94: Missing

Inside the ancestral hall.

Chu Jingyu held three sticks of Offering Incense in one hand, bowed three times toward the stone book on the offering table, and then inserted the incense into the censer in front of the table.

"Ancestor Chu, please forgive me for not coming to worship for so many days. I was conscripted to go Beyond the Border and only successfully returned today."

"No matter, as long as you managed to return successfully." The Stone Book glowed with colorful light, and Chu Mu's calm voice emerged from within.

Over the past three months, the Chu Family had experienced many things, far richer than the long, distant time when Chu Mu was buried underground.

Colorful threads extended from the book, touching the space between Chu Jingyu and Chu Shengfan's eyebrows.

After a brief moment of hazy consciousness, the grandfather and grandson opened their eyes again, finding themselves in an unfamiliar Grand Hall.

Inside the Grand Hall, with its massive pillars carved with coiled Dragon Beasts and Phoenix Birds, a figure stood on a protruding Cloud Platform inside the hall.

"Ancestor Chu." Chu Jingyu and Chu Shengfan bowed to the figure on the Cloud Platform.

Chu Mu beckoned, signaling them to come forward.

The two walked forward and stood on the protruding Cloud Platform, feeling the clouds flow past them.

Looking down from the Cloud Platform, they saw layers upon layers of white clouds and uneven mountain ridges.

At this moment, they seemed to become heavenly Immortals looking down upon the mortal world, and their own minds couldn't help but become broad and open.

The three stood silently on the Cloud Platform for a while, two of them carefully observing the scene below.

One of the three knew that although the scene below looked real, it was illusory; after all, this space was far from being that large.

After a long time, Chu Mu spoke, "A new year, new tasks. What are your new plans?"

Chu Jingyu pondered for a moment, "Expand the shops and Spirit Medicine Fields, cultivate a group of loyal and close Family Guards, and Qin Hui and Shengfan should strive to achieve a Breakthrough to Uncommon Rank this year."

Chu Mu nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Does the Chu Family govern three villages as its Territory?"

Chu Jingyu wondered why Chu Mu suddenly mentioned these three villages, feeling puzzled, but he quickly replied, "Yes."

"The Family's internal strength is important, but don't overlook the development of the governed Territories. The prosperity and strength within the Territory also have a crucial impact on the Family's strength."

The fame column in the Family description, and the fact that major events in the territories always yield Source Spirit rewards in the Family Chronicle, is enough to show that so-called Family development is not just about developing the Family members themselves,

but the development of the governed Territories also plays a crucial role in the prosperity of a Family.

In truth, Chu Jingyu hadn't paid much attention to the governed Territories, because he had previously imitated the practices of other Noble Families, allocating no extra energy to management.

He only allowed them self-governance, requiring them to submit the corresponding taxes on time.

But since Ancestor Chu specifically mentioned it today, he couldn't help but pay attention. He respectfully asked, "Ancestor Chu, how do you think we should approach governing those villages?"

Chu Mu curved his lips, as if he had been waiting for Chu Jingyu to ask this question.

"Then let's start with building roads and cultivating Source Beasts that can assist them in farming."

...The first day of the year 3398.

An unexpected event occurred at the Chu Family Manor: the Third Young Master, Chu Shengyuan, had disappeared.

All the Chu Family servants, whether young Pages, maids, or sturdy matrons, were sent out to search. For a time, the sounds of calling echoed everywhere on Qixia Mountain.

"Third Young Master, can you hear us?"

"Young Master Yuan, where are you?"

"Young Master Yuan... Young Master Yuan~"

The voices rose and fell, startling the Flying Birds in the forest.

The news even reached Fuhe Village at the foot of the mountain. Hearing that the Chu Family's Young Master on the mountain was lost, many Villagers spontaneously went into the mountains to search.

Early in the morning, Chu Jingyu had taken Chu Shengfan to the town to Pay New Year Greetings to Sun Chunchen, thus missing the news of Chu Shengyuan's disappearance.

Chu Qinhui and Jiang Nian, who received the report from the servants, didn't pay much attention at first, because Chu Shengyuan usually went to the Back Mountain from time to time to play with the two Pythons and would naturally return by mealtime.

But today was different; even when the sun was high, Xiao Yuan still hadn't returned home.

Jiang Nian realized something was wrong and sent the Guards to search the Back Mountain, but the report she received stated that there was no trace of Chu Shengyuan or the two Pythons there.

Hearing this report, Jiang Nian panicked instantly. Although Chu Shengyuan was lively and active, he was obedient and never left Qixia Mountain. A situation where he couldn't be found had never happened before.

That is why now, figures searching for Chu Shengyuan covered the entire mountain.

Chu Qinhui and his wife had already expanded the search area to the two neighboring mountains, yet they still had no news.

Ignoring the New Year greetings, Chu Qinhui ordered one of the Guards to quickly go to the town to inform Chu Jingyu, while the couple planned to search the mountains further away.

"He didn't go anywhere else, but went to a very special place through a strange Passage."

A Girl's voice in the mountain forest made the couple stop their anxious steps.

They looked back and realized it was Xu Yinyue, who was temporarily staying in their home, who had spoken.

Jiang Nian knew that Xu Yinyue had Unusual Eyes, and hearing her words was like grasping a life-saving straw. She urgently questioned her,

"Where did you see him disappear? Where did he go?"

Xu Yinyue frowned, seemingly trying to figure out how to describe it. Chu Qinhui was slightly calmer; he held his agitated wife and asked in a deep voice,

"First, take us to the place where he disappeared."

Xu Yinyue nodded, then surveyed the surroundings, seemingly discerning the direction. She walked and stopped, constantly adjusting her path.

The couple suppressed their anxiety and followed closely behind her.

Finally, Xu Yinyue stopped beneath a giant tree at the mountainside, thick enough for three people to embrace.

She pointed at the giant tree and slowly said, "It was here. It was night, there was snow, and a Crack appeared on this ancient tree. Beyond the Crack was a dazzling, illusory colorful light."

Young Master Yuan appeared here and was dragged inside by a slender Tentacle... The two giant Pythons followed him inside to save him,

but after not too long, that Crack disappeared."

Xu Yinyue described the scene from that time as fully as possible while she thought.

Chu Qinhui observed the surroundings carefully. There were indeed winding, curved impressions on the snow-covered ground, and the marks were messy, looking as if two giant Pythons had crawled past one after another.

Taking two steps to the left, he squatted down and picked up a palm-sized blue-gray Scale. This familiar Scale was undoubtedly left by Xiao Yuan's 'Green Forest Giant Python'.

Everything seemed to corroborate Xu Yinyue's words.

Jiang Nian walked up to the ancient tree and patted the rough trunk left and right with her hands, but found no Passage.

She turned to Xu Yinyue, took a deep breath, and said, "When did you see this, and why didn't you tell us sooner."

Hearing Jiang Nian's almost accusatory tone, Xu Yinyue fiddled with her fingers. "I only tried using my eyes to look when you mentioned Young Master Yuan had disappeared. If I had seen it earlier, I wouldn't be telling you now."

Seeing Xu Yinyue's slightly nervous expression, Jiang Nian knew she had gotten agitated and unintentionally implicated the innocent.

"I apologize, I was a bit emotional. Can you still use your Special Ability to see where Xiao Yuan is now, and... what state he is in?"

Xu Yinyue bit her finger. "I'll try."