Chapter 41: The Gathering of the Five Elements

Shen Qinghe calmed her mind, and the incantations of the cultivation art within the jade slip flowed into her heart like a clear spring:

“Green wood transforms into the spring breeze, red fire leaps in vermilion glory, yellow earth nurtures vitality, white metal conceals a sharp edge, black water nourishes in silence—five energies gather within my chest…”

Each line of the incantation contained the subtle mysteries of the five elements, stirring ripples in her consciousness. As her comprehension deepened, her understanding of the “Lesser Five Elements Qi-Gathering Technique” grew ever more profound. This cultivation method was divided into five cycles and fifteen layers, each cycle corresponding to...

“Auntie, let’s send Brother Mubai off,” Wu Chu, seeing Su Mubai about to leave, felt uneasy sitting still. Yet, held back by Madam Su, she was too embarrassed to go immediately. Her gaze clung to Su Mubai, wishing she could follow in his footsteps at once.

Whenever Lü Hong thought of the matter, a wave of discomfort rose in his heart. Since the age of eight, he had practiced martial arts without interruption, honing his skills well beyond the common man. Yet, he’d been trampled underfoot—how could Lü Hong not be angry? Recalling the scene, his face filled with gloom and frustration.

After an indeterminate length of time, Tian Sheng finally opened his eyes slowly. Twin flashes of lightning burst forth, colliding in midair with a sudden crack—“pop!”—echoing like thunder.

Bai Nian raised her head to look at her mother. “Mom…” She wanted to say more, but upon meeting her mother’s gaze, she wisely swallowed her remaining words.

The more Madam Su thought about it, the more she felt Su Mubai harbored ill intentions. She struggled to maintain a calm facade, but inwardly, her heart twisted with unease. She had intended to treat Mubai as one of her own, but just as she began to make an effort, such an incident occurred.

“What!” Tian Sheng suddenly shot to his feet, glaring at the Grand Palace Mistress, suspecting she was mad. No one could resist the power of the Heart of the Calming Sea, yet she actually hoped he could shatter it?

Hong Ling and Guo Huai’s wife had already departed in a black business car. Li Hong, tailing them, failed to notice the two boarding the black car, her view blocked by a bus. She simply waited patiently for the bus to depart.

Yet, when Qingya revealed her feelings for him, Lü Hong found himself at a loss for words to describe the joy in his heart. The moment Qingya smiled at him, it no longer mattered what her motives were—whether gratitude or guilt—he cared not. All that mattered was that Qingya cared for him, and that was enough.

Tian Yi was greatly surprised but did not question further. While running swiftly, she stole a glance at Zhao Zixian.

The city garrison in Dengzhou was already sparse; if Dengzhou fell, the state of Gaochang would surely push further south. After Magistrate Tong’s stern admonition, by nightfall the caravan’s people had settled down and regained their composure.

Fu Yu, having failed to gather any news, hung up the phone in disappointment. Over the past month, Sheng Congsu had all but vanished from the world. If not for Fu Yu’s daily work-related calls, she would almost have believed she would never reach him again.

What Li Yu did not anticipate was the magnitude of Prince Dan of Zhao’s actions—not only granting Li Mu full authority over the affairs of the three counties, but also bestowing upon him the command of the battle axes.

“It all depends on the general’s judgment now,” Wang Liao declared with absolute confidence in his own strategy. In his eyes, only the ancestors themselves were to be feared; even if Lord Wu An, Bai Qi, were alive, he would face him head-on with no hesitation.

“It wasn’t that long ago—just the day after you entered my residence last year.” Ding Wei stroked his long beard with an air of ease. Were it not for his nakedness, he would have seemed almost like an immortal sage.

There was no question—the presence of spies within any embassy was an undeniable certainty.

“Boom!” Suddenly, a rocket-propelled grenade struck. An Interior Ministry agent, crouched behind a tree stump, was torn apart by shrapnel, his body flung into the air, set ablaze in roaring flames.

An alchemist capable of refining fourth-tier spirit pills could truly be called a master. Even among the great sects, such an individual held the highest status.