Xin Ci intended to do just that.
However, Xin Huanyan suddenly shouted, "Shadow Guards, capture him quickly! Don't let Xin Ci escape!"
Following this cry, Shadow Guards hidden in the darkness appeared one after another before Xin Ci.
Even outside the window, there were more than a dozen Shadow Guards.
Most of them were at the Heavenly Venerate realm.
"Xin Ci, you won't be leaving the Xin family today!"
Xin Huanyan decisively drew her long sword and, along with more than a dozen Shadow Guards,
charged towards Xin Ci.
Despite their numbers, the Shadow Guards were no match for Xin Ci.
With a burst of powerful true essence, the charging Shadow Guards could not withstand Xin Ci's true essence pressure and knelt to the ground.
Xin Ci also seized the opportunity to reach out and grab Xin Huanyan.
But just as he was about to touch Xin Huanyan, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from her body.
The golden radiance, like a surging tide, forced Xin Ci back.
"This is... Emperor's Might!"
Xin Ci's expression changed as he realized that Old Man Xin Li had left a trace of Emperor's Might on his sister.
It seemed that forcibly taking Xin Huanyan away was not going to be possible.
His previous move had already alerted several Emperor realm powerhouses of the Xin family.
He could only retreat for now and make plans later.
Moreover, he had other matters to attend to today and couldn't afford to be disrupted by the Xin family's Great Emperors.
Xin Ci instantly transformed into a stream of light and shot out the window.
"Chase him!"
Xin Huanyan had no intention of letting Xin Ci go and ordered all the Shadow Guards around her to pursue Xin Ci.
The number of Shadow Guards had unknowingly increased to over thirty, including three at the Saint Emperor realm.
These dozens of figures moved rapidly through the vast Xin Family Fortress.
Xin Ci cast a cold glance behind him.
He didn't care about these Shadow Guards; his only concern was the Great Emperor's divine sense that was secretly observing him.
Now that his whereabouts were exposed, and these Shadow Guards all possessed the Xin family's Spiritual Blood Jade Tokens,
he would be detected no matter where he went.
As he flew over a lake, Xin Ci noticed many maids and servants by the shore.
With a thought, he unleashed a palm strike towards the water's surface, causing a huge wave to surge.
Many maids near the lake were swept into the water.
Xin Ci seized the opportunity and leaped into the lake.
The Shadow Guards arrived one after another and found that Xin Ci was not on the lake's surface.
Instead, many maids were struggling and crying for help in the water.
"Help! Hurry and save me!!"
"I can't swim!!"
"Esteemed sirs, please, quickly pull us out."
......
Xin Ying, the leader of the Shadow Guards, ignored the women's cries. Instead, he stroked his chin, a look of difficulty on his face, and said, "Strange? Why has the Spiritual Blood Jade Token lost its sense of induction here?"
The failure of the Spiritual Blood Jade Tokens prevented them from tracking Xin Ci further.
"Sir, should we perhaps rescue those women in the lake first?"
A Shadow Guard asked Xin Ying cautiously.
Xin Ying looked at the struggling women in the lake. A hint of impatience flashed across his brow as he casually pointed to two Shadow Guards, "You, and you, the two of you, pull those troublesome individuals out of the lake."
"The rest of you, seal off this lake and dive into the water together. Search for Xin Ci! We absolutely cannot let him escape!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Shadow Guards followed Xin Ying into the water.
Only about a dozen Shadow Guards remained on the lake's surface to patrol.
When the two Shadow Guards had pulled all the maids out of the lake, these maids were drenched and in a sorry state.
These rescued maids quickly knelt on the ground to thank the two Shadow Guards.
"Thank you, two sirs, for saving us..."
"Enough, enough, get lost, don't disturb our work!"
"Yes, sir..."
These maids were mostly soaking wet, their clothes clinging uncomfortably to their bodies. They all retreated.
However, these two Shadow Guards were unaware that Xin Ci, whom they had been tracking, was among them.
To avoid the Spiritual Blood Jade Token's detection, Xin Ci had to transform into a woman again.
He mixed in with these maids and left the lake.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xin Ying and the other Shadow Guards also emerged from the lake.
Xin Ying, having found nothing, was quite annoyed. He said to the previous two Shadow Guards, "Did you find any trace of Xin Ci?"
"Reporting to sir, we have been guarding the lake the entire time and did not find Xin Ci."
"This is truly strange. We searched the entire lake thoroughly, yet we couldn't find that brat Xin Ci. Could he have evaporated into thin air?" Xin Ying frowned, appearing somewhat anxious.
Just then, Xin Li and Xin Huanyan suddenly descended from the sky.
"Patriarch! Young Miss!"
Xin Ying and all the Shadow Guards immediately knelt on the ground.
Xin Li cast a cold glance and asked, "Where is Xin Ci?"
"Xin Ci... he..."
Xin Ying instantly felt a surge of fear and became hesitant.
"Speak! Where did that little beast go!"
Xin Li's roar caused the Shadow Guards to kneel even more profoundly, their faces almost touching the ground.
"Back... back to the Patriarch, your subordinate has been leading the Shadow Guards in pursuit of Xin Ci, but that cunning fellow jumped into this lake and disappeared without a trace." Xin Ying hurriedly replied.
"Disappeared? Meaning you lost him? A bunch of good-for-nothings! So many people, and you can't even catch a young brat!"
Xin Li's face turned ashen, and he roared in anger.
He then reached out and grabbed the lake's surface, his immense true essence power evaporating the entire body of water.
At the bottom of the lake, only mud and a large number of wriggling live fish remained.
As for Xin Ci, he was nowhere to be found.
Xin Li's rage was uncontrollable, and he raised his hand, about to obliterate these Shadow Guards.
Xin Huanyan, standing beside him, quickly intervened, "Patriarch, this is not the Shadow Guards' fault. That villain Xin Ci is exceptionally cunning and must possess a treasure that hides his aura."
Upon hearing this, Xin Li stopped his actions.
While the Shadow Guards were pursuing Xin Ci, he had also been tracking Xin Ci with his divine sense.
However, his divine sense was suddenly severed by a mysterious force when it approached the lake.
This forced him to appear in person to capture Xin Ci.
Xin Huanyan continued, "Patriarch, there's no rush to capture Xin Ci. Today is the gathering of prodigies. Xin Ci has been hidden for three years and only appears now. He must be plotting something."
"Therefore, he likely won't leave the Xin Family Fortress easily. Perhaps he is mingling among the young talents attending this gathering."
"Huanyan, you are right."
Xin Li looked at Xin Huanyan with satisfaction, thinking to himself: This girl has completely become my puppet, under my control. The smarter she is, the more successful I will be.
Xin Huanyan then addressed the Shadow Guards, "Now I will give you an opportunity to redeem yourselves. During this gathering of prodigies, you will be responsible for covertly monitoring all the young talents who have come to attend."
"If you discover anyone with peculiar behavior among them, report it to me and the Patriarch immediately!"
"Yes, Young Miss!"
Xin Ying and all the Shadow Guards respectfully bowed before Xin Huanyan.