Starting as a prodigy wanting milk? A world-destroying deception in the opposite direction.

"An opportunity?" Feng Hongyi's gaze was piercing, as if it could see right through people's hearts.

"The opportunity you're talking about is putting the royal family in the eye of the storm!"

The people are already terrified by the natural disaster. If the temple uses this opportunity to spread rumors that the royal family is colluding with heretics, they will lose all popular support. How can we then contend with the temple?

He paused for a moment.

I know you're not convinced and think I'm too conservative.

But the survival of the royal family cannot be based on a momentary impulse.

"Back then, your grandfather was too eager to confront the temple, which caused the royal family heavy losses and forced them to rely on the temple for survival."

Feng Xun's breathing quickened for a moment, but he forced it back down.

He lowered his head, concealing the fleeting resentment in his eyes, and his voice became submissive again:

"Your subject... knows he was wrong."

Please advise, Father, on how to remedy this situation?

"Jin Wanquan is dead, the trail has gone cold, let's leave it at that for now." Seeing that he had admitted his mistake, Feng Hongyi's voice regained its composure.

"I will deal with Gu Qing and say that you were confused for a moment and went astray because you were in a hurry to eliminate heretics."

But you must remember, from this day forward, without my permission, you are not allowed to have any further involvement with heresy.

"But Father..." Feng Xun said anxiously.

"No buts," Feng Hongyi interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Step down."

Feng Xun opened his mouth, as if a thousand words were stuck in his chest, but in the end, he only bowed deeply:

"Your subject... obeys the decree."

He slowly left the imperial study, and the moment he turned around, the submissive look on his face vanished, replaced by a gloomy expression.

"Father, you say I was too hasty..." He chuckled softly.

"But you don't know, time... is no longer on our side."

After he finished speaking, his figure disappeared into the shadows of the deep palace.

Meanwhile, in the study of the Shen family mansion in the capital city.

The candlelight burned quietly inside the lampshade, occasionally emitting a soft crackling sound.

Shen Zhenglan was sitting alone, with a portrait of Lin Wanru in front of him.

The woman in the portrait has a smiling face and bright eyes.

Shen Zhenglan held a broken-handled scepter in his hand. It was Lin Wanru's weapon from back then, and the broken marks were still clearly visible.

He just sat there, motionless, with only the occasional heavy sigh emanating from him.

At that moment, Shen Xuan pushed the door open and came in.

"Father, my brother is back."

Shen Zhen followed closely behind and stepped in.

Shen Zhenglan didn't look up, one hand stroking the broken handle of the Divine Staff, the broken mark on the staff resembling a solidified wound.

"Father." Shen Zhen spoke softly. Shen Xuan stood next to him, her little hand unconsciously gripping his sleeve, her eyes full of caution.

Shen Zhenglan then raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over his son before returning to the portrait, his voice low and deep:

"I'm back."

"Yes, I just got back from Master's." Shen Zhen sat down on the chair by the window, and Shen Xuan sat on the stool next to her, resting her chin on her hand and listening.

"Yi Tianxing?" Shen Zhenglan's fingers paused, his tone devoid of emotion.

"Yes." Shen Zhen nodded, took out the stone engraved with simplified array patterns from his pocket, and placed it on the table.

"My master asked me to pass on a message to you. He said that what happened four years ago was not your fault."

Nobody wanted that outcome, and you shouldn't keep blaming yourself.

Shen Zhenglan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his grip on the staff tightened abruptly.

Shen Zhen continued:

"Master said that when Mother took on the mission in the neighboring county, she arranged for multiple teams to provide support, but everyone's cases were stuck, and no one could get there in time."

He said it wasn't a coincidence; someone was deliberately obstructing things.

Shen Xuan listened from the side, holding her breath, looking at her father's tense profile, her eyes slightly reddening.

"It's not a coincidence?" Shen Zhenglan repeated in a low voice, with a hint of resistance to facing the truth.

"Don't listen to Yi Tianxing's nonsense..."

If I had been faster, if I had noticed something was wrong sooner, how could she have...?

"Father!" Shen Zhen stood up and walked to Shen Zhenglan's side.

"Master said that you rushed back as soon as you received the letter, you had already done everything in your power!"

Shen Zhenglan turned his face away, his Adam's apple bobbing, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Seeing this, Shen Xuan also came over, gently placing her small hand on her father's arm, her voice soft:

"Father, Mother will be sad."

The study became quiet, with only the occasional sound of wind outside the window.

"Your mother once told me that to be a spirit medium, one must understand the interdependence between following one's true nature and letting go of one's true nature."

Shen Zhenglan's voice still carried a trace of pain and guilt.

"But I... just can't get over that hurdle."

He gently placed the broken-handled scepter on the table, his gaze returning to the portrait.

"I understand what Yi Tianxing said."

Shen Zhen knew that her father had not yet let go completely, but there was a slight loosening, like a small crack finally appearing in a wall that had been blocked for four years.

"I never truly blamed him," Shen Zhenglan added, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.

"That's just an excuse of mine. I keep thinking about the rain that day, and how she lay there."

"...I'm scared."

He was afraid to face his own powerlessness, afraid to admit that some things really weren't his fault.

Shen Zhen felt a heavy weight in her heart, but she also breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that his father wouldn't get out of the shadows all at once, but those three words, "I understand," were already the biggest progress in four years.

"Mother is a hero." Shen Xuan's tears fell when she heard her father say this.

"My brother said that Mother sacrificed herself to protect the people, and she won't blame anyone."

"Father, there's no rush," Shen Zhen said gently.

"We'll investigate the truth slowly, and you'll gradually resolve your inner conflict as well."

Mother is watching us; she will wait.

Shen Xuan nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Father, I also want to join the Cleansing Evil Division. Let's wait and investigate together as a family."

Shen Zhenglan didn't speak, but slowly closed his eyes.

The candlelight illuminated his resolute face, and a sliver of light finally pierced through the wound that had not healed for four years.

Silence spread through the study.

As Shen Zhen looked at her father's slightly trembling eyelashes and tired features as he closed his eyes, a distant memory suddenly surfaced in her mind.

"Dad, I remember when we were little, Mom always said you were stubborn." Shen Zhen's voice was calm and warm.

"Once you came home late from a mission, but you still remembered to bring me and my sister some sweet cakes."

As a result, all the sugar cakes crumbled, and you were at a loss.

Shen Xuan wiped away her tears and smiled, adding:

"Yes, Dad! I still remember Mom laughing and calling you an idiot."

The candlelight flickered, casting long shadows of the three people on the wall.

Shen Zhenglan opened his eyes, took out an old booklet from his pocket, and looked at him with a complicated expression.

"This is your mother's journal. Seeing it is as if your mother is standing right in front of me."

He slowly opened it; the handwriting inside was neat and clear, recording daily trivialities and longing for his family.

[On duty today, I met a little girl, as cute as Xuan'er. I truly hope our Xuan'er never has to face these dangers.]

Zheng Lan went on another mission today. May he return safely.

Zhen'er was praised by her senior brother again. "This child has been smart since she was little. She's bound to be successful in the future."

[Something's happened in the neighboring county. I've received a mission. Wait for me to return; we'll take the children to see the lanterns.]

The last entry in the journal was written in somewhat messy handwriting, as if it had been hastily:

The situation is worse than expected. The aid hasn't arrived yet, but I can't back down. There are too many people here.

Zhenglan, please take good care of Zhen'er and Xuan'er for me, and tell them that their mother is a proud protector of the spirits.

Shen Zhenglan's eyes welled up with tears; this was the first time Shen Zhen had ever seen her father shed a tear.

That man, who was always serious and strong, shed all his pretense at this moment.

Shen Xuan hugged Shen Zhenglan's arm and cried as she said:

"Dad, we'll go see the lanterns every year from now on, to see them for Mom."

Shen Zhenglan nodded, reached out and hugged his daughter, then looked at his son. The pain in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a sense of relief.

"Okay, I'll go every year."

He carefully put away his notebook, his expression turning serious.

"The natural disasters have just passed, and the heretics could cause trouble again at any time. You are now in the mid-stage of the first rank, so you can't let your cultivation fall behind."

"I understand, Father." Shen Zhen nodded.

"Go on, get some rest. You have to go to the Jingxie Division tomorrow." Shen Zhenglan waved his hand.

Shen Zhen responded and led Shen Xuan out of the study.

As he was leaving, he glanced back and saw his father sitting in front of the portrait, his fingertips gently tracing the woman's eyebrows and eyes in the painting, his expression calm and gentle.