The three young men who had come crashing into the flower field were in an utterly miserable state.
Their clothes were disheveled, their breathing ragged, and their expressions tense.
Behind them, a group of black-clad men pursued them relentlessly, each one tall and broad-shouldered, with black cloth covering the lower half of their faces.
Cold light flashed from the weapons in their hands as they tore through the forest.
“Stop!” “You won’t escape!” “Capture them!” The angry shouts echoed through the trees, accompanied by the sharp sound of branches snapping beneath hurried footsteps.
The green-robed youth glanced over his shoulder before gasping, “Why don’t we stop somewhere ahead and deal with them?
I really can’t run anymore!” The blue-robed youth beside him immediately turned his head, his already grim expression darkening even further.
“Idiot!
Can’t you see there’s someone ahead?!” The green-robed youth froze for a moment before instinctively looking forward.
Only then did he notice that there was indeed someone in the flower field ahead.
Still, exhaustion had long since overwhelmed whatever guilt he might have felt.
“It’s…
only one person,” he muttered weakly.
“Besides, I really can’t run anymore.” His voice became quieter and quieter beneath his elder brother’s murderous glare.
Unfortunately, his body was being far more honest than his mouth.
His breathing was ragged, his legs were trembling, and his steps had become so unsteady that he looked ready to collapse at any moment.
Just then, several concealed weapons suddenly tore through the air from behind them.
“Move!” The blue-robed youth grabbed his younger brother by the shoulder and yanked him aside.
At almost the same moment, the white-robed boy beside them twisted sharply, narrowly avoiding another blade that shot past his neck.
The concealed weapons struck the ground with several dull thuds.
The three boys barely had time to recover before both the blue-robed youth and the white-robed youth turned toward the green-robed boy.
“Will you shut up?!” The green-robed youth flinched.
The other two looked as though they were seriously considering whether it would be easier to kill him themselves before the assassins had the chance.
“Who do you think got us into this mess in the first place?” The green-robed youth immediately looked guilty.
“…Me.” “At least you know!” The blue-robed youth nearly laughed from sheer anger.
These three were no ordinary youngsters.
The blue-robed youth was Xuanyuan Jingchuan, the sixteen-year-old eldest son of the Xuanyuan Clan.
The green-robed youth was his younger brother, Xuanyuan Weichuan, the fourteen-year-old Second Young Master of the Xuanyuan Clan.
As for the youngest of the three, the white-robed youth was only thirteen years old.
His name was Youqin Jingheng.
Despite being the youngest, Youqin Jingheng was far calmer than Xuanyuan Weichuan.
His features were refined, his figure slender, and even though his white robes had become disheveled during their escape, his quiet gaze remained unusually sharp.
More importantly, he was the Young Master of the Illusory Realm Clan.
He was also the Xuanyuan brothers’ cousin.
And the entire ridiculous situation had begun because of him.
Or, more accurately— because of a rebellion within the Illusory Realm Clan.
Not long ago, unrest had suddenly broken out within the clan.
The internal struggle spread faster than anyone had expected, and before Youqin Jingheng could fully understand what was happening, he had already been placed under strict confinement.
Under normal circumstances, news like this should never have escaped the Illusory Realm Clan.
Unfortunately, somehow, it did.
And even more unfortunately— it reached the Xuanyuan family.
More specifically, it reached the ears of the Xuanyuan brothers’ mother.
The moment Madam Xuanyuan heard that her beloved nephew had been confined, the entire Xuanyuan residence was thrown into chaos.
At first, she cried.
“My poor Jingheng!
He’s only thirteen!
How could they treat him like this?” Then she demanded that someone rescue him immediately.
“What if they aren’t feeding him properly?” “What if someone bullies him?” “What if he’s injured?” “What if—” “Mother,” Xuanyuan Jingchuan finally interrupted helplessly, “Jingheng is the Young Master of the Illusory Realm Clan.
They probably won’t starve him.” That did not help.
If anything, she cried even harder.
By the end of the day, servants were running everywhere, maids were constantly bringing fresh handkerchiefs, and even the steward looked as though he had aged several years.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan and Xuanyuan Weichuan stood in the middle of the chaos, completely at a loss.
Should they comfort their mother first?
Should they go rescue their cousin?
Should they find their father?
Or perhaps— they should simply pretend they had never returned home.
Unfortunately, before either brother could make a decision, their mother moved on to the next stage.
She threatened to hang herself.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan fell silent.
Xuanyuan Weichuan fell even more silent.
They knew their mother loved her nephew.
Everyone knew.
But did she really have to go this far?
Fortunately, their father soon arrived.
For one brief, foolish moment, the brothers thought salvation had finally come.
They were wrong.
Very wrong.
Their father loved his wife even more than she loved her nephew.
The moment he entered the room and saw his beloved wife crying until her eyes were swollen and red, his expression darkened.
Then he turned toward his two sons.
“If you refuse to rescue your cousin, then you are unworthy of being descendants of the Xuanyuan Clan!” Xuanyuan Jingchuan stared at him.
Xuanyuan Weichuan stared even harder.
Their father wasn’t finished.
“If either of you dares disobey, I’ll remove your names from the family genealogy!” Silence filled the room.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan had only one thought.
Are we really your sons?
Xuanyuan Weichuan’s thoughts were even more tragic.
Father, is it too late for me to apologize for being born?
Of course, neither of them dared to say those thoughts aloud.
A father’s command was already difficult enough to defy.
But a father’s command combined with a crying mother who was threatening to hang herself?
That was impossible to defy.
And so, the brothers were sent to rescue their cousin.
That alone might still have been manageable.
The real problem came immediately afterward.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan had originally intended to gather several trusted guards to accompany them.
He had already begun considering who to bring when his father suddenly stopped him.
“You can’t bring anyone.” Xuanyuan Jingchuan thought he had misheard.
“What?” “Too many people will attract attention and alert the enemy.” Xuanyuan Jingchuan stared at his father.
His father stared calmly back.
Then came the final blow.
“You two will go yourselves.” “…” Xuanyuan Jingchuan slowly turned toward his younger brother.
Sixteen and fourteen.
Then he thought about the person they were supposed to rescue.
Thirteen.
Three youngsters were expected to secretly infiltrate one of the great clans, rescue its confined Young Master, and escape without alerting anyone.
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
At that moment, Xuanyuan Jingchuan finally understood an important truth that had apparently taken him sixteen years to discover.
His parents were true love.
Their sons were accidents.
Still, complaining wasn’t going to rescue Youqin Jingheng.
Despite his age, Xuanyuan Jingchuan was the eldest son of the Xuanyuan Clan, and he certainly wasn’t incompetent.
Before taking action, he spent several days investigating the Illusory Realm Clan.
He memorized the patrol routes, calculated the guards’ shift changes, studied several possible entrances, and even prepared more than one escape route in case something went wrong.
The plan was careful.
In fact, it was excellent.
The brothers successfully infiltrated the Illusory Realm Clan without alerting anyone.
They found Youqin Jingheng.
They avoided the guards.
They even managed to get him out of confinement far more easily than expected.
Everything went perfectly.
So perfectly that Xuanyuan Jingchuan almost began to believe they might actually return home without incident.
Unfortunately— he had forgotten one important factor.
Xuanyuan Weichuan.
While the three were making their way out, Xuanyuan Jingchuan suddenly heard footsteps approaching from the corridor ahead.
He immediately stopped and raised one hand.
“Wait.” Xuanyuan Weichuan stopped.
Youqin Jingheng stopped as well.
The three hid behind a wall while the footsteps drew closer.
It was a patrol.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan silently gestured for the other two to remain still.
All they had to do was wait.
Nothing more.
Don’t move.
Don’t speak.
Don’t make a sound.
Once the patrol passed, they could continue along the escape route exactly as planned.
It should have been the easiest part of the entire mission.
Then— Xuanyuan Weichuan’s nose twitched.
Once.
Then twice.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan noticed.
His expression immediately changed.
No.
Absolutely not.
Xuanyuan Weichuan’s eyes widened slightly as he took an involuntary breath.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan lunged toward him.
Too late.
“ACHOO!” The sneeze echoed through the otherwise silent corridor.
The approaching footsteps stopped immediately.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan slowly closed his eyes.
Beside him, Youqin Jingheng turned his head and stared at his cousin.
Xuanyuan Weichuan hurriedly covered his mouth, looking deeply apologetic.
“…Sorry.” A suspicious voice came from the other side of the wall.
“Who’s there?!” Xuanyuan Jingchuan opened his eyes.
Then he smiled.
It was an exceptionally gentle smile.
So gentle, in fact, that Xuanyuan Weichuan instinctively took a step backward.
“Brother?” Xuanyuan Jingchuan looked at him for a long moment.
At that moment, he truly wondered whether abandoning one’s biological younger brother counted as a serious crime.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to find out.
Shouts were already coming from the corridor.
“Someone’s there!” “Go check!” “Quick!” Xuanyuan Jingchuan’s smile disappeared.
He turned toward the exit and said only one word.
“Run.” The three of them bolted.
Behind them, guards rushed into the corridor and immediately spotted their retreating figures.
“There!” “It’s the Young Master!” “Stop them!” “Don’t let them escape!” The quiet residence erupted into chaos within seconds.
Xuanyuan Jingchuan ran at the front, Youqin Jingheng followed closely behind, while Xuanyuan Weichuan desperately tried to keep up.
“Brother!” “Shut up and run!” “I said I was sorry!” “Run!” The three turned a corner just as another group of guards appeared behind them.
Xuanyuan Weichuan looked back, saw the growing number of pursuers, and immediately ran faster.
For once, he didn’t dare say another word.
Their carefully planned rescue mission had officially collapsed.
There would be no quiet departure.
No slipping away unnoticed.
No elegant return to the Xuanyuan Clan.
From this moment onward— there was only one thing left for them to do.
Run for their lives.
And thus, what had begun as a carefully planned rescue mission officially turned into the beginning of an utterly chaotic— escape.