"Can you do that?" Lu Yuze asked, tension evident in his voice.
"Yes." Yu Shou’s response was imdiate and confident. Before anyone could say more, her hands were already moving, fingers weaving through the air with practiced precision. The ancient words spilled from her lips in a rapid whisper, syllables that predated human language flowing together in a cascade of power.
The spell took re seconds. No elaborate preparation, no drawn-out ritual, just pure, efficient magic executed with the confidence of soone who’d perford it thousands of tis across countless lifetis. Her hands ca together in a decisive clap, and the concealnt field snapped into place with a sensation like pressure equalizing.
The change was imdiate. That constant hum of magical presence that had been radiating from both Shuyin and Yu Shou simply... vanished. To any external observer, they would now appear as nothing more than ordinary humans going about ordinary business. Their auras were wrapped, contained, invisible to all but the most powerful of magical detection.
"There," Yu Shou said with satisfaction, her jade eyes dimming slightly as the concealnt took effect. "Unless soone significantly stronger than attempts to pierce the veil, no one will be able to sense what we truly are."
This was exactly what Shuyin needed. After being attacked by that Leviathan spawn a few hours ago, after having her magical signature broadcast across the city like a beacon, the concealnt spell would finally give her so asure of protection. Those corrupted creatures that hunted magical beings, drawn to power like predators to blood, they would pass right by her now, sensing nothing.
Shuyin let out a long, exhausted sigh and leaned her head back against the leather seat, eyes sliding closed. The adrenaline that had been keeping her upright through impossible revelation after impossible revelation was finally deserting her. Finding her mother alive. Freeing Qiao. The jade stone was crashing through the window. Yu Shou’s transformation. The car chase. The assassination attempt. It was too much. Far too much for one night.
Lu Yuze glanced at her, taking in the exhaustion evident in every line of her body, and wisely said nothing. He’d learned long ago not to push when she looked like this, not to ask questions, not to demand explanations, not to force her to process more than she was ready to handle. Sotis silence was the greatest gift he could offer.
The sedan continued through the pre-dawn streets, the city still caught in that liminal space between night and morning. Most windows remained dark, only scattered lights marking where early risers or night workers kept their vigil. The world was quiet, peaceful, oblivious to the cosmic forces that had just collided across its streets.
They soon arrived at the Lin family mansion, the massive estate looming ahead in the darkness. The gates stood closed and imposing, but as Ting Fei approached, the night guards recognized the vehicle and moved to open it without challenge. The heavy iron gates swung inward with barely a sound, their well-oiled hinges a testant to the Lin family’s obsessive attention to detail.
The sedan glided through, tires crunching softly on the gravel drive as they made their way up to the main house. Ting Fei brought the car to a smooth stop in front of the entrance, killed the engine, and the sudden silence felt almost shocking after hours of constant motion.
The compound was dark and still, most of the mansion’s windows showing no light. The household had long since retired for the night, or what passed for night in these early morning hours. Only a few dim lights marked the entrances and pathways, just enough illumination to navigate safely.
Lu Yuze opened his door first, moving around to Shuyin’s side with quiet efficiency. When he opened her door, she didn’t stir. She’d fallen completely asleep in those last few minutes of the drive, exhaustion finally claiming her entirely. Her head was tilted at an awkward angle against the seat, her breathing deep and even.
Without hesitation, Lu Yuze slid one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her from the car with ease. She was lighter than she looked, her slender fra fitting naturally against his chest. Her head lolled against his shoulder, a small sound escaping her lips, but she didn’t wake.
Yu Shou erged from the back seat, her jade eyes scanning their surroundings with predatory alertness despite the late hour. She looked as fresh as if she’d just woken from a full night’s rest rather than having been born less than six hours ago. Whatever limitations mortal flesh imposed on others clearly didn’t apply to ancient guardian spirits.
Ting Fei stood by the car, waiting for instructions. Lu Yuze shifted Shuyin’s weight slightly, adjusting his grip to hold her more securely, and t his assistant’s gaze. "Ting Fei, make arrangents for her," he said quietly, nodding toward Yu Shou. "Find her a room where she can rest. I don’t have the authority to assign guest rooms in this house, so use your discretion." And Shuyin was sound asleep, he couldn’t wake her up for such a minor issue.
The unspoken understanding was clear. This wasn’t Lu Yuze’s mansion, it was Lin Feng’s. Lu Yuze and Shuyin were guests here, albeit ones with certain privileges given their marriage alliance. But assigning rooms to additional guests, especially one who’d appeared without warning or explanation, wasn’t sothing he could do without risking questions he didn’t want to answer.
Ting Fei nodded, understanding imdiately. "I believe the east wing has several prepared guest rooms that aren’t currently in use. I’ll see that Miss Yu Shou is settled there comfortably."
"The east wing?" Yu Shou’s eyebrow rose slightly. "That’s quite distant from where you’re staying, isn’t it?"
"About fifty ters," Ting Fei confird. "Too far for your concealnt field?"
"Just barely within range, but not ideal." Yu Shou considered for a mont, then shrugged. "It will have to do for tonight. Tomorrow.....
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