The next day, the Jia Lie Family and the Aoba Family received a letter from the Xiao Clan.
The Jia Lie Family
Jia Lie Ao sprang to his feet in fury. "Father, the Xiao Clan is trying to swallow up our Jia Lie Family!"
The Second Elder, Jia Lie Nu, was just as unable to contain himself. He slammed his palm on the table. "They sent over some kind of alliance letter, telling us to attend the ceremony. They call it an alliance, but clearly they want us to become their subordinates. And they even want us to hand over half our annual income as dues for that godforsaken alliance. Keep dreaming!!!"
Seeing that everyone in the family was just as fired up as he was, Jia Lie Bi finally couldn't hold back his anger. "Come on, let's go to the Xiao Clan and see what's going on!"
The Aoba Family
Oba Pa stroked his chin, unable to figure out what the Xiao Clan was up to.
"Come on, let's go see what the Xiao Clan is planning. Could they really be capable of swallowing up both the Aoba and Jia Lie families in one go?"
The Jia Lie and Aoba families both decided to head to the Xiao Clan and get to the bottom of things. They met along the way and hit it off at once, deciding to teach the Xiao Clan a lesson!
The Xiao Clan's Main Hall
Whenever Xiao Zhan thought of the letter he'd written yesterday, he wanted to laugh. It felt so damn good to speak without a care in the world. He still remembered the words he'd furiously scribbled down yesterday. They'd been absolutely perfect.
"Your Jia Lie Family has until noon tomorrow to come to the main hall of my Xiao Clan and discuss the alliance. Hand over half your family's annual income as the alliance fee, or you'll be sorry."
"Your Aoba and Jia Lie families, remember to come to the Xiao Clan's main hall tomorrow. I've got something to discuss with you. Make sure you arrive early, or don't blame me for being rough with you."
Watching Xiao Zhan grin from ear to ear, Xiao Li could only wear an equally helpless expression. Ever since his father, worried about his safety, had wanted to test his strength yesterday, he'd been like this.
Thinking of Xiao Zhan's Lion Mountain Split from the night before, Xiao Li still felt a lingering dread. No wonder it had been the full-force strike of a three-star Da Dou Shi. It had forced him to use seventy percent of his power just to block it.
"The Jia Lie and Aoba families have arrived~!"
The guard's shout rang into the main hall. Outside, Jia Lie Bi's face darkened as he waited with the others. They had to announce their arrival just to get inside, as if they were servants.
Xiao Zhan really didn't take anyone seriously!
Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa strode furiously into the hall. Without another word, they pointed at Xiao Zhan and demanded, "Xiao Zhan, what did you mean by that letter? Are you trying to swallow up both our families?!"
Xiao Zhan chuckled. "You've misunderstood. It's an alliance."
Jia Lie Bi forced down his anger, feeling suspicious. Had the Xiao Clan found some powerful source of confidence? How else would they dare provoke both families at once?
"Then what do you mean by..."
As if he couldn't see Jia Lie Bi's dark expression, Xiao Zhan continued with a cheerful grin. "The three of our families have been fighting among ourselves in Wutan City for ages. It's really unwise. We'd be better off joining forces and expanding beyond Wutan City. That's how we'll grow stronger and bigger."
At first glance, Xiao Zhan's words seemed reasonable enough. But Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa were both old foxes, and they immediately pointed out what was wrong with the letter.
"Then what's this so-called alliance fee you want our families to pay for? What has your Xiao Clan contributed?!" Oba Pa's face was dark. Even though he was usually a sinister man who avoided taking the lead, he couldn't help but confront Xiao Zhan head-on this time.
"Heh, what I mean..." The amusement on Xiao Zhan's face gradually turned to coldness. "Of course, I want your families to submit to us."
Xiao Zhan made no attempt to hide his intentions. He was already the strongest of the three clan leaders, and now he had Xiao Li, whose strength was no less than his own. Taking out the higher-ups of the two families before them would be a piece of cake. Once they were dead, the rest would be no threat at all.
Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa's expressions changed. Only then did they notice the several rings of Xiao Clan members surrounding the hall.
"The fact that you had the courage to come to my Xiao Clan's main hall is the only thing I can praise you for." Xiao Zhan snorted, then attacked without the slightest hesitation.
"Lion Mountain Split!"
A green lion's head roared with might as it hurtled fiercely toward Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa.
Jia Lie Bi's face darkened. "Damn you, Xiao Zhan! You really dared to attack. But you've made the wrong move today."
"Clan Leader Oba, I'll hold Xiao Zhan off. You and the others slaughter everyone in the Xiao Clan. Afterward, we'll divide the spoils according to our contributions."
Oba Pa nodded without hesitation. There was no time for him to weigh the consequences now. They were already coming down on him.
"Do you two really think I'd dare invite you here today without having any trump cards?"
A cool voice came from the entrance to the main hall. Its calmness sent a chill down Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa's spines.
They turned to look and saw a boy leaning against the doorway, using a long spear to support himself.
Jia Lie Bi froze. Though his heart surged with fury, he also found it ridiculous. "Has the Xiao Clan run out of people? You'd send out a little brat like this!"
Turning back to see Xiao Zhan about to attack, Jia Lie Bi didn't dare let his guard down. He called to Oba Pa, then charged forward.
"Low Huang-tier Dou Technique, Green Wind Whirlwind Fist!"
Green Dou Qi rapidly gathered over his fist, eventually forming a small vortex. Jia Lie Bi's gaze was serious. Xiao Zhan was a whole level stronger than he was; he absolutely couldn't afford to be careless.
Oba Pa's gaze turned vicious, and a sinister smile curled his lips. "If this brat is the Xiao Clan's source of confidence, then it's time for the clan to be wiped out!"
As the two clan leaders struck, neither paid the slightest attention to the look on Jia Lie Ao's face behind them.
When Jia Lie Ao saw Xiao Li, fear he couldn't suppress flickered in his eyes. Growing up, who among the younger generation of the Jia Lie and Aoba families hadn't been beaten up by Xiao Li?
Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa didn't know the younger generation of the Xiao Clan, but Jia Lie Ao knew them all too well. He still remembered how he'd teased Xiao Mei once and then been cornered by Xiao Li on the street outside his home every single day. He hadn't dared step outside.
It went on for a whole month. Unable to take it anymore, Jia Lie Ao swallowed his pride and told the Second Elder, Jia Lie Nu, who finally put an end to it.
Seeing Oba Pa charge at him, Xiao Li was utterly unafraid. This fat middle-aged man was the weakest of the three clan leaders. If Xiao Li wasn't confident he could handle even Oba Pa, he wouldn't dare claim he could wipe out the other two families.
Blue lightning erupted from the Azure Thunder Abyss Art. Surging bolts almost blocked the entrance, preventing Oba Pa from charging out and harming the Xiao Clan's younger generation.
As for the inside of the hall, there were only two Aoba Family elders, the Jia Lie Family's Second Elder and Jia Lie Ao, along with a few other scattered disciples. There weren't many people at all.
Xiao Li, Xiao Zhan, the three elders, and the clan's core disciples were all present. That was more than enough to deal with them. Those whose strength hadn't reached the Dou Master level would only risk losing their lives by coming inside, so it was better to have them surround the hall and prevent any fish from slipping through the net.
Lightning burst forth violently, blue thunder coiling around the Thunder Scale Spear. Its powerful aura stung Oba Pa's eyes, making them hard to open. But what shook Oba Pa even more than his eyes was his heart.
"A-a Da Dou Shi? How is that possible?!"