Chapter 96: The Assessment Begins

After Ye Feng pulled Su Manman away, the man who had just tried to block their way was filled with regret, cursing himself for not having raised his bid. Had he done so, he might now be a millionaire! Ye Feng took Su Manman backstage, paid the money, and then left with the uncut ruby in hand.

Once they were outside, Su Manman threw her arms around Ye Feng, overjoyed beyond words.

...

Looking down at the street below, which was now dusted white as though someone had scattered flour from above, even Yang Yan had to admire Bessie’s methods.

So, if such a group of black-clad men really existed, why didn’t they just go head-to-head with the Yao family? Or perhaps, given time to develop, they might become a force as formidable as the Blood Universe Pavilion.

A man shrouded in a black robe produced something from his sleeve and spoke in a voice so hoarse it grated on the ear.

The only certainty was that these people were most definitely not out for a leisurely stroll—they had come with a purpose, and an extraordinary one at that.

“In these times, though there is abundance, humanity has already lost its warmth, and justice is gone. Millennia of tradition are slowly slipping away. According to the underworld’s teachings: ‘Govern with compassion and strict law, for the people and by the people’—that is the true path.”

Blood ties are said to run deep. These words brought tears to Meng Yiyun’s eyes, her heart aching as she recalled the past. Although she couldn’t tell if Meng Jingguang’s words were entirely sincere, as the head of the family, his attitude was a promising new beginning.

“At least for now, my feelings remain unchanged,” Lin Yu said, her tone a subtle refusal.

Outside the taxi, a bitter wind howled ceaselessly. Inside, the driver leaned back against his seat, eyes slowly closing in an effort to rest. He knew it was already midnight; who would hail a cab at this hour?

“Best of luck, Senior Brother,” Yao Muchen grinned, slapping his senior’s palm. Yang Zihao, composed and unhurried, strode confidently toward the steps of the Imperial Jade Terrace.

Yuan Qiang smiled and sent another punch forward. Though it seemed ordinary, it held boundless power—so much so that even the gathered demon kings could not comprehend its true nature.

“All right,” Xin Miao agreed without hesitation. He knew he’d be paying the bill tonight, and with all hope of pursuing Haitang gone, he wasn’t averse to spending time with a few celebrities.

Last time, Mad Ape Mountain had threatened to cause trouble for Howling Moon Valley, but nothing had come of it. Clearly, they realized that with their current strength, any war with Howling Moon Valley would leave Mad Ape Mountain worse off in the end.

The approach of the cold season was a normal phenomenon—on the plains, it was the perfect embodiment of the land’s namesake.

At the same time, Shi Yitao and the thousands at his back charged forward with wild roars. Another sea monster of the early Heavenly Stage tried to flee, only to be bombarded by Shi Yitao and several cultivators. Screaming, the giant beast fled in panic, while the lower-tier sharks and sea monsters were almost entirely wiped out.

He did the math: outside, he owed nearly thirty or forty thousand, with the interest alone amounting to a considerable sum. This business venture really was two-faced, inside and out.

If that was so, then hadn’t those twenty thousand fallen warriors and companions misjudged Feng Wuqing?

To Qin Yibai, the Duer people already seemed gigantic, averaging over two meters tall. But the Scorpion Demon Tribe was even more monstrous—nearly all stood around three meters, fierce as bears and strong as bulls. Though he now wore the form of a Scorpion Demon, and his perspective had changed, the sense of strangeness in his heart remained.

Here, among the mundane, Qin Yibai felt no different from being at home—no one would possibly recognize him.