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

Before Jiang Yan entered the palace, Jiang Wuchen summoned him to his study.

He stood in front of his son and looked him up and down.

The thirteen-year-old boy had already grown quite tall, and was not much shorter than him.

He wore a white long gown with neatly gathered cuffs and a simple leather belt around his waist.

He was tall and slender with handsome features, already showing signs of becoming a refined gentleman.

"What's wrong, Father?" Jiang Yan felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Can't I look after my own son?" Jiang Wuchen reached out and straightened Jiang Yan's collar, took a step back, and couldn't hide his smile.

Because of Jiang Yan's appearance, the Jiang family's prestige in the capital and even the entire Tushan Dynasty has reached its peak in recent years.

This wasn't just talent; it was also because he stood up for the human race in the capital, blocked that knife outside the city, and made everyone who witnessed it remember one thing in every small moment.

The Jiang family is not a family that only bows its head.

But he didn't say any of that.

He simply patted Jiang Yan on the shoulder and gave her some instructions: "After you enter the palace, be careful with your words. Answer His Majesty's questions, but don't interrupt or be too quiet. Say what you should say, and don't say a single word that you shouldn't."

"understood."

……

The carriage traveled through the main street of the capital.

The Tushan Royal Palace is built on a high ground in the very center of the capital, rising layer by layer along the mountainside, and from a distance it looks like a giant beast coiled on the mountainside.

The vermilion palace walls stretch along the mountain ridge, with an ever-burning lamp hanging every ten steps on the top of the walls, the light swaying in the wind like a winding ribbon.

The palace gates opened, and a palace attendant led Jiang Yan inside.

Pass through three gates and around two side halls.

Upon arriving at the main hall used for reception, a person was standing at the entrance.

Tu Shan Ruoshui's long hair was loosely tied behind her head with a ribbon, and her fox ears peeked out from her hair, twitching back and forth.

She was wearing a moon-white palace dress. When she saw Jiang Yan walking up the steps, her fox-like eyes lit up, and a smile bloomed on her face, as if she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Jiang Yan!" Tu Shan Ruoshui quickly went to greet him and naturally took his arm. "I knew that Father had summoned you to the palace, so I waited for you here."

She stood very close to Jiang Yan, looking up at him with undisguised joy in her eyes. "Come on, I'll take you inside."

After saying that, she grabbed his hand and ran into the hall.

Inside the main hall, Tu Shanlie sat behind his desk, watching his daughter drag Jiang Yan's hand as they ran in. His teeth itched slightly.

That brat, he's trying to steal my job.

Although he did admire Jiang Yan, he watched Jiang Yan walk in from the palace gate. The young man was tall and straight, with calm eyes and neither arrogance nor servility.

Suddenly, he remembered that many, many years ago, on the mountaintop of the Vast Domain, a swordsman stood before him in the same way.

The man stood ramrod straight, his sword intent hidden in his brows and eyes. When he smiled, he was like a sword drawn from its sheath, full of vigor and spirit.

They once drank and talked on the mountaintop, debating swordsmanship all night long.

Later, that man went down the mountain to guard the border, and there was no news of him ever again.

Tu Shanlie shook his head, coming back to his senses.

"Ruoshui, you go down first. I have something to say to Jiang Yan."

Tu Shan Ruoshui pursed her lips, but seeing that her father's expression didn't seem to be joking, she obediently withdrew.

As she passed by Jiang Yan, she winked at him, indicating that she was waiting outside.

The palace doors closed.

Only two people remained in the vast hall.

Tu Shanlie stood up, walked around the imperial desk, and stood in front of Jiang Yan, looking down at him.

"I'm not the kind of person who beats around the bush," he said. "You've been growing up under my nose since you were six."

Jiang Yan looked up at him.

"Your Majesty, please enlighten me."

Do you know about the Vast Domain?

Jiang Yan paused for a moment, then nodded.

"I've been there." Tu Shanlie's tone was somewhat reminiscent. "When I was young, I traveled to both Shangqing Domain and Haoran Domain. That place is the largest of the four domains of Xuantian Realm. There are academies everywhere, sects everywhere, and scholars and cultivators as numerous as crops in the fields."

"The Vast Realm is the territory of the human race, the Upper Clarity Realm is the territory of the human race, and the Brahma Realm is also the territory of the human race. Together, these three realms occupy most of the Xuan Tian Realm. Although I don't want to admit it, the human race is the protagonist of this world, not the demon race."

He turned to look at Jiang Yan. "Do you know why?"

"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

"Because humans have a lineage, a system, and a constant stream of new people emerging. What do demons have? The strong rule, the weak are preyed upon. Of a litter of demon cubs, less than half survive past infancy. Only three or four out of ten develop intelligence, and those who achieve true cultivation are extremely rare. With such limited abilities, how can they compete with humans for the world?"

Tu Shanlie's voice carried a hint of resentment.

"The four domains of the Xuantian Realm—Haoran, Shangqing, and Fantian—each form their own systems. Only the Wanyao Domain is fragmented, with each race governing itself, and internal strife is even more intense than external warfare."

He paused, and his voice suddenly lowered.

"Therefore, I do not want to establish only a demon dynasty. The Tushan clan has the inheritance of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox and hundreds of thousands of demon soldiers in the Tushan capital, but these alone are not enough."

"What I want is to embrace all rivers, not just the fox clan and other demon clans, but also the human race, so that they can serve as officials in the same court, generals in the same army, and govern the same laws. I want Tushan to be not just a demon clan country in a remote corner, but a truly unified dynasty."

He finished speaking and remained silent for a long while.

"But the prejudice between humans and demons runs too deep. There are many people in the court who oppose it. I have already encountered many obstacles in implementing the human household registration system, let alone allowing humans to enter the court."

He looked at Jiang Yan, his tone turning serious.

"Therefore, I need someone to break the deadlock."

Jiang Yan did not speak.

Tu Shanlie has already said all that, so there's no need for further explanation.

"I know Ruoshui's feelings for you." He said bluntly, "That girl has liked to follow you around since she was six years old, her eyes shining like lanterns. Ruoshui has half-human blood, so she is the best choice to succeed to the throne. But this path is difficult, also because she has half-human blood. Just this point alone has caused countless people in the court to oppose her."

"And your presence will make this even more difficult."

Jiang Yan did not refute it; he knew that what Tu Shanlie said was true.

Tu Shanlie paused for a moment, then spoke.

"Your talent is exceptional, so go to the border. The Sirius Dynasty has been invading for the past few years, and the border skirmishes have reached a point where they can no longer be contained. It's only a matter of time before a full-scale war breaks out. I will issue an edict to transfer you to the northern border. That place is very dangerous, and I cannot guarantee that you will come back alive."

"But if you can establish yourself there and achieve enough military merit, not only will the gossip in the capital make people think twice about your worth, but even those in the court who oppose Ruoshui's succession will have to consider your importance."

He looked into Jiang Yan's eyes and said, "As for your relationship with Ruoshui, if that day ever comes, I won't stop you."

Jiang Yan lowered her eyes and pondered for a long time.

He believed what Tu Shanlie said.

He had personally witnessed the effects of the policies implemented by Tu Shanlie in recent years. There were more human vendors on the streets of the capital than before, and human people came to the Jiang family's door to express their gratitude in an endless stream.

Did those young masters from the demon race really change their minds and stop oppressing humans because of me?

No, it's mostly because of Tu Shan Lie.

But this change is not enough; it's too slow.

In addition, his own cultivation method of cultivating one's noble spirit is based on the hearts of the people. If he stays in the capital and cannot enter the court, his reputation will forever remain only among the common people.

There is also the mission of the Book of Myriad Realms: to lead the human race of the Myriad Demon Realm to seize a territory from the demon race. This mission can never be completed in the capital.

Moreover, it's all for Ruoshui.

Over the years, I've come to regard Ruoshui as one of the most important people in my life.

Jiang Yan raised her head.

"I'll go."

Tu Shanlie looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then patted him heavily on the shoulder.

"Alright, I will make the arrangements. The imperial edict will arrive at the Jiang residence in a few days. Go and have a talk with Ruoshui."

Jiang Yan bowed and turned to walk out of the hall.

"Jiang Yan." Tu Shanlie called out to him from behind.

Jiang Yan turned around.

Tu Shanlie looked at the boy in front of him and suddenly smiled. The smile was faint and tinged with nostalgia.

"You resemble someone, a swordsman I met many years ago in the Vast Domain. You two are very similar." He waved his hand. "Go."

Jiang Yan nodded, bowed, and pushed open the palace door.