Zhun Lao had a rather pleased look on his face. Laying on a branch in one of the forests surrounding the Zixiao region, he couldn't help but grin at his work. Mounted on a tree parallel to him was none other than Mushin Xu. He was long dead, not having stood a chance against a Law Domain Expert while only being at the Nascent Source Stage. It was only one small part of his plan. Mushin Xu wasn't his target, but his grandchild, the younger sister of Mushin Yuan, Mushin Daiyu.
She was much younger than her esteemed older brother being around 10 years of age. She had come out into the forest with Mushin Xu to meet him, thanks to some manipulations he had made a few days prior in his office with said Elder.
It was all going to plan.
He had used Mushin Xu's favouritism of the girl to draw them into a false sense of security. Telling them he would give them protection from the infighting of the family.
A sick grin grew on his lips. Just like the old man, she would soon die. But this time, preferably in front of both Julong and Mushin Yuan.
After he had killed them all, he would leave a small message of admittance to the crime from Mushin Xu. It was perfect.
A small crack came from the base of the tree, revealed to be a small twig breaking under the force of the small girl awakening from her slumber.
He trained his eyes onto her like a predator, watching her movements. Watching as she looked around, and eventually spotted the dead body of Mushin Xu. The limp body with trails of blood escaping his wounds, running down the tree like some disjointed pattern.
Her young face became horrified. It was at that moment that she seemed to notice the shadow of Zhun Lao above her.
A horrid grin spread over his features, watching her horror.
At that very juncture of realisation, she screamed.
Zixiao Region - Mushin Family Residence
"Where do we start?"
Julong was much calmer than Mushin Yuan. He loved his younger sister, and if anything happened to her at such a young age, he wouldn't be able to blame anyone but himself.
"I-I don't know. That's why I asked for your help, because I, nor anyone else in our family is in the right state of mind."
Julong nodded in understanding.
"Then let's start with her room, shall we?"
Guiding Julong to the room, both Mushin Yuan and Julong entered.
It was a fairly plain and simple room, much like his own. Just a bed and cabinets for clothing.
"Search for anything that you think might be beneficial to us."
Julong had become quite domineering at such a point. He was sure Mushin Yuan would lose himself to worry if he didn't take control.
They searched thoroughly, checking each draw, and about halfway through, he got a sharp headache. Looking inside his spirit, he could see the Ancestral Dragon glow gold, giving him a message, or rather a vision. In it, an old man dressed in similar clothing to that of the other Mushin family members.
"Yuan... there wouldn't happen to be another person missing would there?"
"I don't know if missing is the right word, but one of the elders hasn't been seen in a few days. Thinking about it now, he has also been gone for a similar amount of time."
"Then that should mean they aren't missing, but something else is going on."
Another vision flashed in his head, seeing the old man once more, only this time, pegged to a tree, dead.
"That's a relief."
"No, it's not."
Julongs' whole body language had changed as he said what he did. What he saw could never be good.
"If they are together, she could be dead."
"That's not possible, he's a Nascent Source Expert. They are nearly invincible."
"Just believe me, okay. I just know that she is in danger."
"How do you know this? We haven't even found anything!"
"Do you want to save your sister or not!? I can't explain it to you now, but we have to find out where they went! So just listen to me!"
Mushin Yuan quieted down at his outburst. He had never seen Julong act in such a way.
"Take me to where he would generally keep his things."
Yuan nodded in obedience and began leading him to an office. Once there, as soon as the door opened, Julong got another vision. A diary, one kept inside of the second drawer in a set of cabinets in a desk.
Julong rushed over to the desk in the office and opened the second drawer of the cabinets. Inside was the diary he had seen.
He flicked to the back, wasting no time. It was no longer a waiting game, they couldn't spare any time if the person who had been killed was a Nascent Source Expert.
The last page was quickly unveiled to his eyes. Written boldly was the name of a forest: The Forest of Death.
How befitting.
A small forest on the west border of the Zixiao Region, known for its tyrannical Genesis Beasts.
Mushin Yuan looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes upon reading the name of the forest. That's where the diary said he had taken her after all.
Looking behind him, Julong saw Mushin Yuan beginning to leave.
"Mushin Yuan, don't you dare go by yourself."
He didn't receive a response, only Mushin Yuan walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.
The battle that would most likely take place was far out of their league if someone from the Nascent Source Stage had been killed. Julong had to try to contact Zi Xiao, as going would be as good as suicide. The only issue was that he had no real way of doing so, she was in a meeting with the Grand Elders, and Mushin Yuan was already on his way there.
He had to somehow stop Mushin Yuan from getting there and killing himself. So he threw the diary down, and ran out the door, spotting a figure covered in Genesis Qi flying away in the distance, toward the West.
The floor around him burst as he activated his own Genesis Qi. He too shot off into the sky, chasing Mushin Yuan.
He only hoped he was fast enough to catch up to stop him.