Chapter 4653: Envy Fortunately, the Emperor still held his empire in high regard and didn’t allow mere beauty to cloud his judgment entirely. Otherwise, they would have been utterly at a loss on how to navigate such a delicate situation. “Let’s return to the banquet hall first!” Pan’s father suggested, gesturing for Pan Hong to lead the way. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶 Pan Hong nodded and propelled his wheelchair forward. Pan’s father, walking beside him, refrained from assisting, respecting his son’s independence. “Our Pan family is truly blessed,” he mused. “I never anticipated Hao’er’s mother would come in person.” “Yes, I also didn’t expect their return,” Pan Hong agreed. In his mind, when the three children had departed previously, they had bestowed upon the Pan family valuable treasures and done them significant favors. Any perceived debt of gratitude, in his view, had long been repaid. Moreover, the Pan family had done little for the children in return, aside from offering them temporary shelter when they were stranded. This time, their arrival was different. Everyone in the Pan family understood that their guests had not concealed their divine status upon entering the imperial city. Their presence in the Pan residence now bestowed immense honor upon them. From this day forward, it would be widely known that the Pan family had a connection to Immortials, and no one would dare to look down on them. This held true regardless of their official standing in the court; even if they were commoners, such an association would elevate their status immeasurably. Upon reaching the main table, the other members of the family and the children also arrived. The two men approached Feng Jiu’s side, and Pan’s father said apologetically, “Madam, I am truly sorry for…” Feng Jiu raised a hand, cutting him off gently. “Never mind, there is no need to dwell on it. Our stay here will be brief. Our primary purpose is to heal the eldest young master’s legs. Please, take your seats!” Seeing her graciousness, the two men acknowledged her words and sat down at the table. Perhaps it was the undeniable presence of immortals among them, or perhaps it was the innate aura of authority that emanated from Feng Jiu and her companions, but the Pan family members were noticeably more reserved than before. The children, however, were much more at ease at the table, especially Boqing, who was overjoyed to be reunited with his little friends. The Pan family accompanied Feng Jiu and the others, engaging in polite conversation and sharing drinks until the late hours of the night before finally retiring to their respective courtyards to rest. Despite the lateness of the hour, Seventeen, who had returned with Feng Jiu and the others, did not seek rest. Instead, he gathered with his former shadow guard comrades. “Seventeen, I never imagined you would become an Immortal! You are truly blessed,” one of them exclaimed. “Yes! It never crossed my mind that one day you would achieve such a feat! We are all incredibly envious.” Another chimed in. “Seventeen, tell us about the world of immortals! What wonders await that we have never seen? Do immortals truly fly through the sky? Can you fly now, Seventeen?” The shadow guards eagerly surrounded Seventeen, peppering him with questions filled with envy and curiosity. Among their ranks, Seventeen was the only one who had left their service. It had been the Second Young Master who had dispatched him to accompany Young Master Hao and the others, instructing him to follow their lead. Little did he know that this departure would lead him down a path to immortality. Seventeen had originally been the Second Young Master’s personal shadow guard, a position of considerable trust and skill. Later, he had been assigned to care for three seemingly ordinary children. At the time, none of them knew the true identities of these children. They had only perceived it as a waste of Seventeen’s exceptional talents, assigning one of their top three bodyguards to protect mere children. However, what they had failed to anticipate was the immense influence of these three children and the extraordinary opportunity they would inadvertently provide Seventeen – a chance at immortality, something they themselves could never hope to achieve in countless lifetimes, yet it had fallen into Seventeen’s lap so unexpectedly.