Chapter 426 The Grand Finale (Part 1)
The wind rustled through the grass, bending the entire Canglan Prefecture low.
The blades of grass rubbed against each other, making a soft, sticky sound, as if the earth was whispering in the darkness.
The grass rippled in waves, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.
Whenever the wind picks up, the entire grassland resonates with a mournful sound, the grass blades bending under the weight, and then trembling and straightening up again when the wind subsides.
The clouds obscured the moon, plunging the earth into darkness.
Intermittently, only the crisp sound of grass stems breaking remained exceptionally clear. This continued until the moonlight poured down again, at which point the night dew that had condensed on the grassland could no longer hold its ground and then trembled down in a soft rustling.
A dream of starry skies turns, dawn breaks as night deepens.
The wind gradually subsided.
...
On the other side,
After a busy night, Steward Ao was walking unsteadily on his way back, his steps nonchalant.
The little cloth pouch under the Meow Meow King's chin finally began to fall to the ground after its persistent scavenging.
It walked in a crooked and unsteady manner, while the cloth bag plowed deep and shallow tracks behind it.
Everyone should go and fall in love, leaving it to quietly become the richest person in the cultivation world.
There's no better way to make money than through hard work.
Ao Bai struggled to lift the small cloth bag up, and saw Hua Li and Shen Yu having breakfast right in front of him.
The table was full of the same ingredients as yesterday, and it looked very nutritious.
Huali spotted Manager Ao from afar. The guy's pockets were almost bigger than a cat's, which showed how many treasures he had dug up that night.
"What kind of look is this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, her voice slightly hoarse.
Ao Bai wiggled his butt and jumped onto the chair, but lost his balance and was pulled backward. Fortunately, Shen Yu caught him quickly.
"Are you envious?" Ao Bai rubbed his head against Shen Yu's hand, smelling a slightly cold mist.
"Hey? Why does this young master take a cold shower every morning?"
Huali paused in her porridge-drinking motion, her eyes darting around, "Is...is there?"
Ao Bai nodded, his gaze settling precisely on a red mark on the side of her neck. "You got bitten by a mosquito?"
Huali: "......"
Ao Bai: "..?"
Huali: "...cough."
Ao Bai: "!"
After staring at each other for a few seconds, the wicked kitten instantly understood, "You little rascal... you eat well and play wildly, huh?"
"Small mouth, no sound." Huali was slightly embarrassed.
The food was good, but it was just too good.
In short, never underestimate a wolf cub just beginning to experience love, tsk...
If this were in a book, they would have directly attacked the crabapple tree.
Before Ao Bai could say she was Versailles, footsteps suddenly came from behind the courtyard. It was Yin Nan and Shen Ming.
"You're up so early, are you getting ready to head back?" Yin Nan asked.
Huali nodded, "Yes, we'll leave in a bit."
As the two were talking, Shen Ming's gaze fell on Shen Yu, who was standing to the side, and he raised his eyebrows slightly.
His younger brother seems a bit different from yesterday.
Shen Yu sat in a chair, the morning light gilding his slightly disheveled black hair, casually pinching a small dried fish.
However, none of that was the most special thing. What was most eye-catching was the smile he couldn't suppress at the corners of his mouth, and even the fingertips twirling the dried fish had a light and quick rhythm.
Such obvious pleasure is quite rare.
Especially when Huali and Nannan were talking, this kid's eyes not only followed them constantly, but even his usual restrained gaze disappeared, replaced by a greedy stare.
Karin noticed and turned around to glare at him.
Instead of restraining himself, Shen Yu returned an even more unrestrained smile.
Its lively and outgoing appearance is like that of a wolf cub that has just caught its prey, proudly carrying its trophy, its tail wagging so hard it's almost like a little whirlwind.
Shen Ming suddenly recalled the scene of teaching Shen Yu to shoot arrows many years ago—the five-year-old little thing, when he hit the bullseye for the first time, his eyes were also surprisingly bright, but he pretended to be indifferent and walked around the target three times.
Shen Ming knew all too well where his worthless demeanor came from.
"You brat." He chuckled softly and shook his head.
When Xie Nan heard that Hua Li was leaving, she tried to persuade her to stay, saying, "Why don't you stay a few more days? There are still so many places I haven't taken you to yet."
"Besides spirit ore, there's also gemstone ore. Don't you want to take a look?"
Karin's heart skipped a beat, but she reluctantly shook her head, "Forget it, next time."
If she doesn't go back soon, those four at home will probably go crazy. She just acquired ten mines, and she absolutely can't let them be ruined by those spendthrift sons.
She didn't hide anything and openly stated, "There are people waiting at home."
Yin Nan and Shen Ming immediately understood.
Love is like drinking water; whether it's one sip or five sips, as long as the person involved finds it sweet, that's all that matters.
“The mine is right here, you can come and see it anytime.” Shen Ming patted Shen Yu’s shoulder. “Since you’re not staying, your sister-in-law and I will just set off today.”
Shen Yu asked, "Where are you going?"
Yin Nan pointed at Shen Ming, "Your brother said that since the border is peaceful and there's nothing major happening in the army, he wants to go with me to the human world and see the scenery outside of Canglan Prefecture."
Shen Yu glanced sideways at his brother and secretly transmitted his voice: "Really?"
"It's fake." Shen Ming's face remained calm, but he gritted his teeth in his voice, "It's all that pig butcher's fault. He's always shirtless, which affects the city's appearance, but he hasn't broken the law, so we can't arrest him."
It even increased the popularity of pork from Canglan Prefecture, attracting a group of people from other places to come and queue up to see him.
Shen Ming really doesn't understand this world.
"I need to get your sister-in-law away from this place of trouble as soon as possible, so that she can forget about this addiction and never come back."
You can't slaughter a pig shirtless in winter, or he'll freeze to death!
Shen Yu chuckled, looking like he knew it. "Just say you're afraid your sister-in-law won't want you anymore. Why all the explanations?"
Shen Ming: "Is that possible? She was the one who pursued me first..."
Shen Yu: "..." Shameless.
On the other side, Yin Nan enthusiastically introduced:
"I've heard that to the west lies a desolate thunderous region, perpetually shrouded in thunderstorms, where a wondrous creature called the 'Thunderous Golden Cicada' dwells. It's a supreme treasure for forging top-tier swords!"
“And there’s also the Southern Wilderness, the Land of Witchcraft and Miasma,” she said in a low voice. “Legend has it that the remains of a ‘Ten Thousand Poisons Heavenly Demon’ are buried there. Instead of decaying, they have condensed into ‘Compassionate Bones’ that can cure all poisons.”
Huali concluded, "I understand. The world is so big, and you want to go see it."
Yin Nan clapped her hands. "Yes, and more importantly, you have to go with your loved one."
Looking at her ambitious and aspiring appearance, Huali felt a ripple in her heart.
In truth, the world is vast, and she has never seen its entirety.
Now that we have money and free time, why not take a trip that we can just take on a whim?
*
So when Huali mentioned this at home, it immediately received unanimous agreement from all five people.
In the warm and cozy interior, the soft glow of the luminous pearl gently filled every corner.
Huali was surprised that they agreed so readily, and she immediately felt like the whole family was going on a trip.
She clapped her hands and leaned forward slightly. "So, where should we go first?"
"Let's finalize it as soon as possible, then I'll make a travel guide."
A casual remark instantly opened an invisible floodgate!
The first to react was surprisingly Wen Jin, who was usually the least talkative.
The Demon Lord lifted his eyelids, his pale golden pupils locking onto Huali. "Go to the Demon Realm. Sunset City not only has an unchanging sunset, but also the 'Dark Moon Tide.' The light of sunset triggers the earth's ley lines and demonic currents, turning the world upside down. That's when Sunset City is truly alive."
"Whoa!" Ao Bai exclaimed in surprise. "Look at what our Demon Lord has been forced into! He can even speak eloquently now."
Huali's expression shifted, but Luo Chuan interrupted her with a smile.
"It sounds quite exciting, but with all that fire and light, won't your eyes go blind after watching it?"
The Demon King's heterochromatic eyes darted around as he seduced her, "Little Pear, what's so interesting about fighting and killing? Let's go back to the Holy Capital Demon Realm, and I'll take you to see a rooster lay an egg."
Everyone else was stunned, but Huali's almond-shaped eyes lit up. "A rooster that lays eggs, the fighter jet among roosters?"
"Amitabha." Lian Zhuo's gaze gently fell on Hua Li. "If you wish to observe the vastness of the world, why not start from the human realm? Listen to the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, observe the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. The myriad flavors of life are the best way to cleanse the mind and spirit, and also to see the true nature of heaven and earth."
Huali seemed to understand something; there was some truth to that.
Seeing the little girl deep in thought, a glint flashed in Yan Xi's eyes, and he smiled innocently, "Whether it's blindingly bright, a rooster laying an egg, or the human world, I'll be with my little benefactor."
"If others have objections, they are free to choose not to go."
"Tch." Shen Yu crossed his arms, his sharp eyes full of disdain. "Your flattery skills have improved far more than your cultivation."
Yan Xi: "Do you want to give it a try?"
Shen Yu: "What's wrong with trying?"
"Stop, stop, stop! Why do we have to fight over a perfectly good family travel itinerary?"
"What do you think of Ao Bai?"
Steward Ao lazily fiddled with the oversized Qiankun bag, a small cloth pouch sponsored by the young master, provided by Luo Chuan, filled with Wen Jin, blessed by the Buddha, and personally sewn by the little bird. He turned his head and said, "This is simple."
"Stop using those old, outdated tricks, try something different."
Karin asked, "What do you mean by 'different'?"
Meow King licked its paws. It had now adapted well to the chaotic situation and was oblivious to the concepts of "official wife" or "official wife."
With the Meow King around, you are all just concubines in the end!
"Which place do you most want to go to? Set a time and go there quietly first. Let's see who among these people finds you first."
"First come, first served; those who arrive later will be drawn by lottery. It's only fair."
Huali was initially confused, then understood, and finally suddenly started "hehehe".
Her gaze swept over Lian Zhuo, Wen Jin, Luo Chuan, Shen Yu, and Yan Xi, and she stroked her chin. "You know what, you really have to admit, it's actually quite interesting..."
The five people who had been listening to "meow meow meow" were speechless.
King Pear gave Steward Ao a thumbs up, saying, "It has to be you."
Instead of arguing endlessly and making her coax this person and that person every day, devoting herself and her heart to them, and acting helplessly like a man, it's better to just throw the problem back at her.
Fair and reasonable.
Moreover, just thinking about it is romantic.
A smile, a mixture of novelty and anticipation, bloomed on Karin's face.
"Then our trip is settled. Let's pack our things in the next few days, and then, as for where to go..."
"This will test the tacit understanding between our loving family."
"Let's meet at the 'right' place early the day after tomorrow. Note that the last person will be penalized; they'll have to reimburse all expenses."
This time, Luo Chuan was the first to react, his heterochromatic eyes flashing with extreme interest:
"Then you'd better hide well, otherwise the bad fox will be the first to find you and you'll get eaten!"
Following Luo Chuan's words, the others also understood what Hua Li meant.
Five gazes, five distinct kinds of confidence, began to intertwine as if they were tangible.
Perhaps the little girl just thought it was fun, but for them it was a reshuffling of the order.
The probing, the clashes, the absence of gunfire—yet more chilling than any battlefield.
The five looked at each other, without any violent struggle, only the absolute confidence and calm of hunting between apex predators.
Only they themselves know—
Every subsequent exchange of glances and every clash of breaths represents a subtle shift in the balance of power.
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