The Misty Cloud Sect's Fury!

Xiao Zhan stood in the courtyard, staring at the corpse on the ground. For a long while, he couldn't come back to his senses.

Ge Ye was dead.

A steward elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, a Seven-Star Great Dou Master, had died just like that in the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Zhan took a deep breath, suppressing his shock, then turned to look at Xiao Yan.

"Yan'er, your strength..."

"It's recovered," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Zhan's lips trembled slightly, and his eyes reddened.

Three years.

For three whole years, he had watched helplessly as his son went from a genius to a good-for-nothing, mocked and looked down upon by others.

There was nothing he could do.

He could only watch.

But now, Yan'er's strength had recovered.

And he had even killed Ge Ye.

Xiao Zhan nodded forcefully, wanting to say something, but finding his throat blocked as if by something.

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Zhan, his face expressionless.

The elders stood off to one side, exchanging bewildered looks.

The First Elder opened his mouth as if to say something, then swallowed his words.

The Second Elder glanced at Xiao Yan and couldn't help speaking up. "Xiao Yan, you killed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. This matter..."

"What are you trying to say?" Xiao Yan looked at him.

The Second Elder choked under his gaze, and swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"Second Brother, don't say anything," the Third Elder said, pulling at the Second Elder.

"Why can't I say anything?" The Second Elder shook off the Third Elder's hand. "He killed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Will the Misty Cloud Sect spare our Xiao Clan?"

The First Elder sighed. "The Second Elder is right, Xiao Yan. You were too impulsive."

Xiao Yan looked at them, his face expressionless.

"Elders, when Ge Ye was trying to kill me just now, why didn't you say anything?"

The three elders' faces changed.

The First Elder opened his mouth but couldn't find a word to say.

"Forget it," Xiao Yan said. "I'll handle this myself. I won't drag the Xiao Clan into it."

"Yan'er, what are you saying?" Xiao Zhan's expression darkened. "You're a member of the Xiao Clan. Your business is the Xiao Clan's business."

"Father..."

"Enough," Xiao Zhan cut him off. "As long as I'm here, no one will lay a finger on you."

The elders looked at Xiao Zhan, displeased, but didn't dare say anything more.

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Zhan, feeling somewhat moved.

"Father, I'll head back first."

"Go ahead," Xiao Zhan said.

Xiao Yan turned and left.

Xiao Xun'er watched him go, hesitated for a moment, then followed.

The elders stood where they were, looking at one another.

"Xiao Zhan, you'd better think this through," the First Elder said gravely. "The Misty Cloud Sect isn't someone our Xiao Clan can afford to offend."

"I've thought it through," Xiao Zhan said. "Yan'er is my son. Anyone who wants to touch him will have to get past me first."

The First Elder sighed, shook his head, and turned to leave.

The Second and Third Elders exchanged a glance, then followed him.

Xiao Zhan stood in the courtyard, gazing at Ge Ye's corpse on the ground. He remained silent for a long time.

Three days later.

The Misty Cloud Sect.

In the main hall, Yun Yun sat in the Sect Master's seat, listening to Nalan Yanran's account.

"Teacher, Elder Ge Ye was killed," Nalan Yanran said, kneeling on the floor.

Yun Yun frowned.

"What did you say?"

"Elder Ge Ye was killed by Xiao Yan," Nalan Yanran said.

Yun Yun looked at Nalan Yanran, hardly able to believe it.

Ge Ye was a steward elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, with the strength of a Seven-Star Great Dou Master.

Xiao Yan?

The good-for-nothing young master of the Xiao Clan in Wutan City, a Three-Stage Dou Qi weakling.

How could he possibly have killed Ge Ye?

"Yanran, are you joking with me?" Yun Yun asked.

"Teacher, I wouldn't joke about this," Nalan Yanran said. "Elder Ge Ye really was killed by Xiao Yan."

Yun Yun said nothing, simply looking at Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Yanran raised her head. "This disciple went to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement. Xiao Yan wrote a divorce letter on the spot, humiliating me. I was furious and attacked him, but he defeated me. Elder Ge Ye stood up for me, and Xiao Yan killed him."

Yun Yun's expression darkened.

"You're saying Xiao Yan defeated you and killed Ge Ye?"

"Yes," Nalan Yanran said.

"What is his strength?"

"This disciple doesn't know," Nalan Yanran said. "I only know that he was very strong. Elder Ge Ye couldn't even fight back against him."

Yun Yun fell silent.

A boy barely into his teens had managed to kill Ge Ye, a Seven-Star Great Dou Master.

That meant his strength was at least at the Dou Ling level.

He might even be stronger.

In the entire Jia Ma Empire, there wasn't a single person who had reached the Dou Ling level in their teens.

"Yanran, do you know that you were in the wrong to break off this engagement in the first place?" Yun Yun said.

At her words, Nalan Yanran's face turned pale.

"Your grandfather and the Xiao Clan arranged this engagement years ago. If you were unwilling, you could have discussed it properly," Yun Yun said. "Instead, you brought Ge Ye to the Xiao Clan to break it off. Where did that leave the Xiao Clan's dignity?"

"Teacher, I..." Nalan Yanran tried to defend herself.

"Enough," Yun Yun interrupted. "You were at fault in this matter too."

Nalan Yanran bit her lip, filled with resentment.

Xiao Yan had killed Elder Ge Ye, and her teacher was still saying it was her fault?

"However," Yun Yun continued, "Xiao Yan killed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. We can't just let this go."

A glimmer of delight flashed in Nalan Yanran's eyes.

Just then, Yun Leng walked in from outside.

"Sect Master, I've heard the news," Yun Leng said gravely. "That boy from the Xiao Clan killed Ge Ye?"

"First Elder, you've arrived at just the right time," Yun Yun said. "What do you think of this?"

"A good-for-nothing from the Xiao Clan dares to kill someone from the Misty Cloud Sect? He's dead meat," Yun Leng said coldly.

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran couldn't help smiling.

"Ge Ye may have been only a steward, but he was still one of us," Yun Leng said. "The Xiao Clan killed him, showing that they have no regard for the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Sect Master, I ask permission to go to the Xiao Clan myself," Yun Leng said.

"No need," Yun Yun replied. "Let the Fourth Elder go."

Yun Leng froze for a moment, then nodded.

"Yanran, take the Fourth Elder to the Xiao Clan in Wutan City," Yun Yun said. "There's no need to take his life; just bring him back to the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Yes, Teacher," Nalan Yanran replied.

Yun Yun waved her hand. "Go."

Nalan Yanran rose and turned to leave.

As she walked out of the main hall, a smile appeared on her face.

Xiao Yan, you're dead.

The Misty Cloud Sect's rear mountain.

The Fourth Elder was cultivating.

He sat cross-legged atop a massive boulder, dense Dou Qi swirling around him.

Nalan Yanran came to the rear mountain and stood below the boulder.

"Fourth Elder," Nalan Yanran called.

The Fourth Elder opened his eyes and looked down at her.

"Yanran?" the Fourth Elder said. "What do you need?"

"Teacher asked me to invite you, Fourth Elder," Nalan Yanran said. "To make a trip to the Xiao Clan in Wutan City."

The Fourth Elder frowned. "What for?"

"Someone from the Xiao Clan killed Elder Ge Ye."

A flash of coldness passed through the Fourth Elder's eyes.

"They killed someone from the Misty Cloud Sect?"

"Yes," Nalan Yanran said. "A boy named Xiao Yan."

"A boy dares to lay a hand on someone from the Misty Cloud Sect?" the Fourth Elder said coldly.

He leaped down from the boulder, landing in front of Nalan Yanran.

"Let's go," the Fourth Elder said. "I'd like to see what kind of boy would dare to kill someone from the Misty Cloud Sect."

Nalan Yanran nodded and led the Fourth Elder away.