Xiao Yan glanced over his three companions and smiled modestly. "I was just lucky."
Once the greetings were over, Xiao Xuan grew solemn. He looked at Xiao Yan and asked slowly, "Tell me about the Xiao Clan as it is now."
It was a simple question, but answering it required far too much information. Xiao Yan thought for a long while before replying, "Ancestor, the truth is, the Xiao Clan was already gone by the time I was born. All that remained was a Xiao family on the verge of ruin."
Xiao Xuan glanced at Xun'er without betraying any emotion. Clever as she was, Xun'er knew the Ancient Clan could not escape responsibility for the Xiao family's decline, but she could hardly explain herself now. In the end, a bitter smile touched her lips as she unconsciously twisted the corner of her robe.
As a member of the Ancient Clan, she had enjoyed many advantages, but she also bore the immense pressure that came with it. The Dou Di Descendant Clan that had shown her affection was, at its core, merciless. That was why it had used such methods against the Xiao family after losing Xiao Yan.
In an ancient clan like hers, preserving the bloodline came before all else. But because of Xiao Yan, Xun'er neither wanted nor intended to live that way, and she had resolved to seize this chance to break from the Ancient Clan completely. She knew all too well, though, that her identity and God-Tier Bloodline would make that break far from simple. It was not something she could explain in a sentence or two.
Xiao Yan then gave Xiao Xuan a broad account of the Xiao family's circumstances and everything he had experienced along the way. He spoke of facing the Mystic Pattern Sect