Fourth Elder struck with a palm, Dou Qi gathering in his hand as he slammed it toward Xiao Yan's chest.
Xiao Zhan's expression changed dramatically.
"Yan'er, watch out!"
Xiao Zhan was about to rush forward when several elders immediately blocked his way.
"Xiao Zhan, don't act rashly." First Elder grabbed Xiao Zhan's arm.
"Let go!" Xiao Zhan roared.
"Have you forgotten your position?" First Elder said. "You're the Xiao Clan's patriarch. You have to take responsibility for the entire clan."
"First Elder is right." Second Elder also stood in Xiao Zhan's way. "If you help Xiao Yan, you'll be opposing the Misty Cloud Sect. If they come after us, the Xiao Clan won't be able to bear the consequences."
Xiao Zhan trembled with rage. "You!"
"Xiao Zhan, don't be foolish," Third Elder said.
Xiao Zhan tried to break free, but the three elders held him fast. He couldn't move at all.
Nalan Yanran stood to the side, watching the scene with the faintest upward curl to her lips.
Xiao Yan, you're dead. Fourth Elder is a Dou Wang expert. How could a useless fool like you possibly be his match?
"Xiao Yan, if you kneel and beg for mercy, perhaps Fourth Elder will spare your life," Nalan Yanran said.
Xiao Yan didn't look at Nalan Yanran.
Fourth Elder's palm was already right in front of him.
Xiao Yan raised his hand and casually waved it.
Bang!
A dull thud rang out. Fourth Elder's palm force scattered, and a powerful force rebounded against him.
Fourth Elder felt a sharp pain in his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.
His body flew backward and slammed heavily into the ground.
The hall fell deathly silent. Everyone was stunned.
Nalan Yanran's eyes widened as she stared at the scene in disbelief.
Fourth Elder was a Dou Wang expert—a Dou Wang expert from the Misty Cloud Sect—and Xiao Yan had sent him flying with a casual wave? It was impossible. Absolutely impossible.
The elders were dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open.
Xiao Zhan stood rooted to the spot, stunned as well.
He had thought Xiao Yan would be injured, or even beaten to death. But the exact opposite had happened. Xiao Yan was unharmed and had wounded Fourth Elder.
Xiao Xun'er stood to one side, surprise flashing in her eyes.
She knew Brother Xiao Yan was strong, but she hadn't expected him to be this strong. Fourth Elder was a Dou Wang expert, yet Brother Xiao Yan had defeated him with a casual wave.
That level of strength was at least that of a Dou Emperor, and Brother Xiao Yan was only fifteen.
Xiao Xun'er murmured to herself.
Xiao Yan looked at Fourth Elder lying on the ground, his expression blank.
"With strength like that, you still dared come to the Xiao Clan to demand someone?"
Fourth Elder struggled to his feet, blood still at the corner of his mouth.
He stared at Xiao Yan, his eyes full of shock.
"You... What level of strength do you have?"
Xiao Yan didn't answer.
Fourth Elder gritted his teeth, refusing to accept it.
He was the Misty Cloud Sect's Fourth Elder, a Dou Wang expert. If he lost to a boy today, how could he ever show his face back at the Misty Cloud Sect?
A cold glint flashed in Fourth Elder's eyes.
While Xiao Yan wasn't paying attention, Fourth Elder struck at him from behind, pouring all his Dou Qi into the palm.
A Dou Wang expert's full-force attack was enough to kill an opponent of the same level.
Xiao Zhan's expression changed dramatically.
"Yan'er, watch your back!"
Nalan Yanran saw what was happening, delight flashing in her eyes.
Xiao Yan would surely die from that palm strike.
But in the next instant, everyone was stunned once more.
Without even turning around, Xiao Yan struck back with a palm.
Bang!
Fourth Elder's body flew backward again. This time, he hit the ground and struggled for a few moments, but could no longer get up.
Fourth Elder lay face down, trembling all over.
He tried to stand, but the pain in his chest left him unable even to move.
His eyes were filled with terror. This boy was too strong—so strong that he hadn't even had a chance to fight back.
Nalan Yanran stared at Fourth Elder sprawled on the ground, her face deathly pale.
Fourth Elder was a Dou Wang expert and an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, yet he couldn't withstand even a single move from Xiao Yan.
When did this useless fool get so strong?
"Xiao Yan, you..." Nalan Yanran began.
Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran. "What about me?"
"You can't kill Fourth Elder." Nalan Yanran gritted her teeth. "He's an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, not some ordinary steward. If you kill Ge Ye, the Misty Cloud Sect might let it go. But if you kill Fourth Elder, they'll retaliate with everything they have. You can't withstand that."
Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran and said coolly, "Are you threatening me?"
"I'm not threatening you," Nalan Yanran said. "I'm just warning you. Fourth Elder is one of the Misty Cloud Sect's core elders. If you kill him, the sect will never rest until you're dead. And it won't just be you—your entire Xiao Clan will suffer."
The elders' expressions changed dramatically at her words.
"Xiao Yan, don't!" First Elder hurriedly called out.
"Miss Nalan is right. You can't kill Fourth Elder," Second Elder said.
"Xiao Yan, calm down," Third Elder said. "The consequences of killing Fourth Elder would be unthinkable."
Xiao Zhan fell silent, too.
He knew the elders had a point. The Misty Cloud Sect might let it go if Ge Ye was killed, but they would never leave it at that if Fourth Elder died.
"Yan'er..." Xiao Zhan started to speak.
Xiao Yan ignored everyone.
He walked over to Fourth Elder and looked down at him.
Fourth Elder lifted his head. When he met Xiao Yan's gaze, he trembled from head to toe.
"N-no... Don't kill me..." Fourth Elder's voice shook. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have come to the Xiao Clan... Please, spare my life..."
Xiao Yan looked at Fourth Elder and said coolly, "Too late."
Xiao Yan struck down with his palm.
Fourth Elder's body stiffened, then slowly fell. He was killed on the spot.
The hall fell deathly silent once again.
Nalan Yanran's eyes widened, her face deathly pale.
Xiao Yan had really killed Fourth Elder—one of the Misty Cloud Sect's core elders.
"Xiao Yan, you've gone mad!" Nalan Yanran shouted furiously. "Do you even know what you've done?"
Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran without a word.
"Fourth Elder was an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. They won't let you get away with killing him," Nalan Yanran said. "Just wait. Their retaliation will come soon, and then you'll know what regret feels like."
Xiao Yan said calmly, "I welcome them to come after me."
Nalan Yanran froze. She hadn't expected Xiao Yan to say something like that.
"You... Aren't you afraid of the Misty Cloud Sect?"
"Afraid?" Xiao Yan said. "Why should I be?"
"The Misty Cloud Sect is the Jia Ma Empire's greatest sect, full of experts," Nalan Yanran said. "You killed one of their elders. They won't let you go."
"So what?" Xiao Yan said.
Nalan Yanran trembled with rage.
"You'll regret this."
Xiao Yan ignored Nalan Yanran and turned to leave the hall.
Nalan Yanran stood where she was, watching his departing figure, her eyes full of hatred.
Xiao Yan, just you wait. The Misty Cloud Sect won't let you go.
The elders stood in place, exchanging bewildered looks.
First Elder looked at Fourth Elder's corpse on the floor, his face unbearably grim.
"It's over, it's over," First Elder muttered to himself. "Xiao Yan killed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. The Xiao Clan is finished."
"That little bastard has brought disaster upon our clan!" Second Elder shouted furiously.
"I told you we shouldn't have let him stay in the Xiao Clan. And now look what's happened," Third Elder said.
Xiao Zhan stood to one side, his expression complicated.
He didn't know what to say anymore.
Xiao Xun'er looked toward the direction Xiao Yan had left. After a moment of silence, she turned and followed him.
Nalan Yanran suppressed the hatred in her eyes and turned to leave.
She had to return to the Misty Cloud Sect at once and tell her teacher what had happened.
Xiao Yan had killed two elders of the Misty Cloud Sect. The sect would certainly make him pay for this debt.
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