In a small, humble courtyard a mother and daughter were laughing happily as they gossiped about recent events when the gate opened.
"Father!" Xiao Fei called out excitedly as she jumped up on her feet and ran over to her father.
"Fei'er!" Xiao Feng called out affectionately and embraced his daughter. He stroked her hair as he looked over to his lovely wife with a warm smile.
Su Li picked up a carpet beater and said with fake anger: "So, you finally remembered you had a family waiting for you at home?"
She was used to her husband's hunting trips, however usually they only lasted 2-3 days, but this time he had been gone for over a week and she hadn't heard a word from him. She didn't know how many sleepless nights she had spent worrying about him.
Xiao Feng smiled nervously and quickly took shelter behind his daughter. "Fei'er, you must protect your father!"
Xiao Fei giggled happily at her parents and didn't mind playing along. "Don't worry father, I will protect you!"
"Oh, really?" Su Li said through gritted teeth and a fake smile. "Then I'll have to spank the both of you!"
"Father, run!" Xiao Fei called out while giggling and pulled her father along as she started running away from her mother.
Su Li chased her husband and daughter around the small courtyard, waving the carpet beater threateningly above her head.
Finally, after several laps, the three of them landed in a pile on the ground, gasping and laughing together.
Xiao Feng pulled his wife and daughter into his arms and kissed them.
"Look at what I've found." He said and pulled out a green plant from his lapels.
The green plant had purple flowers that were glowing.
Xiao Fei's eyes sparkled upon seeing the magical-looking plant. She had never seen anything like it before. "Father, what kind of flower is that? It's so magical!"
Xiao Feng smiled warmly at his daughter. "It's a spiritual plant called 'Purple Mountain Spirit Flower'. It is said it has great healing power and can even bring back people from the brink of death."
Su Li's face paled. "Quick, hide it! We must not let anyone know we have it!"
Xiao Fei looked at her mother in surprise. "Mother, what's wrong?"
Su Li watched her husband put the spiritual plant back underneath his lapels and sighed with relief. She looked at her daughter cupped her little, cute face with her hands and said: "Because it's very valuable and if people find out we have it we will be in a lot of trouble. So, Fei'er, remember to never mention this spiritual plant to anyone!"
Xiao Fei saw her mother's serious expression and nodded.
Meanwhile, not too far away, a black figure moved erratically through the clouds in the sky, leaving a trail of blood behind it.
Suddenly, it plunged toward the ground and disappeared into the forest just outside the little town.
The day passed and the little town was enshrouded by the night's veil.
Xiao Fei was sitting at the table, resting her small, adorable face in her palms as was watching her mother plant the spiritual plant in a large pot.
Su Li put a small spiritual stone in the bottom of the pot before she filled it with dirt. Then she dug out a small hole and planted the spiritual plant inside of it. When she was finished she carried the potted spiritual plant to a cupboard and put it inside.
She had just closed the door to the cupboard when there was a loud banging coming from the outside.
Xiao Feng who had been sitting outside sharpening his hunting knife frowned and stood up and walked over to the gate of their courtyard.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!"
He had just unhatched the gate when he was pushed back as the gate was slung open with a great force.
A squad of six soldiers rushed inside and immediately forced him to his knees as they put their swords across his neck.
"Don't move!" One of the soldiers threatened.
Su Li and Xiao Fei, who had just stepped out to investigate the banging sound, were immediately arrested too and brought over to kneel beside Xiao Feng.
A man dressed in luxurious embroidered robes walked leisurely into the courtyard and glanced at the three family members indifferently.
He only said one word: "Search!"
The soldiers scattered and began searching every corner of the courtyard, the house, and the small shed. Then they came back, one after the other, and reported: "Nothing to report!"
When the last soldier gave his report, the man frowned. He knew his soldiers well and if they didn't find anything, then the thing he was looking for was truly not here. Had he been lied to?
He threw a fierce look at Xiao Feng, Su Li, and Xiao Fei.
"I'll give you only one chance. Where did you hide it?"
Neither of the Xiao family members were idiots and knew what he was asking about, but they couldn't figure it out, wasn't the spiritual plant in the cupboard?
"It's... It's in the cupboard." Su Li answered weakly, all her strength seemed to have seeped out of her the moment they were arrested.
The man frowned and personally strode into the house, followed by two soldiers. When he came inside he looked in the cupboard and saw that nothing was there. But then, one of the soldiers who had been following him called out: "Look, there's a trace of blood here by the window!"
The man walked over and touched the drop of blood, which was still wet, then he pushed the window, which opened easily. He frowned deeply and turned around and kicked the soldier's leg. "Useless!"
He strode outside and strode past the kneeling Xiao family and only paused for a moment when he reached outside the gate. "Bring them to the Beast Arena!"
Xiao Feng, Su Li, and Xiao Fei looked at each other anxiously, and was forced to follow with swords pressing against their necks.
When they stepped outside their courtyard, the street was completely deserted.
Word had already spread around that the Xiao family had offended an official and everyone had run home and closed all doors and windows in fear.