Gu He (Please Bookmark, Recommend, and Invest)

Before a Dou Wang powerhouse, even with the forced enhancement brought by the Life Devouring Pill, Mo Cheng's strength as a five-star Dou Ling was simply not worth mentioning.

Thus, Mo Cheng died. So did those who had come from the Mo Family, swarmed and slaughtered by the Xiao Family guards who had long been lying in wait.

"Patriarch, won't this anger the Misty Cloud Sect?"

The First Elder did not object to Xiao Zhan's actions, but he was somewhat worried about the Misty Cloud Sect.

If Xiao Chen had not acted, they might not have been able to withstand the Misty Cloud Sect's accusations.

"It's fine. If the Misty Cloud Sect takes action, someone will deal with them."

Xiao Zhan had long since broken through to the Dou Wang realm. After the Xiao Family's First Elder learned that the Three Great Sand Bandits were joining forces against the Xiao Family, he immediately informed Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan then left the Xiao Family and headed for the Tagor Desert to kill the Three Great Sand Bandits.

Yet someone had unexpectedly wiped out the Three Great Sand Bandits before him. All he did was cut off the heads of the Leaders of the Three Great Sand Bandits.

"First Elder, take some men to these three places and bring everything back."

The places Xiao Zhan referred to were none other than the lairs of the Three Great Sand Bandit Groups, where they had stored treasures accumulated over decades.

"Also, cut off Mo Cheng's head. I'm taking it with me."

"Where are you going?"

"Salt City, to pull out the roots. With Mo Cheng dead, I'm sure the other families in Salt City won't miss this excellent chance to swallow up the Mo Family."

"With the Xiao Family's current strength, we can't swallow all of the Mo Family's businesses. We might as well use this to build goodwill with the other families."

"Alright."

As one of the Jia Ma Empire's foremost great powers, the Misty Cloud Sect had established its sect on a majestic mountain barely ten miles from the imperial capital. Because of the Misty Cloud Sect, the mountain was also known as Misty Cloud Mountain.

Misty Cloud Mountain was steep, with cliffs on three sides and only a single path leading to its summit. It was an easily defended, difficult-to-attack stronghold. Moreover, Misty Cloud Sect disciples patrolled the entire mountain closely, making it resemble a small fortress.

Only two li from the foot of Misty Cloud Mountain, fifty thousand imperial cavalry were stationed there. They were nominally guarding the capital, but anyone could see that the empire's rulers were wary of this fierce tiger lurking so near their city.

At the summit of the Misty Cloud Sect's rear mountain, clouds and mist swirled like an immortal realm.

Upon a protruding black rock at the cliff's edge, a young woman dressed in a moon-white gown sat with her hands forming a cultivation seal, her eyes closed as she trained. With every breath she took, a perfect cycle formed. Between each cycle, faint streams of green energy seeped from the energy-rich air around her, circling her body before flowing endlessly into her body to be refined and absorbed.

When the last wisp of green energy entered her body, the young woman slowly opened her eyes. A faint green gleam flashed through them, and her long green hair, draped over her shoulders, suddenly stirred without wind and fluttered lightly.

"Senior Sister Nalan, the Sect Master wants you in the main hall. She has something to discuss with you."

"Hmm? Teacher. Alright, I understand. You may leave first." Hearing this, the young woman nodded. Her languid gaze swept over the bottomless abyss below the cliff. She lightly brushed her moon-white skirt with her jade-like hand, then turned and left this cultivation spot reserved exclusively for her.

Misty Cloud Sect Discussion Hall.

More than a dozen figures sat around the large table in the hall. Most wore white robes, and the special badges on their chests made it clear that their status within the Misty Cloud Sect was not low.

"What do you think about the Xiao Family joining hands with the other Salt City families to destroy the Mo Family?"

In the quiet hall, a cool female voice carrying faint authority suddenly rang out.

"Sect Master, what is there to discuss? Just send people to wipe out the Xiao Family and those other families. They're merely a Dou Wang, yet they dared destroy an affiliated force of our Misty Cloud Sect. This is intolerable! If this matter isn't handled properly, I fear our other affiliated forces will become disloyal!"

As soon as those words were spoken, quite a few Misty Cloud Sect elders chimed in agreement.

After all, the tribute the Mo Family had paid the Misty Cloud Sect over the years had truly been substantial.

And the one who spoke was precisely an elder on good terms with the Mo Family.

Now that the Mo Family was gone, their extra income had decreased considerably. Naturally, they could not tolerate it.

"Merely a Dou Wang? Elder Yun Lei, why don't you go?"

There were only so many Dou Wang powerhouses in the entire Jia Ma Empire, yet in Elder Yun Lei's mouth, one had become merely a Dou Wang.

Has he lost his mind? Yun Yun frowned slightly.

"Uh, Sect Master, something went wrong with my cultivation recently. I'm not in good condition, so it would be better to send someone else."

Hearing this, Elder Yun Lei secretly glanced at Yun Leng, seated at the head below Yun Yun, and replied ingratiatingly.

"Why not let me go?"

Suddenly, a hearty voice came from outside the hall.

"Master Gu He."

"Master Gu He!"

Hearing the voice, all the elders aside from Yun Yun rose to their feet.

The newcomer was none other than Pill King Gu He, followed by two little tails.

They were none other than Nalan Yanran and Liu Ling.

"Perfect. I was already planning to go to the Tagor Desert to search for a medicinal ingredient, so I'll handle this matter along the way."

Gu He spoke proudly.

"Also, I just promised Yanran that I would take her with me. Sect Master, you wouldn't object, would you?"

"Of course not. With you there, I'm naturally at ease. Still, be careful. There's something strange about the Xiao Family."

Yun Yun glanced at Nalan Yanran, who was clearly avoiding her gaze, and spoke helplessly.

Naturally, she knew the real reason Nalan Yanran was following Gu He to the Tagor Desert.

But the current Xiao Family was no longer the third-rate little family described in the old intelligence reports, one the Misty Cloud Sect could bully and mold at will.

Even Yun Yun found a Dou Wang powerhouse troublesome to deal with.

Yet with the entire Mo Family destroyed, the Misty Cloud Sect could not possibly remain indifferent.

Thus, Gu He was perhaps the best choice.

As a sixth-tier alchemist, his status was no lower than her own as Sect Master. It could also be considered giving the Xiao Family enough face.

I hope the Xiao Family knows better... Otherwise, I can only kill without mercy.

Unless absolutely necessary, Yun Yun did not wish to completely fall out with a Dou Wang-level force.

After all, eliminating a force of that caliber would exact a price that even the Misty Cloud Sect would find damaging.

At this time, the Xiao Family had no idea that the Jia Ma Empire's foremost alchemist, Pill King Gu He, was coming.

After the Mo Family was destroyed, its former residence naturally changed hands and became Xiao Manor.

However, very few forces from Salt City came to offer their congratulations.

Even the other families that had previously cooperated with the Xiao Family merely sent people bearing gifts and brief congratulations. They did not even stay for the banquet before leaving the Xiao Family.

Because everyone knew what the Xiao Family would have to face after destroying the Mo Family.

The wrath of the Misty Cloud Sect.

It was an existence so immense that even the Imperial Family feared it greatly.

Under such circumstances, even though the Xiao Family possessed a Dou Wang powerhouse, most people believed their glory would not last long.