The young master gasped for breath, his legs burning as he ran harder, the girl’s weight making it even tougher. He looked back—too close!

"Kid! Stop right there!" The man's voice sliced through the air.

This is bad! I didn’t know one of them saw me, I can't let them catch me!

He veered off the main path, desperately seeking a way to lose his pursuer. But no matter how fast he ran, the man stayed right on his tail, perfectly mirroring every twist and turn.

The man flicked his wrist, launching a blade at Xu Hanyu that zipped by like lightning. The next blade came even faster, forcing him to dodge again. Each move felt like it could be his last.

Xu Hanyu stumbled a little bit and cursed under his breath as he found himself in an eerie, fog-filled area he didn’t recognize. The air felt thick with an unnatural heaviness, and the ground beneath him seemed to shift as if it were alive.

At the same time, the pursuer sensed that something was off in the wilderness, yet he pressed on in pursuit of the boy. Suddenly, a soft growl reached his ears, causing him to halt and scan his surroundings rapidly.

The man chasing him stopped, squinting as he looked for the sound. Then, something huge jumped out of the darkness, its claws grabbing one of the men and pulling him away with a scary scream.

“What the hell—” the second man cursed, but before he could finish, “Rrraaaahhh!”another ear-splitting growl erupted. At the same time, the two other men had just arrived, and they watched in horror as their other man was torn from view.

Meanwhile, Xu Hanyu froze. What was that?

He turned just in time to see the remaining two men in the spot.

No way out…

"What was that?!" one of the new arrivals hissed, eyes wide with fear.

“There’s no time to ask! Go get the boy!” the leader snapped.

Xu Hanyu’s chest tightened. He had to keep running, but his legs felt like lead.

The two men chased after him, one emitting a heavy aura due to his realm—the man in the Da Sheng. Each step felt heavier with them closing in.

Then, just as hope faded, Xu Hanyu skidded to a stop. Ahead was a cliff, sealing his escape.

A dead end!

"You have no escape, young man. If I were you, I'd give up the girl," the leader taunted.

Damn it! My back is getting hurt. I have no choice—! He thought.

Xu Hanyu gritted his teeth. "Not a chance!" He tightened his grip on the girl and jumped off the cliff.

As the wind rushed around them, Xu Hanyu adjusted her position in his arms.

Meanwhile, at the cliff.

"NO!" The leader rushed to the edge, rage on his face. He peered into the thick fog below. "They fell… curse it!"

The other man hesitated. "What do we do now? Look for them?"

"Not necessary," the leader replied. He stood up and took a deep breath as he squinted at the swirling void. "This cliff seems very deep. They’re likely dead by now."

…

Xu Lian struggled to reach Xu Hanyu, facing the other man who was ordered to stop her with only her bare hands. Their rapid strikes sent vibrations through the air, but she was tiring. Blood dripped from her lip as she wondered how long they had been fighting.

Suddenly, voices called from above, commanding her opponent. “Return to the Sect!” Without hesitation, he leaped away, leaving her in confusion.

"A Sect?" she whispered, wiping the blood away.

"That explains their strength... but why chase a lady?"

Then she urgently said, "It's dark... I need to find Hanyu'er."

…

"Hanyu'er! Are you there?!" Her voice echoed through the mountain, but no answer came. Minutes ticked by, her heart sinking with each empty step.

Finally, she stopped, fists clenched. I shouldn't have brought him here... I've lost him. If I don’t find Hanyu’er, I won’t be able to forgive myself—!

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I have no choice. I must go back and tell the Elders.

Her decision was final.

…

The reception hall was filled with tension, the Elders of the Xu Clan standing in heavy silence. Worry clouded their expressions as they grappled with the disappearance of Xu Lian and Xu Hanyu.

Meanwhile Elder Xu Bai, unable to contain his agitation any longer, snapped.

"Have you found Xu Hanyu and Xu Lian yet?!"

One clan member, bowing low, spoke nervously. "Elder Xu Bai, we searched with all our might... but... w-we could not find them."

A harsh scoff escaped Elder Xu Bai's lips. His voice thundered as his temper barely contained. "Then search again! No excuses! I want them found, now!"

He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, but he couldn’t help it.

With that, Elder Xu Ting placed a hand on Elder Xu Jia's shoulder, offering calm comfort, though the tension in the air remained thick. "Elder Xu Bai," he said quietly, "Try to stay calm. We must think clearly if we are to find them."

"How can I remain calm?" Elder Xu Bai's voice was tight with frustration. "Xu Hanyu was entrusted to us, and now he's missing. How are we going to face Lord Xu when he arrives!? You know how protective Xu Dan is to Xu Hanyu that even us can't protest against it!"

Then Elder Xu Jia chimed in. "He's right. Xu Hanyu was entrusted to us, and now they're both gone—!"

Elder Xu Ting closed his eyes for a moment, sighing before speaking again. "I understand your worry, but we must remain calm and focused. Haste will only hinder our chances."

Despite his words, the two Elders remained restless, their concern growing with every passing moment.

Then, suddenly, a voice from outside broke the tension.

"Elders! Xu Lian is here!"

The Elders gasped as soon as they heard Xu Lian had arrived.

"Xu Lian..?!"

They saw her rush toward them, looking frantic.

"Elders!" Xu Lian called out urgently, then continued, "Please, I need your help–!" She bowed, closing her eyes.

"What happened? We've been looking for you everywhere, and Xu Hanyu. Did you take him out, Xu Lian?" Elder Xu Jia asked urgently.

"I…" Xu Lian froze, her hands trembling as she clenched them tightly, hesitating to say, "It's my fault…! I didn't take good care of my brother and I lost him outside..!"

"What?!" The three Elders gasped in unison.

"You lost him?" Elder Xu Bai's brow furrowed.

Xu Lian hung her head, guilt washing over her as she bit her trembling lips and she couldn’t meet their eyes straightly.

Just thinking about Xu Hanyu's disappearance, they couldn’t believe that this would happen unexpectedly.

Finally, Elder Xu Ting raised his hand, "Alright, calm yourselves. We need to hear her out. This is a critical situation."

With that, Elder Xu Jia and Elder Xu Bai sighed, shaking their heads in exasperation as they composed themselves.

Observing Xu Lian, Elder Xu Ting noticed small bruises in her hand but he chose not to mention.

"Tell us what happened. And answer honestly—did you take Xu Hanyu out?" Elder Xu Ting asked firmly.

Then a silence.

Slowly, Xu Lian nodded, still staring at the floor, her shoulders trembling under the weight of their scrutiny. With her response, the other two Elders shut their eyes in shock and rubbed their foreheads in frustration as Elder Xu Ting took a deep breath..

"Why did you do that, Xu Lian? You're aware that your father does not let Xu Hanyu go outside the residence, right?" Elder Xu Ting continued.

Xu Lian slightly nodded.

"Tell us what happened exactly when you were out. How did you lose him?"

She hesitated again, unsure whether to tell the truth or lie about going to the mountain.

What should I do? If I tell them the truth about the girl we just rescued, then they will get mad further knowing that we interfered into a fight…

"I- I.. lost him at the market…" That was a lie.

With that, Xu Lian closed her eyes.

"If it's in the market, then we should be able to find him," Elder Xu Jia said.

Then Elder Xu Bai stood up, still panicking, "What are we waiting for!? Let's go to the market and find him!"

With that, the Elder Xu Bai and Elder Xu Jia quickly walked out of the hall and gathered men to go with them to find Xu Hanyu, leaving only Xu Lian and Elder Xu Ting behind.

Seeing the actions of the two Elders, Elder Xu Ting couldn't help but sigh once more. He noticed that Xu Lian was acting strange. Sensing that something was wrong and that she was lying.

"Now that they're gone, tell me what exactly happened..?"

Realizing that Elder Xu Ting knew something happened, her eyes widened. She was contemplating what decision to make.

"I…" She couldn't do it.

She went silent again as she had a war inside her.

"It's alright, no need to tell me. But I will send a letter to your father, this matter is too important for him to know.”

"I understood.."

With that, Elder Xu Ting shook his head slowly.

"You can go back to your room now, and if you have a bruise, get that treated . We will find him as soon as possible…" he said reassuringly and stood up.

He slowly walked toward the entranc, passing Xu Lian.

"Thank you, Elder…"

…

The Elders became more anxious as they scoured Tai Hua City, inquiring about Xu Hanyu.

"Excuse me, have you seen a fifteen-year-old boy with a mark on his left hands?" one clan member asked a passerby, who simply shook his head.

Others searched everywhere, calling out his name.

"Xu Hanyu!" one shouted.

"Xu Hanyu! Where are you?" another echoed.

Their search drew the attention of nearby onlookers, who watched with growing interest.

By midnight, the Elders had combed through the entire city but found no sign of Xu Hanyu. Elder Xu Bai's face showed tension as he realized they had no information on the young master's location.

"Did you find any clues?" Elder Xu Jia inquired.