I have a Tantric panel

While being bewildered by the barrage of questions from her distant great-grandmother.

Xia En felt a sense of familiarity and warmth.

Isn't this just like how you feel during Chinese New Year in your past life, when all your aunts and uncles ask you all sorts of questions?

That's just right!

To be honest, I've missed it quite a while since I've had it.

The initial distance between them was rapidly shortened in this process.

However, there was one thing that left Xia En speechless.

The Knox family places great importance on continuing the family line.

In other words, they're pressuring me to get married very urgently.

The topic of his great-grandmother always veers towards whether he has a girl he likes.

Fortunately, it happened quickly.

The rest of the family members arrived one after another.

Upon seeing the unfamiliar Xia En, they showed varying degrees of curiosity.

The assassination attempt at the Royal Grand Theatre has been the talk of the town in Beijing these past few days.

Now we've finally met one of the main figures involved in the incident.

The way people looked at him was inevitably different.

As Hughes said.

The Knox family is small in number, which makes them more cohesive.

No one gave Xia En strange looks or made sarcastic remarks because he came from a small city outside the capital.

—At least, not on the surface.

Xia En generally felt that these relatives were kind and close.

This is actually quite rare for a large family.

Xia En vaguely guessed the reason behind it.

Being a night watchman is a very dangerous profession.

Family members are not only a reliable support system, but also comrades-in-arms on the hidden front.

This made the relationship between clansmen closer and more united.

Of course, the relatives' attitudes were also related to Shane's displayed talent in the occult.

In their view, he was qualified to be a real Knox.

Thinking about this, Xia En felt a little guilty.

After all, he chose the path of seeking truth, not the path of keeping secrets represented by "Secret History".

I wonder if this will cause them any problems?

It is worth mentioning that.

Among those attending the dinner were several peers slightly younger than Xia En, who appeared to still be in school.

They looked at Shane with even more enthusiasm, and with a hint of admiration.

From a young person's perspective.

Xia En was handsome, with fair skin and an elegant and gentle demeanor; sitting there, he was like a painting.

Not to mention, he was even in the newspapers, suspected of having an affair with that big star.

"Cousin Shane, I heard you're living with Miss Freya, is that true?"

A girl who looked like she was still in middle school approached and asked in a low voice.

His eyes burned with the fire of gossip.

No, what kind of rumors have spread about it?

Xia En's eyelids twitched, but he still gave them the same explanation.

"Freya and I are just ordinary friends. The idea of ​​us living together is nonsense."

"I understand, I understand."

The girl nodded repeatedly: "It's not the right time to make an official announcement yet, right?"

"We will announce our relationship to the public when the time is right."

"..."

Xia En's eyelids twitched even more violently.

How come these little guys have such rich imaginations?

"Yani, you can't say things like that."

Suddenly, a somewhat serious voice rang out.

The speaker was a noblewoman named Cecilia, who was also the aunt Hughes mentioned who rarely smiled.

She had two children with her.

One is the gossipy girl, Yani.

The other group consists of slightly older university students.

"Shane, I heard you participated in the White Canvas Award."

Cecilia looked over, her face not smiling, but her tone wasn't too harsh.

"Yes."

"Winning the top three spots in the White Canvas Award is no easy feat; I hope you win."

"Thanks."

Cecilia glanced at her somewhat dull-looking son beside her: "This is my son, Flin. He's also somewhat interested in the White Canvas Award."

"He wants to see the exhibition when the paintings go on display. It would be even better if you could give him some advice on painting."

After the winners of the White Canvas Award are selected, an exhibition will be held to showcase the best of the entries.

This is a consolation prize for those who didn't make it into the top three.

Some participants also gain a certain degree of fame through the art exhibition.

More than that, what Xia En cared about was...

This guy, Fulin, who's probably my cousin, is actually interested in art?

Judging from the expressions of the other elders, they didn't find anything strange.

This shows that...

House Knox does not force its members to follow the path of the Night's Watch.

This stems from both a love for offspring and a desire to broaden the family's reach in the mystical realm.

This allows the family to have a certain say in different fields.

Think about it too.

If you make an enemy of your own people just because you have different paths, what's the difference between you and a fool?

Inclusivity is the key to a family's survival and continuation.

Xia En collected his thoughts and said seriously.

"No problem, feel free to ask me anything."

Fu Lin scratched his head sheepishly, looking like an innocent college student.

"Yes, cousin."

The entire dinner ended in a very harmonious atmosphere.

After that, Viola invited Shane to sit in the study for a while.

As soon as Xia En entered the study, he felt a dark and deep ethereal field.

Compared to the room in Scotland Yard filled with antique objects, this one is much richer and more secluded.

Like a thick fog in the night.

You know it's there, but you can't see what's behind the fog.

Shaen quickly pinpointed the source of this field—

A painting hanging on the wall.

The way the painting was placed was very strange; the frame was facing inwards, and it was hanging there with its back to the door.

Hanging it this way, of course, makes the content of the painting completely invisible.

Even so, the ethereal quality, reminiscent of night, still seeped out of the painting and permeated the room.

"Your inspiration is indeed very sharp."

Viola watched his reaction, seemingly expecting it.

"But it's best not to look at it for too long, because that painting depicts [Silent Traces]."

[Silent Trace!]

Xia En immediately remembered that it was the pillar god of the [Secret Path].

It governs lost memories, erased existences, and blank pages of history.

At the same time, He is also the most mysterious of the nine main gods.

In most descriptions, He is a gap that is difficult to describe in words, or an ancient book whose contents have been neatly torn out.

The old woman slowly walked behind the desk.

He took two items out of the locked drawer, then slowly walked up to Xia En and handed them over.

First, there's a brooch.

Two extremely thin crystals hold a small owl feather between them, with a silver brooch on the back.

A faint aura of ethereal energy lingers around it.

"Great-grandmother, this is...?"

"A small gift."

Viola's wrinkles betrayed a smile: "Hidden inside is a simple secret technique—the [Curtain Technique]."

"This is actually a little trick that every Night's Watchman knows."

She began to explain.

"There are two uses. One is to use it on yourself to form a miniature barrier."

"It can isolate sound, reduce its own presence, and can also be used in conjunction with your pocket watch."

"Even if you encounter those red rats again, you will be able to evade their pursuit."

Xia En instantly understood her great-grandmother's intention.

—Enhance his ability to protect himself.

"The second use is to cast the [Curtain Technique] on the enemy to blind their senses and confuse the target."

"But be careful, not all enemies will be affected."

"Those who have received professional training can resist the negative effects of the [Curtain Technique]."

"And then, the second gift..."

Xia En looked down.

In the old man's hand lay a silver-gray revolver lying quietly.