Myriad Realms Strongest Family

The night was calm, but Yunfeng's sharp eyes were locked on the two figures slipping through the shadows. They were the Spirit Hall spies, the ones Yunfeng had been keeping an eye on since his awakening. He smirked as he watched them sneak away, completely oblivious to his presence. 

"They think they can get away," Yunfeng muttered coldly. 

Behind him, Itachi stepped silently, his presence so quiet it was as if he were part of the shadows. His piercing red eyes glowed faintly under the moonlight, always on guard. 

"Yunfeng," Itachi spoke, his tone calm and respectful. 

Yunfeng raised an eyebrow at him. "Itachi, calling me by my name like that feels… off. From now on, just call me young master." 

Itachi nodded without hesitation. "Understood, young master." 

Satisfied, Yunfeng turned his attention back to the spies. Their movements were clumsy and untrained compared to the precision of Yunfeng and Itachi. It was almost laughable how confident they seemed. 

"Their spirit rank is incredibly low," Yunfeng whispered. 

"They won't sense us," Itachi confirmed, his tone steady. "And even if they did, I could trap them in a Genjutsu before they could react." 

Yunfeng nodded, trusting Itachi's abilities completely. Together, they followed the spies quietly, keeping their distance but never losing sight of them. 

The spies led them to a massive forest near a small village. The dense trees loomed high, their branches forming a natural canopy that blocked most of the moonlight. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and moss. 

Yunfeng moved to take a step forward, but Itachi raised a hand, stopping him. 

"Wait," Itachi said, his voice low but firm. "This forest is filled with traps. They've set them up to catch anyone who follows them." 

Yunfeng frowned. "Traps?" 

Itachi nodded and gestured to a nearby tree. "Look closely, young master. That thin wire? Step on it, and a barrage of arrows will come flying. This entire forest is a death zone for anyone who doesn't know what they're doing." 

Yunfeng's eyes widened as he spotted the nearly invisible wire. He hadn't even noticed it until Itachi pointed it out. 

"How do we get through?" Yunfeng asked. 

Itachi turned to him with a faint smile. "I'll teach you something useful—how to climb trees using spirit energy. It's similar to how I used chakra in my old world. It allows you to move freely and avoid traps on the ground." 

Yunfeng's curiosity was piqued. "Tree climbing with spirit energy? Show me." 

Itachi placed his hand on the tree trunk and focused his energy. A faint glow surrounded his feet as he began to walk vertically up the tree as if it were the ground. He stopped halfway up the trunk and looked down at Yunfeng. 

"The key is control. Too much energy and you'll push yourself off. Too little, and you'll fall. You need to find the right balance," Itachi explained. "Try it." 

Yunfeng nodded, eager to learn. He placed his hand on the tree and channeled his spirit energy to his feet. Slowly, he took a step forward, feeling the pull of gravity resist him. His first step slipped, but he quickly adjusted his energy. 

"Good," Itachi said from above. "You're learning fast, young master." 

Yunfeng smirked. "Of course. This is nothing for me." 

In fact, he has already tried manipulating his spirit energy from a young age. It was easy, because their clan had manuals that dabbled on spirit energy manipulation, as it was required for some of the techniques of the Divine Sword Clan, like flying on swords. 

With a few more tries, Yunfeng managed to climb the tree steadily, and soon the two were navigating the forest from above. Yunfeng marveled at the technique. It allowed him to avoid all the traps while keeping a high vantage point. 

"This technique is amazing," Yunfeng said as they moved through the trees. 

"It's practical," Itachi replied. "And it will keep you alive." 

Eventually, the spies stopped in the middle of the forest. There, hidden among the trees, was an abandoned shack. Its walls were rotting, and the roof looked like it could collapse at any moment. The spies glanced around nervously before slipping inside. 

Yunfeng crouched on a nearby branch, watching them. "An abandoned shack in the middle of nowhere. Typical hideout." 

Itachi stood beside him, his expression calm. "What's the plan, young master?" 

Yunfeng's eyes narrowed as a cold smile spread across his face. "We wait. Let's see what these rats are up to before we strike." 

The two remained hidden in the shadows, their presence undetectable. The hunt was far from over, and Yunfeng was determined to uncover whatever secrets these spies were hiding.

Yunfeng and Itachi perched silently on a high tree branch, the cold night breeze rustling through the leaves. The shack below them was eerily quiet, but faint flickers of light from inside indicated activity. Yunfeng's sharp gaze was locked on the structure, his mind calculating every possible scenario. 

"Do you sense anyone else in there?" Yunfeng asked, keeping his voice low. 

Itachi closed his eyes briefly, focusing his energy. His Sharingan spun faintly, scanning the surroundings and the shack itself. After a moment, he spoke. 

"No, young master," Itachi replied. "Just the two spies. But they're carrying something—likely documents or a recording. They're preparing to send it off." 

Yunfeng smirked coldly. "Foolish. They think they can deliver information about me without consequence." 

"Careful, young master," Itachi cautioned. "If we move recklessly, we might trigger their escape plan. Let's observe a little longer." 

Yunfeng nodded, though his patience was wearing thin. The thought of Spirit Hall learning about his awakening filled him with anger, but he trusted Itachi's judgment. 

Inside the shack, muffled voices began to rise. Yunfeng couldn't make out the words clearly, but it was clear the spies were discussing their mission. 

"Do you think they'll reward us well for this?" one of the spies asked nervously. His voice was young, barely out of boyhood. 

"They have to," the other replied, slightly older and more confident. "We've got crucial information. They'll finally notice us in Spirit Hall for this." 

Yunfeng's smirk deepened. "Dreaming of glory, are they? How laughable." 

Itachi glanced at Yunfeng, his tone calm but firm. "Young master, they might have more traps or reinforcements nearby. I suggest we disable them quietly before they even know we're here." 

Yunfeng tilted his head, considering. "Fine. How do you propose we do that?" 

Itachi's Sharingan glimmered faintly in the dark. "I'll handle it. Stay hidden for now. If I fail to neutralize them quietly, you can step in." 

Yunfeng nodded, leaning back against the tree trunk. "Go ahead, Itachi. Show me your skill." 

With that, Itachi leaped from the tree branch with silent precision, landing lightly on the ground below. His movements were so smooth that even Yunfeng had to admire his mastery. 

Itachi approached the shack carefully, his steps calculated. As he neared the building, his Sharingan scanned for any hidden traps or alarms. Sure enough, he spotted faint traces of spirit energy forming a detection circle around the shack. 

"A simple formation," Itachi muttered to himself. "Sloppy work." 

With a flick of his wrist, he disrupted the formation using a sharp kunai-like tool he had conjured from his spirit energy. The faint glow of the trap fizzled out, leaving the path clear.

Meanwhile, Yunfeng watched from above, impressed. "So, even their traps are useless against him," he mused quietly.

Itachi continued his approach, this time using his Sharingan to cast a subtle Genjutsu on the two spies inside. The younger spy paused mid-sentence, his eyes glazing over. 

"Did you hear that?" the younger spy asked, his voice trembling. 

The older one frowned. "What are you talking about? There's nothing—" 

Before he could finish, Itachi's Genjutsu fully took hold. The two spies slumped against the wall, their expressions blank. 

Itachi stepped into the shack and quickly searched their belongings. Among the scattered papers and crude tools, he found a small, sealed envelope bearing Spirit Hall's insignia. He examined it briefly before returning to the forest edge where Yunfeng waited. 

"Done," Itachi said, handing the envelope to Yunfeng. "They're incapacitated, and I've retrieved their message." 

Yunfeng opened the envelope, his eyes scanning the contents. It was a detailed report about him—his cousin's awakening, the Primordial Divine Sword, and even some speculation about his lineage. 

"So they were planning to send this to Spirit Hall," Yunfeng muttered, his voice icy. He crushed the letter in his hand, his spirit energy flaring briefly. 

"What do we do with them, young master?" Itachi asked, his tone as calm as ever.

Yunfeng's eyes gleamed coldly as he looked back at the shack. "We can't let them leave. Spirit Hall can't know about what happened today." 

Yunfeng's expression was cold as he fixed his gaze on the shack. "Itachi cast a Genjutsu on the two of them. Make them believe they are writing a letter to Spirit Hall with new instructions. The message will say they're cutting off direct contact for now to focus on spying within Spirit Hall itself. Mention that they will send yearly updates." 

Itachi gave a slight nod. "Understood, young master." 

He stepped back into the shack, his Sharingan glowing faintly in the darkness. The two spies, still under the influence of his Genjutsu, were slumped against the wall. With a flicker of his eyes, he reinforced the illusion, bringing them fully under his control. 

"You will write a letter," Itachi said, his voice calm but commanding. 

"Tell Spirit Hall you're going undercover within the Divine Sword Clan. Say you'll provide updates once a year, but for now, you are cutting all contact to make sure that you'll not be discovered.

The younger spy, completely entranced, reached for a piece of parchment and began writing. His hand moved quickly, his handwriting neat and deliberate. 

Yunfeng walked into the shack and stood by Itachi's side, his arms crossed as he observed. "Convenient," Yunfeng muttered to himself. 

"These two don't meet anyone physically from Spirit Hall, do they? That makes our plan foolproof. No one will suspect anything if we handle this properly." 

"They've been isolated," Itachi confirmed. "It's unlikely anyone will notice their disappearance for quite some time." 

Yunfeng nodded, satisfied. "Good. Spirit Hall will think they're following their orders. This will buy us time." 

The older spy, still under the Genjutsu, picked up the letter and read it aloud to ensure its contents matched the illusion's narrative. Yunfeng's sharp eyes scanned the paper, noting its authenticity. 

"Perfect," Yunfeng said. 

"Now, Itachi, copy his handwriting. We might need it later." 

Itachi's Sharingan glimmered as he focused on the letter. Within moments, he committed the handwriting style to memory, ready to replicate it flawlessly if needed. 

Once the task was complete, Yunfeng sighed deeply, the tension in his chest easing slightly. "Now, we finish this." 

Itachi's eyes darkened as he looked to Yunfeng for confirmation. "Do I kill them now, young master?" 

Yunfeng hesitated for a moment, his expression hardening. "Yes. We can't leave loose ends. Do it." 

Without a word, Itachi moved with deadly precision. In an instant, the two spies slumped lifelessly to the ground, their expressions frozen in eerie calm. 

Yunfeng's stomach churned as he watched, his hands clenching tightly into fists. The sight of death was unsettling, and a wave of dizziness swept over him. But he forced himself to stand firm, suppressing the discomfort rising within him. 

After a moment of silence, Yunfeng exhaled deeply, his voice steady but low. 

"As for how I'll deal with their deaths and avoid suspicion from the clan or the village… it's simple. Their village is near a forest with spirit beasts. It'll be easy to make it look like an accident." 

A cold smirk crossed his face as he added, "After all, it's their fault for being orphans and choosing to go into the forests." 

Itachi gave a slight bow, acknowledging the plan. "I'll handle the cleanup, young master."

Yunfeng nodded and turned to leave the shack, his steps steady despite the weight of what had just transpired. He knew this was only the beginning, and the path ahead would demand even greater sacrifices.