The Jialie Clan was drinking with the burly Da Dou Shi in the main hall of their residence.
The hall blazed with light, and its luxurious decorations spoke of the clan's wealth.
"I asked you to teach the Xiao Clan a lesson. How did you end up running away?"
There was a hint of reproach in Jialie Bi's voice. His face was dark, and he stared at the burly man with a knife-sharp gaze.
The burly man slapped the table, intending to put on a show of force, but then he recalled the boy's cold eyes and couldn't help shrinking his neck.
"You have no idea. That kid's a complete monster! I didn't even draw my blade before his aura scared the wits out of me."
The burly man lifted his wine cup, his hand trembling slightly. He gulped down a mouthful, trying to suppress the fear in his heart.
"Those eyes were like they could see straight through my soul."
Jialie Bi furrowed his brows, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. "Hmph, what a useless fool! My Jialie Family paid you so much to come here, and you came back scared like that. What will people think of my family if word gets out?"
The burly man said with a bitter expression, "Sigh, I never expected that kid to be so powerful. Those eyes, that aura—I've never seen anything like them in my life!"
"He was even more terrifying than the high-ranked Magical Beasts I encountered in the Magical Beast Mountain Range!"
As he recalled Xiao Fan's appearance, his body trembled again.
Just then, a shadow soundlessly appeared inside the hall.
"Who's there?"
Jialie Bi sprang to his feet, his eyes filled with wariness.
Xiao Fan looked at them coldly. "Jialie Bi, you've got quite some nerve."
Simply standing there, he exuded an invisible pressure.
Jialie Bi recognized him and was startled, but quickly composed himself. "Xiao Fan, how dare you trespass into my Jialie Family's home!"
He pretended to be calm, but in his heart he was calculating how to deal with the situation.
Xiao Fan merely curled his lips into a faint smile.
He raised a hand. Great Sorrow Wind-Ripping Hand!
A gigantic energy hand, more than ten zhang tall, appeared out of nowhere, bearing an aura that seemed capable of destroying everything. It slapped the burly man dead.
The burly man didn't even have time to let out a scream before he was reduced to a pool of flesh and blood.
Jialie Bi's expression changed drastically. "You're not a Dou Zhe!?"
His voice turned shrill with terror.
Xiao Fan smiled faintly, the expression full of contempt.
"When did I ever say I was a Dou Zhe?"
"T-This time, the Jialie Family admits defeat. Please be magnanimous and let bygones be bygones. We'll give you whatever compensation you want!"
Jialie Bi gritted his teeth and bowed slightly, a crafty glint flashing in his eyes.
As he saw it, a youth this young with such strength was bound to be full of youthful pride. As long as he lowered his head, admitted his mistake, and said a few nice things, that should be enough to lull the boy into a false sense of security.
"Oh? If that's the case..."
The youth's words rose in pitch, carrying a trace of amusement.
Jialie Bi, still bent over, twitched his lips into a triumphant smile, inwardly delighted. Hmph, he's still just a green kid. I got him to lower his guard that easily.
He suddenly erupted into action and attacked Xiao Fan with all his might, Dou Qi Armor forming in one fluid motion.
In his view, even if Xiao Fan had already reached Dou Ling, a surprise attack might still succeed.
Hmph... He's just a green kid after all!
A savage smile spread across Jialie Bi's aged face, as if he could already see himself cutting the youth down beneath his palm.
He thought, As long as I kill you, the Xiao Clan won't be a threat.
Yet faced with the attack, Xiao Fan remained calm and didn't dodge or move, as though everything was under his control.
He made no move at all, yet a powerful surge of Dou Qi sent Jialie Bi flying, crashing hard into the wall.
"Pfft!"
Jialie Bi spat out a mouthful of blood, despair filling his eyes. "Y-You're not Dou Ling!"
His voice was full of disbelief and terror.
Xiao Fan looked at him coldly. "Who said I was Dou Ling?"
His voice was calm and majestic, as if passing judgment on Jialie Bi's fate.
Dou Qi wings appeared on his back, and he soared into the air, looking down from on high like a god gazing upon the masses.
"This Emperor endured countless tribulations, suppressed the Dark Forbidden Zone for thousands of years, and slew countless powerful enemies..."
His voice echoed through the hall, carrying the weight of endless years and overwhelming authority.
"Now that I've reincarnated, I'm still weak, yet you lot actually seek to snuff this Emperor out in the cradle. Such intentions deserve death..."
Boundless killing intent showed in Xiao Fan's eyes.
"From this day onward, the Jialie Family will be erased from Wutan City."
Xiao Fan's voice was cold and merciless, like the verdict of fate itself.
As soon as his words fell, Xiao Fan unleashed his powerful aura, and the entire Jialie Family was engulfed in terror.
If they could speak, they would surely have cursed him to his face.
Wait, you're already a Dou Emperor?
Our clan's strongest is only a Da Dou Shi. How could we possibly snuff you out in the cradle??
Still, many members of the Jialie Clan—including Jialie Bi, whose life force was faint and who had yet to die completely—believed his words.
Xiao Fan... this genius of the Xiao Clan might really be a great emperor...
[Drop! The vast majority of the Jialie Family are convinced. Gained 5000 Bragging Points]
The next day, the whole of Wutan City was shrouded in shock, as though a heavy gloom hung over the little city.
The morning sun struggled to pierce the clouds, but its light seemed pale and weak, casting a dim shadow over the streets and alleys.
The Jialie Family, one of Wutan City's three great clans, had lost every elder and even its clan head overnight!
Only a few insignificant servants of low status had survived.
People gathered across the streets and alleys like the rising tide.
Faces of astonishment, excitement, and confusion mingled in the shifting light and shadow.
"Have you heard? The Jialie Family was wiped out overnight!"
A thin man's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
His voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"This is unbelievable!"
"No kidding. It's terrifying! Who could possibly have that kind of power?"
An old man beside him stroked his beard, his brows knitted in confusion.
"Could another great clan have secretly made a move?"
"It must have been a powerhouse above Dou Ling—maybe even a Dou Wang!"
A hot-blooded young man waved his arms, his tone certain and his eyes shining with excitement.
"Powerhouses like that are a rare sight in Wutan City!"
"I say the Jialie Family had it coming. They did evil all the time—this is retribution!"
A middle-aged woman planted her hands on her hips and said indignantly, the flesh on her face quivering with anger.
"Those people did nothing but bully us!"
"That's right. Their clan members were always throwing their weight around. This is so satisfying!"
The crowd chimed in one after another, their faces alight with vindication. Some even clapped their hands.
"I wonder which hero did it. They've rid Wutan City of a scourge!"
A child joined in the excitement, bouncing up and down, his eyes full of admiration...