"Rubbish!" Chen suddenly snapped, throwing the thick pamphlet onto the polished floor.
None of it made any logical sense. It was just a collection of desperate make-believe theories designed to bleed away imperial resources without producing anything remotely fruitful. They were trying to build a bridge across a chasm they didn't even understand.
As the papers scattered, the sitting shadow of the old man brushed across Chen's peripheral vision.
The reaction was instantaneous. Without a single thought, a brutal, absolute instinct took over. A massive pillar of solid ice erupted from the floor, completely encasing the old man in a frozen tomb. Simultaneously, Chen blurred backward, instantly creating a safe distance between himself and the throne. His mana flared, ready to tear the room apart.
But his eyes widened in genuine shock as he watched the ice.
