Night of Killing (1)

Three days later, midnight, Martial Arts Arena of the Xiao Clan.

A bright moon hung in the sky, and Xiao Zhan stood solemnly on the high platform alongside the elders. Below, nearly five hundred clansmen dressed in black stood as still as spears, watching Xiao Zhan in silent, focused anticipation. Not a sound could be heard; a sharp, fierce energy was ready to erupt.

The wind seemed to still for a moment. After a brief silence, Xiao Zhan nodded in satisfaction.

"These are the fine sons of my Xiao Clan."

In the distance, Xiao Yan, draped in a black robe, hid to the side, watching the crowd from afar. "It seems Xiao Zhan has trained these Xiao Clan youngsters quite well."

A raspy, aged laugh emanated from within the black robe.

"Sigh, Teacher, Father won't let me join this battle," Xiao Yan complained with a bitter face.

"Don't be ridiculous. If you go along, you'll only be a burden to your father. Do you expect me to clean up your mess? Besides, you are the treasure of the Xiao Clan right now; you cannot afford to be injured," Yao Lao replied, speechless.

"Enough bickering. We'll just follow them quietly later."

"Everyone standing here today is the elite of our Xiao Clan. I believe you have all heard whispers of why you were summoned," Xiao Zhan said, stepping forward as all eyes converged upon him.

"That's right. I didn't summon you here for anything else but to launch a surprise attack on the Jia Lie and Aoba Pa clans. We will wipe these two clans from Wutan City entirely and make the Xiao Clan the sole hegemon of Wutan City. Wutan City is too small; it can only tolerate one voice," Xiao Zhan declared, clenching his fists to rally the crowd.

Seeing this, the clansmen standing below felt their previously calm gazes turn fanatical, their eyes locked onto Xiao Zhan's figure.

"Kill Jia Lie! Destroy Aoba Pa!"

Xiao Zhan's robust, lion-like frame stepped forward once more. He raised both hands, releasing a majestic aura that pressed down upon the entire field—he was, in fact, a powerhouse at the peak of the Dou Ling realm.

Seeing this, the three elders behind Xiao Zhan exchanged glances and stepped forward as well, unreservedly unleashing the powerful pressure belonging to Dou Ling experts.

The atmosphere in the arena, which had been cooling, exploded like a volcanic eruption with a sudden, thunderous roar.

"Kill Jia Lie!"

"Destroy Aoba Pa!"

"Kill Jia Lie!"

"Destroy Aoba Pa!"

Watching the fanatical crowd, Xiao Zhan nodded to himself. He raised his right hand, and the crowd instantly fell into a disciplined silence.

"Since that is the case, the Third Elder and I will lead half the men to strike directly at the Jia Lie clan, while the Great Elder and Second Elder will lead the other half to raid the Aoba Pa clan. Speed is the essence of war; we must be fast. The battle must be concluded before dawn."

"Move out!" Xiao Zhan waved his hand, and he and the Third Elder led half the clansmen into the night. The Great Elder and Second Elder did not hesitate, leading their teams away in silence.

"Let's go, we're following."

Yao Lao watched the main force depart and, taking control of Xiao Yan's body, followed closely behind Xiao Zhan's group.

The night grew deeper.

Jia Lie main residence.

"Mr. Shi, we invited you here to the Jia Lie clan to deal with the Xiao Clan. As long as you help us wipe them out, our Jia Lie clan is willing to pay fifty thousand gold coins."

Deep in the night, the Jia Lie main residence was brightly lit. Inside the hall, the usually arrogant patriarch of the Jia Lie clan, Jia Lie Bi, stood respectfully to the side, addressing a middle-aged man in white robes seated in the main chair.

"Hmph! I am a dignified Dou Ling expert. In this remote little city where the strongest are merely Da Dou Shi, I can walk sideways," the white-robed man said with a haughty expression.

"Yes, yes, of course! Master Shi," Jia Lie Bi flattered.

"However, fifty thousand gold coins is too little. If you want me to act, you must add another fifty thousand," the white-robed man said, changing his tone and greedily holding up five fingers.

"This... one hundred thousand gold coins?" Jia Lie Bi gasped, gritting his teeth in shock.

Damn it, fifty thousand gold coins is already nearly half of our Jia Lie clan's liquid assets. I didn't expect this old ghost to be so greedy.

Fine, our Jia Lie clan will just have to grit our teeth and scrape it together. Once we destroy the Xiao Clan and then finish off the Aoba Pa family, Wutan City will belong to my Jia Lie clan. At that point, what is a mere hundred thousand gold coins? Hmph, and that fool Aoba Pa—he doesn't really think I'm genuinely cooperating with him, does he? Hahaha.

"Patriarch Jia Lie? Are you unwilling to pay?" The white-robed man, seeing Jia Lie Bi fall silent after his demand, urged impatiently.

"If Patriarch Jia Lie is unwilling, I imagine the Xiao Clan's patriarch, Xiao Zhan, would be more than happy to pay if he heard this news," the white-robed man said, looking at Jia Lie Bi with a mocking smile.

"No, no, Master Shi, you've misunderstood. Our Jia Lie clan can afford one hundred thousand gold coins; we will certainly present it to you with both hands," Jia Lie Bi quickly backpedaled.

Damn it! Once I control Wutan City, I'll spend the money to have this stupid, greedy idiot killed, Jia Lie Bi thought with hidden hatred.

"That's good, hahahaha," the white-robed man laughed.

Just as both men were immersed in their hollow, beautiful dreams, mysterious black shadows flashed past outside the hall. The once luxurious family grounds were now stained with blood; the corpses of the Jia Lie clan's night guards littered the compound, and many more were killed in their sleep.

Xiao Zhan and the Third Elder emerged slowly from the pitch-black night, slaughtering in silence.

However, the closer they moved toward the center of the compound, the stronger the defenses became. Finally, the swift surprise attack by Xiao Zhan's group was discovered.

"Ah! Enemies!"

A Dou Shi of the Jia Lie clan roared before dying.

Seeing that he had reached the vicinity of the Jia Lie main residence, Xiao Zhan laughed heartily: "The deed is done! Follow me and kill!"

With that, he slashed through a figure blocking his path.

"Kill!" The Xiao Clan members surged forward.

As the sounds of battle erupted outside the hall, Jia Lie Bi and the man in white exchanged shocked glances, and Jia Lie Bi hurriedly said: "Master Shi, please come with me to take a look."

"Haha, rest assured! Patriarch Jia Lie, with me here, let's see who dares to act recklessly!"

Seeing the opportunity to finally display his strength, the man in the white robe let out a hearty laugh, walked to the doorway, and launched himself outward with a tap of his foot.

"A Dou Ling is here; who dares to act so presumptuously!"

The man in the white robe let out a furious roar and began to release his aura with impatient fervor.

"Bang!" Unexpectedly, the man in the white robe, who had just launched himself out, flew back at an even greater speed, landing right at the feet of Jia Lie Bi, who was just about to step out.

"Pfft!" The man in the white robe spat out a mouthful of blood. With a look of wild terror on his face, he clutched his chest and pointed toward the hall, stammering, "A... a... a peak-level Dou Ling expert?!"

He then passed out cold.

"This, Mr. Shi, Mr. Shi! Wake up! Mr. Shi, you are a Dou Ling expert, please wake up!" Jia Lie Bi looked as if he were going insane, frantically shaking the body of the man in the white robe.