I have a Tantric panel

The carriage had a very understated style.

The horses and carriages were all black, without a single superfluous gilding decoration.

But the dark gold doorknobs, horseshoes, and the upright, steadfast coachman all silently demonstrate the heritage of this long-established family.

Hugh stepped down from the carriage, still wearing his black bowler hat.

However, he was dressed more formally than usual today.

"Shane, get in the car."

"Yes, Uncle."

Xia En climbed onto the carriage from the side steps.

The interior of the carriage was lined with dark gray-blue velvet.

The cushion was covered with a layer of mink fur that had been cut very short, and it shone with a very faint silver-gray luster under the light.

The carriage carrying the two merged into the traffic of the capital.

The destination of this trip is the old Knox family mansion.

Xia En knew it from the very beginning.

After all, he was the one who first informed Yu Ge of his discharge from the hospital yesterday, and then he received an invitation.

On the carriage, Yuge looked him up and down.

"Is your injury fully healed?"

Xia En still used the same old argument.

"My constitution is quite special; my injuries heal quickly."

"That's a good thing."

Yu Ge smiled and said, "If you spend too much time in contact with things from that side, you're bound to get hurt."

"There are quite a few Night's Watch members in the family who have been forced to retire due to injuries or illnesses."

"More than a decade ago, a wave of the living dead broke out in the capital, and the Knox family suffered the most casualties."

"This is actually one of the reasons for the family's decline."

Looking out the car window at the peaceful and serene evening scene in the capital, Yu Ge's tone was tinged with sadness, yet also tinged with pride.

"But in the end, we won; we held back the night in the capital."

The Tide of the Living Dead

Xia En silently pondered the word, discerning a subtle sense of horror and bloodshed within it.

Such a secretive event is probably known to no one except the parties involved.

The past anomalies have long been forgotten by the citizens, turning into an ordinary topic of conversation in their daily lives.

But the scars remain, and so does the honor.

They are etched into the history of the Night's Watch family.

Xia En knew.

Yu Ge brought this up not only to give him a better understanding of what was behind the scenes, but also to bring him closer to his family.

"Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you."

Hughes thought of something: "Grandmother won't be the only one at this dinner party; several of my uncles will be there too, and they'll come to see you, their distant relative Knox."

"Um?"

Xia En sat up straight in his chair.

He thought that this trip back to the family was just a regular meal.

But now it seems it's not that simple?

Don't be so nervous.

Hugh patted him on the shoulder: "I've said it before, the Knox family is small, which makes them even more united."

"The elders are all very easy to talk to, except for one of your aunts who has very high standards and doesn't smile much."

"They just came to take a look, just to recognize the face, otherwise they wouldn't recognize each other if they met again later."

Upon hearing this, Xia En nodded.

It wasn't that he was afraid of the potential considerations.

Meeting relatives you're not even close to always creates a sense of inexplicable psychological pressure.

Perhaps... it's a lingering shadow from a past life's Lunar New Year celebration?

The carriage turned two streets and bumped along the gravel road for a while.

The driver let out a "whoosh".

The horse's hooves gradually came to a stop.

"We've arrived."

I got off the bus with Yu Ge.

The mansion in front of us is right next to the west side of the clock tower and is mostly covered by ivy.

The exterior walls are made of dark gray limestone, the railings are made of black cast iron, and the shutters are always closed.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the ivy had been trimmed to a perfect degree, with not a single vine extending over the windowsill.

Xia En's gaze lingered briefly on the clock tower beside him.

Yu Ge explained softly, "Sometimes, a bell can also be a warning."

"Moreover, some bells can only be heard by the watchman."

Xia En understood.

The seemingly ordinary clock tower is also part of the Knox family's night watch system.

It can play an important early warning role when certain disasters occur.

The heavy oak door was pulled open.

An elderly butler bowed slightly.

His eyes were narrowed to slits, and his manners were impeccable.

"Young Master Yu Ge, Young Master Xia En, Madam is already in the dining room."

Following the butler through a long corridor, we came to a restaurant that was equally understated yet luxurious.

Old-fashioned candlesticks and hanging glass lamps emitted a dim, yellowish glow.

This prevents the restaurant from being too dark, while still creating a certain secretive and quiet atmosphere.

At the head of the table in the restaurant sat an elderly woman in a velvet coat, with an arched window behind her mostly obscured by ivy.

Her full head of silver hair was styled into a minimalist bun, with a lead-gray tortoiseshell comb inserted at the back.

"Yu Ge".

"grandmother."

Yu Ge changed to a more intimate way of addressing him.

The old woman smiled gently.

"Why didn't you bring your wife and son today? It would be more lively with more people."

Yu Ge scratched the back of his head awkwardly: "The little boy is too young and doesn't understand."

"We'll bring him over for you to see when he's a bit older."

Xia En vaguely sensed that his uncle probably didn't want his son to be exposed to this side of the world too early.

It's understandable, as it's only natural for a father to feel this way.

At this moment, the old woman's gaze also fell on Xia En.

"You must be Adrian's son?"

Adrian Knox was Shane's father's name.

"Greetings, Madam."

Xia En bowed slightly in greeting.

"Don't be so formal."

The old woman said kindly, "If you'd like, you can call me great-grandmother or great-great-grandmother."

"You may not remember, but you actually visited this mansion once when you were very young."

The old woman was very friendly.

But Xia En could sense that the etheric field around her was both profound and restrained, with not a single trace of leakage from its edges.

Like a deep well, its depths are unfathomable.

This etheric field is in no way inferior to Professor Alora's, and may even be a step further in terms of depth.

It's estimated to be at the level of a Reinventor.

Faintly, a wisp of ether emerged from the well and touched Shane slightly.

It was like a ray of light sweeping across his entire body.

—This was a gentle test.

After receiving the results, Viola's eyes showed a newfound seriousness.

"Please sit down. Cecilia and the others will be here soon. Would you mind chatting with this old lady for a bit longer?"

"Of course not."

Logically speaking, Shane should have been seated at the end of the table.

However, at Viola's request, he sat not far from her.

Yu Ge then sat down next to Xia En.

It is evident that although the Knox family is an old and established family, they do not excessively pursue formalities.

The atmosphere is not so oppressive as to make people feel depressed.

Before the other guests arrived, the old woman casually asked some unimportant questions.

"You've been in Beijing for almost half a year now, haven't you? How's it going?"

"Things have been going well lately; I've gotten used to it."

"That's good. Winters in the capital are tough. Remember to wear warm clothes and don't catch a cold."

"besides……"

The old lady asked gossip-loving questions with great seriousness: "Are you dating Freya?"

"If you have one, you should bring her home to meet us sooner rather than later. Such a wonderful girl shouldn't be allowed to slip away!"

Xia En: "..."