Uncle Xiao, I've come to take someone!

Wutan City.

The Xiao Clan main hall.

Xiao Zhan sat in the seat of honor, his expression heavy.

Three days had passed.

With no movement from the Misty Cloud Sect, he felt increasingly anxious.

"Clan Head, do you think the Misty Cloud Sect will just let this matter go?" a Xiao Clan disciple asked.

"They won't," Xiao Zhan replied. "The Misty Cloud Sect lost a man; they will not let this rest."

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

"Clan Head, it's bad," a servant ran in and said. "People from the Misty Cloud Sect have arrived."

Xiao Zhan's expression shifted.

What was meant to come had finally arrived.

"Let them in," Xiao Zhan commanded.

The servant nodded and turned to run back out.

Before long, Nalan Yanran and the Fourth Elder walked into the Xiao Clan main hall.

Seeing Nalan Yanran, Xiao Zhan's face darkened.

"Niece Nalan, why have you come?"

"Uncle Xiao, I am not here today to target your Xiao Clan," Nalan Yanran said. "I am here to take someone."

"Take whom?"

"Xiao Yan."

Xiao Zhan's expression grew even uglier.

"Xiao Yan killed an elder of our Misty Cloud Sect, and the sect intends to take him away," Nalan Yanran stated. "Uncle Xiao, it would be best if you did not interfere."

"Impossible," Xiao Zhan said.

Nalan Yanran frowned. "Uncle Xiao, you had better think this through."

"I have thought it through," Xiao Zhan replied. "Xiao Yan is my son; no one is taking him away."

Just as Nalan Yanran was about to speak, the Fourth Elder stepped forward.

"You are Xiao Zhan?"

Xiao Zhan looked at him, a sense of pressure surging in his heart.

"I am," Xiao Zhan said.

"This old man is the Fourth Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect," the Fourth Elder declared. "Your son killed a member of our sect, and I have come today to take him into custody."

"I said, impossible," Xiao Zhan repeated.

"Then do not blame this old man for being impolite," the Fourth Elder said coldly.

Dou Qi surged within his body, and a formidable aura radiated outward.

Xiao Zhan's expression changed.

A Dou King expert.

Seeing Xiao Yan had killed a member of the Misty Cloud Sect, Nalan Yanran couldn't help but smile.

Xiao Yan was finished!

Behind the Xiao Clan mountains.

Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on a giant boulder, his eyes closed in cultivation.

The Dou Qi within his body flowed through his meridians, over and over again.

He did not know how much time had passed before Xiao Yan opened his eyes.

He heard the sound of light footsteps behind him.

"Brother Xiao Yan."

Xiao Xun'er walked out from the woods and stood below the giant boulder.

Xiao Yan looked down at her. "Xun'er, why are you here?"

"I came to see Brother Xiao Yan," Xiao Xun'er said.

Xiao Yan leaped down from the boulder and landed in front of Xiao Xun'er.

Xiao Xun'er looked at him, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Brother Xiao Yan, your strength..."

"It has recovered," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Xun'er nodded vigorously, "I saw it. Brother Xiao Yan killed Ge Ye with a single palm strike."

Her tone carried a clear note of astonishment.

Having grown up in the Xiao Clan, she was more than familiar with the changes in Xiao Yan's strength.

Three years ago, when Xiao Yan was still a Dou Practitioner, she had already known just how formidable his talent was.

Yet, three years later, Xiao Yan had surged from the third stage of Dou Disciple directly to a level capable of killing a seven-star Dou Grandmaster.

This rate of improvement was simply unimaginable.

"Brother Xiao Yan, how did you do it?" Xiao Xun'er asked curiously.

Xiao Yan looked at her without speaking.

He did not know how to explain it.

Should he tell Xiao Xun'er that he was bound to a system?

It was better not to mention such things.

"I obtained some fortuitous encounters by accident," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Xun'er was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

She did not press the matter further.

Just then, the system's voice rang out in Xiao Yan's mind.

[System mission issued: Help Xiao Yan win over Xiao Xun'er and increase her favorability.]

Xiao Yan's heart stirred.

Another mission.

He looked at Xiao Xun'er and said, "Xun'er, thank you for these past few years."

Xiao Xun'er was taken aback, "Brother Xiao Yan, what are you saying?"

"For these three years, everyone treated me like trash," Xiao Yan said, "Only you stayed by my side."

Xiao Xun'er's face flushed slightly.

"Brother Xiao Yan, why are you saying these things..."

"I just wanted to say," Xiao Yan looked at her, "It's really good to have you here, Xun'er."

Xiao Xun'er lowered her head, remaining silent.

In his mind, the system's voice sounded again.

[Xiao Xun'er's favorability increased by five percent.]

[Host has received a feedback reward.]

[Alchemist rank increased: Tier 5 Alchemist.]

A massive influx of information surged into Xiao Yan's mind.

Countless medicinal formulas, alchemy techniques, and flame control skills flooded into his memory.

A Tier 5 Alchemist.

The corners of Xiao Yan's mouth curled upward slightly.

In the Jia Ma Empire, a Tier 5 Alchemist was already an extremely rare existence.

The strongest alchemist in the entire Jia Ma Empire was only at Tier 6.

He was only fifteen years old, and he was already a Tier 5 Alchemist.

If this news were to spread, the entire Jia Ma Empire would be shaken.

[Detected that the host's alchemist rank has increased, unlocking new formula: Tier 5 Spirit Speed Pill.]

[Spirit Speed Pill effect: Doubles cultivation speed after consumption, lasting for three months.]

Seeing this formula, Xiao Yan was overjoyed.

Doubling his cultivation speed.

Three months of time would be enough for him to raise his strength to the next level.

However, refining the Spirit Speed Pill required quite a few medicinal ingredients, and since they were all for a Tier 5 pill, the cost would be substantial.

After calculating in his mind, Xiao Yan decided to make a trip to the Miteer Auction House.

"Xun'er, I'm going out for a while," Xiao Yan said.

"Where is Brother Xiao Yan going?"

"The Miteer Auction House."

Xiao Xun'er nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Miteer Auction House.

Ya Fei sat in a room on the second floor, holding a cup of tea in her hand.

She wore a long red dress, possessing an outstanding appearance and a charming temperament.

In Wutan City, there was no one who did not know the name of Ya Fei.

The chief auctioneer of the Miteer Auction House, the most eye-catching woman in all of Wutan City.

Just then, a servant walked in from outside.

"Miss Ya Fei, there is some news."

"Speak." Ya Fei set down her teacup.

"Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan has killed Ge Ye, an executive elder of the Misty Cloud Sect," the servant said.

Ya Fei's hand paused.

"What did you say?"

"Xiao Yan killed Elder Ge Ye of the Misty Cloud Sect," the servant repeated.

Ya Fei's brows furrowed.

Xiao Yan?

That third young master of the Xiao Clan who was known as a waste?

He killed an executive elder of the Misty Cloud Sect?

"Are you sure there is no mistake?" Ya Fei asked.

"There is no mistake," the servant said. "The news came out of the Xiao Clan, and Ge Ye's corpse is still being held at the Xiao Clan."

Ya Fei fell silent.

She had met Xiao Yan before; back then, Xiao Yan was still the genius of the Xiao Clan, an eleven-year-old Dou Practitioner.

Later, she had heard about Xiao Yan becoming a waste.

Yet, she never imagined that he would be able to kill an executive elder of the Misty Cloud Sect.

What was Ge Ye's strength?

A seven-star Dou Grandmaster.

If Xiao Yan could kill Ge Ye, then his strength...

Ya Fei dared not think any further.

"Understood, you may leave," Ya Fei said.

The servant nodded and turned to leave.

Ya Fei sat in her chair, her heart filled with shock.

A fifteen-year-old youth capable of killing a seven-star Dou Grandmaster.

If this news were to spread, the entire Jia Ma Empire would be shaken!