Chapter 43: Discarding the Donkey After Grinding the Mill

“Old Monster, don’t make it sound so noble—you’re only doing it to save your own skin!” Tie Zheng chuckled lightly. The Reverse Dark Origin might bring him hope for release, and perhaps because of that, his mood had been much better lately.

Looking ahead, one could see that every merchant ship now flew three great banners, their fabric snapping in the river breeze, the characters upon them flickering in and out of sight.

“How can this be? Why was the energy of Sun Wukong and the others drained away so quickly?” The Supreme Kai could hardly accept such a reality.

Xiao Cheng nodded to himself and then realized there was only a single navigable route leading here from their direction. The elevation of the passage seemed just right, probably designed to prevent too many paths from interfering with the growth of local flora and fauna.

By now, a vast Mughal army had gathered in the imperial capital, Delhi. At the emperor’s command, they immediately marched for the last stronghold before the city—the fortress of Haryana—where they would make their stand against the Qing, relying on its defenses for a final decisive battle.

The members of the review panel, like the audience, were left in shock and began speculating about Li Mingqiu’s identity. Yet, for all their conjecture, they had not the faintest clue as to who he truly was.

“In that case, you will do one more thing for the Great Qing. I need your life to quell the resentment of our repeated defeats!” Dorgon declared in a low voice, no longer concealing his murderous intent.

On August 12th, the Ming army captured the city of Hamhung, the prefectural seat of Hamgyong Province in Korea. The other cities, upon hearing the news, surrendered without resistance—most simply opened their gates as the Ming arrived.

After walking just a few minutes, they came upon an already opened cabin. It appeared to be a temporary rest room, empty and neatly arranged, as if no one had ever stayed there.

They watched as the spikes rose to their highest point, then turned and rained down upon the ground like a storm. Jia Zhengjin lit a bomb and tossed it among the falling spikes, letting it land amidst the ranks of the undead.

She Tianzan sighed deeply and managed a bitter smile. “It was a flawless plan—truly a good scheme. Had it succeeded, the Fang family would have been wiped out long ago…” He trailed off, unable to find the words to continue.

At first glance, Tianjing was indeed a fine city. Now, at the height of midsummer, the plants brought in during spring had flourished, and the entire city was a lush, vibrant green—a truly pleasant environment.

Zhu Sha’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly composed herself and listened intently to the ongoing discussion.

“Does Lord Keen require such a large amount? If you need a lot, I could make a special trip to Beast God Mountain just for you,” Mart’s eyes lit up immediately.

By dusk, all one thousand banquet tables had been arranged. The city’s population was so large that not everyone could join the feast on the first night—only those who had fought in the battles were invited. The rest would have to wait their turn in the days to come.

Meteorite Spell was devastatingly powerful, its range vast—no one could escape its reach.

A few days ago, Duan Ming asked his friend in Silicon Valley to find out about Ding Zhi. Now, the news had come back: Ding Zhi was not well regarded among the Chinese community there. He had returned home only after his failed startup left many people in the lurch. Partnering with someone like him left Ji Siyu with no confidence at all.

“The dress is what’s beautiful, isn’t it? Li Chen’s mother picked this out for me—it truly is lovely.” Most importantly, the gown was exceedingly expensive.

This left Abram and Bertha rather upset, but they understood. After all, the child’s “amnesia” meant he remembered nothing of the past.

Even when their father was arrested and imprisoned, their grandfather fell ill, and the prosecutor’s office seized both the Shengde Group and the family estate, it was their aunt who, at great risk, found a way to get them out of the country.

“Did you witness this yourself, or did you hear it from the townsfolk?” Bai Rao fixed the scout with a piercing gaze.

Back home, Zhang Jiaze breathed a sigh of relief, only to force a wry smile. He’d always looked down on people wandering outside in pajamas, and today it was his turn. As he recalled the stares he’d drawn along the way, he shivered involuntarily.

Mu Yuyang’s expression had recovered considerably by now. Upon hearing Xiao Yan’s question, he gave a faint smile and replied with another question.

Since it was an aphrodisiac, had it been strictly forbidden from the outset, would the later tragedies not have happened?

It turned out that rumors of King Wu Ding’s army being utterly destroyed were circulating throughout Yin’s capital, and a wave of terror had already swept through the populace.

“Let’s go. Once we find the spiritual energy node, we’ll delve deeper into the King’s Plane. Last time I was here, I never made it to the center—but the center must surely hold something worthwhile,” Duan Qiu said calmly.

Though the medicine seemed useless to him now, perhaps one day it could be turned against its maker.

Lian Haiping was in no rush; he had endured millennia of hardship for this day—a little more time meant nothing. He poured his full effort into every step. There could be no failure.

Wang Xingxin’s legs were still a bit shaky, but under the coquettish glances of Sichuan Pepper and Black Pepper, he strutted out of the bedroom with pride.

So that was it—he wondered why this person had come to his house so late, carrying a mysterious parcel. He had worried needlessly, thinking the man might have quarreled with his family and been thrown out.

Yan Xiang took the Qingyun fan without hesitation, unfolded it, and fanned herself vigorously. After a while, the heat began to dissipate. She glanced back at her eldest senior brother, who remained composed and utterly calm; his forehead was smooth and dry, showing no sign of sweat.