Cang Yuan, the infamous Double Saint Lotus was sitting in a domain outside of reality. He was watching, carefully. Ever since he had entrusted Yao Yao to that Zhou Yuan, he had much free time, even if a majority of it was watching everything that happened in the surrounding domains. It was unfortunate, however, as he could not watch over the younglings that he cared for, or he could give away their location to the Sacred Race.
He wasted no time pondering such things, since they were safer away from him, and continued cultivating, working toward his third Saint Lotus.
It was going as per usual until he felt something divine call to him. Something he had only felt from Yao Yao when she had birthed from the Ancestral Dragon Will.
It was in that moment, for the first time in a month:
He opened his eyes.
Zixiao Region - The Forest of Death
"Get back here!"
From behind Mushin Yuan, Julong tackled him, sending them down into the forest beneath them, spiralling toward the ground.
Hitting the ground, Julong received not only the impact of the force they hit the ground with, but also a fist to the face.
"Get off me!"
"No! Not if you try to throw your life away! You and I both know that this is way out of our hands! How are we supposed to deal with someone who killed a Nascent Source Expert?!"
"You don't even know that! How would you know that!? It's not possible!"
Julong having enough summoned something that made Mushin Yuan instantly stop moving, petrified. Hovering behind Julong was a full power Spear of Divine Light.
"Will you listen to me now?"
He nodded feebly.
"Have you even considered the fact that she could already be dead, and you're walking into your death? If she's not there and you die as well, what would the point have been?"
"I-"
"Do not let your emotions control your actions, Mushin Yuan. That has only ever gotten people killed. Even people like us, top geniuses."
"I understand..."
Getting off of Mushin Yuan, he dispelled the spear behind him. He then reached his arm down, offering him some help to his feet.
Mushin Yuan accepted the help, and once on his feet looked down shamefully.
"I'm sorry. I'm not in the right state of mind."
Julong did nothing but nod at him. His ears then caught the faint sound of something else. Something chilling. A blood-curdling scream, one that came from a very young-sounding girl.
In an instant, a dome of Genesis Qi surrounded the ensuing kilometres around them. It was powerful and crushing. If he even touched the dome he would most likely die.
It was at that point that both of them became weary. Unintentionally, the worst outcome might have just been caused.
In the distance, they could feel it. A massive beacon of power, one deserving of a Law Domain Expert, someone far above them. What was worrying though, was that it was only getting closer.
Suddenly, appearing on a branch of a tree was someone very familiar to Julong, someone who he had caught many times giving him the stink eye. Zhun Lao stood on the branch of that tree, holding a small girl by the hair. If similarities in appearance were anything to go by, the girl was Mushin Yuan's sister Mushin Daiyu.
"Zhun Lao."
Julongs' tone was fierce. Now that both Mushin Yuan and Julong were there, it was more than likely they were going to die alongside Mushin Xu and Mushin Daiyu. There was no point in pulling his words if death was inevitable.
Zhun Lao smirked evilly.
"There you two are. I've been waiting for your arrival."
Mushin Yuan narrowed his eyes on the man holding his unconscious little sister. He had to contain himself, however, since he would have no chance against Zhun Lao, no matter what he did.
"I should have known this would be your doing. Zi Xiao had warned me of your antics. She has become suspicious over your obsessive hate toward me."
"So you have already figured it out, have you?"
"Yes, I have."
Mushin Yuan was confused, it wasn't making any sense.
"What does he mean, Julong?"
"It means, he lured us out on purpose. His goal wasn't to kill your sister, nor Mushin Xu, but rather us."
"No wonder Mushin Xu didn't stand a chance. What could he have done against a Law Domain Expert?"
Zhun Lao's sick grin grew.
"Such bright young minds, it's such a shame you both had to offend my reputation to the point of ridicule! Or I might have let you off with just broken bodies!"
Julong and Zhun Lao tore holes through each other with their eyes. The pure animosity could almost be seen.
"But no. I want you both to suffer before you die."
He yanked the hair of Mushin Daiyum, waking her up, making her scream in pain. She quickly spotted Mushin Yuan and called to him.
"Brother!"
"Daiyu!"
He clenched his fist.
"You bastard!"
Zhun Lao didn't react, only summoning a knife made of Genesis Qi to his hand. It was clear what he was about to do.
Julong could only see one way of them surviving, and that was if he broke through then and there. His pillar of Genesis Qi was absolute, not even a Saint could stop them. If he could signal Zi Xiao with the greatest pillar of Genesis Qi anyone had ever seen, maybe she could make it in time to save them.
Though unfortunately, it seemed that it wouldn't work out like that. Before he could even do anything, Mushin Yuan had dashed forward toward Daiyu, miraculously ripping her from Zhun Lao's grasp.
It was almost like slow motion. Mushin Yuan looked so happy for a moment there, before the knife of Qi stabbed him in the back.
The Qi was so much stronger than what his body could take, that his body instantly crumbled under the power, turning him into nothing but a rain of blood that fell to the ground.
Julong stopped for a few seconds, as Daiyu slowly fell toward the ground. He couldn't process what had happened. It was all too quick. It was too much. He couldn't grieve for long though, as he had to make sure Daiyu didn't hit the ground.
She began looking around, trying to find her brother.
"Yuan? Y-Yuan, where did you go?"
Julong could only look at her, with sadness in his eyes.
"That, girl, is your brother."
Zhun Lao motioned toward the puddle of blood that had formed with a horrid laugh.
Daiyu, in reality, knew what had happened, but was in shock. So having it confirmed was something that devastated her. She started convulsing in Julongs' arms. To stop anything further from happening, he gently lifted her into a spot where he could see her nape, and struck it with his hand, knocking her out, before placing her on the ground.