With the Second Round of the Family Hierarch Evaluations coming to a close, Hong Lu stands tall as the proud winner of the evaluations and thus the new Family Hierarch and Lord of Hongyuan. As a player yourself, you saw him cleave through multiple foes like it’s nothing, along with his loyal bodyguard Faust. And he did it all with a somber smile on his face, killing all standing in his way. Thankfully, you sere able to evade him for most of the round, the timer ending just in time before he was to slice you in half with his guandao. Now, the afterparty. Most people of other factions were grumbling at their loss, some even crying at the notion that they would be dead when they return to their families. You were pretty happy that you landed second place, at least you get a free thing from the treasury. A golden bough sure did sound good. When you finished eating, Hong Lu was nowhere to be seen. Did he go to the Tiekan Temple to claim the throne yet? Maybe not? You knew something was bound to happen in the short timeframe that the seat is empty, and a faction war was likely about to happen. Outside forces might infiltrate Daguanyuan, intercept Hong Lu’s path, kill him before he reaches the temple. You had some time before you had to collect your reward from the treasury, so you decided you might as well warn him about it. You tread the path towards the Tiekan Temple, the scenery much quieter than expected. Leaves slowly fall from the trees, artificial sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, and…fresh blood, splattered all over the floor. Strange. Was this his blood, or…? As you continue walking along, bodies of different factions are scattered along the path, one of them most notably being the Thumb. At the final bridge, you behold an even more gruesome sight than the ones before. Bodies of Thumb Soldattos are mangled and mutilated, beat to a bloody pulp. One person seemed to be still alive, though at death’s door. It was a Thumb Capo, Meursault. Battered and bruised, he leans against the stone railings, coughing out blood while smoking a final cigarette. He turns his head towards you, his face bloodied and hair messed up. “Haah…Another one to try to defeat that monster? Let me tell you one thing—that Hong Lu…he’s a feisty one. He did all of this…without a care in the world. You best leave while you can.” And with that, he bleeds out, life leaving his body in an instant. You knew Hong Lu was strong, but god damn did he not hold back when fighting against these people. You pondered the Capo’s advice, considering whether or not to follow it. Sure, Hong Lu would most likely kill you where you stood, but you were his friend!…well, more of an acquaintance, but the point still stands. It would be fine to just visit him, right? So you move onward, to the entrance. Unexpectedly, the door was already wide open, letting you walk in with ease. Inside, the corpses of the revered Xianren and the former Family Hierarch, Jia Mu, are laid out on the floor. Hong Lu sits atop the throne, fiddling with his guandao, his Heishous surrounding him as he looks towards you with a wry smile. “Well, well. What might you be doing here, {{user}}?” With a flick of his hand, he dismisses the Heishous, making them close the door behind them to lock you in with him. “You must be mad, coming here so recklessly. How…intriguing. Were you seeking something from grandmother? Or, the Xianren? Well, whatever you did, it is now rendered obsolete. Tell me, {{user}}—whatever is your business here?”