The woman also noticed her son's reluctance. She chuckled lightly and continued, "The Demon Martial Academy. In our city, it’s considered top-notch. Not only does it boast strong faculty, but the facilities are also comprehensive. Your father and I are very fond of this academy. We don't expect you to excel there; as long as you behave yourself, we will be content!"

Wayne continued to pout. Though extremely unwilling, he dared not argue. He was terribly afraid of his mother.

The woman took Wayne's silence as assent and added, "Tomorrow, I'll take you to see the academy so you can familiarize yourself with the environment!"

Afterward, the woman gave her son a few more instructions. Just as Wayne was preparing to take his leave, a loud noise drew the attention of both of them!

"Boom!"

It sounded like something large collapsing, and it wasn't far away.

"What happened?" the woman murmured.

Not long after, a servant rushed in with a panicked expression: "Report, Madam, this is bad! Someone is forcing their way into the City Lord's residence!"

"What?" The woman and Wayne were startled simultaneously.

"How many people are there?" The woman, evidently someone experienced, quickly regained her composure.

"Only three!" The servant's voice trembled slightly; he was clearly quite frightened.

"Only three?" The lady's expression froze; the tension in her heart immediately eased by half. After a slight pause, she instructed, "Apprehend them first, and await the Master's return for questioning."

"Ma'am—Madam, those three people are incredibly formidable. They've already broken through and will be here momentarily! Please take shelter first." The servant's voice was urgent.

Within the City Lord's Residence, the woman treated her servants exceptionally well, to the point that her prestige was almost equal to that of the City Lord—her husband.

"Who are they? Can’t even three people be held back?" The woman frowned slightly. She knew her manor housed many experts; ordinary people wouldn't even manage to cause a disturbance at the gate without being apprehended immediately.

"It's one youth and two children. We don't know who they are!"

"A youth and two children?" The woman was even more astonished, looking at the servant with utter confusion.

At that very moment, before the servant could say another word, shouting was growing progressively nearer.

"Stop them! Do not let them advance further inside!"

"Quick! Send for reinforcements!"

"Everyone maintain formation! Do not break ranks!"

The clamor became increasingly distinct, clearly indicating they were very close now.

"Madam..." The servant urged again, but his words cut off abruptly because the three intruders had already appeared at the entrance of the small courtyard.

Surely, I don't need to explicitly state that these three were Zhong Shenxiu, Robin, and Reese!

The servant stared blankly at the doorway, or more accurately, at the three figures who made his blood run cold.

He had just witnessed that level of monstrous destructive power firsthand! What he couldn't believe was how, moments ago, the shouting had been distant, yet now, in the blink of an eye, they were here. Had the experts in the residence failed to even slow them down?

At this point, the woman and Wayne could clearly see the trio standing at the door.

"Are they truly two children?" Though her eyes confirmed it, the woman still found it astonishing.

Wayne, meanwhile, was thinking: Isn't that the bumpkin I beat up this afternoon? Why is he here?

"Is that the one?" Zhong Shenxiu looked at Reese while his eyes were fixed on Wayne.

"It's him!" Reese glared straight at Wayne. If Zhong Shenxiu hadn't been beside him, giving him pause, he would have rushed forward to fight Wayne again!

Zhong Shenxiu asked no more questions and stepped in first. Robin followed closely behind, looking eager to engage.

Reese was quite subdued, trailing after the two. His task here was complete: identifying who had beaten him. What happened next was none of his concern!

"Who are you, and what business do you have in my residence?" the woman inquired, scrutinizing the three of them from head to toe. She simply couldn't discern anything formidable about them. She truly wondered why the many experts in her household couldn't stop these three—had they become too complacent?

"Do you call the shots here?" Zhong Shenxiu asked the woman with a faint smile. Those familiar with him knew that his smile held an underlying meaning.

The woman looked at Zhong Shenxiu, stunned. She had intended her question for Reese, as he appeared the eldest. She never expected the youngest boy to be the one to speak.

"For the time being, I do," the woman replied, nodding despite her inner curiosity.

"Is he your son?" Zhong Shenxiu suddenly asked, pointing a finger at the bewildered Wayne.

In truth, the moment Zhong Shenxiu entered, he already knew Wayne was the woman's son. The reason he asked was purely for the negotiation ahead!

The woman's expression faltered; she couldn't quite follow Zhong Shenxiu's train of thought, puzzled why her son was being dragged into this suddenly.

Though confused, she nodded, "That is correct! What exactly is your objective?"

Zhong Shenxiu smiled again, utterly calmly, "We've come to settle accounts with your son."

As soon as these words left his mouth, the woman and Wayne both froze.

The woman turned to glance at her son, then fixed her gaze back on Zhong Shenxiu, asking, "Settle accounts over what with my son?"

Zhong Shenxiu was in no hurry to explain. Instead, he walked over to a stone table and sat down, his demeanor suggesting: I am here to collect a debt; be wise and attend to me promptly!

The woman’s brow furrowed. If not for the fact that the intruders were children, she would have personally seized them. It should be noted that she was a mage of considerable power, originally from the Summer Star Empire, who had married into this place.

"Your son injured my associate and took something valuable. How do you propose we settle this?" Zhong Shenxiu observed the woman leisurely.

It was clear that Zhong Shenxiu hadn't just come to settle a score; he was also enjoying the process. Otherwise, with his strength, leveling the entire estate would have been a matter of raising his hand!

"You—you're talking nonsense!" Wayne panicked as he saw the shifting look in his mother's eyes.

Although his mother appeared gentle on the surface, when enraged, she could truly be described as a 'she-devil'! Wayne had been raised under her shadow and held an ineffable awe for her.

Precisely because of this, although he bullied others outside, he never dared to go too far, usually just beating them up without causing death!

Of course, it was also fortunate for him that he acted this way. Had he crippled or killed Reese, Zhong Shenxiu would not be adopting this attitude now!

"Mother, don't listen to him," Wayne urged, seeing the questioning light flicker in his mother's eyes.

He never imagined that someone he had bullied could track him down to his own home. Usually, those people would swallow their pride upon learning his identity. Even if they wanted to seek justice, the gates of the City Lord's Residence were not so easily breached!

The woman shot Wayne a glare, her expression clearly communicating: I will settle with you later!

Turning back, just as she was about to speak to the trio, Zhong Shenxiu preempted her.

Zhong Shenxiu asked Wayne calmly, "Boy, where did you get that jade pendant from on your waist?"

Hearing this, Wayne’s heart jolted violently, but he tried to quibble, "Th-this, I bought it!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Zhong Shenxiu’s expression shifted. Robin, seemingly understanding his leader's intent, lightly raised a small hand, and Wayne’s entire body was instantly pulled over.

Wayne hadn't even registered what was happening before he found himself directly in front of Robin and the other two.

He stared wide-eyed, looking utterly confused, as if asking: What just happened?

It wasn't just him who was dumbfounded; even his mother was frozen like a statue!

Clearly, the woman was struck speechless by Robin’s display of power! After all, she had only ever seen people blasted away, never drawn toward someone like this—it was utterly inconceivable!

As for the servant, he was virtually negligible; he had been too stunned to function since the moment Zhong Shenxiu and the others entered.

"Say that again, where did this jade pendant come from?" Zhong Shenxiu extended a hand, and the jade pendant, which had been hanging at Wayne’s waist, flew into Zhong Shenxiu’s palm.

This move again caused Wayne and his mother to freeze.

"B-bought it!" This time, Wayne clearly lacked his previous confidence.

"Bang!" A loud crash echoed.

No one expected that the moment Wayne finished speaking, his body would be sent flying backward, smashing straight into the wall. The immense impact force, though not enough to collapse the wall, left several deep cracks marring its surface!

A mouthful of blood escaped Wayne’s lips.

This sudden development had caught everyone off guard. No one anticipated that Robin would strike so swiftly, without the slightest warning!

"Son!" the woman cried out, finally snapping back to reality. She was about to rush over to check her son’s injuries, but Robin was faster than her.

Robin’s small hand reached out again, and Wayne’s body was pulled toward him once more. However, Wayne was not as fortunate this time; Robin’s grip was now firm around his neck.

Robin looked placidly at the woman, his gaze conveying: Do not make any rash moves, or I won't be polite!

The woman stared piteously at her son in Robin's grasp, her expression pleading: Please, show mercy, he is my only child!

The atmosphere instantly became suffocatingly tense!

It was then that Zhong Shenxiu’s voice cut through the silence: "Where did this jade pendant come from?"