Chapter Twenty-One: Skilled Both in the Parlor and the Kitchen

"Hey, brother, please be understanding. Sister Yuan is either solving cases or rushing to crime scenes most of the time. So if we get to eat takeout for our three meals, that's already a luxury—more often than not, it's instant noodles." Han Xin patted Yan Xuan on the shoulder. "So, today, make a few more dishes for us. Let us enjoy some long-lost home-cooked food!"

Yan Xuan nodded...

Meanwhile, as Yan Yue conversed with General Sikong, those in the back who were well-informed had already begun spreading the news they knew.

"Elder Tie's words—does he mean we should act directly?" With that, Xiao Moyu raised the sword she had been holding, laying it across her chest, ready to do battle at a moment's notice.

"What?" Old Howard, upon hearing Qin Shaojie's words, immediately displayed his skill at changing expressions, shifting from solemn to furious in an instant.

Bare-handed? Could it be that the wild man is going to wrestle the Wolf King? Is this another gambling match? A unique contest between man and wolf, never seen before or since? What is their wager? Is it their lives, or something even more precious?

"Yes!" The guard responded, and with no further hesitation, grabbed Ruyu by her half-loosened hair and dragged her out, showing not a shred of mercy.

At once, he walked to the side hall and gently pushed open the half-closed door. The others followed him inside. Several dim lanterns glowed faintly in the darkness, casting ambiguous light.

"What on earth are the people of the Azure Moon Sect up to?" Xiao Moyu heard this and her beautiful brows knit together.

Mo Wushuang had never imagined her son and father would get along so well; at last, the anxiety she'd carried in her heart dissipated.

The President of Tajikistan realized he had misspoken, and at such a moment, it was all the more inappropriate to say such things.

"That's not arrogance; it's confidence. I can tell the difference between the two," Xie Xin said with a smile.

Qin Hao, who had been standing nonchalantly, suddenly straightened at Jin Ni'er’s gesture. That posture seemed so familiar—wasn't it the same as when he awakened his bloodline?

Seeing this scene, Li Yang erupted in a murderous aura, turning to face the five figures flying toward them.

"Young man, listen to me. The power of the Star Scar is far too great. Your wife sealed it, but if you want to absorb its power, you'll have to break the seal. When the time comes, don't count on me to seal it again," the Star-Beast stood up and, instead of explaining a solution, pointed out another drawback.

Soon, a few home-cooked dishes were ready, but Wang Xingxin and Cheng Chumo had no right to sit at the table; they stood at the side, pouring wine and waiting on the others.

On reflection, it became clear. In the emperor's eyes, he had little weight. He'd held the position of Grand Commandant in the Imperial Guard for years, just muddling through, with hardly any real ability. It was no surprise he was looked down upon.

After the banquet, as night fell, Cheng and Qin bowed to Lady Chen, called her "sister-in-law," and took their leave for Chang'an.

Two went down; the remaining eight immediately drew all sorts of special long guns and short cannons, aiming at Zhou Zhou who had suddenly appeared, and at Song Yu who still stood where he was.

"No one who threatens the hard-won peace can be allowed to exist!" he thought.

He studied a few oil paintings, all depicting hunting scenes. Zuyao pondered—these looked less like hunts and more like true battles. The rough lines and abstract color blocks in the paintings conveyed a pioneering spirit unlike any seen before.

A certain newcomer awakened extraordinary abilities. The outward signs were somewhere between the supernatural and ordinary cultivators. He recorded a short video and uploaded it to the forum. The terrifying power that seemed to devour heaven and earth could be felt even through the screen.