Teasing Children, Frightening the Elderly

The ferocious killing intent on Jia Lie Bi's face froze, and the pudgy body of Ao Ba Pa, currently mid-charge, screeched to a halt.

The two maintained their attacking postures, eyes wide as copper bells, their pupils filled with endless bewilderment and disbelief.

The Xuan-tier Dou Technique they had unleashed with all their might... just like that... vanished?

Xiao Zhan's outstretched hand hung frozen in mid-air, the worry on his face transforming into extreme shock.

The three elders had their mouths agape, wide enough to fit a fist inside.

Xiao Yan gasped, only one thought remaining in his mind.

This guy is such a show-off!

Even Xiao Xun'er, who had been watching the changes calmly with an aloof air, felt a flash of deep astonishment in her beautiful eyes, and her gaze toward Ning Chen became incredibly grave.

Ning Chen slowly retracted his finger, as if he had merely brushed non-existent dust from his sleeve.

He lifted his eyes to look at the petrified Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa; that gentle smile of his now appeared more chilling to them than the abyss itself.

"It seems your strength is not as formidable as your tone would suggest."

[Ding! Surprise value from Jia Lie Bi +1888!]

[Ding! Surprise value from Ao Ba Pa +1888!]

[Ding! Surprise value from Xiao Zhan +1666!]

[Ding! Surprise value from Xiao Yan +2000!]

[Ding! Surprise value from Xiao Xun'er +500!]

[Ding! Surprise value from Zhang San +2999, from...]

Not bad, well worth the pose I meticulously prepared... Looking at the string of large surprise values in the system, Ning Chen nodded with satisfaction.

Ever since he learned the capabilities of the Wu Wu Kai System, he had precisely identified the best way to use it.

That is, when facing opponents stronger than himself, ignore everything and focus solely on defense, making the actions look as effortless as possible; after all, it's always a 50-50 split anyway.

He only needs to strike a pose, and the system will naturally fill in the missing special effects.

In this way, as long as he doesn't take the initiative to attack and maintains this unfathomable image, even if Hun Tiandi himself were to arrive, he would likely have to weigh just how deep these waters run!

Looking at the stunned, sweat-drenched Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa, Xiao Zhan forcibly pulled his mind back from the extreme shock, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

"Jia Lie Bi, Ao Ba Pa," Xiao Zhan's voice was steady, "The Xiao Clan has always operated based on harmony; we do not offend unless we are offended. Today, the two of you instigated this trouble, and everyone in Wutan City has witnessed it."

"However, the Xiao Clan does not wish for further complications that would leave the whole city uneasy. As long as Mr. Ning agrees, if you two cede half of your respective Herb Market shares to the Xiao Clan, this matter can be settled."

Hearing this, Ning Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

He had been afraid that Xiao Zhan might be blinded by bloodlust and insist on taking the opportunity to wipe out both families. If that were the case, his "paper tiger" act would likely have been exposed.

"This..."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa's faces immediately revealed expressions of extreme heartache.

The shares of the Herb Market were the lifeblood of their families; ceding half was no different from having their hearts cut out and their bones scraped!

"It seems the two of you are not very satisfied with this condition?"

Ning Chen spoke suddenly, his tone still gentle, yet his gaze swept over them lightly.

Caught by his gaze, everyone from the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family shivered in unison, as if falling into an ice cellar.

By now, how could they not understand? The young man before them was clearly a supreme expert playing among mortals, deliberately acting like a pig to eat the tiger just to toy with them!

Following his lead might still offer a path to survival; if they dared to defy him, they feared they wouldn't even know how they died!

With thoughts racing, Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa instantly made the most "sensible" choice.

"Senior, calm your anger! Senior, calm your anger!" Jia Lie Bi was the first to bow, his posture extremely low, "Today, we were blind and offended your tiger-like might. We sincerely hope Senior will be magnanimous! We are willing to compensate, we will withdraw immediately, and we will never offend again! We beg Senior to be merciful and spare us this once!"

Ao Ba Pa also hurriedly chimed in, his fat body trembling slightly, "Exactly, exactly! Everything will be done as Clan Leader Xiao said! We will offer up the market shares with both hands; we only ask for Senior's forgiveness!"

"Mr. Ning, what do you think...?" Xiao Zhan turned to Chen Jingzhou, his tone carrying a sense of seeking guidance.

"Clan Leader Xiao is too polite," Ning Chen smiled indifferently, tossing the decision back to him, "This is a matter for the Xiao Clan. You are the leader of the clan, so naturally, you decide."

"Since that is the case, then let us end it here."

After the commotion, the matter finally concluded with the Jia Lie and Ao Ba families ceding their assets and withdrawing in a sorry state.

The Xiao Clan, meeting hall.

After dismissing the outsiders, only the core members of the Xiao Clan and Ning Chen remained in the hall, but the atmosphere felt somewhat subtle.

As everyone took their seats, Xiao Zhan deliberated for a moment before he couldn't help but probe, "Mr. Ning, the fact that the Xiao Clan could survive this calamity is entirely due to your intervention. Words cannot express our gratitude, but I wonder what your plans are next? If there is anything the Xiao Clan can do for you, please do not hesitate to say so."

He paused, then added, "Of course, if it is inconvenient for you to disclose your background, we would never dare to pry."

Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er sat in the lower seats, listening quietly.

Unlike Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan was indeed curious about the identity of Ning Chen, but more than that, having witnessed Ning Chen's strength, he felt an ever-growing thirst for power.

Xiao Xun'er, on the other hand, was busy with calm analysis, attempting to deduce who exactly Ning Chen was.

After all, this was the Xiao Clan. If others were unaware of the Xiao Clan's true background, how could she, the young lady of the Gu Clan, be ignorant?

Ning Chen had long anticipated such a question. He gently rubbed his temples and gave a wry smile.

"To tell you the truth, Clan Head Xiao, regarding my background... I seem to have lost some key memories. I only remember that my name is Ning Chen. As for how I appeared in the backyard of your esteemed residence, or where I was before, it is all a blur."

He looked at Xiao Zhan and continued, "I have nowhere else to go now. If it is convenient for the Xiao Clan, I wonder if you might allow me to stay here for a while?"

Upon hearing this, a look of contemplation flashed across Xiao Zhan's eyes.

A powerful expert with amnesia? Is this a blessing or a curse?

But with the Jia Lie Family and Ao Ba Pa having only temporarily retreated, there was no guarantee they wouldn't secretly retaliate. The Xiao Clan truly needed a powerful expert to hold the fort.

Furthermore, if he could use this opportunity to befriend such a person, it might bring immense benefits to the future of the Xiao Clan.

After weighing the pros and cons, a hearty smile appeared on Xiao Zhan's face. "What are you saying, sir! You have done the Xiao Clan a great service. Not to mention staying for a while, it would be the honor of the Xiao Clan if you were to stay permanently! I will have someone arrange the best guest room for you immediately!"

"In that case, I thank you, Clan Head Xiao." Ning Chen smiled and nodded.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Ning Chen excused himself, claiming he felt mentally exhausted and needed to rest.

Xiao Zhan agreed readily and immediately said to Xiao Yan, "Yan'er, take Mr. Ning to the Ya Garden in the East Wing to rest. Ensure he is hosted with the utmost care."

"Yes, Father." Xiao Yan rose in response.

The two left the meeting hall and walked side by side along the winding corridors of the Xiao Clan residence.

The atmosphere remained silent for a moment.

Xiao Yan was still pondering that earth-shattering finger strike Ning Chen had displayed earlier, and wondering whether his claim of "amnesia" was true or false.

Just then, Ning Chen spoke up, his tone carrying a hint of casualness. "On the way here, I heard quite a few comments from your clansmen regarding you."

"A young genius, the youngest Dou Zhe, yet overnight, your cultivation regressed instead of advancing, all the way back to the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi."

"Tsk tsk tsk, what a curious affair."

Xiao Yan's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. His hands, hanging at his sides, instantly clenched into tight fists, his nails digging into his palms.

The disappearance of his Dou Qi was the deepest and most painful scar in his heart. Falling from the heights of a genius to a laughingstock despised by all—the humiliation and agony of it were etched into his bones.

Even knowing that Ning Chen possessed terrifying strength, he could not help but let his tone be laced with irrepressible anger.

"Is Mr. Ning bringing this up to mock me as well?"

"Mock you? Heh, why would I mock you?" Ning Chen chuckled softly, looking at him with a calm gaze.

"This is not your fault. Although I have lost many memories, my brain is at least still functioning."

"As for the disappearance of Dou Qi, looking across the history of the Dou Qi Continent, the causes are limited to only a few possibilities, but none of them are errors caused by one's own subjective will. Since that is the case, what is there to mock?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan shuddered violently. He suddenly turned around, his voice trembling.

"Mr. Ning, do you know the reason for the disappearance of my Dou Qi?!"

With the answer to a question that had plagued him for years suddenly within reach, Xiao Yan was burning with anxiety. If he weren't afraid that Ning Chen might flatten him with a single slap, he would have grabbed him by the collar to demand an answer.

"I merely know of a few possible answers."

Ning Chen glanced at the simple, black ring on Xiao Yan's finger, pondering silently in his heart.

I calculated the timeline before coming here; the three-year appointment should be coming up quite soon.

If I'm not mistaken, Yao Lao should have already awakened, which means he might be eavesdropping on my conversation with Xiao Yan right now...

Since that's the case... the corners of Ning Chen's mouth curled slightly. What's the fun in acting like an expert in front of a few Da Dou Shi? Acting like one in front of a Nine-Star Dou Zun is where the real fun lies.

"Dou Zhi Qi fading away for no reason, falling from a genius to the bottom of the pit... such an experience can only be attributed to a few possibilities," Ning Chen said with deep meaning.

"Poisoning? A backlash from your cultivation technique? Or perhaps... being silently drained of your cultivation by some 'thing' that uses it as nourishment to sustain itself?"

"!!!"

Xiao Yan's pupils constricted, his heart pounding wildly. He could be certain it wasn't the first two conclusions, which meant the result of his Dou Qi regression was...

At the same time, the silent black ring on his finger gave an imperceptible, slight tremor at that very moment.