After the spiritual energy was restored: Goddess girlfriends came knocking.

The capital of Tushan, deep within the forbidden area.

This place is less a forbidden area and more a palace sealed off by a barrier.

The furnishings were elegant, but the surrounding area was filled with restrictions that suppressed cultivation, making spiritual energy here like a stagnant pool.

Guards patrolled outside the window day and night, ostensibly for "protection," but in reality, it was a form of imprisonment.

Ruoshui sat on the windowsill, holding the glass lamp in her arms.

The fox's ears drooped, and its tail hung motionless on the edge of the bed.

The two guards outside the window exchanged a few words in hushed tones as they changed shifts: "Zhenguo Pass," "Three-way encirclement," and "Jiang Yan's disappearance."

These words pierced her ears like needles.

She gripped the base of the glass lamp tightly, her knuckles turning white.

What does it mean to be missing?

Did they escape, or were they captured, or...?

She buried her face in her knees, her fox ears pressed low.

The door to the forbidden area was pushed open, and Tu Shan Yingxue came in carrying a tray with several small dishes and a bowl of hot soup.

He sat down next to Ruoshui and placed the tray on the windowsill.

"Have something to eat."

Ruoshui remained still.

Tu Shan Yingxue reached out and gently stroked her daughter's hair.

Ruoshui has lost a lot of weight in the past few days, and her chin is now more pointed.

"Mother," Ruoshui's muffled voice came from between her knees, "Did I harm Father?"

Tu Shan Yingxue paused for a moment.

"If it weren't for me, my brother wouldn't have turned out like this." Ruoshui's voice trembled slightly.

"Ruoshui." Tu Shan Yingxue's voice was gentle, yet firm.

She lifted her daughter's face from her knees and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her thumb. "Your brother did this, that was his own choice, it has nothing to do with you."

Ruoshui bit her lip, her fox ears trembling slightly.

"But--"

"No buts." Tu Shan Yingxue's tone was unusually firm for once, then softened again. "Your father has never regretted it, and neither have I."

Ruoshui looked at her mother, and tears finally fell.

Tu Shan Yingxue pulled her daughter into her arms and gently patted her back.

His gaze passed over Ruoshui's shoulder and landed on the faintly visible barrier of light outside the window.

She knows far more than her daughter does.

The restrictions of the forbidden area can suppress spiritual power cultivation, but they cannot suppress her divine sense perception.

The regularity of the guard rotations, the frequency of the messenger falcons flying by, and the occasional snippets of conversation drifting from afar all told her: Tu Shanyao had already made a move against Jiang Yan, something major had happened on the northern frontier, and the Jiang family was besieged.

Outside the forbidden area, there was a soundproof barrier set up by cultivators, which ordinary divine sense could not penetrate at all.

However, few people know that she is a sword cultivator in the Void Refining Realm. Even though her cultivation is suppressed, her spiritual sense is still sharp. Those restrictions that she thought were airtight can always leak out one or two syllables to her ears.

By piecing these fragments together, a rough outline of the external situation was formed.

But he didn't tell Ruoshui everything.

She simply lowered her head and whispered, "Jiang Yan will be alright."

Ruoshui raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed.

Tu Shan Yingxue wiped away her daughter's tears: "He has the Lord of the Dragon Court protecting him. Even three Mahayana cultivators working together couldn't stop him."

Ruoshui remained silent for a while, then suddenly spoke.

"Mother, why is my eldest brother doing this? We're family."

Tu Shan Yingxue remained silent for a long time.

"Perhaps in his eyes," she said softly, "we were never really his family."

After hearing this, Ruoshui fell silent and subconsciously hugged the glass lamp even tighter.

The pale golden flame in the lamp wick burned quietly, reflected in her eyes like a tiny, tiny star.

"He'll come back, he promised me."

Tu Shan Yingxue looked at her daughter but didn't reply.

He simply reached out and tucked her stray hairs behind her ear, then pushed the soup bowl closer to her.

Drink it while it's hot.

……

At the same time, at the Jiang residence.

A pale golden light enveloped the entire mansion, with array patterns appearing and disappearing in the void.

A Void Refinement Master stood at each of the four corners.

In the main hall, Jiang Wuchen sat on a grand chair, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold.

Across from him sat a demon official, conveying the court's "concern" with a forced smile.

Jiang Wuchen put down his teacup, cupped his hands in greeting, and showed no extra expression on his face.

After everyone left, Jiang's mother came out from behind the screen and sat down next to him.

"How's Ruoshui doing?"

"His Majesty and the Empress are with her and are safe for the time being."

After a moment of silence, Jiang's mother asked again, "Where is Yan'er?"

"..."

no answer.

Jiang's mother stood up and walked to the window, looking at the gray sky in the east. She clasped her hands together and moved her lips a few times.

Jiang Wuchen gazed at his wife's back as she stood by the window, his knuckles slowly tightening until they turned white.

Meanwhile, in the royal court of the capital.

A wolf clan official with a sinister face was giving a passionate speech.

"Jiang Yan betrayed the country, and the Jiang family cannot escape blame! If the Jiang family is not wiped out, how can we deter the people? How can we uphold the law?"

Several demons echoed this sentiment.

Tu Shan Yao sat on the throne, his fingers gently tapping the armrest.

After everyone had finished speaking, he calmly said, "Jiang Yan is Jiang Yan, and the Jiang family is the Jiang family."

The court fell silent for a moment.

"The Jiang family has been operating in Tushan for generations and has never committed any acts of disloyalty. Besides..."

He leaned back in his chair, speaking casually, "Backed by the Dragon Court, who among you dares to gamble on the Dragon Court's attitude towards the Jiang family?"

No one answered.

"Then do as I say. The Jiang family is temporarily confined to their residence and may not leave without an imperial edict. This matter ends here."

After the court session ended, Tu Shanyao sat alone in the empty hall, gazing at the gloomy sky outside.

He did indeed hate the Jiang family, a thorn in the side of the human race, but with the Dragon Court standing behind Jiang Yan, who knew what Ao Tianxin's attitude was?

Until there is absolute certainty, the value of the Jiang family living far outweighs their death.

Holding it in your hand is like having a bargaining chip.

……

the same day.

Humans are fleeing en masse from the streets of the capital.

Tu Shanyao did not issue any orders to purge the human race, nor did he promulgate any laws targeting the human race.

But that edict alone was enough.

Even Marquis Dingyuan has been branded a traitor, so what can ordinary people hope for? Moreover, it's no secret in the capital that Tu Shanyao hates humans.

The main streets leading to the East Gate were filled with human people with their families.

The sounds of talking, children crying, and neighbors hurriedly saying goodbye mingled together, forming a dull torrent.

Once outside the east gate, the flow of people on the official road stretched into a long, thin line, extending eastward.

That's the direction of Chang'an.

Chang'an has long been known among the human race, not just as a place name, but also as a place of longing.

For the first time, the human race, which had been wandering in the Demon Realm for thousands of years, had its own city.

Chang'an, meaning long-lasting peace and stability, is a name people recite as they head east.

Tu Shanyao was well aware of this, but he wished these humans would get as far away as possible, so he naturally wouldn't stop them in the slightest.

……

Chang'an City.

In the city lord's palace.

Jiang Yan opened her eyes, still somewhat dazed for a moment.

The beams and walls were somewhat unfamiliar, and there was a faint smell of herbs in the air.

Turning my head, I found someone lying on the edge of the bed.

Jian Li sat in the chair, her head resting on the edge of the bed, her small hands clutching the corner of his blanket, her breathing even.

Jiang Yan pulled his hand out from under the covers and gently rubbed her head.

Jian Li suddenly raised her head.

Her eyes widened, then turned red, and finally she pouted before lunging forward to hug his neck.

"Master! You're awake! You've been asleep for days!" The force was much stronger than usual, probably because all the worry that had been building up for days was finally released in one breath.

Jiang Yan smiled and gently patted her back: "Alright, alright, Master is fine."

A very faint sound came from outside the window.

Jiang Yan looked up at the sound and saw Ao Tianxin walking in slowly from outside the door, still with that lazy expression.

"woke up."

"Hmm." Jiang Yan took Jian Li off her body. "How long have I been asleep?"

Jian Li wiped her eyes and held up three fingers.

"We could have let you wake up earlier, but Sister Tianxin stopped us, saying that you should rest for a few days."

Jiang Yan looked at Ao Tianxin.

Ao Tianxin raised the wine gourd in his hand, took a sip, and said calmly, "Forcibly waking someone up will damage their foundation. It won't make a difference if we wait a couple more days."

Jiang Yan nodded without saying thank you.

Sometimes, saying something makes it seem less hurtful.