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"Son, what’s wrong? I always feel like you’re restless these days."

"During the meal, Shen’s mother asked with concern."

Since settling in Nan Ming with her son, her life had become increasingly smooth. The only thorn in her side was her ex-husband and his son, who relentlessly pursued and tangled with her.

Out of familial obligation, Shen Yuan stepped in to let them stay in Jiangnan.

However, that brother proved to be completely useless.

Even now, he had failed to gain admission to the institute, and his temperament had grown unbearably violent.

It was said that he frequently abused the maidservants he had brought along.

Her entire situation now relied on her son. No matter how much that father and son resented her, they couldn’t harm her and still had to curry favor.

But if her son ever fell from grace, or worse...

She often worried, as Shen Yuan seemed to encounter dangerous situations more and more frequently these days.

"It’s nothing, mother..." Shen Yuan smiled faintly, "Just some formations I’ve been trying to figure out. Don’t worry about me. Hurry up and eat before the food gets cold."

"You! Thinking about formations even while eating? Forsaking sleep and meals is the worst habit..." Shen’s mother rolled her eyes at him, "A healthy body is the real foundation. I’m still counting on you to give me a grandchild soon."

"Uh..." Shen Yuan froze, completely caught off guard by his mother’s sudden remark.

"What? Are you getting annoyed at your mother for nagging again?"

"No... I just... Mother, I haven’t given it any thought, honestly..."

"Haven’t given it any thought? Look at your age! After the festival, you’ll be turning thirty. They say a man establishes himself at thirty, yet you haven’t even married. What kind of example is that?"

Shen Yuan: "...."

"By the way, you’ve always been around Lord Chen. Surely, among distinguished ladies, there must be someone you fancy? Or perhaps someone from your institute..."

"Mother..." Shen Yuan was starting to lose patience.

"Last time, I thought that Miss Murong was quite nice, though... cough... her attire was a bit daring. But... as an exotic woman and a general, the children she’d bear would surely be strong."

"Mother, please don’t say such things randomly!" Shen Yuan was rendered speechless and lowered his voice. "She’s the widow from the Shen family’s main branch. By hierarchy, she’s my aunt-in-law..."

"Ah... there’s that connection too? Cough, haha, well, your mother didn’t know..."

"Then... how about that young lady?" Shen’s mother’s eyes suddenly brightened.

Shen Yuan turned his head, puzzled by her words. Upon seeing the individual approaching, his expression twitched. "Mother, that’s Dean Chen Ying, Lord Chen Qing’s concubine..."

"Uh... haha, um..." Shen’s mother was suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment. "Well... forget it. Your mother won’t say anything anymore. Here, have some soup."

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes but immediately stood and greeted her.

Chen Ying had been in Lyuzhou, but her sudden appearance here likely wasn’t coincidental. She was probably looking for him intentionally.

"Shen Yuan..." Upon approaching, Chen Ying noticed Shen’s mother and offered a slight bow. "Madam..."

"Oh dear, Dean Chen Ying is too polite..." Shen’s mother hastily stood to return the salute, inwardly feeling an immense sense of pride.

Her son truly brought her honor. Even the dean of the institute had to address her as Madam.

"Madam, you’re too kind..." Chen Ying replied with a gentle smile before turning her attention to Shen Yuan. "I have something to discuss with you."

"Alright, Dean, please come this way..."

The two stepped outside, and Chen Ying’s expression immediately turned grave. "Southeast County has fallen!"

"What?" Shen Yuan, normally an exceedingly composed man, couldn’t help but cry out in shock upon hearing this.

"How is that possible?" Shen Yuan quickly suppressed his voice.

The South Heaven Pass in Southeast County was a heavily fortified position.

Back when the formation was set up, he personally oversaw its arrangement.

The investments in it were no less than those made in the North Pass.

The Flaming Sun Array was also there, along with the elite female sorceress Huang Xin from the Heavenly Institute as the defender. How could it collapse so suddenly?

"Huang Xin is dead. The city guard Bai Lie is also dead. The Gate Deity has fallen. There’s no mistake.

Southeast Pass has fallen—this occurred two hours ago.

The master has already sent Tian Heng with troops to Yunzhou for reinforcement, but the critical uncertainty now is whether a top-tier enemy has infiltrated. He’s not certain..."

"What?" Shen Yuan was startled. "Shouldn’t the master be able to sense any outsider intrusions?"

"Normally, yes, but if someone has a potent concealment technique, it becomes uncertain," Chen Ying explained in a low voice. "You must come with me immediately."

"Where to?" Shen Yuan asked, frowning.

"To a safe place..." Chen Ying started walking as she spoke.

"From the moment the catastrophe began, the master worried that the enemy would target the Four Spirit successors directly. Right now, two of the Ancient Demon Clan’s Four Spirits are in Jiangnan—us.

We are prime targets for top-tier assassins. You cannot remain in Nan Ming."

"If it’s that dangerous, why would you, Dean, come in person? Aren’t you..." Shen Yuan glanced toward the spot where his mother was, clearly worried about her safety.

"I came because I’m the only one in our faction skilled enough to traverse space quickly. Third Master Shen wouldn’t be able to return faster than I could. The master’s Vital Energy has yet to recover fully; it had to be me," Chen Ying explained.

"I see..." Shen Yuan nodded. "Then we are heading to Lyuzhou? Why not take my mother along..."

"Taking your mother with us to Lyuzhou wouldn’t guarantee her safety. It’s better for her to stay here, away from the conflict."

Shen Yuan nodded upon hearing this reasoning. "That makes sense. Let’s go then..."

"Yes, it’s about time..." Chen Ying led Shen Yuan and casually found an isolated corner. Her hands began to form seals, weaving a complex spatial formation.

Shen Yuan glanced at her but said nothing, stepping directly into the spatial formation she created.

With a brilliant flash of white light, both figures vanished from their original spot.

Not long after their disappearance, a white figure appeared at Nanming Prefecture, swiftly making its way toward Shen Yuan’s mother. That figure... was Lord Chen Qing!

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"Huh?"

At that moment, Chen Ying, who was leading Shen Yuan toward Lyuzhou, hesitated. Instead of arriving in Lyuzhou or any other location, they had ended up in an area of spatial turbulence—a phenomenon that only occurred when there was a transmission error. Chen Ying sharply turned to Shen Yuan.

"You..."

"Your words were flawless..." Shen Yuan responded coldly.

"Everything made perfect sense. Southeast County’s fall, the Four Spirit successors being vulnerable to ambushes, my presence in Nan Ming instead of Lyuzhou making me an easy target, necessitating immediate protection by being taken to Lyuzhou. "

"Within our faction, aside from Lady Ziyue and the master, no one else possesses spatial formation expertise matching Dean Chen Ying’s. Dean Chen Ying coming to me first and utilizing a spatial formation to escort me to Lyuzhou—it all seemed impeccable."

"Then how did you see through me?" Chen Ying’s voice suddenly transformed, becoming deep and masculine!

"The technique..." Shen Yuan stared icily at the figure before him. "I’ve observed Dean Chen Ying’s techniques countless times. Your spatial formation, though impressive, pales in comparison to hers!"

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