Chapter 40: Working to Repay Debts, the Young Goblin Shows His True Worth!

Qiao Jia and the silver-haired zombie stood there like lifeless corpses, one on each side. Owing money and refusing to pay it back—such things Feng Yuanyao and her companions were capable of. The problem was, none of them could defeat the person they owed. Qiao Jia scrutinized Feng Yuanyao and her group from head to toe, as if weighing something.

"If you can’t pay it back, then work it off," Qiao Jia said coldly, tossing a few garments to Feng Yuanyao and the others.

On this day, they were not even as timid as rabbits, yet transformed into ravenous wolves. Elder Hu glanced around and saw nothing but pairs of blood-red eyes. After speaking, Meng Yahui felt somewhat embarrassed, her cheeks flushed. She fell silent, lowering her head, not daring to look at Zhou Zekai.

A flash of spiritual light swept by, and the seam between the coffin lid and the coffin vanished, the two merging into one.

Agents exist to serve their artists, and their participation in this program was meant to resolve the artists’ current difficulties.

Once, she could borrow from LV at will, but now, not even a glance would be spared. Even Bai Qi visited in person and left empty-handed.

"I heard that Xiahou Xing has already delivered a challenge to Divine Sword Manor," Shi Hui remarked as she cleared away the dishes.

If a disciple perishes outside, their soul will be drawn back by the Blood Soul Lamp, continuously nourished within the lamp… Eventually, if a master intervenes, there is hope for the body to be restored.

Such a result elicited no comment from Zhou Hongyi. Zhou Zekai pursed his lips, believing that the greater cause should take precedence.

"I see your wounds are healing well. Have you learned your lesson?" Unable to stand his demeanor, the emperor tapped him twice.

The next morning, just after breakfast at Chaoyang Apartments, a call came in from the detention center.

The emperor remained motionless. Eunuch Mu continued, "King Qin has submitted a memorial. Following your wishes, he’s already implementing policies in Yongzhou to manage the displaced, but many aristocratic clans are dissatisfied, believing it damages their prestige, and are demanding restrictions on commoners benefiting from the reforms."

As they emerged from the crater left by the ravages of war, what they saw made their expressions turn strange and uneasy.

The maid nodded. Grand Madam Yao’s eyes widened, and after a long stunned pause, she strode off toward the main hall, almost running. Her urgency compelled even the maid beside her to want to remind her to mind her manners.

The tall, slender, red-clad ninja Long Yi clearly outranked the previous red-clad ninja Saito. After Hamada Ryoko departed, all ten or so red-clad ninjas present fell under Long Yi’s command.

Nozutsu Michinori truly deserved his reputation as a general of the Japanese army. During the march, he had scouts spread all around, probing enemy movements. As the Qing forces gathered toward Songyue Mountain, he received their battle reports.

History, too, was not without precedent: those who were most likely to enter the secret realm sometimes faltered at the very last moment.

"Alright, I’ll arrange it." Seeing the furrow between Xu Zuoyan’s brows, Ye Kaicheng thought for a moment, reached out to smooth Xu Zuoyan’s brow, then spoke. Xu Zuoyan’s demeanor made it clear he was still troubled, so Ye Kaicheng agreed.

This creature clung to the outer layer of the barrier with its eight legs, constantly spewing molten liquid from its mouth. Wherever it landed, thick smoke billowed, and a large section corroded away.

Hong Yang was bored out of his mind at the gate of the imperial envoy’s camp—it was perfectly accurate to say the place was deserted. When Liu Han approached, Hong Yang didn’t even rise, simply sat there and greeted him with a modest salute.

When they saw Bai Xiaotian and the Grand Elder arrive, they called out "Clan Leader," "Grand Elder," then burst into tears.

But at that moment, outside the Palace of Joy, there came the heavy sound of hooves—at least a thousand horses stormed into the imperial city, separated by a single wall, waiting on the alert.