Fu'an knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably as he stammered through the account of what had happened.
"Family Head, Young Master... I saw it with my own eyes... Zhu Xiaotian, the son of the governor of Qingyun Province... He led a group of men into the estate... Without a word... they took Xun'er away..." He fumbled in his robes and pulled out a letter, his hands shaking like leaves in the wind as he handed it to Liu Zhenyue. "This... this is what Zhu Xiaotian left behind..."
Liu Zhenyue snatched the letter, the paper crunching loudly in his grip, the sound piercing the silence of the courtyard like the snapping of fragile bones.
Unfolding the letter, the flamboyant and arrogant handwriting leaped off the page: "Liu Zhenyue, your son has offended me, so I took his woman! If you want your maid back, have him come to the Gathering Star Sect himself to face me!" At the end of the letter, Zhu Xiaotian's personal seal was stamped in bright red, the color glaring like blood, searing Liu Zhenyue's eyes.
Liu Zhenyue's face turned ashen, a powerful aura radiating from him. Fu'an felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. His ears buzzed, and he could hear the frantic rhythm of his own heartbeat.
The plum blossoms in the courtyard seemed to sense their master's fury, their petals falling softly, the sound like a mournful whisper, a faint lament.
Liu Yichen grabbed the letter, his eyes blazing like fire as he read each word. The paper crumpled tightly in his hand, the edges digging into his palm, his knuckles turning white, veins bulging like green serpents. A cold, murderous intent emanated from him, freezing the air around him, making it heavy and hard to breathe.
Memories of Xun'er's gentle smile, her tender care, flashed through Liu Yichen's mind like a tidal wave.
He remembered when he was sick, Xun'er sitting by his bedside, gently wiping his forehead with a warm towel. The soft touch of the cloth still lingered on his skin.
Her eyes filled with worry, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Young Master, you must get better soon." Her breath brushed his face, carrying a faint floral scent.
Another time, in the garden, Xun'er had spotted a blooming flower and excitedly pulled him over, her hand warm and soft, gripping his tightly.
"Young Master, look how beautiful this flower is," Xun'er's voice had been filled with joy, like the sound of heavenly music.
Now, these memories turned into searing pain, like a sharp knife twisting in his heart.
"Zhu Xiaotian! How dare you touch my people!" Liu Yichen's voice was low and terrifying, like a roar from the depths of hell, filled with boundless anger and coldness. The air around him seemed to freeze, not a breath of wind stirring, only the oppressive atmosphere hanging heavy.
"Chen'er, I will handle this for you! Stay in the estate!" Liu Zhenyue's voice was hoarse, struggling to suppress the storm within him.
He knew the power of the Gathering Star Sect was not something the Liu family could contend with. His heart was torn, feeling his son's determination but knowing the dangers that lay ahead.
He couldn't help but recall Liu Yichen's resilience as a child, the small figure with unwavering determination in his eyes. This memory gave him a sliver of reassurance, thinking perhaps it was time to let his son face the challenges.
"No need!" Liu Yichen's head snapped up, his eyes burning with fierce determination, like flames ready to consume everything. "I will handle my own affairs!" He crumpled the letter in his hand, the paper making a faint tearing sound, then threw it to the ground and turned to leave. His footsteps were heavy and resolute, each step leaving an imprint on the ground.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the Liu family's main branch, Liu Aoqiong sipped tea leisurely, a cold smile playing on his lips, filled with an unsettling chill.
Beside him, his second son, Liu Junhao, reported the recent events.
Liu Aoqiong had always been discontent in the family, clashing with Liu Zhenyue over family matters and harboring jealousy toward Liu Yichen. His son, Liu Junhao, not only shared this jealousy but also sought to establish his own authority within the family, craving more resources. Seeing this opportunity, they pounced like wolves on prey.
"Father, this is a heaven-sent opportunity! Zhu Xiaotian is the cousin of an inner disciple of the Gathering Star Sect. If Liu Yichen goes there, he will never return!" Liu Junhao's eyes gleamed with malice, like poisonous thorns in the dark.
Liu Aoqiong set down his teacup. "Send a message to Zixuan immediately. Tell him to give our dear nephew a proper 'welcome'!" He picked up a carrier pigeon, tying a letter to its leg with a mix of urgency and satisfaction, then released it.
The pigeon soared into the sky, the sound of its wings flapping clear in the quiet courtyard, soon disappearing into the night.
Liu Junhao smirked sinisterly. "Father, you are wise! Now, let's see how Liu Yichen dares to act so arrogantly!"
Liu Aoqiong snorted coldly. "A waste like him, daring to challenge me! This time, I will make sure he disappears for good!"
Night fell, stars dotting the sky.
Outside Longyin City, Liu Yichen raced like a black bolt of lightning, charging toward the distance.
"The Gathering Star Sect..." His mind was set on one goal: to rescue Xun'er!
Under the starlight, his figure darted through the mountains and forests, the wind whistling past his ears, sharp and stinging like icy needles.
The rapid hoofbeats shattered the night's tranquility, echoing across the open wilderness like a battle hymn.
Along the way, Liu Yichen did not stop cultivating.
He activated the Mystic Spirit System, voraciously absorbing spiritual energy from the heavens and earth. He could feel the energy flowing into his body like a stream converging into a mighty river, continuously enhancing his strength.
Occasionally, he recalled childhood memories of chasing butterflies with Xun'er in the garden. Back then, Xun'er had worn a light blue dress, flitting through the flowers like a graceful butterfly.
Liu Yichen had followed her, and when she turned around, her eyes sparkling, holding a freshly caught butterfly in her hands, she had smiled at him. "Young Master, look, I caught a butterfly!" Her smile had been as radiant as the sun, softening Liu Yichen's heart.
As he traveled, he also analyzed the Gathering Star Sect's power structure, knowing the sect's gatekeepers would be tough to deal with. He silently strategized how to overcome them.
Every time he thought of Xun'er's gentle smile, his heart ached as if pierced by a knife, the pain surging like tidal waves. Yet, this pain only fueled his determination to grow stronger.
Days passed, and nine nights later, Liu Yichen sat cross-legged under an ancient tree, feeling the solid roots beneath him. Spiritual energy swirled around him, forming a small vortex. He could hear the faint hum of the energy, like the murmuring of bees.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, shining with a fierce light, as if they could pierce through darkness. A powerful aura erupted from him.
"Fifth level of the Body Refining Realm! Sixth level! Seventh level!" In just nine days, he had broken through three minor realms!
The towering gates of the Gathering Star Sect came into view.
The peaks on either side pierced the clouds, shrouded in mist and occasionally flickering with mysterious runes, like stars in the night sky, exuding an ancient and mystical aura.
The sect's gates were carved with intricate and ancient formations, the patterns seeming alive, as if recounting the sect's thousand-year history.
Two massive vermilion doors stood like mountains between heaven and earth, imposing and majestic. The bright red color gleamed under the sunlight, the brass nails reflecting dazzling light.
In front of the gates, two disciples in yellow robes stood guard, bored and disdainful, their eyes filled with arrogance.
Liu Yichen rode up to the gates, dismounted, and the hooves kicked up a cloud of dust, the particles lightly brushing his face.
"Who goes there?" one of the yellow-robed disciples sneered, his tone dripping with contempt.
"Liu Yichen, from Longyin City," Liu Yichen replied coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"Longyin City? Never heard of it. What do you want?" The other disciple looked Liu Yichen up and down as if he were a lowly creature.
"I'm here to see Zhu Xiaotian," Liu Yichen stated bluntly.
"See our Senior Brother Zhu? Hah! Who do you think you are, daring to request an audience with him?" The yellow-robed disciple crossed his arms, smirking arrogantly. "Longyin City? Some backwater place. If you want to see Senior Brother Zhu, bring a thousand taels of gold, or get lost, you little runt!"
Liu Yichen's eyes flashed with cold light. These disciples dared to extort him!
In a flash, he moved like lightning, his right hand sweeping out. A surge of spiritual energy formed an invisible hand, slapping both disciples across the face with crisp, resounding *smacks*.
The two disciples were sent flying like broken kites, crashing to the ground with a heavy *thud*, blood streaming from their mouths, teeth knocked loose.
"You... you dare hit us?" one of the disciples stammered, clutching his face, his eyes filled with shock and fury.
Liu Yichen sneered, ignoring them. He mounted his horse and charged through the gates.
The sound of hoofbeats echoed at the gates, leaving the two yellow-robed disciples dumbfounded.
"Stop... stop him!" one of them managed to shout, his voice twisted with pain.
But Liu Yichen's figure had already vanished into the sect.
"That kid... has some nerve!"