The Clan Head Has Bad News-The Third Young Master Was Beaten!

That day.

The Xiao Clan's main hall.

Xiao Zhan was discussing something with Xiao Ze.

"Ancestor, this junior has a favor to ask. I hope you'll agree." Xiao Zhan grinned, rubbing his hands together like a fly, looking rather embarrassed.

"What is it?"

"It's about my good-for-nothing son, Xiao Yan... This junior asks that you take him under your wing and offer him a little guidance."

"Hm?" Xiao Ze raised an eyebrow. Take Xiao Yan as his disciple?

He didn't want to.

What was that saying in web novels?

A protagonist's master almost never had a good ending.

Not only did they have to clean up after the protagonist, they also had to fend off all sorts of enemies the protagonist had angered.

It was a thoroughly thankless job.

He wasn't about to do it.

That hard work was better left to that old geezer, Elder Yao. His judgment might be a little off, but when it came to teaching disciples, he was still pretty capable.

"Well..." Xiao Ze considered it for a moment, then shook his head. "Xiao Yan and I have no master-disciple fate. I'm afraid I can't take him as my disciple."

At those words, Xiao Zhan's eyes dimmed.

"So it really won't work..."

Just as he was lamenting his son's prospects,

"However..." Xiao Ze's voice suddenly sounded beside him again. "Though we have no master-disciple fate, I can take him as an unofficial disciple and give him a little guidance."

"Really?" Xiao Zhan's face lit up with excitement. "Then this junior thanks you on behalf of my good-for-nothing son for your kindness, Ancestor."

As he spoke, he rose and bowed deeply to Xiao Ze.

"That's enough. I'm a member of the Xiao Tribe, after all. There's nothing wrong with giving some guidance to a junior..." Xiao Ze waved a hand. "You're the clan head. There's no need to be so formal."

After bowing, Xiao Zhan sat back down.

Then he suddenly thought of something. If word got out that he had asked the Ancestor to look after his son, wouldn't the other Xiao Clan leaders be displeased?

After all, he was not only a father, but also the head of the Xiao Clan.

The clan's interests had to come first in everything.

Acting this way might make others feel he was favoring his own, which would be quite inappropriate.

So,

he licked his lips and shamelessly said, "Um, Ancestor..."

"You have something else?"

"Er... Just one last small favor."

"Spit it—no, go on!"

A trace of impatience showed on Xiao Ze's face.

What was going on?

He was just an impostor, not really the Xiao Clan's Ancestor.

Even if he were the real thing,

could they really come to him for everything?

Couldn't he have a little time, a life, and some freedom of his own?

"Well..." Xiao Zhan chuckled awkwardly and continued shamelessly, "Since you've taken my son in, could you also give some guidance to the other juniors in the clan?"

"..." Xiao Ze fell silent.

Looking at the humble Xiao Zhan before him, he instantly flew into a rage.

"Bang!"

"What do you take me for?"

"Doraemon, here to grant any wish you make?"

"Why not just send me to the Xiao Clan school and have me teach every Xiao Clan disciple?"

Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up. "Ancestor, you'd be willing?"

His fists clenched.

He, Xiao Ze, had never met anyone so shameless!

The man actually dared to make such an outrageous request.

He really wanted to treat the Xiao Clan's Ancestor like a workhorse!

If the person before him weren't Xiao Yan's father, he would absolutely let him experience the Ancestor's iron-fist education!

"What do you think?" Xiao Ze stared at him with an unfriendly look.

"Uh..." Xiao Zhan sheepishly drew his head back and scratched it. "Ancestor, you know that fairness is the most important thing when managing a great clan."

"It's my honor that you're willing to guide my son, but if the other clan members find out, they'll surely think I'm abusing my position as clan head for personal gain..."

"But don't worry, Ancestor. I've already thought of a solution."

"Oh?" Xiao Ze raised an eyebrow, curious. "What solution?"

Xiao Zhan said, "Here's what I was thinking."

"You've been back with the Xiao Clan for some time now, Ancestor. How can you manage without a few juniors to attend to you? I'd like to choose several promising juniors from the clan to take care of your daily needs..."

He paused there.

He didn't need to say any more.

Xiao Ze already understood what he meant.

"On the surface, the clan juniors would be taking care of me, but really, you want me to guide them..."

"You've certainly put a lot of thought into this, Clan Head."

"You flatter me, Ancestor. It's only what this junior should do." Xiao Zhan chuckled, then asked, "Ancestor, about this matter..."

"I agree!" Xiao Ze waved his hand. "I could use someone to look after me, anyway."

"Do it as you see fit."

"But let me make one thing clear: don't send me juniors without talent. Pick a few who are genuinely promising."

Xiao Zhan looked delighted. "Thank you, Ancestor!"

While the two were chatting,

suddenly,

an urgent cry rang out from outside.

"Something's wrong! Something's wrong!"

A Xiao Clan servant rushed in from outside. He was panting, sweat beading on his forehead, and looked utterly flustered.

"Where are your manners, rushing in like that?" Xiao Zhan scolded with a frown. Then he asked, "What happened to make you so panicked?"

"Can't you see that the clan head is discussing important matters with the Ancestor?"

The servant gasped for breath and hurriedly said, "Clan Head, something's wrong! Third Young Master is badly injured and has already fallen unconscious!"

"What?!"

Xiao Zhan was shocked. He shot to his feet.

Without another word, he hurried toward the courtyard where Xiao Yan was staying.

Xiao Ze followed behind at an unhurried pace.

He didn't look particularly shocked.

Instead, Xiao Yan's severe injuries and unconsciousness seemed all too familiar to him.

"Is this the protagonist's knack for getting into trouble?"

"He's only been back to cultivation for a little while, and he's already fighting someone..."

Thinking as he went, Xiao Ze followed the crowd to Xiao Yan's room.

At that moment, Xiao Yan was lying in bed in a miserable state, his face pale and his breathing weak. Wounds covered his upper body, and bright red blood seeped from them.

He looked utterly ghastly.

"What on earth happened?"

"How did my son end up like this?!"

Seeing his son in such a wretched state,

Xiao Zhan, as his father, flew into a rage and began shouting at the servants beside him.

"C-Clan Head, Third Young Master ended up this way because he got into a conflict with the young master of the Jialie Clan at the market. The other young master beat him like this."

The servant at his side recounted what had happened in full.

The story was simple.

That morning, Xiao Yan had felt like going out and brought his childhood sweetheart, Xiao Xun'er, to the Xiao Family Market. But who could have guessed that they'd run into the Jialie Clan's young master, Jialie Ao?

The Jialie Clan already had a grudge against the Xiao Clan.

So the two sides naturally got into an argument.

Jialie Ao not only insulted Xiao Yan, but also insulted Xiao Xun'er beside him. How could Xiao Yan accept that?

So he immediately fought Jialie Ao.

But Xiao Yan had only just returned to cultivation and had barely reached the fifth stage of Dou Qi. How could he possibly match Jialie Ao, who had been cultivating for a long time and had reached the Dou Zhe level?

And so, he was beaten into the state he was in now.