The Family's Strength Is True Strength

The Family's Strength Is True Strength

Two months later.

Xiao Clan Back Mountain.

A black figure and a white figure continuously crisscrossed, accompanied by repeated low shouts.

"Eight Extremes Collapse!"

Xiao Yan, dressed in black, let out a low roar before throwing a punch at Xiao Yuan.

Calmness appeared on Xiao Yuan's face. Using the Swimming Dragon Step beneath his feet, he dodged aside, then flashed to Xiao Yan's side and lightly swiped a hand held like a blade across his neck.

The icy douqi on his palm made Xiao Yan shudder uncontrollably.

"Brother, your talent really is something. I only just advanced to Dou Zhe, but you're already at four stars. Your combat strength is so great that you can easily suppress me without even using any dou techniques."

Still shaken, Xiao Yan rubbed his slightly chilled neck and spoke with a bitter smile.

"Don't sell yourself short. You're no slouch either. This is an Xuan-tier movement dou technique, after all. It's a pity the Mite'er Family still held something back—the information in the scroll can only be read by one person. Otherwise, if you learned it and fought me again, I'd have to put in some effort too."

Xiao Yuan smiled, patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, and said with a laugh.

"By the way, Brother, you said before that once I became a Dou Zhe, you needed my teacher and me to help with something. What is it?"

Xiao Yan nodded, then turned serious.

"You know that Wutan City is currently in a three-way balance between the Gale Family, our clan, and the Oba Family.

"With our talents, neither of us can stay in the clan forever. I've long planned to leave home and cultivate elsewhere, but I've always worried about the clan, so I remained here to train.

"But these days can't last much longer. In another half year, Jia Nan Academy will begin accepting students. It's a good place.

"However, I looked into it. Jia Nan Academy is divided into the Inner Academy and the Outer Academy. The mentors in the Outer Academy are only at the Da Dou Shi level, so they would not benefit either of us much. Your teacher can refine Tier 4 Pills, so he is probably at least a Dou Ling-level powerhouse. Naturally, there's no need for you to waste your years in the Outer Academy.

"As for me, this is my plan. Half a year from now, I'll register for Jia Nan Academy, but I won't go. In a little over a year, I must go to Nalan Residence to dissolve the engagement. During that year, I need to find a way to advance to the Da Dou Shi realm.

"But I can't rest easy about the clan. I need you, together with that mysterious teacher behind you, to wipe out the Gale Family and the Oba Family."

Hearing Xiao Yuan's clear and well-planned thoughts, Xiao Yan could not help nodding.

Sure enough, Third Brother's vision was as farsighted as ever.

"But Brother, how exactly should we act?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"It's simple. Now that you've advanced to Dou Zhe, you should be qualified to learn alchemy, right?

"I imagine your teacher will teach you. I'll explain the plan first, and when you return, discuss it with him. In any case, when alchemists first begin learning, they gain experience by burning through Medicinal Herbs.

"First, I need you to refine a healing medicine. It doesn't need to be of especially high quality. It only needs to be cheap to produce and available in large quantities, while working better than the common Wound Medicine prepared by physicians on the market.

"Then I'll distribute it through the Xiao Clan's marketplaces. A product with good effects, affordable prices, and an exclusive supply—just one such product would be enough to create an enormous impact on Wutan City's tiny market! Next, there are Beautifying and Youth-Preserving medicines. Heh, don't underestimate women's purchasing power! As for what comes after, there's no rush. First, study alchemy properly under your teacher, and while you're at it, ask whether it's possible to reveal that you have an alchemist teacher. If it is, I'll take you to see Ya Fei. She'll return to the Imperial Capital in half a year.

"So it would be best to take advantage of this time to cooperate properly with the Mite'er Family, cripple the Gale Family and the Oba Family completely, and seize all of Wutan City's resources. Only then can the clan develop more rapidly.

"Of course, it would also help Ya Fei improve her performance. That way, she'll have more influence after returning, which will benefit our Xiao Clan in the future as well."

Xiao Yuan spoke to Xiao Yan with a solemn expression.

"Alright. I'll go back and ask."

Xiao Yan nodded gravely.

At the same time, his thoughts churned. He had always devoted himself to cultivation and had never cared much about clan affairs. Only now that Third Brother had brought it up had he finally been awakened.

Leaving everything else aside, he should do his part simply to help his father.

Over the years, his father had spent most of his energy managing the clan and had devoted little to cultivating douqi. Coupled with the clan's remote location and limited resources, his cultivation progress had slowed even further.

Otherwise, with his father's talent, he would likely have long since become a Dou Ling-level powerhouse! With a fortunate opportunity, he might even have had the potential to break through to Dou Wang in the future. Would the Nalan Family then have dared let Nalan Yanran come to dissolve the engagement? One person's strength was certainly important to a clan, but if the clan itself could become strong, he would benefit enormously as well.

Besides, he had been consuming twice the clan's resources all these years! As for Xiao Yuan's suggestion to improve Ya Fei's performance, Xiao Yan did not think there was anything wrong with it. In his heart, she was already his future sister-in-law. It was a win-win situation, so they should do it!

"By the way, what kind of habit was that just now? Are you afraid people won't know which dou technique you used, so you have to shout it out? When you become a Dou Wang powerhouse someday, are you going to announce the names of every dou technique you use like you're reading off a menu?"

After the serious discussion was over, Xiao Yuan asked teasingly.

"Uh..."

Xiao Yan was left speechless. An image surfaced in his mind: a Dou Wang powerhouse with Douqi Transformation Wings fighting in the sky while constantly shouting the names of his dou techniques. That scene was so embarrassing it made him want to crawl into a hole.

"Hehe, also, your dou technique has fierce explosive power, but it lacks follow-through. While explosive force is indeed a characteristic of the fire attribute, you should still find a way to avoid that weakness. You can ask your teacher about that."

Xiao Yuan then pointed out the flaw in Eight Extremes Collapse to Xiao Yan in advance, so that he would not suffer for it later.

"Alright!"

Xiao Yan nodded earnestly. His admiration for Xiao Yuan grew even deeper. My Third Brother truly is a genius among geniuses!

"Alright, I'll go make arrangements at the marketplace first. Oh, and once that's done, I'll head to the Monster Mountain Range in advance to scout things out. If anything comes up, go find Sister Ya Fei. I'll speak with her beforehand."

After saying that, Xiao Yuan waved his hand and headed down the mountain.

Watching Xiao Yuan's hurried retreating figure, Xiao Yan pressed his lips together, his expression somewhat complicated.

"Your Third Brother is quite impressive."

Yao Lao's voice quietly sounded.

"Mm. Teacher, you heard everything he said earlier, right?"

Xiao Yan nodded and asked.

"What he said makes sense. You need to learn alchemy anyway, and having you practice for no reason would be rather dull. If you have a goal to achieve, it might even let you accomplish twice the result with half the effort. Besides, I was already planning to take you out for some training."

Yao Lao said with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Teacher."

Xiao Yan smiled softly.

This is unbearable. My head hurts. I woke up at nine after a nap and hurriedly started typing.