Chi Xuan Mainland, Spring Cloud City, Tang Family Great Hall
"The Eldest Miss has lost her cultivation base. In her situation, how will she take over the Tang Family Secret Guards or become the Matriarch of the Tang family?" An elder seated on the left side of the head's positions sighed. He looked at the Family Head seated at the head of the table and said, "Family Head, even if we fight with our old bones to support Eldest Miss as the Matriarch, the Tang Family Secret Guards may not submit to her!"
On the right side, a little further ahead in line, a middle-aged man's eyes were twinkling at the ongoing conversation. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Big Brother, for the sake of the Tang family, I feel that we should re-elect a candidate for the position of the Matriarch as soon as possible. As for Ning'er, to put it bluntly, she is already 14 years old, and ever since she lost her cultivation base a month ago, she has been in a state of debilitation, keeping herself locked up in her room. I doubt there is much we can count on in the days to come."
"Exactly! It may be stipulated in the ancestral house rules that the first-born of the Family Head's main lineage shall inherit the position of Matriarch. But, the current condition of Eldest Miss…"
"Enough!"
A deep voice interrupted the middle-aged man's words. Seated in the position of the head at the table, Family Head Tang Xiao solemnly spoke to everyone, "I did not ask all of you to come today to discuss the re-election of a Matriarch candidate. You are here to discuss if there is any way to help Ning'er restore her cultivation base!"
When everyone heard the words of Family Head, they all fell silent and looked at each other.
Tang Xiao glanced at them. He then softened his tone and said, "I have heard of a venerable monk who resides in the Monastery of Consciousness on Mount Mushin. He has mastered superior strength, enabling him to do what normal men cannot. If we can seek him out, he might have a way to help us."
Tang Xiao stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and continued, "I have decided to take Ning'er along with me tomorrow to Mou…" Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the sounds of someone shouting in panic, coming from outside.
"Master, Eldest Miss is missing!"
Tang Xiao froze when he heard those words. When he recovered his senses, his legs were already moving forward in big and urgent strides out of the hall. He tightly clutched the arm of the servant girl who had relayed the news and was now being held by the hall guards. He spoke in a gruff voice. "What did you say!" he demanded.
The servant girl went pale with fright. She answered in a quivering voice, "Eldest Miss has gone missing, we couldn't find her anywhere…"
Tang Xiao flung the servant girl aside and took big strides towards Tang Ning's quarters. His heart was heavy with worry as he vaulted straight into her chambers.
"Ning'er! Ning'er!"
Tang Xiao shouted as he looked around. He did not see his daughter. Instead, he saw a chessboard on the table. Upon the chessboard, the black and white chess pieces were laid out to form the words: "Don't look for me".
His legs suddenly felt weak. He staggered a few steps back and fell into a chair, muttering to himself in a daze, "She has lost her cultivation base. Why would she leave on her own? Did something happen?"
Tang Xiao suddenly stood up and roared, "Guards! Search for Elder Miss! You are to bring her back to me, safe and sound!"
At the same time, on a mountain that is about two days' journey away from Spring Cloud City: A young girl was sitting in a small, black hut made of mud bricks. The girl was barefoot, her hair was disheveled, and her body ridden with injuries. She was crouched in a corner inside the hut, tightly hugging herself.
Her tears continuously flowed, as she gazed at the small part of skylight visible through the window on the roof. She muttered helplessly to herself, "Father, Father, Ning'er is scared, Ning'er is scared, Father, Father…"
"Hurry up and bring the two bags over. We'll pour in from here!"
The voices of the Shadow Mercs could be heard coming from the rooftop. The young girl trembled in fright, and she started to plead desperately: "Please let me go. If you let me go, I will ask my father to give you all the money and power you want…"
One by one, numerous rats, as big as a man's fist, started pouring in through the small window in the roof of the hut, squealing and scrambling around. The girl was terrified as she screamed for mercy.
"Ahhh! Father! Save me. Save me… "