New Binding Target Reward!

Chapter 37

Jia Xingtian had just returned to the palace and entered the main hall when Yao Yue came up to greet him.

"Grandpa, you're finally back."

Jia Xingtian looked at her.

"What is it?"

"That Xiao Xuan was far too arrogant. Sister and I went to visit him, but he barely acknowledged us and couldn't even be bothered to say another word." Yao Yue pursed her lips.

Jia Xingtian said nothing.

Yao Yue continued.

"When Sister spoke to him, he only replied with an 'mm.' What was there to befriend about someone like that?"

Jia Xingtian walked to the seat of honor and sat down, looking at Yao Yue.

"Are you finished?"

Yao Yue froze for a moment.

"Grandpa, don't you think he went too far?"

"He is a Seventh-Rank Alchemist and an Eight-Star Dou Huang. What is wrong with someone like him barely acknowledging you?" Jia Xingtian said.

Yao Yue opened her mouth but could not say anything.

"Do you think that just because you are a princess, everyone has to treat you politely? Before a true powerhouse, the status of a princess means nothing."

Yao Yue bit her lip and lowered her head.

Yao Ye, standing nearby, quickly spoke up.

"Grandpa, Yao Yue is still young and doesn't understand."

Jia Xingtian glanced at Yao Yue.

"From now on, show more respect whenever you see Xiao Xuan. Do not be rude."

Yao Yue nodded vigorously.

"I understand, Grandpa."

Jia Xingtian withdrew his gaze.

"The imperial family must make good use of this Dou Huang Pill. Also, find a way to build a good relationship with Xiao Xuan. A person like him can only be a friend, never an enemy."

Yao Ye nodded.

"Understood."

Jia Xingtian rose to his feet and walked deeper into the hall.

Yao Yue watched his retreating back, her lips still slightly pursed.

Yao Ye turned to look at her.

"Still angry?"

"No," Yao Yue said.

"Your expression says otherwise," Yao Ye said.

Yao Yue fell silent for a moment.

"Sister, is that Xiao Xuan really so incredible? Is he worthy of Grandpa valuing him so highly?"

"A Seventh-Rank Alchemist and an Eight-Star Dou Huang. Either identity alone would be enough to shake the entire Jia Ma Empire. With both of them together, it is only natural for Grandpa to value him so highly," Yao Ye said.

Yao Yue nodded and said nothing more, yet Xiao Xuan's expressionless face still surfaced in her mind.

That man was truly irritating.

Yao Yue muttered to herself inwardly.

Yun Yun brought Nalan Yanran back to the Nalan Clan.

Nalan Jie and Nalan Su were drinking tea in the main hall. The moment they saw Yun Yun enter, both hurriedly stood up.

"Sect Leader Yun." Nalan Jie cupped his hands.

Yun Yun nodded and took a seat of honor.

Nalan Yanran stood behind her, her expression somewhat unpleasant.

Seeing her expression, Nalan Jie formed a few guesses in his heart.

"Sect Leader Yun, that Dou Huang Pill..."

"Jia Xingtian bought it for fourteen million Gold Coins," Yun Yun said.

Nalan Jie frowned.

"Jia Xingtian acted personally?"

"Mm. There was no need to keep raising the price. It was not worth falling out with the imperial family over a mere pill," Yun Yun said.

Nalan Jie nodded.

"Sect Leader Yun is right."

Yun Yun picked up her teacup and took a sip.

"Xiao Xuan is far more important than that pill. A Seventh-Rank Alchemist and an Eight-Star Dou Huang—if the Misty Cloud Sect can build a good relationship with someone like him, it would be better than ten Dou Huang Pills."

Nalan Jie looked at her.

"What does Sect Leader Yun intend to do?"

"First, build a good relationship with him. There is no rush; we can take it slowly," Yun Yun said.

Nalan Jie nodded.

"The Nalan Clan will also fully cooperate with Sect Leader Yun. Yanran's breaking off the engagement has already caused the Xiao Clan to hold a grudge against the Nalan Clan. There is still time to find a way to make amends."

Standing to the side and listening to her grandfather's conversation with Yun Yun, Nalan Yanran was filled with mixed feelings.

When she had gone to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement, she had never imagined that the Xiao Clan would produce someone like Xiao Xuan. Had she known, she never should have broken it off.

Nalan Yanran sighed inwardly.

Yun Yun set down her teacup.

"Patriarch Nalan, what do you intend to do about the Xiao Clan?"

"Send people to the Xiao Clan with some gifts—Dou Techniques and cultivation methods—to show our sincerity. Whether the Xiao Clan accepts them or not, at least they will know that the Nalan Clan wishes to repair our relationship," Nalan Jie said.

Yun Yun nodded.

"That is a good idea. Though the Xiao Clan has produced a Xiao Xuan, its foundation is still far too weak. Sending them some Dou Techniques and cultivation methods is exactly what they need."

Nalan Jie looked at her.

"Sect Leader Yun, should the Misty Cloud Sect also..."

"No rush. I will first build a good relationship with Xiao Xuan himself. We can discuss the Xiao Clan later," Yun Yun interrupted.

Nalan Jie nodded and said no more.

Several days later.

Outside the gates of the Xiao Clan in Wutan City, several Nalan Clan stewards and disciples stood at the entrance, each holding exquisite wooden boxes that were clearly filled with valuable items.

After receiving the news, Xiao Zhan came out from the main hall. When he saw the Nalan Clan members, he frowned slightly.

"Gentlemen, what brings you here?"

The leading steward disciple cupped his hands.

"Patriarch Xiao, we are from the Nalan Clan. By order of our patriarch, we have come to deliver some gifts to the Xiao Clan."

Xiao Zhan was taken aback.

"Gifts?"

The steward disciple handed over the wooden box in his hands.

"These are Mystic Tier Intermediate cultivation methods, along with three Mystic Tier Low-Level Dou Techniques, five books in total. There are also two Fourth-Rank Pills and five Third-Rank Pills. Please accept them, Patriarch Xiao."

Xiao Zhan stared at the wooden boxes in his hands, completely stunned.

Mystic Tier cultivation methods, Mystic Tier Dou Techniques, Fourth-Rank Pills, and Third-Rank Pills—these items were like timely aid to the Xiao Clan.

Although the Xiao Clan was one of the three great clans of Wutan City, its foundation was too weak. The strongest cultivation method in the clan was only Yellow Tier High-Grade, and medicinal pills were even scarcer. Normally, even a Second-Rank Pill was difficult to find.

Yet now the Nalan Clan had sent so much at once. Xiao Zhan could hardly believe it.

"These... are all for the Xiao Clan?"

"Yes. The patriarch said this is a small token from the Nalan Clan. Please accept it, Patriarch Xiao," the steward disciple said.

Xiao Zhan fell silent for a moment.

"Why? Why is the Nalan Clan giving these things to the Xiao Clan?"

Xiao Zhan understood.

It was because of Xiao Xuan. Because Xiao Xuan was a Seventh-Rank Alchemist and an Eight-Star Dou Huang. The Nalan Clan was currying favor with the Xiao Clan.

Taking a deep breath, he accepted the wooden boxes.

"Thank Patriarch Nalan for me."

The steward disciple cupped his hands.

"I will certainly deliver the message."

With that, he turned and left with the other disciples.

Xiao Zhan stood at the gate, staring at the wooden boxes in his hands for a long time without speaking.

The news quickly spread throughout the entire Xiao Clan.

The disciples began discussing it heatedly.

"The Nalan Clan gave our Xiao Clan gifts? Is that true?"

"Of course it's true. I saw it with my own eyes—Mystic Tier cultivation methods, Mystic Tier Dou Techniques, and even Fourth-Rank Pills."

"Why has the Nalan Clan suddenly become so good to us?"

"Isn't it all because of Xiao Xuan?"

"Xiao Xuan? Fourth Young Master?"

"Think about it. Fourth Young Master is a Seventh-Rank Alchemist and an Eight-Star Dou Huang. Of course the Nalan Clan wants to curry favor with our Xiao Clan."

The disciples' voices echoed through every corner of the Xiao Clan.

The Grand Elder sat in his room, listening to the discussions outside with a complicated expression.

Xiao Xuan—the Xiao Xuan he had once called trash—was now a Seventh-Rank Alchemist and an Eight-Star Dou Huang. Even the Nalan Clan had to curry favor with him.

He closed his eyes, his heart filled with bitterness. Had he known Xiao Xuan would become what he was today, he never should have treated him that way.

The Grand Elder sighed inwardly.

The Second Elder and Third Elder were the same.

Back then, in the clan hall, they had forced Xiao Zhan to drive Xiao Xuan out of the Xiao Clan. Looking back now, it was truly laughable. The Xiao Clan producing a Xiao Xuan was a blessing for the entire clan, yet they had nearly driven that blessing away.

The Second Elder was filled with regret, but it was already too late.

The Imperial Capital of the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Xuan sat on a stone bench in the courtyard. Xiao Xun'er was cultivating inside the room, leaving him alone in the yard.

He closed his eyes as Dou Qi slowly flowed through his meridians. His Eight-Star Dou Huang realm had already been completely stabilized, and he was only one step away from becoming a Nine-Star Dou Huang.

The system's voice rang out in his mind.

[System updating... Update complete.]

[New binding target function: The host may bind multiple targets. There is no limit to the number of binding targets. The more targets the host binds, the more feedback rewards the host will receive.]

Xiao Xuan opened his eyes and looked at the system panel.

Multiple binding targets with no limit on their number—he understood perfectly what that meant.

Previously, merely binding Xiao Xun'er had allowed him to soar from the Third Stage Dou Qi all the way to Eight-Star Dou Huang. If he bound several more people, the speed of his strength growth would become even faster.

A glint flashed through his eyes.

The system's voice sounded once more.

[Suitable binding target detected: Queen Medusa. Location: Snake-People Tribe Temple, Tagor Desert. Please proceed to the Tagor Desert and complete the new target binding. Upon successful binding, the host may receive one random feedback reward.]

Xiao Xuan looked at the system panel.

Queen Medusa, the queen of the Snake-People Tribe, a Dou Emperor-level powerhouse with immense strength.