Mu En looked at Jing Hongchen. A sharp glint suddenly flashed through his cloudy eyes as he spoke slowly, his voice calm yet exploding beside Jing Hongchen's ears like thunder. "Come to think of it, I did visit Mingde Hall some years ago."
"Y-You visited Mingde Hall?!" Jing Hongchen shot to his feet from the stone stool, the composure on his face instantly shattering and giving way to utter shock and disbelief.
He staggered half a step back, nearly knocking over the teacup beside him. His pupils constricted slightly from excessive surprise.
What kind of place was Mingde Hall? It was the Sun Moon Empire's core secret, the holy land of Soul Tool technology. Its defenses were so tight that not even a fly could get in. Forget outsiders—even members of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family could not enter its core areas without his permission.
Mu En, Shrek's unshakable pillar, had actually been to Mingde Hall? And "some years ago"? How could he possibly not have known?!
Elder Xuan was stunned as well. He turned to look at Mu En, his eyes full of astonishment—Mu En had never mentioned this to him.
Jing Hongchen steadied himself and forcibly suppressed the storm raging in his heart. His attitude became more than ten times more respectful than before, even carrying a trace of reverence. "Senior... when did you go there? This junior knew absolutely nothing of it."
Only now did he understand that the elderly man before him, who appeared to be at death's door, was likely far more unfathomable than he had imagined. To infiltrate Mingde Hall without a sound and escape detection—such strength was simply terrifying.
Mu En waved a hand, signaling for him to sit, his tone as calm as ever. "It happened many years ago. It is