Xiao Yan, Tricked and Crippled

At this moment, the sunlight spilled softly into the courtyard of the Xiao Mansion as Xiao Fan strolled leisurely out of his room.

His posture was as upright as a pine, and his black robe fluttered gently in the breeze, the intricate patterns embroidered upon it appearing and disappearing in the sunlight.

Xiao Fan's features were handsome, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, carrying a hint of uninhibited freedom.

Whispers of discussion constantly drifted through the clan.

Xiao Yu was overjoyed, her charming face brimming with excitement.

Because she had heard that a burly man had died at the Jialie Clan, it meant that everything yesterday had been orchestrated by them.

Her voice was crisp and melodious, filled with immense satisfaction.

"Hmph, the Jialie Clan has finally kicked a steel plate this time!"

Meanwhile, inside the solemn and dignified Xiao Clan Council Hall, Xiao Zhan sat in a circle with the various elders, deep in discussion.

Xiao Zhan's brows were tightly locked, and he said in a grave tone, "The expert from yesterday could not have been a Dou Ling. While a Dou Ling is strong, they wouldn't be able to wipe out so many people from the Jialie Clan without a sound. It must have been a Dou Wang!"

As for the higher level of Dou Huang, he didn't even consider it, because such an expert only needed to say a single word, and a vast number of people in the Gama Empire would gladly lay down their lives for them.

As he spoke, he unconsciously tapped his fingers against the tabletop.

The other elders, for once, did not refute Xiao Zhan's words, their faces equally solemn.

One had to realize that an expert capable of wiping out the Jialie Clan overnight could just as easily wipe out the Xiao Clan.

Listening to the chatter of the clan members, Xiao Fan let out a yawn, lost in his own thoughts.

He muttered to himself, "Now that I possess sufficient strength, it is time to establish a faction of my own. I cannot always fight alone like this."

Otherwise, having to handle every little thing personally would be far too beneath his status!

So, the question arose: what kind of faction should he build?

He thought of the faction Ye Fan had created in Shrouding the Heavens... was it called the Heavenly Court?

In Shrouding the Heavens, the Heavenly Court established by Ye Fan was immensely powerful, ranking among the top factions in that world.

As the Lord of the Heavenly Court, Ye Fan himself had attained the Dao through sheer force, breaking the curse that prevented Sacred Bodies from becoming Emperors, and thus became the Heavenly Emperor. His strength was peerless, and his subordinates were as numerous as the clouds.

"Very well, then I shall establish the Heavenly Court. This Seat shall be the future Heavenly Emperor: Heavenly Emperor Xiao!"

The corners of Xiao Fan's mouth curled upward, revealing a confident smile.

At this time, Xiao Yan, who was at the Xiao Clan Back Mountain, also heard the news. He didn't need to guess to know that it was his Brother Fan who had done it.

In a quiet grove on the back mountain, Yao Lao smiled and used Xiao Fan as an example.

"Xiao Yanzi, you must pick up the pace, or the gap between you two will only grow wider."

Yao Lao's voice carried a hint of teasing and expectation, along with a touch of gratification.

During this period, he had already passed the Burning Mantra and battle skills like the Eight Extremities Collapse to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan practiced with great diligence. With the support of the storage ring from Xiao Fan and the cost-no-object medicinal baths, he had already recovered to the fourth stage of Dou Zhi Qi.

Moreover, there was an Amethyst Flame inside the storage ring; after absorbing it using the Burning Mantra, he had laid the foundation for his alchemy skills.

Every day, Xiao Yan would practice until he was completely exhausted before he would rest.

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and secretly swore, "I will definitely catch up to him!"

Xiao Xun'er also received the news, and she felt a bit puzzled.

She hadn't even ordered Elder Ling to take action yet, so how had the Jialie Clan been wiped out?

In the shadows, Elder Ling said in a grave tone, "Young Miss, a terrifying expert appeared yesterday. I did not dare to reveal myself."

Elder Ling's face was filled with awe, his weathered features looking exceptionally serious.

Others might not have sensed that aura, but as a fellow Dou Huang, he could feel it clearly.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xun'er was slightly startled. One had to know that Elder Ling had been raised by the Ancient Clan since childhood and had seen countless experts within the clan.

For even him to describe someone as a "terrifying expert"...

Xiao Xun'er couldn't help but ask, "Was it a Dou Zong or a Dou Zun?"

As soon as she said it, she felt it was inappropriate.

After all, how could such an expert come to a tiny place like Wutan City, let alone target a small clan?

At this, Elder Ling spoke again, "No, it was a Dou Huang."

"However, although they were a Dou Huang, their aura was incomparably terrifying."

That feeling was even more terrifying than the Dou Zongs or even Dou Zuns of the clan; he felt as weak as an ant, without a single thought of resistance.

Elder Ling's voice trembled slightly, as if he still had lingering fears from recalling that terrifying aura.

Hearing this, a thoughtful look appeared on Xun'er's beautiful face.

Since that burly man had been killed immediately after provoking Brother Xiao Fan yesterday, was it possible that this expert was related to him?

A flicker of doubt and speculation crossed her lively eyes, and she thought to herself, Could it be that Brother Xiao Fan has the backing of some powerful force?

Or perhaps... the Xiao Tribe has not yet completely fallen?

Are there still forces hidden in the shadows?

Several days later.

Xiao Fan continued to boast in the bustling, clamorous inn: "However, this time, I shall speak of another Great Emperor—ahem, a close confidante of This Seat, the Ruthless Empress."

He stood tall and straight in the center of the inn, dressed in a white robe embroidered with cloud patterns and cinched with a jade belt.

"In the vast and boundless universe, there existed a force known as the Ascension Divine Dynasty."

As soon as Xiao Fan's voice fell, the previously noisy inn fell instantly silent; everyone held their breath, afraid of missing a single word.

At this moment, time in the inn seemed to have come to a standstill, with only Xiao Fan's voice echoing through the air.

The inn was filled with the faint aroma of wine and food, while the oil lamps on the walls flickered with a dim, yellow light.

"The Ruthless Empress was born in a small village during the Desolate Ancient Era. She and her brother supported each other from a young age, living a life of poverty, yet it was warm and loving."

The crowd listened, utterly enthralled.

"After the Ascension Divine Dynasty abducted her brother, the Ruthless Empress embarked on a path of vengeance. Initially, she lacked cultivation resources, but relying on her own talent and a thirst for power, she began the arduous journey of strengthening herself."

"To grow strong rapidly, she created the earth-shattering Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art. This technique could devour the essence of other cultivators to enhance her own power. Such a method of cultivation caused a massive stir in the cultivation world, while simultaneously filling many with awe and terror."

The crowd couldn't help but gasp, whispering to one another, "Does such a technique really exist in this world? That is simply too astonishing!"

"It is truly incredible!"

Xiao Yan, who was hiding in the crowd and taking a rare break from cultivation to slack off, couldn't help but click his tongue.

He had originally assumed these things were stories fabricated by Brother Fan.

But now it seemed... there might be some truth to them, right?

Wasn't the Burning Mantra he was currently cultivating an evolvable technique?

So, even if a peerless genius were to create a technique capable of devouring all things, it wouldn't be impossible, would it?

At this moment, Yao Lao, residing within his ring, sent a voice transmission: "Xiao Yanzi, could your big brother truly be a reincarnated Great Emperor? Otherwise, how could he know so many ancient secrets?"

Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile. How would I know that...

Isn't Brother Fan a transmigrator just like me?

Could it be that he really was a Great Emperor before he transmigrated? And that world just happened to have a Blue Star as well?

Xiao Yan couldn't help but recall the scenes from his childhood when he and Brother Fan discussed Blue Star. It seemed... although they both transmigrated from Blue Star, they were only similar.

So, did Brother Fan really step onto the path of cultivation from Blue Star, sweeping across the ages all the way to the Great Emperor realm?

And then, after reincarnating and losing all his cultivation, was he essentially re-cultivating, which explained why his progress was so rapid?

The more Xiao Yan thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Inexplicably, he began to believe it...

[Ding! The person of great luck, Xiao Yan, and the soul of a Dou Zun have been successfully hoodwinked. Reward: 100,000 bragging points!]