Did I Give You Permission to Speak?

"Cough... cough... huff..."

The young girl in a pale yellow dress coughed up blood. Her face was deathly pale, and she looked to be in poor shape, like a flower on the verge of wilting.

"Brother Xiao Yang, hurry and run on your own. If you keep carrying me around, this burden, they'll catch up with you sooner or later."

Despite her words, the sturdy young man known as Xiao Yang didn't let go of her or leave on his own. Instead, he scooped her up in both arms and said firmly, "Little Sister Xiao Juan, I absolutely... absolutely won't abandon you!"

"But... but this way, they'll catch us sooner or later. It's better if at least one of us survives. Otherwise, our cousins' sacrifice will have been for nothing!" Xiao Juan earnestly tried to persuade him.

She was afraid of dying, of course, but she was even more afraid of dying for nothing.

She was already badly injured. Rather than hold Xiao Yang back, she would be better off trying to impede their pursuers. Even delaying them for just a second would be worthwhile.

Xiao Yang looked troubled. A devil in his heart kept urging him to leave Xiao Juan behind, but his sense of decency and kindness kept the evil thoughts at bay.

At that moment, an excited man's voice rang out from behind them. "Senior Sister, they've slowed down! We'll finish them off in no time!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and chase them! Don't give them a chance to catch their breath."

Hearing this, Xiao Juan gritted her teeth and panted, "Brother Xiao Yang... if you don't... leave me behind now, you won't... get another chance!"

"Even if I die, I won't abandon you!" Xiao Yang declared resolutely.

After his cousins had stayed behind to cover their escape, he had already been consumed by grief. If he abandoned Xiao Juan now, he might as well die on the spot.

Szzzt!

A sharp blade of light hurtled toward them from afar. With both arms around Xiao Juan, Xiao Yang had no chance to counterattack. In truth, he wasn't strong enough to withstand it anyway.

So this was how he died?

Fine!

At least he wouldn't die a coward who'd crawled through life just to survive.

Suddenly, a streak of white light flashed before the eyes of Xiao Yang and Xiao Juan.

Crack!

As the sound rang out, Xiao Yang felt the blade of light vanish behind him!

He hurriedly turned around and saw someone in a white robe. He couldn't make out the person's face, and the figure looked rather young.

[Beep! Congratulations, Host. You have completed the mission: Save two Xiao Clan members. Reward: Phenomenon: Moon Rising Over the Sea.]

"Brat, you dare block an attack from the Spirit Crane Sect? Are you tired of living?" a Spirit Crane Sect disciple shouted.

But when Xiao Yao glanced at him, the disciple seemed to sense something utterly terrifying. His mouth trembled involuntarily, and he couldn't utter another word.

The Spirit Crane Sect cultivator who had been called Senior Sister stepped forward. One look was all it took for her to spot the Xiao Family Emblem on Xiao Yao's chest.

"An Xiao Clan member. No wonder!"

Xiao Juan and Xiao Yang were momentarily confused.

For someone so young yet so powerful to be a Xiao Clan cultivator, he was most likely a clan member who had regained his youth.

"Stand aside now, and I, Guang Hong, might spare your worthless life. Otherwise, die!"

Xiao Yao took a careful look at Guang Hong and confirmed she was still at the Peak of Transcendent Realm Ninth Layer. What right did this pretty little thing have to act so arrogantly in front of him?

In the next instant, the pressure of his Sea Opening Realm Second Layer Peak Cultivation burst forth.

Guang Hong and the two other Spirit Crane Sect disciples turned pale at once.

Like Xiao Yang and Xiao Juan, they murmured in astonishment, "A Sea Opening Realm cultivator?"

"Great Immortal, spare us! We were only following orders." The two Spirit Crane Sect disciples beside Guang Hong immediately fell to their knees and begged for mercy.

Guang Hong sneered. "Get up! You spineless cowards. He's only a Sea Opening Realm cultivator. Do you think our Spirit Crane Sect doesn't have any?"

"Then do you have this?" Xiao Yao asked with a faint smile, releasing the Phenomenon: Chaos Seed Green Lotus.

In an instant, pressure far more powerful, imposing, and terrifying than his Sea Opening Realm cultivation swept over them.

The five people present, everyone but Xiao Yao, stared in disbelief.

The only difference was that Xiao Yang and Xiao Juan didn't look afraid. After all, the person who had come to their aid was one of their own.

"Chaos Seeds the Azure Lotus, the legendary top-tier phenomenon! How do you have it?" Guang Hong demanded.

Xiao Yao didn't answer. He turned directly toward the two Xiao Clan members behind him.

Xiao Yang and Xiao Juan froze. As far as they knew, this was supposed to be a Xiao Clan member who had regained his youth.

They never imagined he was their Young Clan Leader, who had been the clan's waste just a month ago.

In just one month, he had gained Sea Opening Realm cultivation and the support of a top-tier phenomenon. Their Young Clan Leader was no longer the useless person he'd once been!

Xiao Yao summoned a bottle of Transcendent Tier Four Symbols Ointment and let it float before Xiao Juan. "Take it as soon as possible. Otherwise, your injuries will damage your cultivation foundation."

"Thank you for this gift, Young Clan Leader!" Xiao Juan said, forcing herself to cup her hands despite the pain.

Afterward, her slender hand grasped the bottle of Four Symbols Ointment. She opened it and gulped it down as if it were water.

"Brother Xiao Yang, put me down. This position isn't good for treating my injuries."

Xiao Yang immediately set Xiao Juan down. Once she sat cross-legged and began circulating her cultivation technique, he turned his gaze to the extraordinarily handsome Xiao Yao.

Once upon a time, Xiao Yao had been a great disgrace to the Xiao Clan.

Now he was so powerful. The old saying really was true: How could a golden-scaled carp remain forever in a pond? Once it met the wind and clouds, it would transform into a dragon.

But this wasn't the time to dwell on that. He cupped his hands and said, "Young Clan Leader, the Spirit Crane Sect attacked our other clan members. Little Sister Xiao Juan, I, and the other Xiao Clan members who died along the way only managed to escape because our clansmen stayed behind to cover our retreat."

"Though I don't know how they're doing now, I beg you to go save them, Young Clan Leader."

[Beep! Xiao Clan members need rescuing. This is the perfect chance for the Host, as Young Clan Leader, to display his might. Mission issued: Rescue as many Xiao Clan members as possible. A very generous reward awaits upon completion.]

Xiao Yao nodded slightly. "All right. Once Xiao Juan has recovered, we'll set out."

"Heh! Even if you don't wait for her to recover, your Xiao Clan members are surely all dead by now!" Guang Hong said without restraint.

Xiao Yao whirled around and appeared in front of Guang Hong in a single stride. Without a word, he slapped her hard across the face.

Smack!

The slap rang out, crisp and loud. Guang Hong's tender cheek swelled up and turned bright red.

Coming to her senses, Guang Hong demanded, "You actually dare hit me in the face?"

Smack!

He slapped her hard again.

This time, he struck her other cheek. The woman, who had looked rather pretty before, now had a face swollen like a pig's.

Xiao Yao looked down at Guang Hong, his sharp gaze brimming with killing intent. Backed by his terrifying pressure, he spoke. "Did I give you permission to speak?"

Guang Hong trembled all over. Gone was her earlier bravado. She was like a little lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

At the same time, Xiao Yang asked curiously, "Young Clan Leader, why don't you kill them?"

Guang Hong and the other two were just as baffled.

Once they entered the Giant Spirit Secret Realm, the stable order of the cultivation world was left behind.

The law of the jungle ruled here. The strong were in the right.

Xiao Yao gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't you think it'd feel better to kill them in front of the Spirit Crane Sect cultivators?"

"No! You can't do that!" Guang Hong shouted.

Smack!

Xiao Yao showed her no mercy and slapped her hard again.

At last, Guang Hong understood her situation and began begging for mercy. "Great Immortal, Great Immortal, don't kill me! I'm very useful to you."

"Then tell me what use you could possibly be," Xiao Yao asked, pretending to be interested.

He didn't think this arrogant, foolish woman would be useful at all.

As if she'd grabbed a lifeline, Guang Hong hurriedly explained, "I'm the First Elder of the Spirit Crane Sect's daughter. If you take me hostage, you can trade me for all the Xiao Clan members still alive."

"That is useful."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yao saw Guang Hong's rather smug smile. He immediately added, "Too bad I don't need you!"

Guang Hong's expression changed in an instant. Her face twisted as she shouted angrily, "You were playing me?"

"So what if I was?" Xiao Yao's lips curled upward, his expression unbearably arrogant.

Guang Hong was furious, but there was nothing she could do.

To stay alive, she even cast aside the dignity she had always cherished. "Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, please don't kill me. I can warm your bed."

Xiao Yao's face darkened. He raised his right hand, and the Azure Lotus obediently settled into his palm.

Xiao Yang didn't understand what the Young Clan Leader was planning.

In the next instant, a series of thuds rang out, accompanied by waves of green light.

Amid Guang Hong's agonized wails, her body was riddled with holes, then quickly devoured by the little green openings covering her.

The two remaining Spirit Crane Sect disciples trembled all over, terrified to the extreme.

Xiao Yang's face twitched uncontrollably. He'd never imagined Chaos Seeds the Azure Lotus could be used like this.

On top of that, he realized the Young Clan Leader must not like women.

But in truth, it wasn't that Xiao Yao didn't like women. It was that Guang Hong had actually wanted to stand on equal footing with his master, Dongfang Xuetong. That had truly infuriated him!

"My injuries have completely healed!" Xiao Juan said.

Xiao Yao immediately replied, "There's no time to lose. You two, hurry and lead the way."

At the same time, his gaze fell upon the two Spirit Crane Sect disciples.

His eyes shifted slightly, and he said, "Before that, Xiao Yang, Xiao Juan, each of you take care of one of them."

"Just what I wanted!" Xiao Yang and Xiao Juan said in unison.

As Xiao Yang and Xiao Juan drew closer, the two Spirit Crane Sect disciples shouted, "Don't come any closer!"