Chapter 22

Although the clan elders felt some resistance toward Xiao Zhan's decision,

the situation had already reached this point. No matter how stubborn they were, they could clearly see the predicament the Xiao Clan was facing.

In order to preserve the Xiao Clan's bloodline, the benefits before them no longer seemed so important.

After a brief meeting, Xiao Zhan's orders spread throughout the entire Xiao Clan.

Overnight, every shop under the Xiao Clan's name began an emergency evacuation.

Of course, with Xiao Ming and the Black Demon Stockade helping, everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

The other small clans throughout Wu Tan City all inexplicably sensed that a storm was coming.

Almost overnight, every Xiao Clan member began quietly withdrawing from Wu Tan City according to Xiao Ming's instructions.

Seeing everything proceeding according to his plan, Xiao Ming's originally anxious heart finally eased somewhat.

But there was always the chance of an accident. While everyone was busy evacuating, Jia Lie Bi and the others in the prison discovered some clues from the fragments of conversation exchanged by the guards over the past few days.

At first, the Xiao Clan guards watching them had remained almost unchanged, but in recent days, they noticed that the guards in the prison were being rotated more and more frequently.

By now, the guards were practically replaced once a day, while those who had been rotated out never returned to the prison.

Such an obvious change naturally could not escape the eyes of an old fox like Jia Lie Bi.

Jia Lie Bi then told Yun Xi, who was waiting for reinforcements from the Misty Cloud Sect, about what he had discovered.

Upon hearing Jia Lie Bi's words, Yun Xi immediately frowned.

He could not help recalling that he had long since sent out a communication talisman asking for aid. Logically, even if the Misty Cloud Sect was far away and its experts could not arrive immediately, his grandfather's temperament meant that he would certainly have sent back a communication talisman in advance.

Yet after so much time had passed, there was still no response from the Misty Cloud Sect. Only then did Yun Xi finally sense that something was wrong.

Thus, Yun Xi opened his tightly shut eyes, walked over to Jia Lie Bi, and sat down cross-legged before him.

"Patriarch Jia Lie, have you discovered something?"

Jia Lie Bi looked at Yun Xi seated beside him and slowly nodded.

"Young Sect Master Yun, based on my judgment, the Xiao Clan should have prepared long ago. There is even a strong possibility that they are preparing to flee!"

"Flee?"

Yun Xi's expression immediately changed upon hearing Jia Lie Bi's words.

This was completely beyond his expectations.

Why would the Xiao Clan suddenly make such a move? Why would they abandon such enormous interests in Wu Tan City and flee in such a short time?

"Patriarch Jia Lie, could your judgment be mistaken?"

"Young Sect Master Yun, I suspect that the communication talisman you sent out not long ago may have been intercepted by someone from the Xiao Clan."

Yun Xi nodded. "Go on."

"The Xiao Clan must have realized that we were preparing to seek help from the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Then what will they do now?"

"They will certainly take the entire Xiao Clan and leave this place as quickly as possible. They must have discovered our situation, which is why they are making such a move."

A dense fury rose in Yun Xi's heart.

They had actually discovered his actions in advance!

Yun Xi now wished he could slaughter every member of the Xiao Clan to vent his hatred.

But that was only what he thought, because they were still imprisoned. Even their own lives were difficult to guarantee, much less stopping the Xiao Clan's evacuation.

Seeing Yun Xi sink into thought, Jia Lie Bi could not help sighing.

In truth, Jia Lie Bi had already deduced everything that had happened during this period.

Yet the situation facing the three of them was equally far from optimistic.

There was one more thing Jia Lie Bi had not said aloud: after the Xiao Clan evacuated, how exactly would they deal with the three of them?

Now that the Xiao Clan knew Yun Xi's identity, they would certainly not risk being hunted down by the Misty Cloud Sect by killing him.

But when it came to dealing with him and Ao Bapa, the Xiao Clan had no such concerns.

Therefore, rather than worrying whether the Xiao Clan would flee, Jia Lie Bi was more concerned about whether he would live or die.

After hearing Seven Baleful Intents and the others' report, Xiao Ming also made plans for what came next.

Since the Xiao Clan was about to leave Wu Tan City for good, how should they deal with Jia Lie Bi and Ao Bapa in the prison?

Although the Xiao Clan had already wiped out all the two clans' businesses in Wu Tan City, once the Xiao Clan left, Jia Lie Bi and Ao Bapa could rely on their Great Dou Master cultivation to reclaim them from the other small clans without spilling a drop of blood.

Before long, the two clans' power would rapidly rise from the ashes.

Since the two of them had caused the Xiao Clan's current predicament, Xiao Ming naturally would not let them off so easily.

With that in mind, Xiao Ming decided to kill them in the prison that night under cover of darkness.

After sending away all the guards in the prison, Xiao Ming led Seven Baleful Intents and the others through the shadows to the cell holding the three men.

Looking at the empty corridor before him, Jia Lie Bi instinctively sensed an unusual atmosphere.

He immediately woke Ao Bapa and Yun Xi beside him.

"Patriarch Jia Lie, why did you wake us?"

Yun Xi, still bleary-eyed, came over to Jia Lie Bi and asked.

"Have you not noticed? Tonight's atmosphere is rather strange. Every guard in the prison has left."

"What? Are you saying the Xiao Clan has already fled?"

After hearing Jia Lie Bi's words, Ao Bapa abruptly opened his eyes.

Jia Lie Bi nodded slightly, then continued, "I think we should seize this opportunity and escape at once. The Xiao Clan is about to leave Wu Tan City. If we wait any longer, it will not be easy to find them again in the future!"

Jia Lie Bi's words did make some sense.

At this critical juncture, if the Xiao Clan truly escaped Wu Tan City, then even with the Misty Cloud Sect's help, finding them afterward would be extremely difficult.