Soon, Wen Bufan and Jiang Xuan left the small reception room.

They appeared in the main hall.

At this moment, Jiang Xuan felt rather helpless.

Wen Bufan said to Jiang Han, "Patriarch Jiang, Jiang Xuan is truly loyal to your Jiang Family."

"To think he actually refused me."

"Forget it. I won’t force the issue. However, I’m holding a birthday banquet the day after tomorrow, and I’d like to invite Jiang Xuan to stay at our City Lord’s Mansion for a couple of days."

"You don’t mind, do you?"

He said with a smile.

It seemed he wasn’t bothered in the slightest by Jiang Xuan’s refusal.

He appeared completely unperturbed.

Hearing this, Jiang Han could only smile bitterly to himself.

He knew that once Jiang Xuan left, he would certainly never return.

’But what can I do?’

Refusing was simply not an option.

But if he didn’t refuse, Jiang Xuan would never come back, which was tantamount to him being poached.

The situation was utterly exasperating.

’It’s a good thing I only called Jiang Xuan out. If I had called out Jiang Ling as well, I’m afraid he would have poached both Alchemists.’

He sighed to himself and said, "Very well. Since it’s Eldest Young Master Wen’s birthday banquet, our Jiang Family will present you with a gift."

Jiang Xuan’s expression was troubled.

He looked at Jiang Han.

Jiang Han waved his hand. "It’s fine. Go. Spend a few days with Eldest Young Master Wen. As long as he’s happy, that’s all that matters."

He had no choice. Jiang Han could only sacrifice Jiang Xuan to protect the Jiang Family.

The Jiang Family truly could not afford to go to war with the City Lord’s Mansion.

At the very least, not until the Infinite Sword Array was fully complete and the Death Warriors had reached Martial King Cultivation. Until then, they couldn’t afford to make an open break with the City Lord’s Mansion.

Otherwise, the moment war broke out, experts from the Fire Sparrow Kingdom would descend upon them, and the annihilation of the Jiang Family would only be a matter of time.

No matter how arrogant the Jiang Family was, they would never dare to challenge the Fire Sparrow Kingdom.

So he could only make this helpless choice.

He even knew that Jiang Xuan felt even more helpless than he did.

THUD!

The moment his words fell, Jiang Xuan suddenly dropped to his knees before Jiang Han.

"Patriarch, I’m sorry."

He didn’t explain why, but he knew the consequences of leaving the Jiang Family for the City Lord’s Mansion.

He would not be coming back.

He was wracked with guilt, yet utterly powerless.

Compared to the safety of the Jiang Family, he would rather sacrifice himself.

Nothing was said aloud, but who among those present didn’t understand? The outcome was already set in stone.

Jiang Han patted Jiang Xuan’s shoulder.

"Get up. You have not failed the Jiang Family."

At this inappropriate moment, Wen Bufan chimed in with a laugh, "A grown man, acting as fussy as a woman."

"You’re just attending my birthday banquet. It’s not like I’m forbidding you from returning to the Jiang Family."

Though he said that, he himself knew perfectly well what the outcome would be.

He would definitely not allow Jiang Xuan to return to the Jiang Family.

Having Jiang Xuan attend some birthday banquet at the City Lord’s Mansion was just an excuse.

"Patriarch Jiang, farewell."

Now that he had secured Jiang Xuan the Alchemist, Wen Bufan had no desire to linger in the Jiang Family estate. He bid Jiang Han farewell.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he started walking outside.

Lin Hai immediately followed after Wen Bufan.

Jiang Xuan looked back at Jiang Han one more time, a bitter expression on his face, his gaze sweeping over everything in the Jiang Family estate.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

He couldn’t accept leaving just like this.

But reality was always so cruel.

’Can I stop?’

’No, I really can’t.’

The moment he stopped, the Jiang Family would surely suffer a devastating blow from the City Lord’s Mansion.

Only Jiang Xuan knew that Wen Bufan was threatening him with the Jiang Family’s safety because he was certain Jiang Xuan would yield.

He knew he had no other choice.

If he had any other choice, why would he ever follow Wen Bufan?

Leaving the Jiang Family meant betrayal. It meant betraying the Jiang Family.

In the eyes of the Jiang Family, that would be an eternal disgrace.

Jiang Han watched the agonized Jiang Xuan.

His heart was a mess of complicated emotions.

He watched until Jiang Xuan followed Wen Bufan out of the Jiang Family’s main gate.

THUD!

Jiang Xuan fell to his knees again, kneeling before the Jiang Family’s main gate.

He knelt with such force that his knees started to bleed.

He kowtowed heavily three times toward the gate.

He shouted, "Tell the Young Master... I’m sorry."

"I have failed him."

Then, Jiang Xuan got up and, looking back every few steps, followed Wen Bufan away.

Jiang Han appeared at the main gate.

Jiang Xuan’s figure was no longer in sight.

He let out a bitter laugh.

"Life is full of helpless choices. Unfortunately, our Jiang Family cannot choose to keep you."

"You haven’t failed anyone."

As Patriarch, Jiang Han knew Jiang Xuan’s choice was absolutely for the sake of the Jiang Family.

Although he didn’t know what Wen Bufan had said to Jiang Xuan, he was certain that Wen Bufan had threatened him.

"Patriarch..."

Jiang Men and the others followed him out, all of them confused.

After all, they hadn’t been in the reception hall.

Jiang Han shook his head but said nothing more.

But most of them understood what had happened.

"Ah, Patriarch..."

"Where is Jiang Xuan?"

Suddenly, Jiang Ling ran out, looking all around for Jiang Xuan.

Both were members of the Jiang Family. They had endured hardships together under Ling Xuan, and later studied Alchemy under Young Master Jiang Han. It could be said that they shared a deep friendship.

She had rushed out, as if sensing something was wrong.

’Someone is leaving.’

Jiang Han sighed. "Jiang Xuan... he has temporarily left our Jiang Family."

"He has not betrayed the Jiang Family. Please remember that."

Jiang Ling stood there, stunned.

She remained until everyone else had left.

Only she remained, still gazing outside, the Patriarch’s words echoing in her mind.

’Not a betrayal... not a betrayal...’

’But... can this be considered anything but a betrayal?’

Finally, Jiang Ling departed, looking dejected.

From then on, she was the only one left in the Jiang Family who practiced Alchemy.

「Two days later.」

Jiang Han had someone deliver a gift to the City Lord’s Mansion as a birthday present for Wen Bufan.

"Eldest Young Master Wen, when will our Jiang Family’s Jiang Xuan be returning?"

This time, Jiang Men had come to the City Lord’s Mansion on behalf of the Jiang Family.

After presenting the gift, Jiang Men did not forget his duty.

The Jiang Family had not given up on Jiang Xuan.

Now, Jiang Men was questioning Wen Bufan.

He hoped that the other party had genuinely just invited Jiang Xuan to a banquet and would let him return.

Although he knew the chances of him being sent back were slim, the Jiang Family still had to try and bring him home.

Wen Bufan let out a hearty laugh. "Go back and tell your Patriarch."

"Just tell him that Jiang Xuan had a great time at our City Lord’s Mansion for two days and now no longer wishes to return to the Jiang Family."

"He is willing to serve in our City Lord’s Mansion."

"My apologies, my apologies."

"But tell your Patriarch not to worry. Jiang Xuan is doing very well here at the City Lord’s Mansion. He’s quite fond of the Maids I sent him."

Jiang Men was utterly helpless.

It was just as they had feared. Jiang Xuan had been completely detained by the City Lord’s Mansion.

Getting Jiang Xuan to return to the Jiang Family would be next to impossible.

"Can I see Jiang Xuan one more time?"

Jiang Men still clung to a sliver of hope.

Unfortunately, Wen Bufan waved his hand dismissively. "That’s enough. Go on back."

"Just relay what I told you to your Patriarch. Jiang Xuan is very happy staying here at the City Lord’s Mansion."

Helpless, Jiang Men could only leave.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xuan could only watch Jiang Men’s departure from the shadows, unable to show himself.

He could never go back now.

Back at the Jiang Family estate, Jiang Men repeated Wen Bufan’s words to Jiang Han.

Then he added, frustrated, "That Wen Bufan simply won’t let Jiang Xuan come back."

Jiang Han sighed once more. A living, breathing person had been snatched away by the City Lord’s Mansion just like that. He felt a suffocating sense of injustice.