Long-Term Goal: Blood Axe Xiao Chen

Chapter Thirty-Nine

As the saying went, one mountain could not hold two tigers. In the Jia Ma Empire of old, the Misty Cloud Sect had stood high above all others, ranked first in both strength and reputation, suppressing the Jia Ma Royal Family until it could barely breathe.

After the Misty Cloud Sect was destroyed, the Jia Ma Royal Family became the first to kick it while it was down. That was not difficult to understand.

The Misty Cloud Sect had been far too arrogant. It wanted both face and substance, and did not treat the Jia Ma Royal Family as people at all.

Now that the Xiao Family had destroyed the Misty Cloud Sect, it had unquestionably become the Number One Power in the Jia Ma Empire.

After all, with the combat strength of two Dou Zongs, they could sweep across the entire Jia Ma Empire. Yet the relationship between the Xiao Family and the Jia Ma Royal Family was far more harmonious than that between the Misty Cloud Sect and the Jia Ma Royal Family.

All of this was because, after that discussion within the Xiao Family, it had set the tone for its future development.

That was, the Xiao Family would become a reclusive family of the empire, pursuing profit rather than fame.

The Xiao Family would not miss out on a single heavenly treasure or natural resource in the Jia Ma Empire, but it could let the Jia Ma Royal Family take all that empty prestige.

Even after wiping out the Misty Cloud Sect, when the Jia Ma Royal Family held a court assembly, Xiao Lin specifically sent the First Elder to attend and show the Jia Ma Royal Family tremendous respect.

Simply put, the Xiao Family wanted only substance. Face did not matter much.

To the outside world, the Xiao Family was shrouded in layers of mist, becoming the most mysterious family in the Jia Ma Empire.

Within the Xiao Family, another large-scale prophecy began. Clan Leader Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders took charge, making plans to guard against the Soul Hall exterminating the clan.

This time, the pressure brought by the Soul Hall was even greater than that of the Misty Cloud Sect. One misstep, and the entire clan would be wiped out.

In the Study Room, Xiao Lin glanced over the Xiao Family's recent intelligence. Learning of what his son Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders had been doing, he smiled inwardly.

"People really do need a little pressure."

Only pressure brought motivation. Otherwise, if the entire Xiao Family started slacking off just because it was now the foremost family in the Jia Ma Empire, how was his Family System supposed to improve?

Before Xiao Lin lay a sheet of blank paper. He picked up his brush and slowly wrote down his next plans—or rather, his goals.

For Xiao Lin, the most important thing had never changed: to raise the strength of the entire Xiao Family, thereby benefiting himself in return. Then he would feed that benefit back into the Xiao Family, repeating the cycle and forming a virtuous loop.

Some time ago, he had personally gone into the desert and raided the Snake People Clan, raising the Xiao Family's overall strength by a major level.

Not long ago, he had even exterminated the Misty Cloud Sect, claiming all of that giant power's wealth for the Xiao Family. With those resources supporting them, the Xiao Family's overall strength would certainly rise further.

"To improve the Xiao Family's overall quality, there are only two words: quality and quantity."

Xiao Lin drew circles and marks on the paper. In terms of "quality," the resources he provided would allow it to rise quickly.

As for "quantity," that meant increasing the Xiao Family's overall population. That could not be rushed. Having children was easy enough, but a child could not possibly learn cultivation the instant it was born.

They had to wait at least ten years before they could embark on the path of cultivation.

And those ten years were only the beginning. To achieve even modest success, they would need to wait another decade or more. It was far too long.

Thus, Xiao Lin's goal was clear: "quality" first and "quantity" second. That was how he would raise the Xiao Family's overall strength and strengthen himself to the greatest extent possible.

Speaking of quality, Xiao Lin really did know of one Xiao Clan member of exceptionally high caliber. One of the Xiao Family's ancestors, Blood Axe Xiao Chen, was trapped within the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's space.

If he could bring him out and have him join the current Xiao Family, a Dou Saint expert could greatly raise the Xiao Family's overall level.

"Long-term mission: rescue Ancestor Xiao Chen. Short-term mission: absorb the vast resources from the Misty Cloud Sect, enter seclusion, cultivate, and raise my strength!"

Time quietly passed. As the Xiao Family deliberately kept a low profile, the name Xiao Family gradually faded into the depths of the Jia Ma Empire's people's minds.

Only whenever people discussed the strongest power in the Jia Ma Empire would they bring up that name.

Within the Xiao Family estate in Wutan City, there was a secret chamber deep inside the compound. Soldiers guarded it heavily, and not even a fly could enter.

"Young Master Xiao Yan!"

When the two soldiers guarding the gate saw the newcomer, they put away their weapons and saluted him.

"No need to mind me. I'm going in to take a look."

"Crack!"

The stone door opened, releasing slightly damp air. Xiao Yan frowned faintly and coughed twice before entering the wet, dark secret chamber.

The Xiao Family's secret chamber was not particularly large. After all, they had never imagined they would one day have use for such a thing.

There were four iron-barred cells on each side of the chamber, making eight compartments in total.

"Nephew Xiao Yan! No—Young Master Xiao Yan, we truly have nothing to do with the Misty Cloud Sect!"

"Those vile scoundrels of the Misty Cloud Sect deserve to die, but we truly aren't members of the Misty Cloud Sect! We haven't even been to Misty Cloud Mountain yet!"

"Young Master Xiao Yan, that little bitch Nalan Yanran, the main branch, and the Misty Cloud Sect may have an inseparable relationship, but us branch families never received a single benefit!"

"Nalan Yanran, you bitch, why don't you obediently lower your head and beg Young Master Xiao Yan for mercy? If not for you, how would our Nalan Family have ended up like this?"

Xiao Yan's ears were relentlessly bombarded from both sides as he headed straight toward the two cells at the very back.

The four "major criminals" captured this time were imprisoned here: the Misty Cloud Sect Leader Yun Yun, Honorary Elder Pill King Gu He, Nalan Family Clan Leader Nalan Su, and Misty Cloud Sect Young Sect Leader Nalan Yanran.

Among the four, the most innocent and confused was Pill King Gu He.

He had merely accompanied Yun Yun on a trip to Misty Cloud Mountain after recovering from his injuries, only to be surrounded and captured by Jia Xing Tian, Hai Bodong, Fa Ma, and a group of experts.

Only after spending some time in the Xiao Family's secret chamber did he understand what had happened.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, when are you going to kill us?"

Seeing Xiao Yan enter, Yun Yun spoke coldly. She looked haggard, her clothes hanging loosely from her frame. Not far from her stood a worried-looking Pill King Gu He.

On the other side, Nalan Family Clan Leader Nalan Su and Nalan Yanran also opened their eyes at the same time, watching Xiao Yan enter.

Even as one of the protagonists of the Three-Year Pact, Xiao Yan could not bring himself to flaunt his victory before them. In truth, he felt a measure of sympathy for the Misty Cloud Sect.

After all, the Misty Cloud Sect had suffered too miserably. Its legacy had been wiped out, corpses covered the mountain, and its elders, disciples, and former sect leader had all died on Misty Cloud Mountain.

Of course, Xiao Yan had not experienced everything he was meant to experience. If he had followed the normal course of events, not only would he feel no sympathy now, he would be celebrating wildly.

"You are safe for the time being."

Xiao Yan shook his head as he answered. In fact, aside from him, no one in the entire Xiao Family even remembered these people.

The old man was busy cultivating in seclusion, while his father and the Three Elders spent every day studying maps of the Dou Qi Continent, seemingly researching a relocation...

It could be said that, with the Xiao Family's upper ranks delegating authority, Xiao Yan held the power to deal with these people. He simply was not sure how to handle them.

If he released them, the Xiao Family would probably face a terrorist attack before long.

If he killed them all? As those branch members of the Nalan Family had said when he entered, some innocent people would inevitably be killed by mistake.

"You do not need to look at me like that. I can tell you that the true Misty Cloud Sect was not as wonderful as you imagined. Your former sect leader, Yun Shan, colluded with an evil force from the Middle Continent..."

Xiao Yan looked at Yun Yun and spoke directly.

After the battle at the Misty Cloud Sect, Yao Lao had told him about the Soul Hall. Just to avenge his master, he was already sworn enemies with the Soul Hall.