Chapter 42: Everything Is Real

“Madam, why not bring this matter before Madam Zhao? The Zhao family surely has no idea that such a thing has happened.”

“This Zhao Minghua is young, yet ambitious—and bold besides.” Madam Xiao pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Go and find a way.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Finding a way was easy enough. Nanny Chen went straight to Matchmaker Hu.

“Really? The Zhao family’s third young master keeps a mistress, and she is nearly ready to give birth?”

Matchmaker Hu sensed that something was amiss.

As Shen Changqing walked along the road, he exchanged greetings or nods with anyone he knew.

This was extremely bad news. How could the immortals of ancient times have made such a grave mistake? They had sealed only Chi You’s corpse and simply ignored the heart that had vanished without a trace?

That was precisely why they had probed Clear Water Town again and again, yet found nothing at all.

Chen Boyu’s meaning was unmistakable: he was ordering them to leave. Qin Ying gave a mocking laugh. This was clearly her own home, yet he behaved as though he were the master, issuing commands at will.

The sight was so terrifying that everyone present was afraid to look directly at it, lest they become its next meal.

Li Qingran’s gaze softened. She had heard that Old Jin had adopted quite a few children; these two must be among them.

By rights, this marsh was not very large. After wandering around for so long, everyone should have crossed paths by now. Since so much time had passed, the other three had either lost their way or already fallen victim to some danger.

At that critical moment, Yixia’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She hurriedly slammed on the bicycle’s brakes. Even after the bicycle came to a steady stop, her heart continued pounding violently, each beat unmistakably clear.

Fortunately, Li Chengqian was no longer the crown prince. Du He could not possibly rebel alongside him now.

This was the Demon-Suppression Bureau, an institution established to safeguard the stability of the Great Qin Empire. Its principal duty was to slay demons, monsters, and other strange beings, though it also maintained a few side operations.

Opening the Gate of Space-Time required the power of space-time. This was an extremely unusual force. No one had ever managed to study it thoroughly, and no one had ever cultivated it. Fortunately, the Gate of Space-Time possessed the ability to gather the force automatically.

Prince Ren thought to himself, It is better that you do not understand. If a subordinate could see straight through his master’s thoughts, that master would probably not have long to live.

Chen Zique stopped immediately when he reached this point. He frowned, glanced at the documents in his hand with undisguised disdain, and continued speaking without thinking.

When Zhu Quan heard that the mirror had lit up, he grew curious and moved his broad face toward it. But the moment he did, his complexion became as colorful as a paint palette overturned—every shade imaginable.

A basin of water was dumped over Jian Xuan’s head. She instinctively wiped her face, and the makeup smeared at once.

When she had finished speaking, she turned and glanced at Brother Lian. “Lian, you know there will be only one chance. The trade route in Yunnan means more to me and your mother than you can imagine. If you ruin it, your mother will never help you again.”

Mingze and Huayin arrived in the lobby downstairs. Less than two minutes later, the entire Weiteng family came down together with the old master’s personal physician, Hamaguchi Yoshiyuki. It seemed they had already reached an agreement.

Lu Manman shrugged indifferently. Ever since arriving in this ancient era, she had acquired more than enough enemies. If she took offense at every one of them, she would never have time for anything else.

Mingze stared at the door panel in astonishment. There were several holes in the crossbar inside, bearing marks that looked as though they had been made by thumbtacks. The reason he could recognize them at a glance was that they closely resembled the marks he had seen last time on Spider Mountain.

As she spoke, she gripped her waist with both hands. “Tell me. Who ordered you to do this? Which of you two is the spy they sent?”

“If you do not leave now, do not blame me for being discourteous.” After the fox immortal said this, the foxes seemed to have received a command. Every one of them bared its teeth at Chen Yun, snarling like beasts facing an enemy. At a single order, the hundreds of foxes would swarm forward. The mere thought of it was terrifying.