Shen Hong swept his gaze across the hall. Seeing that no one else spoke, he finally fixed his eyes on Shen Fei, who sat at the very end.
He frowned, his tone carrying a measure of scrutiny and displeasure. "Shen Fei." Shen Fei immediately stood and lowered his head slightly. "Father." "You were certainly eager to defend the city this time."
Shen Hong's voice turned cold. "If I remember correctly, when that Black Gold Rank Demon Beast broke through the formation at the western city wall, Huyan Lie couldn't hold it off. You stepped in to help him, and only then did you kill it together? Huyan Ming asked for your help, and you dared involve yourself in the city's defense without permission?"
Shen Fei replied evenly, neither flustered nor hurried. "Father, Huyan Ming and I are on friendly terms at the academy. Yesterday, the beast tide's assault was fierce. His father, Lord Huyan Lie, was locked in combat with a Black Gold Rank Demon Beast and was about to falter when I happened upon them. I thought we were all defending the city, so I lent him a hand."
He made it sound trivial, never mentioning that he had held the Demon Beast back at the cost of more than half his Spiritual Power. He merely described it as lending a hand in passing. Even so, intervening without permission in another family's defensive battle counted as overstepping under the family rules.
"Insolence!" Shen Hong slammed his palm against the edge of the table, his voice suddenly rising, his anger undisguised. "This is sheer nonsense! Do you think this is a children's game of house? The family has its rules. Our dealings with outsiders, our advances and retreats, our stance on war and defense-all follow established procedures. Do you have