Xiao Xun'er's Doubts

Yun Shenwei's words truly shocked Xiao Xun'er. She could not understand why people from the Misty Cloud Sect, the Jia Ma Empire's foremost Sacred Land, wanted to visit the Xiao Family.

Could news of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade Fragment have leaked? No, that shouldn't be possible. If they were looking for the Tou She Ancient God Jade, why would they send someone my age?

Xiao Xun'er showed no emotion on the surface, but her mind was filled with countless thoughts.

She came from the Ancient Clan, one of the Ancient Eight Clans, and was the daughter of Gu Yuan, the current Ancient Clan Patriarch. If not for the clan's repeated instructions, why would someone of her status come live in a lowly city as barbaric as this?

At first, when she had just arrived, she had not adapted very well. Fortunately, Dou Emperor Ling Ying had secretly accompanied her, so she had barely managed to accept it.

Later, she became playmates with Xiao Yan, the third son of the Xiao Family Patriarch. That fellow often used helping her cultivate as an excuse to secretly slip into her bed at night...

At the thought of this, Xiao Xun'er's little face turned bright red.

Little pervert! Touching my body! Shameless!

Hmph! Xiao Xun'er thought of how Xiao Yan usually treated her rather well, and how she still bore the mission involving herself and the Tou She Ancient God Jade. Otherwise, for Xiao Yan's utterly shameless behavior, Dou Emperor Ling Ying would have long since torn him to pieces!

The Xiao Family was merely a tiny clan. It was no longer the Xiao Clan of old, the foremost of the Ancient Eight Clans that had once intimidated the entire Dou Qi Continent!

Still, Xiao Xun'er felt deeply attached to this place. After all, she had lived here for so many years. Although that lecher Xiao Yan was lustful, his talent was quite good. It was just a pity that, for some unknown reason, his cultivation level had been declining these past few years.

Xiao Xun'er had considered asking the Ancient Clan to send someone to help, but after thinking it over, she realized she could help Xiao Yan for a time, but not for a lifetime. There was nothing necessarily bad about being unable to cultivate. At the very least, he could live a peaceful life. Forcing cultivation might not be a good thing. Over the countless millennia of the Dou Qi Continent, had too few people died because of cultivation? "My lord of the Misty Cloud Sect, I am a guard of the Xiao Family. My name is Pei En, and this is our young miss, Xiao Xun'er. May I ask what brings you here from so far away?"

The sword-bearing guard Pei En's words broke Xiao Xun'er's wild train of thought.

"Of course, it is something extremely important. There are too many people here, and it would not be appropriate to speak of it openly. Let us wait until we reach the Xiao Family and meet your patriarch."

Yun Shenwei swept his gaze over the surroundings. Knowing this was not a suitable place to talk, he assumed an imposing manner and made his position clear.

"Oh! My apologies, I was presumptuous!"

The sword-bearing guard Pei En smacked his forehead hard and gave an awkward smile.

"Yes. Shenwei Young Master, you are honored guests of the Misty Cloud Sect. Not only have you come from afar, but you also helped us out of a difficult situation. Xun'er is deeply grateful. Why don't we head to the Xiao Family now, so that Uncle Xiao may fulfill his duty as host?"

Xiao Xun'er was exceptionally intelligent. She spoke with a faint smile, her words perfectly courteous, and her beautiful smile made everyone present feel as though they were basking in a spring breeze.

"Mm."

Yun Shenwei nodded, then gave Ge Ye in the distance a slight signal. Only after receiving confirmation from the latter's gaze did he take Nalan Yanran's hand and leave under the guidance of the sword-bearing guard Pei En, Xiao Xun'er, and the other members of the Xiao Family.

Not long after the group left, Jia Lie Ao, who had been pretending to be unconscious, hurriedly scrambled to his feet. Not just him, but all the Jia Lie Ao Family disciples who had come with him did the same, racing frantically back to their family in unspoken agreement.

The Misty Cloud Sect had sent people here, and they were going to the Xiao Family!

This was terrible! If the Xiao Family reached some kind of agreement with the Misty Cloud Sect, then given the conflict between the Jia Lie Ao Family and the Xiao Family, their entire family might be wiped out in less than a month!

"Tut, tut, tut. The Misty Cloud Sect is the number one sect in our Jia Ma Empire! To think they actually sent their Chief Disciple here."

"Who knows? But that young man carries himself extraordinarily. He should be at the Dou Master level, otherwise he could not have defeated the Jia Lie Ao Family disciples so effortlessly. The young woman beside him is no ordinary person either. She's absolutely beautiful, and her cultivation isn't weak."

"Do you think that Chief Disciple named Yun Shenwei came down the mountain to gain experience? To experience the mortal world?"

"Stop dreaming, lovesick fool! He wouldn't be interested in you. Didn't you see him exchanging flirtatious looks with Xiao Xun'er of the Xiao Family?"

"If the Xiao Family manages to latch onto the Misty Cloud Sect, that would be incredible! The Jia Lie Ao Family would definitely be the first to suffer, hahaha... The other families wouldn't fare much better either."

"Who cares? It has nothing to do with us spectators anyway... You bastard, why are you stealing my Magic Core! Bastard! Stop right there..."

"Awesome! Yeehaw! Ji, you're so beautiful..."

The expressions of the onlookers passing through the street were even more colorful. Some people even began spreading rumors that the Misty Cloud Sect had come to arrange a marriage alliance with the Xiao Family.

In short, there were all kinds of claims. Some people had even lost all interest in their usual market business, while petty thieves took the opportunity to start making their moves...

Wutan City, Xiao Family Residence.

After Xiao Xun'er returned to the Xiao Family, she immediately told them everything that had happened that day.

The entire Xiao Family erupted! The name of the Misty Cloud Sect was thunderous to their ears! Xiao Zhan and a group of family elders were beside themselves with excitement, their eyes gleaming! After meeting Yun Shenwei and the others, they immediately arranged the best accommodations for them. Then, a group of elders gathered for an impromptu meeting and discussed the matter without end.

"Shenwei Senior Brother, why didn't you just make things clear? If we stay here, won't that delay us for a long time?"

Inside an opulent room at the Xiao Family Residence, Nalan Yanran spoke indignantly, clearly upset.

"Ahem, it's fine. It's rare for us to get the chance to come out. Staying at the Xiao Family for a few days is no big deal."

Yun Shenwei looked rather awkward. Sitting beside the young woman, he said with a placating smile, "We've only just arrived. If we mention breaking off the engagement the moment we enter, what do you think the Xiao Family will think? If it were you, would you accept it? Besides..."

"Besides what? Shenwei Senior Brother, don't tell me you want to go see Xiao Yan?"

Nalan Yanran cut him off, her beautiful eyes fixed tightly on Yun Shenwei's face.

"You actually guessed it. Haha... As expected of my little treasure, you're so clever."

His thoughts exposed, Yun Shenwei could only scratch the back of his head to ease his embarrassment.

"Hmph! What is this, Shenwei Senior Brother? How can you do this? Yanran only has you in her heart, yet you're still thinking of making friends with your love rival. Don't you like Yanran anymore?"

Nalan Yanran immediately grew unhappy. Mist appeared in her eyes, and her voice took on a sobbing tone.

"Be good. How could Shenwei Senior Brother hand you over to someone else? If that guy dares marry you, I'll break his dog legs!"

Yun Shenwei stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Nalan Yanran, comforting her softly. "The reason I want to meet him is that I have my own plans. After all, the rumors say he was once a rare genius a few years ago, yet now his cultivation has vanished. That is very strange. Aren't you at all curious why his cultivation only declines and never increases?"

"This... is indeed strange."

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran nodded. She came from the prestigious Nalan Family of the Jia Ma Empire, and her master was Yun Yun, the Misty Cloud Sect's Sect Master. Her knowledge surpassed that of her peers by countless times, yet even so, she could not understand why such bizarre things existed in this world.

"That's why Shenwei Senior Brother wants to use this opportunity to get to the bottom of it. If we help Xiao Yan solve his problem, wouldn't the matter of breaking off the engagement fall into place naturally? Not only would they not be angry, they would be moved to tears with gratitude."

Yun Shenwei smiled proudly and gently stroked the young woman's hair. "Don't forget, I have an extraordinary master. Solving such a bizarre little problem won't be an issue."