Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

A resolute glint flashed in her eyes. She took a deep breath, stepped back, straightened her clothes, and then respectfully bowed to Ye Hongyu as a disciple.

"Disciple Ji Fanghua greets Master."

Ye Hongyu reached out to help her up, her face beaming with smiles: "Alright, from today onwards, you are my disciple, Ye Hongyu. Pack your things, and tomorrow you will come with me to report to the Demon Suppression Division."

"Yes, Master!" Ji Fanghua replied immediately.

Watching this scene, Yu Ling'er felt both envious and sentimental. She silently prayed, "Senior Brother Li, please come back soon. If you don't, everyone around you will drift away one by one."

Located in the southeast corner of Chang'an City, adjacent to Qujiang Pool, the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, though not large in area, is one of the places in the capital with the most abundant spiritual energy.

There was no plaque hanging in front of the mansion, only two towering ancient locust trees with lush branches and leaves.

Ye Hongyu was a frequent visitor to the Imperial Preceptor's residence. The gatekeeper, upon seeing her, didn't even bother to announce her arrival, but simply bowed and made way for her. She crossed the front courtyard and walked straight towards the observatory in the back courtyard along a cobblestone path.

On the star-gazing platform, an elderly man dressed in a plain white Taoist robe stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the crescent moon in the night sky.

He was slender and had an ethereal, otherworldly air about him, as if he might be carried away by the wind at any moment and ascend to immortality.

This is Jiang Taixu, the Grand Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty.

No one knows how old Jiang Taixu is. Some say he is over a hundred years old, others say he is over two hundred years old, and some even say he has met Emperor Taizong.

No one knows his true cultivation level; all that is known is that it is unfathomable. He intervened three times during the most critical moments of the Tang Dynasty, and each time he turned the tide.

Even the emperor treated him with the respect due to a disciple, and all the civil and military officials in the court held him in awe.

"You've arrived." Jiang Taixu didn't turn around.

"You're here." Ye Hongyu walked onto the observatory, stopped beside him, and followed his gaze to the night sky. "What are you looking at?"

"Look at the stars," Jiang Taixu said calmly. "The recent celestial phenomena are somewhat unsettling."

Ye Hongyu didn't respond. She knew that since the Imperial Advisor had brought it up, he would naturally continue.

Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Jiang Taixu slowly spoke: "Recently, the celestial phenomena have been chaotic, with all the stars in the heavens out of their positions, and the stars Tanlang and Pojun both invading the Big Dipper. This indicates that the world is about to descend into chaos."

"Will the world descend into chaos?"

Ye Hongyu was shaken. Thinking of the situation in the Northwest, she felt a pang of sadness. If it were truly as it was, countless more lives would be lost. "Is there any solution?"

The Imperial Advisor did not answer, but simply gazed at the sky. After a long while, he sighed and said, "I do not know either. However, in the northwest direction, there is an unusual star that I have never seen before. It is sometimes bright and sometimes dim, and it is difficult to understand. I have tried to deduce its location several times, but it remains elusive."

"Whether this star is a harbinger of chaos or a savior of the world remains to be seen."

Jiang Taixu shook his head. "But one thing I'm sure of is that this star is of paramount importance and will determine the future course of the universe."

Ye Hongyu's heart skipped a beat: "His Majesty also knows about this?"

"I am responsible for guarding the fate of the nation, and I must report this matter. His Majesty has instructed me to find the person corresponding to this star."

Jiang Taixu finally turned around and looked at Ye Hongyu. His eyes, which had seen many hardships, held a rare solemnity. "I can't be sure who he is, but Li Yuan is one of the people I suspect."

Ye Hongyu remained silent for a moment before recounting Li Yuan's situation in detail.

Jiang Taixu listened quietly without interrupting until Ye Hongyu finished speaking, then he slowly said, "It seems that the Demon Clan's Holy Land also has some ideas about this kid's identity. The Chen Su Demon Emperor gave him the Star Stone, ostensibly as a blessing, but in reality, it was a test."

"Since he's currently unconscious, can we confirm his identity?"

"It's hard to say." Jiang Taixu shook his head. "Everything is unknown. If it were so easy to find, what would be the point of talking about the secrets of heaven?"

He turned to look at Ye Hongyu, "You came today because you want me to go see him?"

"Yes."

Ye Hongyu frankly admitted that the Imperial Advisor had always been detached from worldly affairs and rarely took the initiative to intervene in specific matters. This time, she was not confident that she could persuade him, but she was just trying her best.

"I had no intention of getting involved in these mundane matters," Jiang Taixu said calmly, as if he could read her mind. "But this young man has piqued my curiosity."

Shenwu Academy, Tian Shu Class Dormitory.

The list of those who signed up for the army has been finalized. Apart from Li Yuan and Wu Yu, there are eleven people in the Tian Shu Class. Five of them have joined the army, while the remaining six have chosen to join the Demon Suppression Division.

Three days later, they will go to different posts. Shen Lian will go to Yumen Pass, Chu Yunhe and Cheng Zhao and others will join the Longyou Road Demon Suppression Division, and the others will also go to different places.

Jin Duoduo stood up and forced a smile, saying, "We are about to part ways, so I'm hosting a farewell dinner at Zhaixinglou, having booked an entire floor for everyone."

After three years of living and working together day and night, we are about to part ways and head to our respective battlefields. This parting may be forever.

The boys tried their best to suppress their sadness, pretending to be happy, laughing and chatting, toasting each other and saying goodbye.

But deep in everyone's eyes, there was a trace of reluctance.

"It's a pity that Senior Brother Li isn't here." Someone sighed, expressing everyone's feelings.

"Yes, I wish he were here."

"I wonder when he'll emerge from seclusion..."

"When he comes out and finds we're all gone, he'll probably be shocked."

Everyone sighed with emotion. Shen Lian held his wine cup, remained silent for a moment, and then drank it all in one gulp: "Don't worry, he will definitely go to the battlefield after he comes out of seclusion, and then we can fight side by side with him."

"That's right." Chu Yunhe smiled. "Let me tell you a secret: Li Yuan joined the Demon Suppression Division a year ago."

This matter was originally kept secret, but now that everyone has graduated early, there is no need to hide it anymore.

"What? This kid joined the Demon Suppression Division a long time ago?" Wu Yu exclaimed in surprise. "He kept it a secret so well that even I didn't know."

Everyone burst into laughter, "Only someone as brilliant as Senior Brother Li could join the Demon Suppression Division ahead of schedule."

"Come on, let's drink to our future, and to Senior Brother Li!"

The twelve people raised their glasses at the same time and drank them down in one gulp.

That night, they all got completely drunk. Watching his classmates, with whom he had spent so much time, about to go off to distant places, Wu Yu felt a pang of sadness.

After the banquet, he went to Liu Hongyan's residence alone.

"Instructor Liu," he said, standing at the door, his voice low, "I want to ask you something."

Liu Hongyan let him into the house and poured him a cup of tea: "Speak."

"Senior Brother Li... what happened to him?" Wu Yu looked up at Liu Hongyan, her eyes filled with stubbornness. "I know he's not in seclusion. Senior Brother Chu said he joined the Demon Suppression Division a long time ago. Something must have happened to him. Can you tell me the truth?"

Liu Hongyan remained silent for a moment, looking at the usually carefree but now incredibly serious young man, and sighed inwardly.

"He is not in seclusion," she said slowly. "He was injured in Liangzhou and is currently recuperating. I can't tell you too much about the specifics."

"When will he be back?"

"I don't know," Liu Hongyan said honestly. "Maybe a few days, maybe a few months, maybe longer, but I believe he will definitely come back."

Wu Yu remained silent for a long time before finally nodding. She didn't ask any further questions, stood up, and bowed to Liu Hongyan: "Thank you, Instructor Liu. I will wait for him to return."

Liu Hongyan stood at the door, watching his lonely figure, and sighed softly.