"Rest assured, Elder Shi, I pledge that I will never allow Yan Ran to suffer any grievances,"

Ye Luo guaranteed with a single breath. As he turned to leave, his gaze swept past the room behind Elder Shi, a flicker of recognition passing through his eyes before he hurriedly left the place.

After Ye Luo left the quad, the door to one of the rooms opened, and a figure walked out.

This figure stood at 1.8 meters tall, with a robust and upright physique, dressed in a grayish-black Zhongshan suit. His square face was chiseled with precise angles, hazel eyes tranquil like still water, which along with a hint of stubble on his lips made him appear like a mature middle-aged man.

However, the fact that he could be found here was proof enough that he was no ordinary person.

"It seems this guy has noticed me," the middle-aged man said as he walked up to Elder Shi and picked up a bottle of Qi Recovery Pills.

"Is that so? Then this kid’s skills are not small," Elder Shi said with a smile.

"Hmm, the quality is decent. It appears that not only is this young man’s talent in martial arts exceptional, but his aptitude in alchemy is equally formidable," the middle-aged man remarked with a trace of admiration.

"Do you think a disciple taught by that old guy would be lacking in talent?" Elder Shi glanced at the middle-aged man with a meaningful look.

"Indeed, they wouldn’t be. The old man’s strength reaches the heavens, and even I am not qualified to call him master," the middle-aged man said with a bitter smile at his lips.

"That old fellow has concealed himself deeply; he has probably already stepped into that realm," Elder Shi’s eyes squinted as his gaze flickered.

"Are you suggesting..." the middle-aged man’s complexion turned to one of shock.

Elder Shi shook his head, replying, "In any case, I’ve never been able to see through that old fellow. He’s shrouded in mysteries, and his identity is certainly not simple."

"Now that the four great Demonic Path forces have begun to revive, and it’s not long before that time, forces from all sides are restless in anticipation. Your strength should improve as well; otherwise, to ensure Huaxia’s stability, relying solely on your current power will be insufficient," Elder Shi said, his expression suddenly becoming grave.

"It’s difficult. Although that step is within reach, I’ve spent ten years without any progress. I don’t know till when I need to wait to break through. However, aren’t there still those old guys from the Tian Group? With them around, Huaxia should not have any problems," the middle-aged man stated.

Elder Shi’s eyes revealed a hint of disdain, "The Tian Group has developed for so long, and to the present state, most of these people have forgotten about the nation, focused only on their personal desires."

"Otherwise, why would there be titles with such implications as the ’Crown Prince’ emerging? All these are deliberately crafted by those old men. Relying on them to stabilize Huaxia is pointless. With your talent and comprehension, I believe breaking through that step won’t be too difficult."

"Hmm, I will endeavor," the middle-aged man nodded in agreement.

Inside the Special Security Bureau base, a handsome and extraordinary young man, wearing a blue trench coat with an elegant demeanor, appeared onsite. His hands tucked in his pockets, his eyes scanned around dismissively at the bureau members before shaking his head slightly.

"Feng Ying, what brings you here?"

At this moment, the voice of Zhao Gang, the director of the Special Security Bureau, was heard as he walked toward this location.

"Director, long time no see! I just ended my seclusion and thought I’d drop by for a visit, considering I once spent time here,"

The youth looked at Zhao Gang and spoke very calmly, then added, "But having not returned for such a long time, I hadn’t expected that the members of the Special Security Bureau would actually become weaker and weaker. Even you, the Director, seem to have made little progress in strength!"

Upon hearing the youth’s words, especially the last sentence, Zhao Gang’s face turned extremely red with embarrassment, at a loss for how to respond.

"I used to take pride in being a part of the Special Security Bureau, but now it seems that my initial thoughts were indeed quite laughable," the youth chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"You have no right to insult the Special Security Bureau!"

A cold voice suddenly interrupted, and Leng Ruobing’s figure walked over, her face icy as she looked at the youth.

"Wow, what a stunning ice beauty we have here. Director, who might this lady be?" The youth glimpsed Leng Ruobing with amazement in his eyes, involuntarily asking Zhao Gang.

"Oh, Feng Ying, this is Leng Ruobing, the deputy director of the Special Security Bureau’s Earth Group; Ruobing, this is Feng Ying from the Tian Group, who used to be a member of the Earth Group," Zhao Gang introduced them, looking at both.

"So, you’re Leng Ruobing? Director, you mentioned before that there was to be an internal selection competition within the Special Security Bureau to pick three new members from the Earth Group and Tian Group to join the Qing List Competition. One of the two people you recommended from the Earth Group seems to be this lady, right?" Feng Ying scanned Leng Ruobing with a strange expression on his face.

"That’s correct," Zhao Gang replied with an awkward nod.

"Haha! Director, are you joking? Miss Leng may be quite attractive, but her current strength seems to be only at the Innate Realm, not even reaching the Half-Saint Realm. Do you think she has the qualifications to participate in the Qing List Competition with such strength? If she were to go, the Special Security Bureau would likely lose all face," Feng Ying said with a sneer.

"Whether I’m qualified or not is not for you to decide. You’ll naturally find out during the selection competition," Leng Ruobing retorted coldly.

"Feisty! But with less than a month left until the selection competition, I’m quite eager to see someone break through from the Innate Realm to the Saint Realm in such a short time," he said.

"Of course, if Miss Leng can’t participate in the Qing List Competition, that’s fine too. If you’re willing to become my woman, I could take you there to broaden your horizons, I guarantee it will be an eye-opening experience," Feng Ying’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Leng Ruobing, a frivolous smile on his lips.

"No need!" Leng Ruobing replied coldly, turning to leave.

"Interesting! I like it!" Feng Ying chuckled with amusement, while Zhao Gang gave Feng Ying a side glance, shook his head, and walked away.

After leaving Elder Shi’s courtyard, Ye Luo went to Qin Group, which once again bustled with vitality, and Qin Yuru dedicated herself to work.

"You’re pregnant now, you shouldn’t work too often, it’s not good for the baby. You should rest more," Ye Luo advised as he came into Qin Yuru’s office and took the documents from her hands.

"Qin Group has just recovered, there are a mountain of things waiting for me to deal with, how can I rest? Besides, it’s been less than three months, it won’t cause any harm," Qin Yuru replied hastily.

"No matter what, you must rest well. I’ll have Mei Zi stay by your side, just in case anything happens. By the way, has there been any movement from the Ji Family?"