Rebellious Minister and Traitor

Based on the Immortal Seed roster from recent years, Duke Dingguo felt that Ning Sujin had a low chance of becoming an Immortal Seed in ten years.

As for Li Ji'an, there was even less hope.

Therefore, he was considering matters for the next generation, looking further ahead.

Ning Sujin was, after all, a daughter. If she couldn't become an Immortal Seed in this life, her contribution to his family would only be to bear children.

Under normal circumstances, she would be used as a bargaining chip to marry into another meritorious family or Martial Family, in exchange for his son marrying a woman with exceptional talent to accumulate good bloodlines for the next generation.

But Ning Sujin's talent made him truly reluctant to part with her.

Moreover, his three sons currently lacked any remarkable talent, so even marrying an Immortal Seed might not result in descendants who could become Immortal Seeds.

Now that Li Ji'an, a noble son from a humble background with no one to rely on, had appeared, there was an additional possibility of taking him in as a son-in-law.

"I... I'm meddling?" Ning Yutan's eyes widened, and she suddenly seemed to guess her father's thoughts.

"Alright, alright, Tan'er, be good. You're about to be taken to the Immortal Realm by an Immortal Master, so don't bother with these trivial matters of the mortal world. Cultivate diligently," Duke Dingguo said gently, trying to comfort her.

Ning Yutan instantly burst into tears, feeling a profound sense of failure.

She even felt that Ning Sujin teaching her movement techniques was all a ploy to take advantage of her!

"Reporting!"

Just as she was preparing to employ her usual, foolproof tactic of crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself, an urgent voice sounded from outside the carriage.

"Speak," Duke Dingguo also withdrew his hand, which had been about to continue comforting Ning Yutan.

"Reporting, my lord, the scouts dispatched at Chen Shi have not yet returned."

"Issue my order: the convoy will halt and rest in place. Dispatch three more teams of scouts to investigate and report back," Duke Dingguo ordered decisively, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Understood!"

"Tan'er, do not leave this tent," Duke Dingguo said sternly, his Vital Energy and Blood surging, exuding an imposing aura.

Ning Yutan realized the seriousness of the situation and stopped causing trouble, nodding quickly.

Not long after, Li Ji'an, who had just returned to his own carriage, raised an eyebrow.

He lifted the beaded curtain and looked at the soldiers surrounding them, their faces grim and vigilant as they scanned their surroundings.

Something had happened!

Although Ning Sujin told him every day that the journey was safe, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

After all, anyone daring enough to attack Duke Dingguo's convoy would possess considerable strength.

He had analyzed this with Ning Sujin before: of the ten Immortal Seeds this year, six were from the Imperial City, making their selection almost certain. Among the remaining four, Ning Yutan was the descendant of a Marquis, a month's journey from the Imperial City.

Secondly, there was a descendant from the Wang Family, a Qi and Blood Grandmaster family in Qingzhou, half a month's journey from the Imperial City.

Thirdly, a descendant of Prince Yun in Yunzhou, a two-month journey from the Imperial City.

Fourthly, the son of the Prefect of Qiongzhou, a three-month journey from the Imperial City.

Among these four, the son of the Prefect of Qiongzhou was the most dangerous, the most likely target for those with ulterior motives.

The other three were not simple either.

The Wang Family had an ancestor who was a Grandmaster with Vital Energy like a dragon, ranking in the top thirty of the Grandmaster Ranking, and their journey was the shortest.

Prince Yun's mansion was filled with experts, and they were protected by the secret guards under the Great Ancestor.

Relatively speaking, Marquis Dingyuan's mansion was slightly weaker. Marquis Dingyuan had just entered the Qi and Blood realm, making him one of the weakest among Grandmasters. However, it was rumored that the Marquis's mansion housed a close friend of an old Marquis, who, though unidentified, was said to have once been on the Grandmaster Ranking.

Glancing at the large four-horse carriage about a hundred paces away, Li Ji'an felt a little relieved.

The target would be clear: it would be for the Immortal Seed. Ning Yutan, the youngest but with the most vigorous Vital Energy, could not escape the perception of a Qi and Blood Grandmaster even in disguise, so she would be the primary target.

His own carriage should be safe.

"No need to panic. We will pass through a fallen horse path twenty miles ahead. Scouts were dispatched last night, and they have not returned. I have already sent people to investigate again. Even if there are truly bandits, their ambush has likely been discovered, and they will most likely retreat," Duke Dingguo explained to the escort official from the Immortal Seeking Palace.

"Hmph! Are there really audacious villains who want to rebel against heaven?" the escort official from the Immortal Seeking Palace said indignantly.

"Perhaps it's a misunderstanding, haha, calm yourself. Come, bring out wine and meat," Duke Dingguo chuckled and invited the escort official into the temporary military tent for drinks.

"If there are truly any villains with such intentions, they shouldn't be scared away. I want to see who is so audacious as to ruin the Immortal Master's great undertaking! Who dares to delay His Majesty's immortal destiny! How many heads do they have?" the escort official grumbled as he entered the tent.

Li Ji'an was watching from afar when he saw Ning Sujin also peek out. Without thinking, he re-entered Ning Sujin's carriage.

"Sister Jin, how is it? Can you predict good or bad fortune based on the surrounding soldiers?"

Ning Sujin's gaze instinctively flickered, and she hesitated to meet Li Ji'an's eyes, merely shaking her head slightly.

After a two-second pause, she regained her composure: "I can only sense good or bad fortune when I focus on the other person. The closer the relationship, the clearer and more accurate the sensing, and the further into the future it can reach. Also, if I sense proactively, I get dizzy and groggy after each sensing, and frequent sensing causes a stinging pain, consuming mental energy."

"..." Li Ji'an was speechless.

No wonder she would frown subconsciously every day when he asked her to sense his fortune.

So that was it.

The closer the relationship, the more accurate the sensing? And further into the future?

"Sister Jin, why... why don't you take care of yourself? With such a cost, why didn't you say anything? Do you know how guilty I feel right now?"

In a romantic relationship, turning the tables on your partner and using criticism instead of apologies to appease them is more conducive to establishing a harmonious and equal future relationship.

Ning Sujin, whose heart had just recovered from its initial shyness, felt a bit dizzy again.

She looked at Li Ji'an's sincere expression, but couldn't help but think to herself, "Isn't it just because you're afraid of dying that you make me sense things for you every day?"

"I..."

"You're truly wrong this time. If I had known in advance that this action would make you uncomfortable, I would never have done it," Li Ji'an said, not giving her a chance to react.

Ning Sujin's mind was subconsciously led astray, and she instinctively replied, "This... Yes, it was my fault... I'm sorry."

"Never mind, just remember, you absolutely cannot do this again in the future." Li Ji'an smiled gently.

Step one of obedience training complete!

Ning Sujin frowned, feeling that something was not right.

But Li Ji'an didn't give her time to think deeply and immediately changed the subject, "Sister Jin, you said that actively sensing has a price. Then, what about passively sensing?"

"That idiot was passively sensing this time. Passive sensing has no cost, but it's also related to the closeness of the relationship. The closer you are, the earlier and clearer the passive sensing will be. Conversely, you'll only sense it when there's great danger or disaster is imminent," Ning Sujin explained.

"So that's how it is!" Li Ji'an nodded slowly, his resolve strengthening.

BOOM~

Just then, a loud explosion sounded without warning not far away.

"Enemy attack!" The surrounding soldiers and guards immediately shouted a warning and took up defensive positions at once.

"Hmph! Traitorous rebels, I've been waiting for you!" At this moment, two figures appeared where the explosion had just occurred