Half an hour later.
A bewildered Mu Ningjiao returned from Mingzhu Academy.
In the guest reception room, she saw OHark.
"You are Mu Ningjiao?" OHark sized up Mu Ningjiao.
"I am. May I ask what you need me for?" Mu Ningjiao asked politely.
"Oh, I am the Hall Master of the Judgement Hall of Pathenon Temple. This time, I represent Pathenon Temple to recruit Jiang Yuan into the Temple, to become a glorious and sacred Temple Knight," OHark said, raising his chin slightly.
"Sir, the Jiang Yuan you are looking for is our China National Team Captain?" Mu Family Head asked.
"Who else could it be?" OHark said with displeasure, "Besides him, who else in China is qualified to enter the Temple and become a Knight? This is a great honor bestowed upon him. Tell me, where is he?"
"We don't know where he is either." Mu Family Head was a little confused; how could their Mu Family know where Jiang Yuan was?
It would be better to ask the National Government Mentor.
"You don't know? Don't you know either?" OHark turned to look at Mu Ningjiao.
"I don't know." Mu Ningjiao shook her head.
"I hope you are not lying to me." OHark frowned.
"How could we deceive you, Sir?" Mu Family Head finished, then said to Mu Ningjiao, "Mu Ningjiao, can you contact Jiang Yuan?"
"I'll try."
Mu Ningjiao took out her communicator, found Jiang Yuan's number on it, and dialed it, receiving a series of beeps.
She shook her head again, "No, his communicator is turned off."
"Sir, you can go find the China National Team Mentor; they might know where Jiang Yuan is," Mu Family Head said.
"You know where Jiang Yuan is."
At this moment, a Cloaked Man behind OHark spoke in a strange, slightly hoarse voice.
This was the first time OHark had heard them speak since they set off.
"Sir, we really don't know. Please go find someone else." Mu Family Head felt increasingly strange and immediately issued an order for them to leave.
The Cloaked Man said nothing, extended his right hand from under his clothes, and his figure flickered, lunging towards Mu Ningjiao. His speed was so fast that neither Mu Family Head nor Mu Ningjiao had time to react.
Just as he was about to grab Mu Ningjiao, OHark blocked the Cloaked Man.
"What are you doing?" OHark demanded.
"Executing the Hall Mother's mission, don't get in the way." The Cloaked Man paused, then bypassed OHark and continued to grab at Mu Ningjiao.
OHark didn't know what mission the Cloaked Man had, but his mission was to follow the Hall Mother's instructions: find Jiang Yuan and bring him back to be trained as a new generation of Temple Knights.
Pathenon Temple's influence in China was not high, and they had to constantly be aware of the possibility of sparking international disputes.
So OHark blocked the Cloaked Man again.
"If you continue to stand in my way, the position of Hall Master of the Judgement Hall will have to be replaced," the Cloaked Man said coldly, completely disregarding OHark's status as Hall Master.
OHark was stunned for a moment, then some things clicked in his mind.
He was originally just a Judgement Mage dispatched to Europe by the Judgement Hall, recalled by Pathenon Temple while on a mission.
He inexplicably became the new Hall Master of the Judgement Hall, and the Hall Mother even specifically blessed him. For this, he swore allegiance to the Hall Mother.
Now it seems...
"Understand?" The Cloaked Man patted OHark's shoulder and said, "The mission we received is the true mission. You just need to assist us."
...
After a moment of silence, OHark said, "Then you also need to know that this is China, and Parthenon does not have a high enough reputation here. What you are about to do will severely damage Parthenon's reputation and cause international disputes."
"That has nothing to do with you." The Cloaked Man shrugged and walked past OHark.
This time, OHark did not stop him, watching as the Cloaked Man's poisonous claw reached for Mu Ningjiao.
"What exactly do you want to do?!"
Mu Family Head suppressed his anger.
These Mages from Parthenon arrived with an arrogant demeanor, and now they wanted to take Mu Ningjiao right in front of him.
Too arrogant!
"Guards!"
With a command, the guards in the manor rushed over, surrounding OHark and the others.
The Cloaked Man stopped, his hidden face seemingly smiling.
He took out an invitation from his In arms: "Alright, alright, I came to deliver an invitation to you. Saintess Ye Xinxia is about to become our Parthenon Goddess, and we specially invite Miss Mu Ningjiao to attend the ceremony."
The atmosphere suddenly froze.
Mu Family Head was furious: "Do you think my Mu Family is easy to bully? All of you, get out of the Mu Family!"
Upon hearing this, the guards erupted with a powerful aura, pressing down on OHark and the others. However, this seemingly astonishing aura had no effect on the Super-Order Mages.
"Alright, since that's the case, we'll take our leave." The Cloaked Man turned and left, followed closely by the other cloaked Mages, with OHark bringing up the rear.
They arrived outside the manor.
"I thought you would disregard the consequences and abduct Mu Ningjiao. I didn't expect you to back down." OHark sneered.
"I changed my mind at the last minute. You're right, this is China." The Cloaked Man glanced at the Mu Family Manor's plaque, then at the surrounding cultural atmosphere, which was completely different from Europe.
"Since your mission is the true mission, I won't hinder your execution. I'm going back to my country," OHark said.
"I didn't tell you to leave." The Cloaked Man said indifferently.
"So what? No matter what, I am the Hall Master of the Judgement Hall. Only the Hall Mother can command me. I have not received an order to assist you with your mission, only an order for you to assist me," OHark said firmly.
He wanted to be the Hall Master of the Judgement Hall, but he didn't want to be a puppet Hall Master of the Judgement Hall.
The Cloaked Man looked at OHark without speaking.
Ultimately, he let OHark leave, and he continued to lead the other Mages to carry out their mission.
Since they couldn't be forceful in China, they would use the invitation to gather these people connected to Jiang Yuan at Pathenon Temple.
No one could refuse a world-class ceremony for the succession of a Goddess.
...
...
After OHark and the others left, Mu Family Head's brows remained tightly furrowed.
His gaze fell upon the invitation left on the ground.
He immediately ordered it to be opened.
Inside, it was indeed as the Cloaked Man had said, inviting Mu Ningjiao to attend Ye Xinxia's succession ceremony as Goddess.
"Tear it up." Mu Family Head commanded.
The Cloaked Man's tone just now was very off, clearly hostile. If Mu Ningjiao were to go, it would be a case of 'the mountains are high and the emperor is far away,' and Mu Ningjiao's safety could not be guaranteed.
The guard immediately obeyed and tore the invitation into dozens of pieces.
Only then did Mu Family Head relax.
That night.
Mu Ningjiao sat by the window, gazing up at the twinkling stars in the sky.
A gentle breeze blew in from outside the window, and she brushed the hair near her ear.
"I wonder what Jiang Yuan is doing; he's turned off his communicator again," Mu Ningjiao murmured to herself.