A star official? As the young man entered the restaurant, Sofía immediately went into battle mode, raising a wind barrier between herself and the young official while extending her hand to grasp him. With her motion, the surrounding airflow coalesced into an invisible, powerful hand, cradling the young official firmly—like a solid prison. As long as Sofía merely thought of it, the immense pressure would crush him to dust. "Pop!" The young official, now restrained with arms lowered, gently rubbed his thumb and middle finger together, producing a crisp sound. With that clear note, as if some unseen rule had vanished, Sofía was stunned to see her previously formed airflow hand pass through his body and then collapse. "Sofía, he is the Sun Sovereign we are meant to nurture," Chen Shu said. The moment those words reached her, Sofía’s alertness, determination, hostility, and gravity all dissolved. Her eyes widened in astonishment. Was this young man indeed the Sun Sovereign—the one the Society had cultivated, the one destined to lead the world? Sophia examined the young man from head to toe, as if trying to penetrate every single cell of his being. At that moment, she realized he seemed familiar—she had seen him before, somewhere, though she couldn't quite recall where. Turning to the president, she said, "He's…." Chen Shu smiled and replied, "You must have seen him in the records. His spiritual realm ID is Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn." Sophia suddenly turned around, exclaiming, "Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn? Wait—didn't Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn die?" She remembered his face now—she had indeed seen him in the records—but it was a well-known fact that Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn had returned to the spiritual realm two months ago. "How could the Sun's Master, so carefully nurtured by the president, have fallen so easily?" Chen Shu gazed steadily at her son, now separated from her for a year, with a warm smile. "You've finally agreed to see me. Sit down—I'll have the chef prepare a steak for you." Her tone remained as strong as ever—she didn't ask whether he had eaten, nor what he wanted Zhang Yuanqing also stood his ground as usual: "No!" Chen Shu had already summoned a maid to deliver a message to the chef. Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his chair and sat down, getting straight to the point: "I've seen family traitors." He subtly indicated to Chen Shu that he already knew everything. Unreserved, unyielding, Chen Shu, with her graceful and simple elegance, nodded. "I never intended to keep it hidden from you for long. Even when you were still the Saint, I had already planned to confront you—him, however, was the one who kept holding me back." "What exactly were you planning to confront me about?" Zhang Yuanqing looked into her eyes deeply. Why had he not been given any attention these years? Why had he not been included in the plans when he was so busy, staying away from home all year round and rarely calling? If this had happened a year ago, Zhang Yuanqing would have asked these very questions. Now, however, he no longer cared—complaining about his mother's neglect was something a child would think about, and he had long since outgrown that. Yet, despite the strained mother-son relationship spanning so many years, Sofia glanced at Zhang Yuanqing, then at Chen Shu, and instinctively felt that the managing director’s relationship with Yuanshixian was no ordinary one. Noticing her subordinates’ attentive gaze, Chen Shu smiled gently and introduced, “This is my son!” Zhang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “Could you rephrase that once?” Chen Shu readily complied, “Certainly, my son.” Zhang Yuanqing rolled his eyes. Sofia was stunned. Was Yuanshixian the managing director’s son? The most celebrated prodigy in the second region, the rising star who had emerged like a comet—was he actually the managing director’s son? If this news reached the organization, the entire Jishishè would be in a frenzy. Chen Shu added, “She’s Sofía, the sovereign of Jishishè. She joined the organization even when she was an extraordinary traveler. Starting as my assistant, she’s now here.” Sofía had been nurtured and developed by Chen Shu into a sovereign. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the restrained, minimalist dresser sitting in the overhead view, then at his mother—unmade-up, simple, and strong-willed—and remarked, "I can clearly see that you two have a similar vibe." After just a few years of getting to know each other, their personalities and presence wouldn't align so well. "Sofia, go wait in the living room," Chen Shu said. "I have something to talk to him about." Sofia nodded and rose to leave the dining room. Once she was out of sight, Chen Shu lifted her glass of water, took a slow sip, and said, "Your uncle must have told you everything. Tonight, is he here just to be held and kissed by Mom, or is there something you'd like me to clarify?" Zhang Yuanqing gave a wry smile. "Where's your dog husband's duplicate?" Chen Shu furrowed her brows, slightly displeased. "That's your father." "And isn't your father's father also a dog?" Zhang Yuanqing countered. Chen Shu tactfully changed the subject, avoiding further mutual hurt, and said: "Your father's duplicate is safe—right now, you don't need to know where. The resurrection of your father isn't something you need to worry about at this stage, at least not immediately, because it's simply too difficult." Zhang Yuanqing didn't say anything like, "Why can't I know?" or "That's my father,"—he simply shifted the topic. "Do you know where Chu Shang and Master Wuhen's duplicates are?" Chen Shu gently looked at her son, saying: "Don't ask such a silly question." ...Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and said: "Tell me about your past with Master Zhang. I'll listen, and then decide what to ask." A typical mother might hesitate to talk to her son about her youth and romantic experiences, but Chen Shu wouldn’t—she’d jump right in: “Your father used to be a part-time police officer when he was young, and he performed exceptionally well—both in investigative skills and personal strength. Your grandfather deeply admired him and several times tried to promote him, but each time was turned down. “One time, your father assisted the Public Security Bureau in solving a major case, and Old Chen invited him to have dinner at his home. That was the first time I met him. After that, he kept coming over regularly—inviting me to watch movies, going to the dance hall to dance, singing karaoke. Over time, we gradually fell in love. “Your grandparents were very supportive of the marriage, the only thing they were dissatisfied with was Zhang Zizhen—he absolutely refused to move his household registration to Songhai, wouldn’t accept a promotion, and stayed on with a modest salary, doing the most demanding and exhausting work, always cheerful and bright, as if he were a fool. “But though they were disappointed and often frustrated, they never managed to break up the couple. In the end, they allowed me and him to settle Zhang Yuanqing didn't expect his father to have once served as a part-time police officer: "Why didn't he get promoted to a full-time position?" Chen Shu smiled and replied: "Back then, he was already a Lingjing Traveler, constantly claiming to be a direct descendant of the Xiaoyao Sect, bearing the responsibility of safeguarding world peace. He took up the part-time police role specifically to better combat wrongdoing and uphold justice. He chose not to be promoted because, once he took on a public-sector position, he had to adhere to public-sector regulations—something that conflicted with the free-spirited ideals of the Xiaoyao Sect." Another typical mid-tier, mid-life fantasy... Zhang Yuanqing mused: "Even a naturally emerging Traveler could officially serve as a part-time officer—back then, the system was indeed chaotic." "It's true that the societal system was disorganized at the time. However, regarding Lingjing Travelers, both the government and the Traveler organizations have always placed great emphasis on them, never relaxing their efforts. Your father managed to secure a position at the Public Security Bureau as a part-time officer because he also held an additional identity." At that moment, the chef brought over the se Zhang Yuanqing casually cut a piece and chewed while saying, "The beef is too greasy—go on." "Your father could serve as a civilian officer at the Public Security Bureau and fully showcase his abilities as a Spirit Realm traveler, all thanks to the protection of the Dog Elder," Chen Shu smiled. "He used to be the Dog Elder's informant." That makes sense! Zhang Yuanqing finally resolved a long-standing question in his mind. It's no wonder the three disciples of Xiao Yao didn't know the true identity of Zhang Tian Shi, while the Dog Elder was fully aware—clearly, the Dog Elder had played the roles of mentor, supporter, and elder throughout the years. "Later on, as your father advanced in rank, the enemies he faced grew stronger and stronger, and he began to pay more attention to concealing himself," Chen Shu calmly recounted the past, weaving in the small details of their daily lives. "He did most of the things without me knowing, and I never asked about them. It wasn't until after the Battle for the Disc of Brightness that everything changed." Chen Shu’s gaze carried nostalgia, remembrance, and a deep, reflective appreciation of the past: “One day, your father came home covered in blood, saying he had gotten into trouble—had accidentally entered a place he wasn’t supposed to and encountered things he hadn’t meant to. He fell seriously ill and never left the house again. We enjoyed a period of quiet, peaceful years, during which I became pregnant with you. Yet his health continued to decline, no longer resembling the vigor he once had. Later, the Chu family was wiped out, and your father brought back Yu Er. Jiang Yu Er’s birth name was Chu Yu, her mother’s surname being Jiang. Since she could no longer bear the Chu surname and didn’t wish to take on the Chen surname, she adopted her mother’s name. After the Chu family’s extinction, your father often woke up in the night drenched in cold sweat, unsure of what he was afraid of. I asked him several times, but he wouldn’t speak of it. Occasionally, however, I would catch him murmuring to himself: ‘It’s impossible. I couldn’t have missed it.’” "It's impossible that I didn't foresee it... Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brow. At that time, Zhang Zizhen had already reached the peak of his mastery. Even without specializing in stars, he could have used stargazing techniques to perceive the evolution of all things and the course of worldly affairs. Yet something had slipped through his calculations—something he couldn't account for, which left him troubled. What had happened at that precise moment? "Have you ever asked your uncle about it after the fact?" Zhang Yuanqing asked directly, believing it unnecessary to speculate or imagine. Chen Shu shook her head. "If even my father doesn't tell me, how could he have told your uncle?" Pausing, she added, "Shortly after the Chu family's entire household was wiped out, he began visiting out frequently, investigating something he hadn't yet revealed. Then, suddenly one day, he announced he was going to accomplish a major undertaking. If he didn't return, he instructed me to prepare everything and take your parents abroad." "Fortunately, he returned not long after—that was his final departure, after which he never left the household again. Then you were born, until you were six years old...," Chen Shu said, a pang of sorrow passing through her eyes. "At the age of six, he suddenly transformed into a yin entity, his mind disoriented. Forced to it, he ignited the power of the Sun God and perished in self-immolation." "What?" Zhang Yuanqing gasped, stunned. He had always believed his father died as a result of the Liangtuo's vengeance. He could never have imagined that Zhang Zirui had ignited the power of the Sun God and thus met his end. "Are you certain he transformed into a yin entity? My uncle also says so," Zhang Yuanqing found it hard to believe. Could a noble Sun-Wandering Deity possibly transform into a yin being? It was simply beyond belief!