Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

Li Yuan was startled; could it be that he had heard everything?

"A message just came from the Dali Temple saying your father will be setting off tomorrow," Mr. Mo said calmly. "Would you like to see him off?"

Li Yuan was taken aback, then shook his head sadly: "No need. As a son, how can I bear to see my father suffer?"

Mr. Mo looked at him quietly without saying a word.

Li Yuan felt that he had been seen through by him, and coughed awkwardly.

"The student has prepared some silver and clothing and would like to ask the academy to help arrange for the escorting officers to keep a close watch on the journey and not to deliberately humiliate him."

Mr. Mo nodded slightly: "In that case, the relationship between father and son is properly established."

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. He only felt disgust towards Li Chongwen, but this was, after all, a feudal society, and he still had to put on a good show so as not to be accused of being unfilial.

In the blink of an eye, it's time for another year's Spirit Awakening Ceremony.

This time, Li Yuan and the others were no longer nervous students in the audience, but rather seniors standing on the edge of the square observing.

Looking at the sea of ​​young men and women below the stage, the students of Tian Shu Class had different expressions: some were filled with emotion, some with reminiscence, and some with a faint sense of superiority.

"Do you think another level nine monster like Brother Li will appear this year?" Jin Duoduo muttered to himself.

"Level nine isn't that easy to achieve," Chu Yunhe said lazily. "It might take decades to produce one."

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, but Li Yuan, who had become the center of attention, remained calm, reviewing what he had learned the day before, not wasting a single moment.

"Buzz!"

Suddenly, an unusual phenomenon appeared on the Spirit Mirror Stone.

Without dazzling light or astonishing afterimages, the Spirit Stone rippled and twisted slightly like water.

Then, a pitch-black crack suddenly appeared in the space about a foot above it.

Fragments of silver lightning danced along the edge of the crevice, emanating a chilling aura of emptiness.

Although it was only a fleeting moment, the pure and powerful spatial fluctuations caused Su Wenyuan, Chen Shuo, and the others on the high platform to suddenly stand up.

"Spatial talent!"

"At least level eight!"

One of the instructors gasped in surprise.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

All eyes instantly focused on that person, a thin, pale girl in black, who looked completely unremarkable.

It is important to know that spatial talent is recognized as one of the most powerful and rare talents, involving the secrets of space, which are mysterious and unpredictable.

Even if it's only level eight, the future is still limitless.

Faced with the focus of countless eyes, the girl in black silently lowered her head, her slender figure exuding an aloofness that kept strangers at bay.

Li Yuan looked at the girl, but his brows furrowed slightly. For some reason, he felt that she looked familiar. Even after coughing and changing his memories, he couldn't find anyone who matched her.

Was it just his imagination? Li Yuan shook his head. In this vast world, how many people look alike? Perhaps this girl was just too ordinary-looking.

He stopped thinking about it and focused his attention back on his own cultivation.

The girl's name was Ji Fanghua, and she was also an orphan. Her story quickly became a hot topic, and she was often compared to Li Yuan.

Fortunately, Ji Fanghua was low-key enough and never appeared in crowds, while Li Yuan focused on his cultivation without any distractions.

Over time, the discussions gradually subsided, and the academy returned to its former tranquility.

That day, Li Yuan was studying a basic spell book in Mr. Mo's courtyard when there was a knock on the gate.

Two people stood outside the door: one was the academy's steward in charge of announcements, and the other was Chen Shuo.

Chen Shuo glanced past Li Yuan and nodded to Mr. Mo.

Li Yuan thought the two had business to discuss and was about to leave when Chen Shuo called him back.

"Li Yuan!"

He took out an official document bearing the seal of the Demon Suppression Bureau from his pocket and handed it to him, his expression calm.

"I have been ordered to inform you that Li Chongwen, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, had an accident in the Poyang Lake area while en route to exile in Lingnan."

Has something happened to Li Chongwen?

Li Yuan was taken aback, a strange premonition rising in his heart. After all, in theory, it should have been someone from the Dali Temple who notified him, but the person who came now was from the Demon Suppression Division.

This is enough to show that the accident must be related to demons.

"An investigation revealed that the escort fleet was attacked by an unidentified water monster when it reached the Poyang Lake area, resulting in heavy casualties."

Chen Shuo said in an official tone, "After salvage operations, some remains were found downstream. After identification by the accompanying officers, it was confirmed that Li Chongwen had perished."

"Due to the severe damage to the body, only this item was recovered."

As he spoke, he took out a square wooden box wrapped in white cloth and handed it to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan silently took the wooden box. It felt slightly heavy in his hand. He didn't open it immediately, but instead slowly ran his fingertips along the rough surface of the box.

Being devoured by a water demon was indeed a gruesome way to die, but it should be enough to offset the original owner's resentment, right?

Li Yuan sighed inwardly. He had originally thought that Li Chongwen would die from overwork in Lingnan, but he did not expect him to die so easily. It was too good for him.

Not wanting to give himself away in front of the others, he gave Chen Shuo a stiff bow.

"Thank you for informing me, Lieutenant Chen."

Chen Shuo's gaze fell on his face. As a captain of the Demon Suppression Division, he had long been accustomed to life and death over the years, and his heart was as hard as iron.

Although Li Yuan tried his best to feign a distraught expression, he still appeared too calm compared to his experience.

My condolences.

"The Demon Suppression Division will continue to investigate this case, and will notify you if there are any updates."

After Chen Shuo finished speaking, he nodded to Mr. Mo and then turned to leave.

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. He had no feelings for Li Chongwen and really didn't want to put on a show of grief in front of others.

Mr. Mo looked at him quietly for a moment, said nothing, picked up his wine gourd, and turned to leave.

Li Yuan snapped out of his daze, reached out and opened the wooden box, inside which lay a severed finger, still wearing a jade thumb ring.

He recognized it at a glance; it was indeed Li Chongwen's.

Is he really dead?

Li Yuan reached out and picked up the finger bone, raised an eyebrow at it, then threw it back and slammed the lid shut.

Very good. From now on, all the karma between him and the original owner will be completely severed with Li Chongwen's death.

And so, he became Li Yuan.

It was just Li Yuan.

He has no further connection with that man named Li Chongwen. He will take control of his own path from now on and live only for himself.

He casually found a corner in the bamboo forest and buried the wooden box there. He felt neither sadness nor joy, only a clear and peaceful tranquility.

Next, Li Yuan continued to practice silently as usual, each move as steady as ever, without the slightest slackening.

Upon receiving the news, Wu Yu rushed over and stood silently by for a while. She opened her mouth several times to say something comforting, but felt that it was all in vain.

He scratched his head, and finally could only sigh, silently standing not far away without going forward to disturb them.

Shen Lian also arrived. He stood at the other end of the training ground, silently accompanying him in his practice, hoping to dispel the sadness in his heart in this way.

Li Yuan found it somewhat amusing, yet a warm feeling welled up within him. Although these two had different personalities, they both accompanied him in their own ways.

As night fell, he stopped his moves, nodded to the two of them, thanked them, and then turned and went straight back to his room, locking himself inside.

That night, the candlelight in his room burned until dawn, casting his lonely and sorrowful shadow on the curtains. Many of his friends, who cared about him, secretly watched and shook their heads in worry.