Chance Encounter in the Marketplace

"Eh, Xiao Han, and Xiao Mei!"

Xiao Yan's soul perception was exceptional. Sensing the gazes behind him, he subconsciously stopped walking. When he turned back to look, he was stunned. Xiao Han and Xiao Mei had actually appeared in the Street Market as well.

"Xiao Han!"

Xiao Xun'er's Dai Eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her expression turned stern. She had not forgotten what had happened yesterday. Though she did not know exactly how Xiao Han had done it, driven by her infatuation, she still instinctively regarded him with hostility.

Although Xiao Han had not said a single word yesterday, Xiao Xun'er's intuition still told her that he had been behind all of it.

Xiao Han had dared to toy with Xiao Yan like that. Xiao Xun'er had actually wanted to give Xiao Han a vicious beating last night. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a hidden expert by Xiao Han's side. Even Ling Ying, a Dou Emperor, had only managed to fight that hidden expert to a standstill.

This truly gave Xiao Xun'er quite a fright.

After all, although the Xiao Clan of Wutan City was one of the Ancient Eight Great Clans, the present-day Xiao Clan was no longer what it had once been. Its family fortunes had declined, and only the elder guarding the pavilion possessed the cultivation of a Dou Spirit. How could it possibly still have a Dou Emperor-level expert?

This was the Gamma Empire, the Northern Region of the Douqi Continent. If the Xiao Clan possessed a Dou Emperor-level expert, it definitely would not have remained holed up in tiny Wutan City.

Yet what astonished Xiao Xun'er even more was that, according to Ling Ying, the hidden Dou Emperor expert beside Xiao Han seemed to come from the Hun Clan, judging by the style of his techniques.

Heavens, the Hun Clan was one of the Ancient Eight Great Clans responsible for the death of the Xiao Clan's ancestor, Xiao Xuan. How could they possibly protect Xiao Xuan's descendant?

This completely defied logic!

If that was not the case, then there was only one explanation.

The reason Xiao Xun'er had left the Gu Clan for the Xiao Clan was not only because her father wanted her to have a happy childhood, but also so that she could take the opportunity to search for and seize the Tuoshe Ancient Jade Fragment in the Xiao Clan's possession.

Since the Gu Clan knew where the Xiao Clan was, the Hun Clan, whose prestige rivaled that of the Gu Clan, naturally knew as well. In other words, Xiao Han, like Xiao Xun'er herself, was not truly a member of the Xiao Clan, but had come from the Hun Clan.

Xiao Han's real name was not Xiao Han at all, but Hun Han!

As Xiao Xun'er thought about it, perhaps this was the only explanation for why a Dou Emperor expert of the Hun Clan was hidden at Xiao Han's side. It also explained why Xiao Han, whose Qi Sea had originally differed from others', had advanced by leaps and bounds in just two or three days and entered the ranks of a Dou Zhe.

To allow a human to cross the entire Dou Qi stage and become a Dou Zhe in merely two or three days—Xiao Xun'er believed that even the Gu Clan did not possess such an ability, and the fallen Xiao Clan naturally possessed even less of one. However, the mysterious and unfathomable Hun Clan might have such an ability.

Of course, Xiao Xun'er would never have dreamed that the reason Xiao Han's cultivation had soared so rapidly was his cheat— the Hongmeng System.

Noticing the intense hostility in Xiao Yan's eyes, Xiao Xun'er suggested with some concern, "Xiao Yan Gege, how about we look around over there instead?"

"Go over there? Why should we go over there? Just because he's here?" Xiao Yan's tone was calm, though the anger in his eyes flashed and vanished. Having been a good-for-nothing for three years, and being a transmigrator besides, Xiao Yan's temperament was far beyond that of his peers.

After yesterday's incident, Xiao Zhan had already investigated matters. Xiao Yan had learned from his father that, before that, Xiao Han had encountered Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye in the corridor, and the two sides had spoken for quite a while. Afterward, Xiao Han had even gone to the long pavilion to meet Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran.

From Ge Ye, Xiao Han had received a bag of items and three Brocade Boxes.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan were not fools. With a little thought, they understood that the person who had caused trouble in the Xiao Clan's Council Hall had been Xiao Han. Furthermore, the entire affair had been Xiao Han's handiwork. Otherwise, how could Xiao Han have received benefits afterward?

However, no matter how hard Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan racked their brains, they could not figure out how Xiao Han had done it.

Though he did not understand it, intense hostility toward Xiao Han had already taken root in Xiao Yan's heart.

"Young Master, obtaining this Devouring Wood Fox magic core left several of my brothers seriously injured. If Young Master wants it, five hundred Gold Coins will do."

Shortly afterward, Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er stopped before a street stall. The stall owner was raising the price with an emotional expression.

"Too expensive. Four hundred and seventy Gold Coins for it together with these things. Devouring Wood Fox magic cores aren't hard to find. If you're willing to sell, I'll pay and take it away." Xiao Yan reached for a pile of items and shrewdly haggled with the stall owner.

The stall owner frowned slightly and stared sharply at Xiao Yan. Secretly admitting that he had underestimated him, he was about to continue bargaining when his eyes glanced at the items Xiao Yan had picked up.

There were many items, but none were particularly valuable. Four hundred and seventy Gold Coins was a fair price for them. Just as the stall owner was about to agree, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Wait!"

The stall owner, Xiao Xun'er, and Xiao Yan all turned toward the voice at the same time.

"Xiao Han!"

Xiao Yan frowned slightly, his expression solemn as a bad feeling suddenly arose within him.

Sure enough, Xiao Han walked up to the stall, glanced at the pile of items Xiao Yan had selected, and said blandly, "Stall owner, I want that Black Iron Shard!"

Black Iron Shard?

The stall owner looked toward the pitch-black iron shard that Xiao Yan had placed before him.

The iron shard was caked with dirt and had been found by the stall owner in a forest. He had examined it; it was just an ordinary piece of iron. If he had not wanted to try his luck and see whether he could fool some sucker, he would probably have sold it as scrap metal already.

"That's against the rules!"

Xiao Xun'er looked at Xiao Han with an indifferent gaze, carrying an innate air of authority despite her lack of anger. With only a glance, she gave Xiao Han an invisible sense of oppression. Faintly, it felt as if an enormous mountain were pressing down on him, forcing him to kneel.

Xiao Han's heart tightened as he secretly thought, What a terrifying girl. Just one look feels like Mount Tai crushing down on me. No wonder she possesses the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame, ranked fourth on the Different Fire Ranking. Fortunately, I now possess the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, ranked eleventh on the Different Fire Ranking. Otherwise, that look alone would have been enough to make me embarrass myself in public.

Meeting Xiao Xun'er's gaze, Xiao Han secretly activated the Different Fire within his body. That terrifying pressure instantly vanished without a trace. Smiling faintly, he argued, "How is it against the rules? One party hasn't paid, and the other hasn't agreed to the sale, so the deal hasn't been made. Since that's the case, as a customer, I still have every right to compete fairly for it!"

"Uh..."

Xiao Xun'er was stunned. Her phoenix brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Xiao Han in utter astonishment. It was not because of his argument, but because she had clearly used the power of the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame, yet Xiao Han was completely unharmed. He had not collapsed to the ground in prostration as she had expected.