Xiao Xun'er's Choice

Xiao Yan nodded.

His voice was calm, yet every word struck like thunder.

"The Xiao Clan was indeed the most powerful of the Eight Ancient Clans."

"The ancestors of the Xiao Family were true Dou Emperor powerhouses."

"The Dou Emperor bloodline of the Xiao Family once reigned supreme over all eight clans."

Xiao Xun'er was completely stunned.

She had never imagined that this tiny Xiao Family, tucked away in a corner of Wutan City, could have such an astonishing origin.

"Then... what happened after?"

She asked subconsciously.

Xiao Yan's gaze grew distant, as if he were looking back at events from a thousand years ago.

"Afterward..."

"The Xiao Clan produced a peerless genius named Xiao Xuan."

"He was the most gifted patriarch in the history of the Xiao Clan, and the person closest to becoming a Dou Emperor among all eight clans."

"In order to break through to the Dou Emperor realm and lead the Xiao Clan to even greater heights, he did something earth-shattering—"

"He burned the bloodline of the entire clan to attempt the breakthrough!"

Xiao Xun'er gasped.

Burning the bloodline of the entire clan?

What a maddening decision!

"Did he... succeed?"

Xiao Yan shook his head.

"He failed."

"Xiao Xuan failed his breakthrough, and the Xiao Clan's Dou Emperor bloodline was exhausted as a result."

"The once-mightiest ancient imperial clan saw its entire foundation plummet to the bottom overnight."

His voice remained calm, as if he were telling someone else's story.

"However—"

"Before attempting the breakthrough, Xiao Xuan had made a life-and-death pact with his close friend Gu Yuan: if Xiao Xuan succeeded, he would eradicate the Hun Clan and unconditionally assist Gu Yuan in becoming a Dou Emperor as well!"

"If he failed, Gu Yuan was to protect the remaining bloodline of the Xiao Clan, share access to the Heavenly Tomb, and join forces to resist the Hun Clan. None of these agreements were fully honored by Gu Yuan after Xiao Xuan fell!"

"What?!"

Xiao Xun'er's delicate body trembled.

Gu Yuan...

That was her father!

The patriarch of the Ancient Clan!

"Subsequently, Hun Tiandi invaded the Xiao Family. Xiao Xuan, having failed his breakthrough, severely wounded his opponent by detonating himself and was no longer able to intervene."

"In that process, the foundation of the Hun Clan should have been inferior to that of the Ancient Clan..."

"And Xiao Xuan's agreement with Gu Yuan was made in the hope that the Ancient Clan would look after the descendants of the Xiao Family and protect the continuation of their bloodline."

"If the Ancient Clan had truly acted according to the agreement, even if the Xiao Family declined, how could they have fallen to this state?"

Xiao Yan's gaze fell upon Xiao Xun'er's face, heavy with meaning.

Xiao Xun'er fell silent.

She had been in the Xiao Family for so many years, always believing her father had only sent her to find the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade.

She had never expected such a history to lie behind it.

"Brother Xiao Yan..."

She bit her lip, her voice dropping a notch.

"Did the Ancient Clan... really not fulfill any of the agreements?"

Xiao Yan did not answer directly, instead asking a question in return:

"Xun'er, in all your years in the Xiao Family, have you ever seen anyone from the Ancient Clan come to help the Xiao Family?"

Xiao Xun'er was taken aback.

Indeed, she had not.

Aside from Elder Ling protecting her in secret, the Ancient Clan had never sent anyone to the Xiao Family.

"Then... perhaps the Ancient Clan was protecting them from the shadows, and I just didn't know?"

She attempted to defend the Ancient Clan.

Xiao Yan chuckled, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.

"Xun'er, given the Ancient Clan's foundation, let alone failing to fulfill the promise to look after the Xiao Family—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

"With the heritage and foundation of the Xiao Clan, even after a thousand years of change, how could it have declined to such a state?"

"The highest cultivation in the clan is no more than a Grand Dou Master?"

"The highest-level Dou Techniques and cultivation methods in the clan are merely Profound Tier?"

Xiao Xun'er's face gradually turned pale.

She was no fool.

Although Xiao Yan did not state it explicitly, she heard the meaning behind his words clearly.

The Ancient Clan—

They likely never fulfilled their original promise at all!

Perhaps even...

"Brother Xiao Yan..."

Xiao Xun'er's voice trembled slightly.

"Are you saying that not only did the Ancient Clan fail to look after the Xiao Family, but instead..."

She did not continue, but the implication was already clear.

Xiao Yan neither denied nor confirmed it.

He simply said indifferently:

"Xun'er, do you really think that with the Xiao Clan's foundation, even if their bloodline had been exhausted, they wouldn't have been able to leave behind even a single cultivation method above the Profound Tier?"

"Do you think that with the Xiao Clan's former glory, even in decline, they wouldn't have been able to nurture a single Dou Huang or even a Dou Ancestor?"

"Do you think that with the Ancient Clan's strength, if they had truly intended to protect the Xiao Family, how would the Hun Clan have dared to lay a hand on them?"

Every sentence was like a blade, stabbing into Xiao Xun'er's heart.

That's right...

If the Ancient Clan had truly fulfilled their promise, how could the Xiao Family have fallen to such a state?

If the Ancient Clan had truly offered their help, how could the Xiao Family lack even a decent cultivation method?

If the Ancient Clan had truly regarded the Xiao Family as an ally, how could the Xiao Family be struggling to survive in a small place like Wutan City?

"But..."

Xiao Xun'er opened her mouth, wanting to defend the Ancient Clan, only to find she could not come up with a single reason.

She recalled the years she had spent in the Xiao Family, watching with her own eyes as the clansmen fought tooth and nail over a few medicinal pills, watching Xiao Zhan turn gray-haired from worrying about the family's development, and watching the unwillingness and humiliation in Xiao Yan's eyes during the three years he was called "trash."

If the Ancient Clan had truly been willing to help...

A few random cultivation methods or a few medicinal pills would have been enough to keep the Xiao Family from such a plight!

And Brother Xiao Yan... why would he have needed to worry about exposing his talent too early, forced to play the part of a "trash" for three years, enduring countless insults and mockery?

"Why..."

Xiao Xun'er murmured to herself, her eyes turning slightly red.

"Why would Father do this?"

She did not understand.

In her heart, Gu Yuan had always been a loving father and an upright clan leader.

Yet, Xiao Yan's words forced her to face a cruel reality—

The Ancient Clan might not be as honorable and upright as she had imagined.

Xiao Yan looked at her reddened eyes, his heart stirring slightly.

This girl was, after all, a member of the Ancient Clan; it was inevitable that she still held feelings for them.

After all, that was her family, her father.

"Xun'er."

He spoke softly, his tone becoming a bit gentler.

"I don't mean to blame you."

"What the Ancient Clan did has nothing to do with you."

Xiao Xun'er looked up at him, her eyes blurred with tears.

"Brother Xiao Yan..."

"I am telling you this not to put you in a difficult position."

Xiao Yan reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I only hope you understand that the relationship between the Xiao Family and the Ancient Clan is not as simple as you imagine."

"And to let you realize—"

He paused, his gaze resolute.

"—why I remain vigilant toward the Ancient Clan."

Xiao Xun'er remained silent for a long time.

She leaned into Xiao Yan's embrace, feeling the warmth of his chest, her heart filled with a whirlwind of thoughts.

The Ancient Clan...

Father...

The Xiao Family...

Brother Xiao Yan...

She did not know who to believe, but she knew one thing—

Brother Xiao Yan would never lie to her.

"Brother Xiao Yan."

She spoke softly.

"Hmm?"

"If... I mean, if."

She looked up, her eyes filled with earnestness.

"If the Ancient Clan truly did something to wrong the Xiao Family, Xun'er will stand by your side."

Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback.

"You..."

"Xun'er is a member of the Ancient Clan, but Xun'er belongs even more to Brother Xiao Yan."

Her voice was gentle, yet carried an unquestionable firmness.

"No matter what the Ancient Clan has done, Xun'er will face it with you."

[Ding—]

[Host has successfully exposed the thousand-year grudge between the Ancient Clan and the Xiao Clan, causing the Daughter of Luck, Xiao Xun'er, to doubt the Ancient Clan and become more dependent on the Host! Xiao Yan no longer has any possibility of utilizing Xiao Xun'er to obtain opportunities within the Ancient Clan!]

[Destined Protagonist Luck Value -5000!]

[Host Luck Value +5000!]

[Obtained Super Villain Points +10000!]

[Hehehe... The Host's methods are brilliant! The Daughter of Luck, Xiao Xun'er's loyalty to the Ancient Clan has dropped significantly, and her loyalty to the Host has reached its maximum!]

[Please keep up the good work, Host, and frantically destroy or plunder the opportunities of the Destined Protagonist of this world! Let's go!]