An Uninvited Request

An Uninvited Request

The moment the thunderous blast erupted, the entire Xiao Clan hall shook violently. Quite a few people were thrown straight from their chairs, followed by the collapse of ceiling beams and the fall of rubble.

Smoke and dust filled the center of the hall, and within it, a bloodstained figure in white could vaguely be seen standing proudly.

"Dou Ling! Master Chen must be a Dou Ling powerhouse!"

The First Elder roared in utter shock. A gust of wind then swept away the dust, allowing everyone to see a massive crater over three meters deep blasted into the center of the hall. Countless cracks spread outward from it, reaching all the way to the walls.

The Second Elder was covered in blood, sprawled at the bottom of the crater. After twitching a few times, he stiffened completely, dead beyond doubt.

"How terrifying!"

Not only the Third Elder, but even Xiao Zhan and the others were staring wide-eyed.

The Dou Qi erupted by the Second Elder had clearly condensed into armor—an indication that he had stepped into the Dou Ling realm. Yet Chen Qiye had struck later but arrived first, killing the Second Elder with a single palm strike. What kind of incomparably fierce palm technique was that?

Though that palm had seemed light and lacked any dazzling glow of Dou Qi, it carried the overwhelming weight of Mount Tai collapsing and a meteor falling from the heavens. It was absolutely not something a Da Dou Shi could contend with.

They even suspected that not even a true Dou Ling powerhouse might be able to withstand it!

Countless people screamed inwardly: Just who is this Chen Qiye? How could he be such a monster?!

Chen Qiye withdrew his hands and stood in the Xiao Clan hall. "A Dou Ling? Heh heh."

The entire hall fell silent!

Whether it was the First Elder, the Third Elder, or the other members of the Xiao Clan, their gazes upon Chen Qiye were filled with awe.

From the moment Chen Qiye appeared and exposed the Second Elder's scheme to the moment he killed him, only a few minutes had passed. Yet it had completely overturned everyone's perception of Chen Qiye.

Earlier, some had privately mocked Chen Qiye for being afraid of a Dou Ling powerhouse and fleeing with his tail tucked between his legs. Now, the Second Elder, who had one foot in the Dou Ling realm, had been slapped to death right before their eyes. What terrifying might was this!

Especially Chen Qiye's casual demeanor—it was as if he had not slapped to death a powerhouse infinitely close to the Dou Ling realm, but merely an annoying mosquito. And his nearly mocking words, "A Dou Ling? Heh heh," shook their souls to the core!

Little Fairy Doctor suddenly covered her small mouth, staring at Chen Qiye in delighted surprise. She had guessed that Chen Qiye might be a Da Dou Shi, but she had never expected even someone one step into the Dou Ling realm to be instantly killed!

She secretly thought, The stronger Teacher is, the more certain he will be of suppressing the Woeful Poison Body!

"Teacher..." Xiao Yan was equally shaken, but he had always had full confidence in Chen Qiye, so he did not show too much surprise.

The younger generation, including Xiao Yu, looked at Xiao Yan with eyes full of envy and jealousy. Only Xiao Xun'er smiled faintly, her dimples showing. Clearly, Ling Ying had already reported Chen Qiye's strength to her.

Since he had returned, the Xiao Clan's crisis had been resolved. Xiao Xun'er thought, A Dou Zong at such a young age? Could he be some old monster cultivating a strange technique?

"No wonder, no wonder he dared to disregard the Misty Cloud Sect that day and treated Ge Ye's threats with contempt!"

"Exactly! With such strength at his age, why would he need to fear any force in the Jia Ma Empire? No matter how many obstacles stand in his way, he can shatter them all with one palm!"

Xiao Zhan stood at the head of the hall, blankly staring at the figure revealed as the dust dispersed. He too was deeply astonished.

Chen Qiye slowly turned around, his face neither sorrowful nor joyful.

To the Xiao Clan, the Second Elder had been someone one step into the Dou Ling realm, a man of immense authority and great prestige within the clan.

But to Chen Qiye, he had merely been an annoying little bug, easily slapped to death.

"Enemies surround us, so what are you still standing around for?" As Chen Qiye walked to Xiao Yan's side, his gaze swept over the Xiao Clan leaders seated above. His sharp rebuke, like the tolling of a morning bell or an evening drum, jolted them awake. Whispers immediately rose through the ruined hall, gradually growing louder.

"Silence!" Xiao Zhan stepped forward two paces and barked in a low voice. Everyone's attention turned toward him. "Those able to sit here today are the elites of our Xiao Clan. Now, the Jia Lie Clan and Ao Ba are two wolves and tigers crouching at our doorstep, seeking to swallow our Xiao Clan whole!"

"What should we do?" Xiao Zhan shouted solemnly, his impassioned voice echoing through the hall.

The Xiao Clan members in the hall rose solemnly to their feet. The panic and fear in their eyes gradually turned to resolve as they stared intently at Xiao Zhan. Then, a young and still somewhat childish voice rang out: "Kill the Jia Lie Clan! Destroy Ao Ba!"

Xiao Yan clenched his fists and took a step forward, standing as straight as a spear. He swept his gaze around the room, his youthful face burning with passion.

"As members of the Xiao Clan, why fear shedding our hot blood!"

Those short words instantly ignited the hot blood of the Xiao Clan members like a raging blaze. The previously frigid atmosphere erupted like a volcano.

"Buzz!"

With a roar, everyone seemed to have been injected with stimulants.

"Kill the Jia Lie Clan!"

"Destroy Ao Ba!"

Their fanatical, uniform cries were deafening. Seeing the blazing gazes throughout the hall, Xiao Zhan nodded inwardly, his eyes full of gratification as he looked at Xiao Yan.

He then raised his right hand, and everyone in the hall abruptly fell silent again.

"Master Chen! Xiao Zhan has an impertinent request!"

Xiao Zhan took a step forward, cupped his fists toward Chen Qiye, and bowed deeply. "At this critical moment of life and death for the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhan, on behalf of the entire Xiao Clan, earnestly begs Master Chen to lend us his aid!"

"We beg Master Chen to lend us his aid!"

At that moment, every Xiao Clan member in the hall followed suit, bowing deeply as their voices rang out together.

They all understood that Dou Ling powerhouses were not opponents they could deal with. Among those present, only Chen Qiye could contend against a Dou Ling powerhouse, or even kill one.

"We beg Teacher to lend us his aid!" Xiao Yan abruptly turned around and cupped his fists toward Chen Qiye in a deep bow!

Chen Qiye slowly raised a hand and helped Xiao Yan up, his expression calm. He then turned with his hands behind his back and began to stroll forward. "Yan'er, Xian'er, come with your teacher and kill that Yun Tianbing."

His words were very soft, yet when they fell into the ears of the Xiao Clan members, they sounded like thunder. Excitement instantly appeared on every face!

Then—

Chen Qiye strode out of the Xiao Clan hall.

"We charge out!" Xiao Zhan swept out his hand. "Today will be the day our Xiao Clan rises completely in Wutan. Kill!"

As Xiao Zhan's words fell, a murderous aura burst forth throughout the hall. No one hesitated. In silence, they followed Xiao Zhan outside.

After everyone had left, a shadowy figure slowly appeared. It was none other than the Dou Huang powerhouse, Ling Ying.

His eyes were filled with doubt. "After this battle, the Xiao Clan may truly rise to prominence!"

The night grew deeper, and the mountain wind was icy as it swept through the darkness. Dark clouds gradually obscured the moonlight. Amid the shadows, several dozen figures appeared outside the Xiao Clan grounds...