction.

Choosing Debbie and Leona and bestowing upon them power comparable to an A-rank was a decision Lord had weighed carefully.

Hearing her concerns, the hamsters wore expressions that showed they had already anticipated them. Unhurriedly, they explained: “Don’t worry, boss. These buildings have been reinforced with enchantments. Regular use won’t do them any harm. Even if you tried to scratch them with a knife, as long as it’s just an ordinary person’s strength, it wouldn’t leave a mark.”

Lin Yue was sunk into the sofa, head bowed, her short hair drooping to obscure her face. She couldn’t see his expression.

With a face still flushed, Raimi Kazama walked hand-in-hand with Liu Wei to the shop she had wanted to visit.

This man was dressed impeccably, his short black hair neatly styled. As he stroked his meticulously trimmed beard, he surveyed the displays in the cliffside chamber.

Moreover, aside from knowing he possessed the blood of a bird demon, she knew nothing about the singer before her.

Those who were stopped at first all looked utterly astonished, as if they had never imagined they would ever be prevented from doing as they pleased. Among them, some began to cry, some begged for mercy, and others protested, “It’s not our fault—the chieftain is the one rebelling!” Yet a few, exceptionally fierce, still hurled curses.

Dragging Leona along, Lord strode brazenly into the middle of the Purge Team’s main hall. The one-eyed man was momentarily left dumbfounded by Lord’s blatant arrogance.

“Don’t flatter yourself. If I had the time, I’d rather care for some cats and dogs! At least they’d bark or meow back. What good does it do me to care about you? All it brings is trouble. If you want to go, then hurry up and go! Just don’t faint on the battlefield, that’s all I ask.” Then she turned and left.

Fang Nan felt his body immobilized, an unfamiliar sense of powerlessness rising from deep within him. Yet he continued to smile, gazing at his adversary with composure.

Thinking of this, I forced a wry smile and asked her why she was like this. The old woman only shook her head and said, “Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

How much could these herders have seen in their lives? They looked at one another—some began to cry, some pleaded for mercy, some said, “It’s not our fault; it was the chieftain who wanted to rebel.” Still, a handful, fierce to the core, continued to hurl insults.

This place was shrouded in darkness, visibility so poor it was frightening. For him, who was already blind, it made little difference, but for me, the faint glow of the candlestick became all the more important.

Naturally, Hua Tian could be found in Chinatown. Before long, Wu Qiang led He Qing and the others to a certain place.

Hearing this, Zhangsun You was deeply shaken. How could it be? Hadn’t they long since begun an affair in secret? How could they be a married couple in name only? If Murong Gong didn’t care for her, why would he break off his engagement with Zhangsun You just to marry her?

As he thought this, he could not control himself, and truly did as he wished—embracing Ziru from behind as she stood with her back to him.

As the saying goes, “Even a broken ship still has a few nails left.” A force that has lasted for centuries is not so easily uprooted. It is said that there have always been those who believe in it; only, nowadays, its influence is nowhere near what it once was.

Of course, what happens in secret doesn’t matter, so long as no one knows. For example, the Shadow King and Meteor Shower had a subordinate relationship, but it wasn’t public—only regarded as an ordinary employment contract. That’s just how it is in the world of assassins: once today’s job is done, they go their separate ways. Tomorrow, they might get a contract from another client and immediately turn their weapons in a new direction.