I Am the Righteous Path

After leaving the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan came to the market managed by the Xiao Family, wandering around as he searched for the items listed by Yao Chen.

"Twenty-year Purple Leaf Orchid Grass, Five-year Bone Washing Flower."

After making a brief round, Xiao Yan bought both items at suitable prices.

Gold coins: minus nine hundred.

Good grief, half of his savings had vanished just like that.

Xiao Yan held his head in pain.

There was no need to guess—the money he had left was absolutely not enough for the Level One Wood Element Magic Core.

(Elder Yao, do alchemists all spend money like this?)

(What do you think? Let me remind you, these are only the most basic materials. For slightly higher-grade medicinal herbs, even selling off your entire little Wutan City would not be enough.)

Yao Chen's words in his heart left Xiao Yan speechless.

People always said alchemists were incredibly precious. Today, he truly experienced why.

Setting aside the talent and necessary mentor required for alchemy, the cost of materials alone was not something ordinary people could bear. It was clear just how enormous the cost of training an alchemist was.

Returning to the matter at hand, Xiao Yan still had his brows tightly furrowed.

How was he supposed to make up the money he lacked?

"Get lost!"

Just as Xiao Yan was at his wits' end, he suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from the bustling crowd ahead.

Xiao Mei?

And from the sound of it, she seemed very angry?

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened. He pushed through the crowd toward the source of the voice and found that people had already formed a circle there. After squeezing his way in with difficulty, he immediately saw Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er confronting a young man accompanied by servants.

When he saw that man, Xiao Yan's expression darkened slightly.

Like the Xiao Family, the Gale Family was one of Wutan City's three great clans. This was the Gale Family Clan Leader's son, Gale Ao.

"What a rare coincidence to meet Xun'er today. Would Xun'er be willing to take a stroll with me?"

Gale Ao flashed a handsome smile as he gazed greedily at Xiao Xun'er, making her frown in disgust.

After she and Xiao Mei learned that Xiao Yan was coming out to buy things today, they had hurried back to their rooms to change clothes. Yet after changing, they learned from Xiao Zhan that Xiao Yan had already left, so the two of them hurried to the market.

But with so many people in the market, how could it be easy to find Xiao Yan?

In the end, before the two of them found Xiao Yan, they were first pestered by Gale Ao.

More precisely, Xiao Xun'er was the only one being pestered.

Facing this disgusting man, who looked more and more like someone who deserved a beating, Xiao Xun'er truly wanted to punch him in the face.

But he was, after all, the Gale Family's young master. Taking action against him would inevitably bring unnecessary trouble to the Xiao Family. Xiao Xun'er did not want to make things worse, so she forcibly suppressed the impulse in her heart.

However, while Xiao Xun'er, as someone staying with the Xiao Family, had such concerns, Xiao Mei, a true member of the Xiao Family, did not care nearly as much.

The moment she saw Gale Ao's offensive gaze, her temper flared. She pointed straight at his nose and began cursing him without the slightest courtesy.

"Get lost! Is Xun'er a name you can call? Go look in a mirror and see what kind of thing you are! Seeing you alone makes people sick! And you still have the nerve to invite members of the Xiao Family out for a stroll? Pah!"

Well then, Xiao Mei's temper and mouth were equally explosive. Her scolding made Gale Ao's expression turn ugly.

On the contrary, Xiao Xun'er's expression eased considerably, and she even let out a small laugh at Gale Ao's awkward appearance.

That smile instantly eased Gale Ao's ugly expression. His resentment at Xiao Mei pointing at his nose and cursing him vanished at once, and his eyes revealed undisguised possessiveness as he looked at Xiao Xun'er.

"Don't reject me so quickly." As he spoke, Gale Ao took out a bracelet from his robe. "I specifically bought this bracelet just now. It has a Wood Element Magic Core set into it, and it is highly effective at helping Dou Qi recover. Xun'er is about to become a Dou Zhe, so there could be no more suitable accessory for you. I hope Xun'er will accept it."

Gale Ao's shameless persistence finally made Xiao Xun'er unable to endure it any longer, and a trace of anger appeared on her previously softened face.

Xiao Mei had never seen someone who could still grin shamelessly after being cursed to his face. The anger in her heart rose another level, and just as she was about to open her mouth and curse Gale Ao to death again, a figure suddenly stood in front of the two of them.

The newcomer was Xiao Yan.

"Cousin Xiao Yan!"

"Brother Xiao Yan!"

When Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er saw Xiao Yan, joy appeared on both their faces. Xiao Yan turned sideways and handed the medicinal herbs he had just bought to Xiao Xun'er for her to hold, then faced Gale Ao directly, cupped his fists, and spoke sternly.

"Young Master Gale, I, Xiao, believe my two sisters have already made their displeasure quite clear. I hope Young Master Gale will cease this harassment."

Compared to Xiao Mei's merciless cursing, Xiao Yan's words were also somewhat confrontational, but they were still quite polite.

Gale Ao looked at the Suddenly Appeared Xiao Yan, his expression shifting uncertainly before he began to laugh.

"Oh? Who did I think it was? Isn't this the Xiao Family's useless Clan Leader's son?"

"You!!!"

Gale Ao's words immediately enraged the two girls behind Xiao Yan. Xiao Mei was about to speak when Xiao Yan raised a hand to stop her, while Xiao Xun'er was silenced by a sidelong glance from him.

After calming the two little girls behind him, Xiao Yan looked toward Gale Ao again and responded openly.

"I, Xiao, accept the title of useless, but I ask Young Master Gale not to drag my father into this."

As he spoke, a trace of anger entered Xiao Yan's voice.

He was useless now. This was an objective fact known throughout Wutan City, and Xiao Yan would not argue against it.

But his being useless had nothing to do with his father.

He could be insulted with the label of useless, but his father should never be implicated.

Filial piety came first among all virtues. Moreover, Xiao Zhan was absolutely a father worth defending and honoring!

Yet Gale Ao merely gave a Cold Snort and said leisurely.

"If the son is useless, how good can the old man be? So what if I insult him?!"

The moment Gale Ao said that, Xiao Yan's aura changed abruptly, and his gaze turned cold.

Xiao Yan deeply hated the Law of the Jungle, so he had never wished to engage in violent conflicts with others.

But at the same time, Xiao Yan understood better than anyone else.

There were always some people in this world who would not learn their lesson until they had been beaten!

"Gale Ao." Xiao Yan no longer used honorifics as he looked at Gale Ao with a deep gaze. "I challenge you to a Life-and-Death Duel. No matter the outcome, we leave our fates to heaven!"

The moment Xiao Yan's words fell, the entire scene fell silent. The onlookers froze in place, and even Gale Ao was stunned.

What the hell?

A useless person at Three Stages of Dou Power was taking the initiative to challenge a Dou Zhe?

Being weak was one thing, but had he lost his mind too?

"Cousin Xiao Yan!"

Xiao Mei was startled and immediately tried to step forward to stop him, but Xiao Xun'er grabbed her from the side.

"Trust Brother Xiao Yan."

Seeing the earnest look in Xiao Xun'er's eyes, Xiao Mei suppressed her emotions and quietly gazed at Xiao Yan's back view.

What Xiao Mei did not see was that one of Xiao Xun'er's hands had silently moved behind her back, with specks of Golden Light blooming in her palm.

Gale Ao had also come back to his senses by then, and an arrogant smile gradually appeared on his face.

"Fine! Fine!" Gale Ao raised one arm and slowly clenched his fist. "I've been waiting for this day! I'll beat you to the ground and let Xun'er see how pitiful you look, like a dog! Who would have thought you'd deliver yourself right to me today!"

If they were of the same level, Gale Ao would never agree to take part in such a Life-and-Death Duel.

But now, as a One-star Dou Zhe facing the provocation of a useless person at Three Stages of Dou Power, there was no reason for him to refuse!

I, Gale Ao, will beat you into a dog today!!!

"Since This Is the Case, you agree, then?"

Xiao Yan slowly assumed a fighting stance, while Gale Ao merely stood there casually, looking at Xiao Yan in complete ease.

"To keep others from saying I'm bullying you, you can make the first move."

Gale Ao smugly beckoned to Xiao Yan, not putting him In the Eyes at all.

For a useless person at Three Stages of Dou Power to defeat him, he could only dream!

The moment Gale Ao finished speaking, Xiao Yan's figure vanished from where he stood. When he appeared again, he was already before Gale Ao, his clenched fist stopped right in front of Gale Ao's face. Gale Ao was so frightened that he fell flat onto the ground, staring at Xiao Yan in shock as his mind turned to mush.

How is it Possible?!

How could a useless person at Three Stages of Dou Power be this fast?!

Yet Xiao Yan did not care how shocked Gale Ao was. He merely Looked Down Upon Gale Ao, who sat sprawled on the ground in a thoroughly disgraceful state.

"Gale Ao, this is a Life-and-Death Duel. Don't take your own life so lightly."

"You!!!"

Seeing Xiao Yan's indifferent gaze, Gale Ao nearly went mad with rage.

He had been looked down upon!

He, a dignified One-star Dou Zhe, had been looked down upon by a mere useless person at Three Stages of Dou Power!!!

A great humiliation!

Utter humiliation!

With the help of his servants, Gale Ao stood up and glared venomously at Xiao Yan, who had returned to his original position.

I'll kill you!

I'll definitely kill you in this duel!!!

As Gale Ao harbored the determination to kill Xiao Yan, Yao Chen's resentful words sounded in Xiao Yan's heart.

(Hey! Xiao Yan, kid! You clearly could have used Eight Extremes Collapse to kill that brat with that last strike! Why did you stop?!)

(Because this Disciple wants to defeat him openly and honorably, not defeat him while he is completely unguarded.)

(You! Foolish!!!)

Yao Chen was nearly angered unconscious. She had sensed that Xiao Yan was stubborn, but she had not expected him to be stubborn to this extent! He was even more obstinate than those old fogies she had met!

In a Life-and-Death Duel, who cared about methods?!

Only the winner had everything! Once you lost, you had nothing!

Yet in response to Yao Chen's rebuke, Xiao Yan answered calmly in his heart.

(This is not foolishness, Elder Yao.)

Xiao Yan looked at Gale Ao, whose face was twisted with rage, and his heart grew colder still.

(I want to defeat him openly and honorably. I want him and everyone else to be unable to find any excuse!)

If Xiao Yan wanted to study vile methods, he had countless such methods at his disposal.

But Xiao Yan had never involved himself in them.

Being open and honorable was not merely about methods—it was also about one's heart!

He wanted everyone to acknowledge from the bottom of their hearts that he, Xiao Yan, was the Righteous Path! The ideals he believed in were also the Righteous Path!

Xiao Yan knew well that once he committed even the slightest vile act, no matter how small, every word he had ever spoken would become false!

He hoped that one day in the future, he would stand at the peak of the world and declare to everyone on this continent with a clear conscience!

I, Xiao Yan, am the Righteous Path!!!