Before they followed the two, one of the Elders turned to the group and said: “You guys don’t forget to be filial and greet your parents now that you returned, alright?”

“Yes, elders!” they echoed.

A lot of them did not know but some did. This was a secret message agreed upon beforehand. It meant to flee.

Ning felt the tears threatening to come out but kept it inside.

These elders were like family and she was forced to watched powerlessly as they were taken away. and she knew she would never see them.

Just because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time?

Unfair.

The three elders left with the two envoys.

Then, the Patriarch turned towards the group and bowed: “I am sorry everyone. As the Patriarch, I have failed you and could not protect you. I apologize. I won’t take it to heart if some of you decide to go”

A bunch of kids went to help the Patriarch up, bootlicking. Another bunch, more realistic simply observed. And another simply left.

The Patriarch smiled as he felt grateful for those who stayed and signaled for them to follow him along.

Ning followed.

She was not a fool. Leaving the sect like that after what just happened? As if it was possible.

She waited till nighttime and then waited till morning and then another night.

On the second morning, she left secretly.

She escaped to her old house. The farm was still there but her family was not. She looked around and screamed the names of her brothers and parents.

No answers.

Everything in the house had a bunch of dust on it. Clearly it had been some time since they left but to where?

She glanced all over the place but could not find any clues.

That is until she reached her own room. There was a drawing on the wall that was not there previously.

A sun with the number 22 within it. Judging from the calligraphy, it was her brother’s work. She clenched her fists.

They took her family.

But why?!

They should not have known that she had been at the Capital? No, the war there had not even happened when her family left their home! So why?!

…

Jin.

…

It could only be because of him.

After all, this was a humble mortal family taking care of nothing but farmland. There were no reasons for anyone to go after them.

Not cultivators at least.

Even other mortals would not covet their belongings since they owned jack shit!

“Just what have you done, big brother Jin?”

She cried.

She took out a dagger and slashed the sun on the wall. She proceeded to wipe her tears with her sleeve and left.

The Empire was to her north so she ran south.

Right now, she could only flee but someday she would come back for vengeance.

Regardless of how long it took.

…

In the Empire’s Palace, the princess frowned while she sat at a table filled with luxurious dishes.

She just received a report from one of her men that displeased her: “you’re telling me that his sister was there? With him? And came back here?”

The man nodded while he remained kneeling.

She added coldly: “And you let her go?”

The man nodded fearfully as sweat dripped down his back. Violent spiritual energy began to surround her as things shook within the room.

“Her family was so useless aside from telling us about her existence and you LET HER LEAVE?!”

“FIND HER! NOW!”

“Yes! Your Highness!” nearly screamed the man as he scampered away.

She turned to the other two in the room, her two trusted aides, Fren and Hilda, and said: “You should have brought her back”

Hilda answered: “We were not aware of her existence, Your Highness”

The Princess sighed.

It was true that the existence of the sister was a secret that she kept to herself. If she spoke of it earlier…Well, others might have acted too.

It was going to be difficult to find her now though.

They would easily be able to make a portrait thanks to the three elders from that shitty sect but then what? Women had it the easiest to change their appearances. There were too many cultivators in the lower stages under the 30th around and she was certainly not dumb enough to keep using her name.

Should she send her aides to track her?

No. It would be a waste of manpower. The main interest was still Jin. It was quite impressive that he remained alive even after all that happened.

And he even managed to get the backing of The Nightmare himself!

Things took a greater turn and now, even the top players were implicated. It was quite an interesting situation.

Her own family was also dispatching people to find him.

They were dispatching many more to find out about what the Evil factions plans were.

According to what she knew, it was quite likely that they would meet in Low Point since that was the official bastion of the Evil faction.

Though it was the territory of Seagull who was supposedly Neutral… No one believed that bullshit though.

In any case, this side of things was still out of her reach. She was not strong enough to be a part of this scenario. She could, however, take part in the search for Jin.

The man was of her generation after all.

So, where was he now?