Defeating Yao Xingji

"Big Dipper Meteor Fist!" Yao Xingji opened with a killing move. Palm winds dozens of zhang wide formed a massive net, completely enveloping Xiao Yan. If an ordinary Dou Zun expert took even one of those palm winds head-on, they would be lucky to survive without grievous injuries!

Xiao Yan snorted coldly and pushed the Three Thousand Lightning Movement to its limit, leaving behind a trail of afterimages as he narrowly evaded each palm wind. With his keen perception, he could naturally tell that although Yao Xingji's brute strength was formidable in his fury, his use of Dou Techniques was no different from blindly flailing about without any method. As long as Xiao Yan dodged the first few attacks and exhausted Yao Xingji's Dou Qi, he could take him down without any effort.

"Heavenly Pivot Blazing Sun Flame!" Seeing Xiao Yan evade the attack, the rage on Yao Xingji's face deepened. His hands flashed through several seals, summoning a colossal pillar of flame hundreds of zhang wide. Xiao Yan did not try to take it head-on. With two light taps of his toes against the ground, he retreated a thousand paces in just a few breaths. The flaming pillar, brimming with destructive energy, did not even touch Xiao Yan's shadow.

"Trash! You only know these petty tricks? You've utterly disgraced your Xiao Clan!" Yao Xingji grew anxious when two successive Earth Rank High-Level Dou Techniques failed even to touch Xiao Yan's clothes, and he immediately began cursing.

"Say that again?" Killing intent surged in Xiao Yan's eyes. He had not wanted to go too far in front of Yao Ling, but Yao Xingji had provoked him time and again, then insulted the entire Xiao Clan. If Xiao Yan did not teach him a brutal lesson today, where would the Xiao Clan's dignity go?

"Flame Splitting Wave-Eroding Ruler!" Xiao Yan swept the Heavy Black Ruler, sending a flaming tidal wave nearly a hundred zhang wide flying toward Yao Xingji. Yet the latter casually shattered it with a single punch.

"If that's all the petty tricks you have, you'd better get lost already..." Before Yao Xingji could finish speaking, his fist struck an exquisite Three-colored Fire Lotus. Xiao Yan had concealed his killing move within a low-level Dou Technique. Given Yao Xingji's powerful Soul power, it should not have been difficult for him to notice it. Unfortunately, rage had clouded his mind.

"Carry him to a quiet room and let him recuperate on his own. He was disrespectful to a guest; suspend his monthly stipend for two years." Seeing Yao Xingji blown ragged and unconscious by the fire lotus, Yao Ling bent down to check his breathing. Once she confirmed that he was still alive, she spoke indifferently.

"But..."

"But what? My brother is in seclusion, so I am exercising the Young Clan Leader's authority in his stead. Do I need your input just to deal with one Yao Xingji?" Yao Ling's willow brows rose as she snapped angrily.

"As you say, miss..." Seeing Yao Ling angered, the guards at the side did not dare say another word and carried Yao Xingji away.

"Sister Yao Ling, I beat Yao Xingji into that state. Aren't you angry at all?" Xiao Yan asked curiously upon seeing how Yao Ling handled the matter. Yao Xingji was, after all, a member of the Yao Clan. Striking him so heavily in front of Yao Ling was indeed somewhat inappropriate.

"If you had struck anyone else that heavily, I probably would have advised you to stop before going too far." Yao Ling glanced at Xiao Yan. "But since you hit Yao Xingji, then you did well. He relies on his father, the teaching elder Yao Dao, to run amok within the clan. Even the Clan Leader has little way to deal with him, and the clansmen have long been deeply dissatisfied with him." At the mention of Yao Dao, Yao Ling let out a heavy sigh.

"I suspect the Clan Leader specifically sent you that verbal order because he wanted to use your hand to discipline those stubborn, incorrigible clansmen." Yao Ling added, "Please understand the Clan Leader as well. Our Yao Clan has accumulated far too many longstanding problems. There are some matters that even the Clan Leader cannot deal with directly."

"Xiao Yan understands." Xiao Yan nodded. It was hard even for an upright official to settle family disputes. Since Clan Leader Yao Dan had asked him to act, he would treat this as a task entrusted to him by Yao Dan. There were no free lunches in this world. Wanting to take the Yao Clan's Nine Nether Wind Flame without paying any price was nothing but a fool's dream. Besides, if Yao Xingji truly was an "exceptionally brilliant genius" among the younger generation, then this task was rather easy indeed.

Yao Xingji had not been lying. Among the Yao Clan's younger generation, fewer than five geniuses could reliably suppress him. Yet today, after taking the initiative and using all his trump cards, he had been severely injured by Xiao Yan in fewer than three moves without even touching Xiao Yan's shadow. This explosive news instantly spread throughout the Yao Clan, leaving everyone astonished. This outsider from the Xiao Clan truly had some skill.

Naturally, the news also reached the ears of the teaching elder Yao Dao. Upon hearing it, Yao Dao immediately crushed the wine cup in his hand and set out furiously to seek "justice" from Yao Dan.

"Come in." When Yao Dan heard that Yao Dao requested an audience, he already understood most of the matter. "Old Dao, Elder Shen Nong just sent me several plants of eighth-grade pu'er tea. I was just thinking of inviting you to taste it with me, and here you are."

"Thank you, Clan Leader, but I will not be drinking tea." Yao Dao's eyes were filled with rage. "My son was severely injured by that despicable Xiao Yan! I ask Clan Leader Yao Dan to seek justice for me, punish that vile man according to clan law, give him a hundred strokes, and expel him from the clan!"

"Old Dao, we were classmates in our younger days. I have never forgotten that friendship." Yao Dao's eyes lit up at those words, but Yao Dan's next sentence poured a bucket of cold water over him. "But this time, I am afraid I cannot handle things as you ask..."

"Why? Isn't Xiao Yan merely an outsider? Being a Six-Star Dou Zun at his age is indeed impressive, but surely he is not worth such importance from you, Clan Leader?" As he spoke, Yao Dao's aura turned increasingly violent, shattering the surrounding space.

"As far as I know, Yao Xingji was the one who provoked Xiao Yan first and was then severely injured by him. And the reason for his provocation is even more laughable. Yao Xingji failed to win Ling'er's affection and bore a grudge. When he saw Ling'er guiding Xiao Yan in alchemy, he disregarded clan rules and challenged him." Yao Dan shook his head helplessly as he spoke.

"Old Dao, you had a son late in life and have spoiled Xingji in every possible way. But after you are gone, there will be no one left to protect him. Let this be a lesson for him." Yao Dao fell silent, nodded, and flicked his sleeve before leaving.

"That boy Xiao Yan truly has some skill." Watching Yao Dao depart, a smile appeared at the corner of Yao Dan's lips. "Let me see just how quickly he can grow under the full cultivation of our Yao Clan."

The Yao Clan Arena was packed with people. The Yao Clan was not a martial clan, and matches between geniuses of the younger generation might not occur even once a month. Yet four matches had taken place in succession today. Such a spectacle drew Yao Clan members from within ten li to gather at the arena. Some had merely come to watch the excitement, while more hoped to learn something from the battles.

At the center of the arena, an exquisite Four-colored Fire Lotus exploded. The flaming storm containing destructive energy knocked an Eight-star Dou Zun to the ground. He staggered as he tried to rise, but ultimately failed and fainted on the ground before being dragged away.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan hurriedly took several pills from the Medicine Gourd and placed them in his mouth, replenishing the considerable amount of Dou Qi consumed by the successive battles. All of these opponents were Dou Zuns of seven stars or above. Defeating five such powerful opponents in a row was not an easy task even for him.

Watching Xiao Yan perform like this from the arena stands, Yao Ling could not help but praise him inwardly. She had intended to be ready to help him at any moment, but she had not expected Xiao Yan to challenge five stronger experts in succession without suffering a single defeat. Such strength left her filled with admiration.

"Flying Spirit Army Second Instructor, Yao Dao, challenges Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan!"

A burly, dark-skinned man flew into the center of the arena and announced loudly with cupped fists. As his name echoed through the arena, cries of alarm rose from below.

"Senior Yao Dao was considered quite powerful among the previous generation of clansmen. For him to take part in the competition today really does seem like bullying the young." Looking at the slender figure in the arena, a trace of unease and concern appeared in Yao Ling's beautiful eyes.