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"First, let me introduce the candidates going on this mission...."

Wei Gongcheng sighed softly, looking at the group below, and couldn’t help but think: Can they really be relied on?

"This mission requires a tough stance, to escort the principal mother back without the Royal Family detecting His Majesty’s identity, achieving a complete and unscathed retreat...."

As he spoke, Wei Gongcheng glanced at the scholar across from him in white.

Dressed almost exactly like His Majesty usually was, their brows, demeanor, were flawless in imitation, even the indifference hidden within His Majesty’s eyes towards this world was replicated to perfection!

Watching, Wei Gongcheng himself was somewhat bewildered; if he hadn’t seen this female Fox Demon change her face with his own eyes, he would have truly believed that the person before him was His Majesty.

At this thought, his wariness towards the Thousand-Faced Fox grew stronger—this creature... was too darn insidious!

However, given the current situation, the stranger their abilities appeared, the better the effect seemed to be.

Regaining his composure, Wei Gongcheng continued, "This time, Prince Ao Zhen, General Feiyi, and General Nuyi will be in charge of secure escort.

Lord Chen Ying and the Great Confucian Mister Yang will act as the envoys, mainly responsible for communicating with the Imperial Court officials.

As for protection from magic, we have... Eighth Master Shen at the helm!"

This combination of names caused Tian Heng, who had rushed to attend the meeting, to furrow his brows tightly. It seemed reasonable, yet felt somewhat odd.

"May I ask elder, why such an arrangement?" The first to raise a question was Chen Ying, already listed as part of the team.

Zi Yue looked at Chen Ying, patiently addressing her concern.

Zi Yue was somewhat fond of Chen Ying. For the sake of Chen Qing’s influence, she had handed over the reins of the academy to her from the start, preventing Zi Yue, who had been ennobled by Chen Qing as the highest deity of Jiangnan, from complete embarrassment.

All things considered, although often immature, Chen Ying was a woman who understood the bigger picture.

This was also one of the reasons why Zi Yue was at ease letting her travel to the Capital City.

"Choosing Prince Ao Zhen as a show of military force is firstly because, among everyone in Jiangnan right now, Prince Ao Zhen is the strongest—there’s no doubt about that, right?"

No one spoke; the two Yakshas beside Ao Zhen puffed out their chests proudly, these humans... understood their place after all.

"Secondly, unknown entities tend to make the opposition more cautious.

Prince Ao Zhen and the two generals are the least familiar faces; the other side would be extra cautious in trying to get the measure of them, plus, the Prince has no ties to the Capital City, not loyal to the Royal Family to their death, definitely daring not to probe lightly—otherwise, the Prince can show no mercy. "

Hearing this, Chen Ying somewhat understood.

With Ao Zhen being a stranger with no connections to any power in the Capital City, in the face of probing, actions can be taken without consideration for feelings.

If, instead, someone like General Weichi Feihong, who is similarly strong, were to go, it would be different.

People of the Weichi Clan could be probed at the indication of the Royal Family; Weichi Feihong would not deliver a fatal blow...

And it seems inappropriate for other allied aristocratic families to turn hostile directly; that’s the disadvantage of sending an acquaintance to the Capital City.

"Then there’s the issue of the civilian officials.

..." Zi Yue continued, "Jiangnan has no high-profile ministers; sending any civilian official would give others reasons to slight them. It’s different with Mister Yang; he is a Great Confucian of Jiangnan, extremely famous among the literati, and also well-versed in Confucian etiquette.

Moreover, with his seniority, even in the Capital City, there are few with credentials older than his.

Sending him would prevent those from the Honglu Temple from causing trouble with etiquette. "

"And there’s you; you are the Dean of Jiangnan Academy.

Although junior in seniority, you have sufficient weight, and you control magic array techniques that the Sorcerer Family currently wishes to master.

Recently, the Imperial Court has acquired the Nanhai Dragon Palace, whose proficiency in magic arrays is nowhere near yours.

You taking charge of dealings with the Sorcerer Family is most fitting. .."

After listening, Chen Ying bowed deeply, "Thank you for your guidance, elder."

Zi Yue, to her, had always been a mysterious figure of the Court, a Grand Sorcerer. She had not expected that in managing the big picture, he would also be so astute. It seemed that Chen Qing had not chosen the wrong person to manage Jiangnan.

"Then why am I being sent?"

A muffled voice sounded, and everyone turned to look; it was the plump Shen Qi.

As the once strongest magician of the Shen Family, Shen Qi had been out of sight for a long time, not because of Chen Qing, but rather due to himself.

The first time he and Shen San came, they were tricked by Chen Qing and transported to the Path of Yin and Yang.

After being ennobled as an official of the netherworld, Shen Qi desperately charged into the territory of Lyuzhou but was then imprisoned within Lyuzhou’s netherworld.

This completely prevented him from being involved in the struggles between the Shen Family and Chen Qing thereafter.

However, once the Shen Family started cooperating with Chen Qing, Shen Qi was naturally released. His absence wasn’t due to any resentment towards Chen Qing but rather because he indulged in the scriptures at Chen Qing’s Lyuzhou Academy.

As an Origin Sorcerer without specific attributes, Shen Qi was most suited for the foundational magic array techniques. Now, he was instructing the compulsory Origin Sorcery course at the academy, and after each lecture session, he devoted himself to the academy’s library of scriptures.

After the opening of the Dragon Palace Academy, he conveniently immersed himself there too. For half a year, he even handed over teaching duties of Origin Sorcery to two of his initial students, losing himself in a sea of books and was hardly seen by anyone.

His days consisted of eating, sleeping, and reading the scriptures—truly comfortable.

Now, suddenly called out for such a task, he was naturally disgruntled.

"No way around it...," Zi Yue shrugged her shoulders, "Among the candidates for the sorcerer, I am the most suitable, but I cannot leave..."

Among the candidates for the sorcerer, whether in terms of strength or understanding of the Capital City, Zi Yue was the most suitable, and with her there, Ali would also behave a bit more.

But there was no way around it; she had to keep an eye on the state of the mysterious ice at all times, otherwise, a single misstep could plunge Jiangnan into great catastrophe... She really could not leave!

"The Yama cannot leave their posts without permission, your elder brothers from the Shen Family cannot leave, and originally Seventh Master Shen would have been more suitable than you, but he can’t go under the current circumstances..."

Upon hearing this, Old Ba’s mouth twitched, isn’t it because of you?

Old Qi was essentially already a dead man.

Though he still paraded around every day, drinking tea and taking strolls with his body, being dead meant being dead.

Once he left the Jiangnan area, his spirit would immediately be pulled into the Path of Yin and Yang; naturally, he couldn’t go to the Capital City.

"You are the strongest sorcerer among those currently in Jiangnan, if not you, who else should be sent?"

"What a nuisance..." Old Ba scratched his head.

After confirming their itinerary, everyone said their goodbyes and left to prepare, leaving only Chen Ying standing there, still not moving.

"What do you want to ask?" Zi Yue sighed as she looked at Chen Ying, who hadn’t left.

It was indeed hard for this young lady. Her identity in Jiangnan was considered noble, yet she was Chen Qing’s concubine. Being a concubine was one thing, but having to participate in this event welcoming the main wife, it was certain her heart couldn’t be at ease.

Unexpectedly, it appeared that Pu YunChuan was quite the dark horse, not yet married and already keeping a concubine by his side, just like Chen Xiaopang.

However, this behavior seemed more reminiscent of the once Pu YunChuan. In terms of ability, the King of Qin was very much like the elder brother, but sometimes it felt like something was missing in his character...

"Senior... do you... have news of His Lordship?"

Zi Yue was taken aback, not expecting that what the other party cared about the most was still Chen Qing.

"Never mind... I was just asking..."

"There is..."

Chen Ying’s steps froze in an instant, and she swiftly turned around, staring intensely at Zi Yue!

"Where... where is he?"

"The Southern Barbarians..."

"The Southern Barbarians?" Chen Ying was stunned, "Why is he there?"

"Due to some special reasons." Zi Yue looked at the anxious young lady, suddenly feeling the urge to give Chen Qing a thrashing.

"I cannot tell you the reason, but you must know, his absence is not because he doesn’t want to come back, but because he cannot!"

"Is there danger?" Chen Ying asked nervously.

"Of course, there is..."

Chen Ying: "...."

"Can’t you just comfort me a little?"

"Comforting you is not something I can do..." Zi Yue smiled bitterly.

Comfort Chen Ying? Who was going to comfort her?

Tianji had contacted her only after great difficulty but delivered two huge pieces of news!

The news was both good and bad. The good news was that he and Chen Qing had not been transported outside of the world by Destiny Hole, otherwise, even killing themselves to be reincarnated might not guarantee a return.

They were lucky to have only fallen into a sealed area of an ancient player and even more fortunate to have escaped from there.

But the bad news was... that ancient player had also escaped with them!!