Stop! Xiao Yan, you stop right there!

The Fourth Elder struck out with a palm, his Dou Qi condensing in his palm as he blasted it toward Xiao Yan's chest.

Xiao Zhan's expression changed drastically.

"Yan'er, watch out!"

Just as Xiao Zhan was about to rush forward, several elders immediately blocked his path.

"Xiao Zhan, don't be impulsive," the First Elder said, grabbing Xiao Zhan's arm.

"Let go!" Xiao Zhan roared.

"Have you forgotten your status?" the First Elder said. "You are the Patriarch of the Xiao Clan; you must be responsible for the entire family."

"The First Elder is right," the Second Elder also blocked Xiao Zhan. "If you intervene to help Xiao Yan, you are setting yourself against the Misty Cloud Sect. When the Misty Cloud Sect comes to settle accounts, our Xiao Clan will not be able to bear the consequences."

Xiao Zhan trembled with rage. "You!"

"Xiao Zhan, don't be foolish," the Third Elder said.

Xiao Zhan tried to break free, but the three elders held him fast, and he could not move at all.

Nalan Yanran stood to the side, watching the scene with a slight upturn of her lips.

Xiao Yan, you are finished. The Fourth Elder is a Dou King expert; how could a piece of trash like you possibly be his match?

"Xiao Yan, if you kneel and beg for mercy, perhaps the Fourth Elder will spare your life," Nalan Yanran said.

Xiao Yan did not look at Nalan Yanran.

The Fourth Elder's palm force was already right in front of Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan raised his hand and flicked it casually.

Bang.

With a muffled thud, the Fourth Elder's palm force was shattered, and a massive rebound force surged back.

The Fourth Elder felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The Fourth Elder's body flew backward, and he crashed heavily onto the ground.

The hall fell into a deathly silence; everyone was stunned.

Nalan Yanran's eyes widened, and she stared at the scene in disbelief.

The Fourth Elder was a Dou King expert, a Dou King from the Misty Cloud Sect, yet he had been sent flying by a casual flick of Xiao Yan's hand? This was impossible—absolutely impossible.

The several elders were also dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open, unable to close them for a long time.

Xiao Zhan stood where he was, equally stunned.

Xiao Zhan had expected Xiao Yan to be injured or even killed, but the result was the exact opposite: not only was Xiao Yan unharmed, but he had also wounded the Fourth Elder.

Xiao Xun'er stood to the side, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes.

Xiao Xun'er knew that Brother Xiao Yan was strong, but she hadn't expected him to be this strong. The Fourth Elder was a Dou King, yet Brother Xiao Yan had defeated him with a casual gesture.

This level of strength is at least that of a Dou Emperor, and Brother Xiao Yan is only fifteen.

Xiao Xun'er murmured to herself in her heart.

Xiao Yan looked at the Fourth Elder lying on the ground, his face devoid of any expression.

"With only this much strength, you dare come to the Xiao Clan to demand people?"

The Fourth Elder scrambled up from the ground, blood still hanging from the corner of his mouth.

The Fourth Elder looked at Xiao Yan, his eyes filled with shock.

"You... exactly what is your cultivation level?"

Xiao Yan did not answer.

The Fourth Elder gritted his teeth, unwilling to accept defeat.

He was the Fourth Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, a Dou King level expert. If he were to be defeated by a youth today, what face would he have left to return to the Misty Cloud Sect?

A cold glint flashed in the Fourth Elder's eyes.

Taking advantage of Xiao Yan's lack of attention, the Fourth Elder struck out with a palm from behind, pouring every ounce of his Dou Qi into the blow.

A full-force strike from a Dou King expert was enough to kill an opponent of the same level.

Xiao Zhan's expression changed drastically.

"Yan'er, watch out behind you!"

Seeing this, a flash of joy crossed Nalan Yanran's eyes.

With this palm from the Fourth Elder, Xiao Yan would surely die.

But the next second, everyone was stunned once again.

Xiao Yan didn't even turn his head; he struck out with a backhanded palm.

Bang.

The Fourth Elder's body flew backward once more. This time, he collapsed onto the ground, struggled a few times, and could no longer climb back up.

The Fourth Elder lay prone on the floor, his entire body trembling.

He tried to stand, but the pain radiating from his chest made it impossible for him to even move.

His eyes were filled with terror; this youth was too strong, so strong that he hadn't even had a chance to fight back.

Nalan Yanran looked at the Fourth Elder lying on the ground, her face deathly pale.

The Fourth Elder was a Dou King expert, an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, yet he couldn't even withstand a single strike from Xiao Yan.

Since when had this piece of trash become so powerful?

"Xiao Yan, you..." Nalan Yanran began.

Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran. "I what?"

"You cannot kill the Fourth Elder." Nalan Yanran gritted her teeth. "He is an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, not some ordinary deacon. If you killed Ge Ye, the Misty Cloud Sect might not do anything, but if you kill the Fourth Elder, the Misty Cloud Sect will surely seek a frenzied revenge. You cannot afford the consequences."

Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran and said indifferently, "Are you threatening me?"

"I am not threatening you," Nalan Yanran said. "I am merely reminding you. The Fourth Elder is a core elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. If you kill him, the Misty Cloud Sect will never let this rest. When that time comes, it won't just be you—the entire Xiao Clan will suffer."

Upon hearing this, the faces of the several elders changed drastically.

"Xiao Yan, you must not," the First Elder hurriedly spoke up.

"Miss Nalan is right; the Fourth Elder cannot be killed," the Second Elder said.

"Xiao Yan, calm down," the Third Elder said. "The consequences of killing the Fourth Elder are unimaginable."

Xiao Zhan also fell silent.

Xiao Zhan knew the elders were right. The Misty Cloud Sect might have tolerated the death of Ge Ye, but they would absolutely not let the death of the Fourth Elder slide.

"Yan'er..." Xiao Zhan wanted to speak.

Xiao Yan ignored everyone.

Xiao Yan walked up to the Fourth Elder and looked down at him.

The Fourth Elder raised his head, and upon meeting Xiao Yan's gaze, his entire body shuddered.

"No... don't kill me..." The Fourth Elder's voice trembled. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have come to the Xiao Clan... I beg you, spare my life..."

Xiao Yan looked at the Fourth Elder and said indifferently, "It is too late."

Xiao Yan brought his palm down.

The Fourth Elder's body stiffened in place, then he slowly toppled over, killed on the spot.

The great hall fell into a deathly silence once again.

Nalan Yanran's eyes widened, her face drained of all color.

Xiao Yan had actually killed the Fourth Elder, a core elder of the Misty Cloud Sect.

"Xiao Yan, you are insane," Nalan Yanran shouted in anger. "Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran without saying a word.

"The Fourth Elder is an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect; they will not let you go for killing him," Nalan Yanran said. "Just wait. The revenge of the Misty Cloud Sect will come soon, and then you will know what regret feels like."

Xiao Yan said indifferently, "I welcome their revenge."

Nalan Yanran was stunned; she had not expected Xiao Yan to say such a thing.

"You... are you not afraid of the Misty Cloud Sect?"

"Afraid?" Xiao Yan said. "Why should I be afraid?"

"The Misty Cloud Sect is the largest sect in the Jia Ma Empire, filled with experts," Nalan Yanran said. "You killed their elder; they will not let you off."

"And so what?" Xiao Yan said.

Nalan Yanran was trembling with rage.

"You will regret this."

Xiao Yan ignored Nalan Yanran further and turned to walk out of the hall.

Nalan Yanran stood where she was, watching Xiao Yan's departing back, her eyes filled with hatred.

Xiao Yan, just you wait. The Misty Cloud Sect will not let you go.

The several elders stood in place, looking at one another.

The First Elder looked at the Fourth Elder's corpse on the ground, his expression ghastly.

"It's over, it's all over," the First Elder muttered to himself. "Xiao Yan killed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Our Xiao Clan is finished."

"That bastard, he has brought disaster upon our Xiao Clan," the Second Elder said furiously.

"I said we shouldn't have let him stay in the Xiao Clan, and now look," the Third Elder added.

Xiao Zhan stood to the side, his expression complex.

Xiao Zhan did not know what to say either.

Xiao Xun'er looked in the direction Xiao Yan had left, remained silent for a moment, then turned and followed him.

Nalan Yanran suppressed the hatred in her eyes and turned to leave.

Nalan Yanran had to return to the Misty Cloud Sect immediately to report this matter to her teacher.

Xiao Yan had killed two elders of the Misty Cloud Sect; this debt would certainly be collected by the sect.