Volume One, Chapter 76: The Palace Banquet

China, of course, paid no heed to these jealous remarks; they rejoiced as they should, handed out rewards as they should, and held their grand commendation ceremonies as planned.

“He’s from Hong Kong, isn’t he? I know who he is,” Jeremy said, taking a seat across from Ike’s desk.

Once Ike hung up the phone, he immediately began organizing the workflow for the film crew in Boston. There was still a week left of the work experience program, but he figured three or four days would suffice for him and wouldn’t interfere with the filming schedule.

What did that mean? If every region in the country opened a branch and started printing newspapers, my goodness, in just a few years, the Liu family would be so wealthy that no one could rival us.

Coincidentally, the town government sold off the factory and took the 250,000 yuan to indulge themselves, eating, drinking, and having fun. Duan Xiumei had originally planned to strike out on her own, but Guo Yugang persuaded her to stay.

The lightness technique of Jiuhua Mountain stood unrivaled in the present age, with unique methods for leaps and agile maneuvers. Juan’er had just tapped her foot to escape when a thunderous boom erupted beneath her, shaking the arena. Her footing faltered, and she found herself unable to leap away.

Soon after, Lu Nan sought out Xu Jisheng and Xiao Hanqing separately, clearly stating that Xingdong Company would be shifting its business focus to affordable housing—characterized by low cost, standardized layouts, and simplicity.

Even after betraying his father’s wishes and assassinating the legitimate emperor, he still saw no chance of victory. For the emperor was immortal; even if he killed Zhu Yan, killed Zhu Jin, wiped out the Jingtai, Zhengtong, and Wuying lines… he could never kill the ever-renewing line of emperors.

Thus, at this moment, the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team was diligently preparing for their fourth game.

After all, opposing fans would never give their rivals a warm welcome, so the Cavaliers had long braced themselves for the harshest reception imaginable.

The game’s rules were simple: in each round, a drawing was held. Whoever drew the king had the right to order any two numbered participants to do anything at all.

Tianming’s grasp found only empty air. The excitement in his eyes had yet to fade when that glittering bead vanished soundlessly before him.

After observing closely for a while, Yi Xiaoyao realized that this was no ordinary corpse, but rather a soulless puppet.

A surge of energy swept out. As the last drop of his essence blood was refined and consumed, that power instantly propelled Yi Xiaoyao to break through to the second level of the Golden Core realm.

There was a tearing sound. Hao Yu glanced down to find most of his outer garment had been ripped away, and the one responsible was that middle-aged man of kingly rank.

Upon hearing the result, both Wu Lan and Su Yi let out a cheer so loud it nearly shook the old dust from the ceiling.

When he came to his senses, he found himself back in the rented room in Qianjiang City.

But Mu Beiling wasn’t one for idle talk; with a swift motion, he cut down two nearby playboys without hesitation.

With Dugu Juefeng and Dugu Yu, both cosmic cultivators, overseeing things, the Dayan Clan was undoubtedly a mid-tier force among the hidden races, on par with the Ancient Sword Sect.

The group had only walked about five hundred meters before they reached a broken cliff. Suddenly, rocks and logs came crashing down from above. Zhang San immediately retreated, as bandits atop the mountain howled and charged in their direction.

They fixed their curious gazes on Ye Fan, watching his lips, eager to hear how he would respond.

As expected, ordinary monsters at level 20 were much stronger than those around level 10, though still far weaker than the ones found in dungeons.

The image he drew was a square inside a circle, with several more layers intricately nested in the center. At first glance, I couldn’t recall where I’d seen it before. It seemed so mysterious—perhaps it was some talisman drawn by Longma, capable of protecting our lives.

After the recent interaction, the audience’s throats were dry from all their shouting, and one after another, they called the servers over to order drinks.

Whether in the gloomy, ghostly Netherworld, the freezing desolation, or the scorching Fire Mountain, there were always some special dungeon maps to be found.

However, Han Tian’s cultivation was quite advanced, clearly the protégé of some reclusive master. He must be out in the world gaining experience. Though Zhou Yunling pondered these things, she continued to chat pleasantly with Han Tian.

They never stole from wealthy households. Not only were the high walls and deep courtyards of the rich difficult to scale, but even if you got over them, there were fierce guard dogs inside. If they caught you, they’d beat you half to death; if not, they’d report you to the authorities, who would catch you in the end.

I hurried to complete all this, and despite his wounds, he resolutely picked up a candle in each hand. For some reason, ever since he’d sprinkled that powder, thick smoke began to billow out. Soon, the candles burned like torches, though thankfully there remained a good four inches of unburned bamboo for us to hold onto.

“This is no longer a problem that Brother Chen can solve alone—it’s something we all must face together!” Xing Yan sighed, looking troubled.

As expected, as his cultivation continued, he suddenly noticed the Star Mark Ring trembling violently for no apparent reason.

He’d already sensed the arrival of the two brothers earlier, but they made no move, merely spectating as bystanders. Had he not already mastered the Six-Armed Divine Ability, he might truly have been in danger.

Once you reached the fourth floor, you’d receive a clue about which floor held the key. Players had to rely on their own wits to find it—or cooperate, but then the prize money would be split, which few would be willing to accept.

Seeing Sun Wukong’s strength waning, Lady Ninth showed no mercy and unleashed a third Blazing Ice Pearl. Instantly, the aura shifted—three-quarters now shone silver-white, while only a quarter remained golden.

Liu Changsheng hadn’t expected to encounter such a peculiar situation here. Suddenly, his figure shifted; he stepped straight into the painting, and in a blink, vanished within the wall mural.

After a loud crash, Tang Seng’s body was sent flying, slamming into a pillar in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, blood gushing forth.

“Ke Xin, Xie Tian is right. I have no proof to clear the team leader’s name. If we go now, we’d be walking right into their trap. Let’s hear what Xie Tian has to say,” Wang Yan stepped forward, holding Lin Kexin back and speaking calmly.

Feng Lin was well aware of the abilities of the Sea Clan. His eyes narrowed, and instantly, the surrounding spiritual energy vanished without a trace.

The middle-aged man was none other than the Burmese battlefield’s commanding officer, He Bian Zhengsan, who smiled at Matsui Ishihara and Okamura Ninji.

As a German commander, Rommel certainly didn’t want his already scarce forces to be depleted any further.