The Tense Situation in the Xiao Clan

Xiao Clan.

The Xiao Clan had endured no small amount of suffering over the past half month.

Because Liu Xi's master had supplied the Gale Clan with a large quantity of medicinal pills, not only had they seized eighty to ninety percent of the Xiao Clan's business, but the Gale Clan's strength had also soared.

In recent days, the Xiao Clan had frequently clashed bloodily with the Gale Clan. Not only had Xiao Clan disciples been severely injured, even the elders had not been spared.

Today, a large-scale battle had broken out. Even Xiao Zhan had been seriously wounded. In the end, it was only because Yao Lao intervened that the Xiao Clan escaped disaster.

Inside the Xiao Clan's main hall, the atmosphere was unusually heavy and oppressive. Every elder bore injuries of varying severity.

"I never expected that old bastard Jia Lie Bi to advance to a six-star Da Dou Shi in just over a month. Even Jia Lie Nu and the others have seen a tremendous increase in cultivation," the grim-faced First Elder said after taking a deep breath.

"We all underestimated the weight carried by a third-tier alchemist. If not for that mysterious man in black helping us today, our Xiao Clan would likely have been doomed," the Third Elder said slowly, still shaken by the experience.

"Patriarch, do you know who that man in black was?" the Second Elder asked Xiao Zhan curiously.

The moment this question was raised, everyone's eyes gathered on Xiao Zhan. They all wanted to know who exactly the black-robed man who had saved the Xiao Clan today was.

Xiao Zhan froze for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "I do not know that gentleman's origins. However, I saw him once at the Mittel Auction House, and he should be an alchemist of no low rank. I simply do not know why he would hold such goodwill toward our Xiao Clan."

The elders frowned, their faces filled with confusion.

"That is strange. Such an expert appeared in Wutan City, yet we knew nothing of him? More importantly, he is so friendly toward our Xiao Clan," the elders said, unable to understand the reason behind it.

"Could that old gentleman be from the Mittel Auction House?" one elder exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.

In Wutan City, only the Mittel Auction House could be said to hold such an exceptional status. Not even the three great clans of Wutan City dared openly challenge their authority.

That was because the Mittel Auction House stood behind the Mittel Clan, one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great clans. It was as famous as the Nalan Clan behind Nalan Yanran, and its strength was unfathomable.

Thus, if a powerful figure who was also an alchemist had suddenly appeared in Wutan City, the most reasonable explanation was that he was most likely from the Mittel Clan.

The elder who had just voiced this speculation suddenly recalled that, during this period, the previously neutral Mittel Auction House had shown a rather subtle attitude toward the Xiao Clan, seeming somewhat inclined to favor them.

However, Xiao Zhan shook his head at the elder's guess. "That is impossible. That gentleman recently went to the Mittel Auction House to consign some of his own items for auction. If he were from the Mittel Auction House, there would have been no need for such trouble."

The elders were stunned, their brows knitting tightly once more. "Not from there? Then who could he be?"

"No matter who that gentleman is, we must thank him for helping us today. Otherwise, the Xiao Clan would have been in grave danger," Xiao Zhan said solemnly.

The elders nodded. That was true.

"But Patriarch, what should we do next? That gentleman has already left. If the Gale Clan causes trouble for our Xiao Clan again, we will still be unable to escape calamity," an elder said worriedly.

"Elders, there is no need to worry too much. Jia Lie Bi was also injured by that gentleman. Given his cautious nature, the Gale Clan will not act rashly anytime soon," Xiao Zhan said. Though he spoke this way, he was more anxious than any elder present. Still, as patriarch, he could not be the first to lose his composure.

"But this is ultimately a sword hanging over the Xiao Clan's head. At any moment, it could plunge our clan into desperate straits," the Sixth Elder sighed.

"Patriarch, do you have a way to contact Meng? Where exactly has that brat gone? Why has he still not returned?" An elder placed all his hopes on Xiao Meng. They believed that only Xiao Meng's appearance could resolve the crisis facing the Xiao Clan.

Although the Xiao Clan's current predicament was directly related to Xiao Meng, surprisingly, no one complained or tried to place the blame on him.

"Third Brother likes to disappear from time to time, but he usually does not stay gone for more than a month. He should return within the next few days," Xiao Zhan muttered to himself, his expression turning solemn.

In truth, he had no idea when Xiao Meng would return.

"If I can cultivate the Dou Skill Third Brother left behind to the third finger in a short time, then even if Jia Lie Bi becomes a seven-star Da Dou Shi, I will have nothing to fear."

Xiao Zhan let out a deep sigh. A high-tier Dou Skill could not be mastered in merely ten or twenty years.

Inside Xiao Yan's room.

"Teacher, you should have killed that old thief Jia Lie Bi earlier. Why did you let him go?" Xiao Yan asked through gritted teeth, his face twisted with rage as he lay in the wooden tub.

Floating in midair, Yao Lao rolled his eyes. "If you want to accomplish nothing for the rest of your life, then I can kill him."

Yao Lao continued irritably, "Although you were fortunate enough to break through to Dou Zhe, the internal injuries you sustained fighting Jia Lie Ao have not yet healed. If I use more power, your meridians will be completely ruined and your foundation destroyed. At that point, you will become a true cripple."

"But that old bastard injured my father..." The hatred in Xiao Yan's heart remained intense. He wanted Jia Lie Bi dead.

"Since Jia Lie Bi injured your father, should you not personally avenge him as his son? What kind of ability is it to borrow someone else's hand?"

Yao Lao snapped, "Or perhaps whenever you encounter an enemy you cannot defeat in the future, you will expect me to kill him for you? Then I might as well kill you first and pretend I never accepted you as my disciple. I, Yao Chen, cannot afford such disgrace."

"Teacher, that is not what I meant. I simply cannot bear that old thief Jia Lie Bi injuring my father. And if he does not die, my father and the others will remain in danger. Whether I avenge them personally or through someone else can wait, but shouldn't we first ensure my father's safety?" Xiao Yan said, sounding somewhat aggrieved.

"Can you use your brain before making a choice? Jia Lie Bi has already been badly injured, so they definitely will not dare act rashly anytime soon. Does that not give you and the Xiao Clan time to recover? Why not use this time to change your clan's fate? Why insist on playing a game of mutual destruction with him? If Jia Lie Bi truly disregards everything to destroy the Xiao Clan, would it not be the same to kill him then?" Yao Lao said angrily.

"Whatever you do, do not let hatred blind you. Otherwise, it will only send you into eternal ruin and even drag down those around you." Yao Lao sighed deeply, his voice softening. He was actually very satisfied with Xiao Yan as a disciple. Whether in character or conduct, Xiao Yan suited his tastes well. But whenever matters involved his family, Xiao Yan's mind became muddled like paste.

"I understand, Teacher." Xiao Yan recalled a saying from Earth: impulse was the devil.

"And remember this: the path of the strong is forever bathed in blood and death. In the future, if you face someone of your generation, even if you are beaten to death, I will never intervene to save you. If you face those who bully the young with age, I will only protect you for a time, never for your entire life," Yao Lao said sternly.

Xiao Yan grinned. "Master, rest assured. I, Xiao Yan, am not some flower raised in a greenhouse—pretty but useless. Besides, I am someone who seeks the position of Dou Di. How could I be so pathetic? No matter what kind of enemy I face, I will only carve my way through them."

"Ambition is a good thing, but if your efforts cannot match your ambition, then you are merely boasting. And reaching Dou Di is not so easy," Yao Lao said seriously.

"Hehe, I will naturally work even harder." Xiao Yan stroked his chin and looked at Yao Lao, licking his lips as he said with a smile, "Teacher, besides hard work, cultivation methods and Dou Skills are also very important. So... about that high-tier Dou Skill...?"

"You brat, you bring it up several times every day. Do you not get tired of it?" Dark lines formed across Yao Lao's forehead. Xiao Yan had mentioned Dou Skills before him so many times that Yao Lao had lost count.

"As long as I can obtain a high-tier Dou Skill, I would not get tired even if I asked ten thousand times." Xiao Yan shrugged.

"But do you not already have a high-tier Dou Skill in your hands?" Yao Lao said irritably. That Dou Skill's power was not to be underestimated. Among high-tier Dou Skills, it absolutely ranked among the best.

"Speaking of that martial skill... I am really curious where my Third Brother got it..."