"What! A detachment led by Ming Luo, including Ming Luo himself, has lost all contact?"
In a grand palace within the Ming Jian Mountain Range, an elder's expression turned astonished upon hearing the report from the man kneeling below.
It was known that Ming Luo's expedition was to complete a mission assigned by the patriarch, Ming Jiu You. Now, the entire group had vanished.
"Elder Hua, the news is true. Furthermore, the soul lamps of the five accompanying Ming Xing, who went with Young Master Luo, have all been extinguished. I fear..." the man replied, cupping his fist.
Ming Yang Hua immediately stood up upon hearing this and anxiously asked, "What about Luo'er's soul lamp?"
"Young Master Luo's soul lamp is still intact, so he should be alright. However, so much time has passed, and Luo'er should have returned by now. His continued absence suggests he might be trapped somewhere," the man responded.
Ming Yang Hua frowned slightly and murmured, "That Northern Region is merely a barren land. With Luo'er's strength, how could he be trapped? Could it be that there are still unknown existences in the Northern Region?"
"Elder Hua, while the Northern Region is a barren land, many ascendants from the lower realms have arrived. Since Young Master Luo has gone missing, it is possible there are indeed beings we are unaware of. Elder Hua, please decide how to rescue Young Master Luo," the man said.
"Tong Guang, this matter concerns the future prosperity of our entire clan. Luo'er is our clan's sole heir. I need to discuss this with the Patriarch before making a decision. However, this must not be disclosed for now. It pertains to our clan's future, and we cannot give the other four clans any advantage."
Ming Yang Hua commanded, and his figure instantly vanished.
...
"Is Luo'er still alive?" a voice slowly emanated from within the You Ming Tower. Judging by the tone, there was no trace of worry.
Outside the You Ming Tower, Ming Yang Hua bowed respectfully and replied, "Patriarch, Luo'er's soul lamp is still lit, so he should be alright. But Luo'er is our clan's sole heir. Now that he is missing, does the Patriarch have any solutions?"
"Since he is alive, there is no need for excessive worry. However, our clan's heir falling into the hands of others is a disgrace to our clan. I am on the verge of a breakthrough and cannot personally attend to this. I entrust this matter to you."
As Ming Yang Hua finished speaking, the unremarkable voice echoed from within the You Ming Tower once more.
"Interesting. They captured me and brought me here, only to be captured by someone else themselves." Just as the voice faded, a clear voice rang out. If Li Xuan were present, he would have recognized this voice as Li Yao's.
"Saintess, this matter was arranged by the Patriarch, and our Second Elder's family was merely acting under orders," Ming Hong Yang's voice resounded after Li Yao finished speaking.
"But your clan massacred my Ice Palace!" Li Yao stated coldly.
Ming Yang Hua immediately bowed towards the You Ming Tower, cupping his fist, "Saintess, this matter was personally ordered by the Patriarch, and we could only act according to his command. If the Saintess has any questions, she will have to inquire with the Patriarch."
A moment passed, and Li Yao remained silent.
Ming Hong Yang then said, "Regarding Luo'er's matter, I rely on you."
"Clan brother, rest assured, I will find Luo'er!" Ming Yang Hua nodded, and then his figure moved, vanishing instantly.
...
Boom!
As another two months passed, a rumbling sound suddenly echoed in the sky above the Qi Yun Mountain Range. Following this, a figure shot into the sky, rapidly streaking towards the distance.
In an instant, the vast expanse of clouds transformed into dark masses. Lightning bolts, as thick as an arm, converged rapidly, erupting with deafening roars.
The next moment, Li Xuan unleashed a punch.
"This fellow is truly ferocious," Ming Luo, who was also awakened by the commotion, nodded as he saw Li Xuan shatter the heavenly tribulation with a single punch. His mid-stage Realm Creation cultivation might not guarantee a spot in the top hundred, but he definitely had a chance to contend.
"With your strength, you still haven't found Luo'er's whereabouts?"
Outside the You Ming Tower, Ming Hong Yang's voice sounded, a hint of surprise evident within it.
Ming Yang Hua nodded with a wry smile, "I've searched the entire Northern Region, but there's no trace of Luo'er. However, in a village in the Northern Region, I did find the corpses of our clan's guards. Searching from that as a center still yielded no results."
"So be it. Since Luo'er's soul lamp is still intact, there's no need to worry about his safety," Ming Hong Yang said after a moment of silence.
Upon hearing this, Ming Yang Hua asked, "Should we arrange for manpower to be stationed in the Northern Region?"
As Ming Yang Hua finished speaking, a man in purple robes slowly emerged from the You Ming Tower and then said, "No need. Since Luo'er is alive, it is fine. Over the years, Luo'er's temperament has not truly matured. Perhaps this ordeal will help him grow considerably."
"Moreover, the Nine Nether Netherworld is about to open in a month. Setting up defenses now would only draw the attention of the other four clans. Luo'er's matter can be discussed again after the Nine Nether Netherworld event."
Ming Yang Hua nodded, then seemed to recall something, and looked at Ming Hong Yang with excitement, "Clan brother, didn't you say you wouldn't leave the You Ming Tower until you broke through? Have you already broken through?"
Ming Hong Yang nodded slightly, "I have indeed broken through to the high-level World Integration Realm. We have been oppressed by the Great Elder's clan for years, and it is time to fight back."
"Congratulations, clan brother!" Ming Yang Hua said excitedly, cupping his fists towards Ming Hong Yang.
Ming Hong Yang nodded slightly, then said, "Let's go, we should go back and see."
With that, the two of them vanished from their positions simultaneously.
...
"Ming Luo, this method you mentioned, is it really effective?" In a stone cave in the Qi Yun Mountain Range, Li Xuan asked after listening to Ming Luo's explanation.
Ming Luo nodded confidently, "In our Nine Nether Clan, aside from our five great clans and the Patriarch's family, other clan members cannot use the surname 'Ming.' And under our clan's rule, there is indeed a declining Li family."
"That Li family had only a Patriarch at the Mortal Transcension realm two years ago. If I hadn't provided them with some resources, they would have been completely absorbed long ago. If you use the surname Li, you definitely won't be discovered."
Li Xuan looked at Ming Luo with some surprise. During their time together, Ming Luo, apart from his somewhat gentle nature, was a decent person. His previous expedition to attack the village was merely following orders.
Furthermore, it was to establish his authority, preparing him to take over as patriarch in the future. Compared to the clan heirs Li Xuan had encountered before, Ming Luo was undoubtedly a better one.
Besides, those were people of the Nine Nether Clan, and Li Xuan had no intention of interfering with their affairs. Even if Ming Luo hadn't acted, someone else likely would have.
"Since that's the case, then my name as Li Xuan doesn't need to be changed. For the Netherworld Ranking Competition, I only need to register under the Li family," Li Xuan said after some thought.
Ming Luo nodded, then glanced around, "The Nine Nether Netherworld is located at Ming Xin Mountain. We can reach it via the teleportation array. There is still a month's time, which is enough for registration. However, we might encounter our clan members there."
Li Xuan smiled slightly, "You are now our Li family's benefactor. I believe you can handle any problems that arise. Also, the restriction I've placed is difficult to remove even for a World Integration Realm expert immediately. So, you should think carefully about how to proceed during this time."
Ming Luo gave a wry smile, understanding Li Xuan's meaning. He then said with a serious expression, "Rest assured, I only wish to return safely. For all other matters, I will definitely help you resolve them."
Li Xuan nodded, "That is excellent."