Chapter 56: Secrets in the Smoke

The scars of war lingered long within the city of Huilong, carved into the ruined buildings, etched upon the dusty tombstones, and deeply embedded in the hearts of the homeless. Even if he had lost all interest in ancient history, after three months of total immersion within the city, Chu Hengkong had gained a profound understanding of the turbulent conflicts of the past.

Over the span of two decades, Huilong City had endured three major battles. The enemy in the first war was a horde of demons; one fateful day, a massive tide of illusory demons suddenly appeared, charging against the city with crazed belligerence. It was said that that particular battle...

This unique substance, a hybrid of earth, stone, flowing water, and the primal energies of heaven and earth, possessed the fluidity of water, the hardness of stone, and the energetic properties of cosmic force. Its traits bore some resemblance to the magma found within the Hung Star, yet neither its fluidity, its hardness, nor the energy it contained could possibly be matched by ordinary magma.

"If you guys keep talking about Big Brother Yun like that, you're going to end up in a world of hurt~" Shen Siyu tilted her head as she looked at the ruffian youths, her large eyes curving gracefully into crescent moons while her tone carried a hint of impending danger.

Liu Dingtian softly recited the words inscribed upon the tombstone. This was precisely the Valley of the Sacred Hand, before the grave of Mo Pengyi, the revered mentor of Hu Lesheng and Liu Dingtian's own grandmaster. The grounds were meticulously kept, and the tombstone prominently bore the name of his master, Hu Lesheng.

Naturally, aside from their similar attire, these young cultivators each carried a cultivation sword strapped to their backs. Thus, whenever these youthful heroes struck a pose, they were as flashy as the wind and as dazzlingly cool as could be.

Furthermore, because there was no need for flints or water, in high places—when the situation called for it—rubbing wood together could generate fire even in the complete absence of a fire source. At this moment, high above, the warm glow of fire illuminated his body. The middle-aged swordsman awoke.

Upon hearing this, Yang Laoliu was dumbfounded. Hand over yet another spiritual stone? Wouldn't that mean he might end up losing two spiritual stones by the end of it? Yang Laoliu was not about to be that foolish.

Let things unfold however they pleased; he was going to fall into a deep slumber. Among the immortal arts, there was a technique known as the Thousand-Year Dream, which involved finding a secluded spot to sleep for a millennium while cultivating entirely within one's dreams.

"Reporting to the Senior Grand Brother, Senior Brother Mohang and the others have been trapped inside. We retreated and garrisoned here to await your arrival!" Guo Wu replied. Senior Brother Moxing was the second-ranked disciple of Dragon Cloud Peak, second only to Huo Bin. Whenever Huo Bin was not present, all matters were handled by Senior Brother Mohang.

"Why are you here! Didn't I tell you, I will pay back the money I owe! Just give me a few more days, and I will definitely pay it back!" Zheng Pengfei said with extreme agitation.

Something he said touched upon the supreme pride of the Second Prodigy's taboo. He glared furiously at Zhu Tianpeng, his flared nostrils fluttering incessantly as he looked on the verge of flying into a rage.

Accompanied by a piercing hum of swords, the Sword King stepped past the others and came to a halt, though the murderous intent in his hawk-like eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

Xiang Hao gasped sharply. To think that merely finding a place to stay required spending this many spiritual stones—no, low-grade immortal sources! This level of expenditure was simply astronomical; it was nothing short of daylight robbery.

Zhou Qing raised a hand, her slender fingers gently sweeping away a few strands of hair blowing across her forehead. Naturally striking to begin with, this simple gesture of brushing aside her hair was imbued with an intoxicating allure that stirred the passions with every movement.

"General," the coroner examining the corpses nearby stood up and began to report.

"Thud, thud." More Di tribe bandits tumbled down from their horses, each pierced by one to three feathered arrows. Until the moment of their deaths, they had no idea who had killed them.

A minute later, Bai Jie was lying on the sofa with her feet resting on the coffee table, adopting the exact same posture as Fang Yi just moments before, though a trace of unconcealable fatigue remained on her pretty face.

These ingredients were quite ordinary. Fang Yi had yet to mix in a secret component; once that was added and sprinkled on top, it would taste infinitely better. Fang Yi possessed absolute confidence in this.

For several consecutive days, Zhuge Liang kept running over to Liu Yong's quarters, and seeing that Liu Yong showed no sign of anger, Zhuge Jin finally set his mind at ease.