At that moment, the entire square of the Misty Cloud Sect fell silent. Not a sound could be heard.
One of the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire, a Dou Wang expert, had just... just died?
Nalan Su collapsed to the ground, his face pale as paper. To him, Nalan Jie's death felt like the sky had fallen—and nothing less.
He couldn't understand it. Was his father out of his mind?
To say something about going back to reap wheat in front of an expert like this!
Wasn't that just asking to die?
Fortunately, Nalan Yanran had been protected by Yun Yun and hadn't suffered any harm.
Xiao Xuan looked around and announced, "From this day on, Misty Cloud Mountain belongs to the Xiao Family of Wutan City. The Jia Ma Imperial Family, the Misty Cloud Sect, and the Mittel Auction House are all vassals of my Xiao Family!"
As he spoke, Xiao Xuan looked at Fa Ma, who was kneeling on the ground with a medicine cauldron taller than himself balanced on his head.
"The Alchemist Guild will become the Alchemy Hall of my Xiao Family, refining pills exclusively for our Xiao Clan!"
"I'm done. Who agrees, and who objects?!"
Xiao Xuan's gaze swept over everyone present!
Not a single person dared meet his eyes.
And no one dared raise an objection.
He'd killed a Dou Wang expert with a single thought!
Who would dare stand up against someone this terrifying?
Unless they didn't want to live!
Fa Ma was the first to declare his stance. "Please rest assured, senior. The Alchemist... the Alchemy Hall will do everything in its power."
"Fa Ma and the others can handle the alchemy. Our Mittel Auction House will take care of the medicinal ingredients and funding," Mittel Tengshan said, quickly making his position clear.
Mu Chen was quick on the uptake, too. "Then, then, then we'll leave the Xiao Family's security and patrols to the Mu Clan. That's what our clan is good at."
"Senior, senior, and... and there's also our Nalan Family! Our... daughter Yanran is betrothed to Xiao Yan of the Xiao Family! I hope you'll spare us."
Afraid Xiao Xuan might take Nalan Jie's death out on the rest of the Nalan Family, Nalan Su immediately knelt and shouted.
Xiao Xuan thought it over, then decided to spare them—for now!
Then Xiao Xuan turned to Jia Xingtian and Yun Shan.
"What about you two?"
"Teacher..." Yun Yun called softly.
Yun Shan smiled bitterly and shook his head. Things had come to this. He had no choice.
"Our Misty Cloud... From now on, Misty Cloud Mountain belongs to the Xiao Family. Also, if you need them, we can offer up all the Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills of our sect."
Yun Yun bit her lower lip, her pearly teeth pressing into it.
She understood Yun Shan had made up his mind, so she said no more.
Jia Xingtian was a little surprised at how readily he'd agreed.
Where was his backbone?
Jia Xingtian stepped forward, bowed, and made his proposal with a perfectly serious expression. "Senior, the Imperial Family's treasury is quite well-stocked, too. From now on, it belongs to the Xiao Family."
Xiao Xuan nodded, reasonably pleased with his initiative.
Jia Xingtian breathed a sigh of relief, then continued, "Also, our Imperial Family has a sixth-tier magical beast, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon. It's injured, but still has the strength of a Dou Emperor. Having it guard the Xiao Family's gate would be a fine choice. What do you think?"
"Fine." Xiao Xuan nodded.
Actually, the Amethyst Winged Lion King in the Magical Beast Mountain Range would also make a fine guard dog.
Well, well, Jia Xingtian. You've really emptied your head trying to curry favor with this expert!
Yun Shan silently mocked him, then hurried to match him. "Senior, my disciple Yun Yun is quite talented, too. If she could receive your personal guidance, she could surely become a pillar of the Xiao Family in the future."
You shameless old bastard, Yun Shan! You've even offered up your disciple! Bah! Shameless!
Jia Xingtian gritted his teeth in fury, but refused to be outdone. He went straight for the big one. "Senior, I think the name Jia Ma Empire sounds terribly rustic. Why not rename it... the Xiao Nation?"
"Jia Xingtian, if you want to call it the Xiao Nation, then call it the Xiao Nation. Why tack on 'why not'? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were talking about a little pot of rice crackers!"
"Yun Shan, don't deliberately twist my meaning!"
"I'm just calling it as I see it!"
"You..."
"That's enough! What are you arguing about?! The name doesn't matter. I only need you to obey me without question!"
Xiao Xuan said coolly, "As for the Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills the Misty Cloud Sect treats like treasures, they're nothing but worthless junk as far as I'm concerned."
In the past, if anyone had dared call the Misty Cloud Sect's Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills worthless junk,
Yun Shan would have unleashed an Extreme Wind attack on them without a second thought!
But now...
Before absolute strength, whatever Xiao Xuan said, went.
Jia Xingtian thought it over and realized that his last attempt at flattery had been pointless. He'd been sucking up to the wrong end of the horse.
He silently resolved that from now on, he wouldn't let Yun Shan influence how he sucked up!
Snap!
Xiao Xuan snapped his fingers. In an instant, ripples of soul power rapidly spread outward from him.
Above Misty Cloud Mountain, they formed a gigantic bowl-shaped barrier that enveloped the entire Misty Cloud Sect!
"This... This is soul power!"
Fa Ma shrank back, his face trembling uncontrollably.
He had never seen soul power this powerful in his life. Even the expert who had once guided him many years ago hadn't seemed as powerful as the person before him!
After that, they all began to take action.
Mittel Tengshan returned to the Mittel Auction House and immediately ordered his clan to pick out all the finest medicinal ingredients in their storehouses.
He would personally bring them to Misty Cloud Mountain.
Several elders of the auction house weren't happy when they heard this.
Especially Leo.
"Great Elder, what do you mean by this? You're going to empty the Mittel Auction House's storehouses just to lick Yun Shan's boots?"
"What's so great about Yun Shan? Why are you so determined to suck up to him?"
Leo was furious!
There were several precious medicinal ingredients in the storehouse that he'd planned to give his grandson!
Rena chimed in, too. "If Elder Hai were here, he'd never agree to this!"
"You two fools! Even if Elder Hai were here, he'd agree!"
Mittel Tengshan ground his teeth and snapped, "A super expert has arrived at Misty Cloud Mountain. With a single thought, he blasted Nalan Jie into a cloud of blood mist! If you want to die, I won't stop you!"
What?
Nalan Jie, a Dou Wang, had been killed in an instant?
Then what was there to oppose?
The two of them changed their tune as if they'd studied Sichuan opera, and hurried off to the storeroom themselves to pick out heavenly treasures and earthly treasures.
Fa Ma returned to notify the Alchemist Guild, preparing to bring every alchemist of the fourth rank and above to the Misty Cloud Sect.
He worried that some might refuse.
So he laid out all the consequences for them!
These alchemists usually held their tails so high in the air that they seemed about to reach the sky.
But once they learned their target was a ruthless man who killed at the slightest disagreement,
they agreed at once!
Though serving a ruler was like accompanying a tiger, they also knew that it was good to take shelter beneath a great tree.
The Mu Clan, Imperial Family, and Misty Cloud Sect all sprang into action.
"Senior, everything in this Storage Ring is the finest treasure our Mittel Auction House can provide. Please accept it."
"Senior, this is the Imperial Family's treasury from many years. Please have a look."
"Senior, the Mu Clan's guard unit is ready."
"Senior..."
Before you continue