Xiao Chen drove his Battle Qi into Jialie Bi, shattering all his internal organs, then quickly retreated to avoid a desperate counterattack as Jialie Bi died.
Poor Jialie Bi. He died without ever knowing that the person who killed him and the person who killed his son were actually two different people. In the end, he went to his grave confused.
After killing Jialie Bi, Xiao Chen looked at Jialie Ying, who was kneeling on the ground. The Jialie Family's Second Elder was a sensible man. Xiao Chen didn't even need to speak; Jialie Ying immediately understood what he meant and hurriedly scrambled to his feet. "Sir, I'll lead you there right away. Please, follow me!"
Xiao Chen nodded and followed Jialie Ying. The commotion they'd just made had been considerable, and most of the clan had hurried over by now.
However, when they saw Jialie Bi's corpse, they all fell silent. They kept their heads down, not daring to look at Xiao Chen, afraid that this mysterious powerhouse might take offense and casually dispatch them too.
The two walked for nearly half an hour, almost all the way out of the Jialie Family grounds, before Xiao Chen finally spotted the treasury.
Perhaps because this place was so remote, the clan members guarding the treasury hadn't heard what had happened inside the clan. Seeing Jialie Ying approach with a stranger, they hurried forward to stop them. "Third Elder, please wait. Show us the patriarch's token!"
"I didn't bring the token. Open the treasury doors at once!"
Jialie Ying clasped his hands behind his back and made a discreet gesture. Xiao Chen understood at once and suddenly struck, killing him.
The remaining guards tried to rush forward and stop him, but even the strongest among them was only a Six-Star Dou Shi. How could they possibly be a match for Xiao Chen?
In moments, bodies lay scattered across the ground. Seeing his former clansmen fallen before him, a flicker of grief passed through Jialie Ying's eyes.
But the grief soon vanished. Right now, all he wanted was to survive. He had no time to worry about anyone else.
After dealing with the guards, Xiao Chen didn't hurry into the treasury. Instead, he looked at Jialie Ying again. Jialie Ying truly had the makings of an elder; he understood what Xiao Chen wanted in an instant.
He rummaged through the guards' bodies and found two tokens, then eagerly hurried over to open the treasury doors.
The Jialie Family's treasury certainly held plenty of good things. All sorts of rare treasures and Magic Cores were piled up like mountains. Most were only first- or second-tier, but there was no denying the sheer quantity.
That left Xiao Chen with a bit of a headache. He didn't have a storage ring, so there was no way he could carry everything away. Just as he was wondering what to do with it all, a figure appeared at the treasury entrance.
The sudden appearance put Xiao Chen on guard. But the person said nothing, simply dropped a ring at the entrance, and vanished without a trace.
Xiao Chen used his Battle Qi to draw the ring closer and sensed it with his soul power. To his surprise, it was a storage ring with an enormous interior space.
"Ling Ying? Why did he suddenly show up here? And why would he give me a storage ring? Did Xun'er send him?"
Xiao Chen's mind was full of questions, but he soon pushed them aside, put on the storage ring, and began collecting the treasures.
After storing every treasure in the Jialie Family treasury in the ring and dispatching Jialie Ying as well, Xiao Chen finally left, thoroughly satisfied.
Meanwhile, at the Xiao Family...
"Huh? Elder Ling, you said Xiao Chen is a Da Dou Shi? And that he killed Jialie Bi and two elders of the Jialie Family?"
After hearing Ling Ying's report, Xiao Xun'er felt dizzy. But she soon accepted the truth. "Hehe! That's just like Xiao Chen!"
Ling Ying stood respectfully at her side without a word, though his heart was already churning with shock. A question had risen in his mind as well. "A ten-year-old Da Dou Shi... Even among the Ancient Eight Clans, he'd be an outstanding talent. How did he cultivate to this level?"
When he recalled seeing Xiao Chen reveal the strength of a Da Dou Shi, Ling Ying's Battle Qi had faltered. He'd nearly lost his balance and fallen from the sky.
"Miss, about this matter... I must report it to the clan leader!"
After thinking it over, Ling Ying decided to inform his young mistress before reporting it, so that his future son-in-law wouldn't hold it against him once he grew stronger.
Xiao Xun'er nodded at his words. She didn't stop Ling Ying from reporting the news about Xiao Chen. It could even be considered a good thing for him, so she naturally had no reason to interfere.
While Ling Ying was making his report, Xiao Chen had already returned to the Xiao Family. But instead of going back to his room, he went to Xiao Zhan's door. "Uncle, are you asleep?" Xiao Chen knocked. Before long, the door opened from within. "Chen'er? Why are you still up in the middle of the night? What brings you here? Come in and have a seat!"
Seeing Xiao Chen, Xiao Zhan was puzzled, but he warmly ushered him inside. After all these years, Xiao Chen had never once come to visit him.
"Uncle, the Jialie Family's patriarch and elders are dead. You should send people to take over their assets as soon as possible!"
After killing them, Xiao Chen had only taken the treasures in the treasury. The Jialie Family's assets went far beyond that—they also ran a great many businesses in Wutan City. Xiao Chen couldn't make use of those properties, so rather than let someone else benefit, he would give them to the Xiao Family.
Xiao Zhan's hand trembled slightly as he held his teacup. He abruptly turned to Xiao Chen. "Chen'er, is that really true? You can't go around saying things like that!"
"Of course it's true. My master personally made a move and killed Jialie Bi, Jialie Ying, and the others. The Jialie Family no longer has any Da Dou Shi."
Xiao Chen didn't say that he'd killed them himself. Instead, he brought up the nonexistent master, laying the groundwork for his next move.
"Good! I'll gather the clan members right now. We'll try to take over all of the Jialie Family's businesses before dawn!"
Xiao Zhan sprang excitedly from his seat and strode toward the door. Just as he reached it, he seemed to remember something and slapped his forehead. "Look at me! I got so excited that I forgot!"
"Chen'er, I must trouble you to thank your teacher on my behalf. If he needs anything, just say the word. Xiao Zhan won't hesitate to help!"
The strong only grew stronger, and Xiao Zhan understood that well. They had taken advantage of someone and received an enormous benefit. If they didn't show their gratitude, the next thing to come their way might be disaster.
Hearing this, Xiao Chen thought even more highly of his uncle. Even in such a situation, he could keep a clear head. The position of clan leader truly suited him. "My teacher enjoys alchemy. If you come across any good materials while taking over the assets, you can send them to him!"
"Materials for alchemy? Very well, I'll remember that. Chen'er, it's late. You should get some rest too!"
Xiao Zhan had no intention of letting Xiao Chen take part in the operation. In his eyes, it carried a certain degree of danger.
The Jialie Family's Da Dou Shi were dead, but they still had Dou Shi. He couldn't risk letting Xiao Chen, the family's hope for the future, put himself in danger.
Before you continue