Brotherly Bonds

"Second Brother, it's good that you're back. Good that you're back." Xiao Zhan held Xiao Yun tightly, repeating the words over and over.

Xiao Yan finally understood why his old man had hit him just now. So his old man thought he was dreaming and used me to test it?

Xiao Yun, trapped in the embrace, did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Big Brother, could you let go first? Why does this feel like I'm being mourned at my own funeral?"

Hearing Xiao Yun's words, Xiao Zhan awkwardly released him. "Sorry, Second Brother. You've been away from home for eight years without a single message. Many people in the clan thought you were already dead, so I got a little emotional just now."

"So that's what happened." Xiao Yun did not know whether to laugh or cry. This was not really his fault.

He had gone out to travel eight years ago. Though he had not left the Northwestern Continent, he had crossed into several different countries. He did not even know how much distance lay between them. Even if he had wanted to send word home that he was safe, he could not find anyone to deliver it.

"My fault. But don't worry, Big Brother. Now that I'm back, I won't be leaving again anytime soon," Xiao Yun said.

Gu Yuan watched the two brothers' deep affection for each other, shock filling his heart.

He knew Xiao Zhan had a younger brother. Xiao Zhan had told him about it before and had even asked him to keep an eye out, telling the man to return home if he ever found him.

But he had never expected that younger brother to be Xiao Yun!

Brother Xiao Yun was Brother Xiao Zhan's younger brother. According to Brother Xiao Zhan, his younger brother seemed to be only... twenty this year!

Damn! A twenty-year-old Ninth Grade alchemist, with cultivation so profound that even I can't see through it. At the very least, he must be a Nine-Star Battle Saint!

Xiao Yun was terrifying beyond measure!

Xiao Yun had given Gu Yuan another surprise, and Gu Yuan immediately adjusted the plans he had previously made for the Xiao Clan.

"Xun'er, stay in the Xiao Clan and enjoy your childhood from now on. As for the Ancient Jade... let fate decide. It cannot be forced." Gu Yuan used Dou Qi to send those words directly into Gu Xun'er's mind.

He had sent his daughter to be raised in the Xiao Clan partly because he hoped her childhood could remain far from the scheming and strife of the Gu Clan.

The other reason was that he hoped his daughter could find a piece of Ancient Jade. That Ancient Jade was the key to opening the cave dwelling of the last Battle Emperor on the Dou Qi Continent.

But Xiao Yun's appearance had changed his mind.

Even if the Gu Clan offended an ordinary Ninth Grade alchemist, it would inevitably suffer grievous losses.

And Xiao Yun was no ordinary Ninth Grade alchemist. If they provoked him, Gu Yuan felt that the Gu Clan would not be far from decline.

They could only befriend him. They must never offend him!

"Big Brother, you should deal with Brother Gu Yuan's matters first. We brothers will have plenty of time to talk later," Xiao Yun said to Xiao Zhan.

"Ah, right, right, right. Look at this brain of mine." Xiao Zhan finally came back to his senses.

Walking back over to Gu Yuan, he apologized, "Sorry, Brother Gu Yuan. I haven't seen my Second Brother in so long that I got a little carried away."

Gu Yuan smiled. He had always been easygoing by nature, and with Xiao Yun involved, there was even less reason for him to be angry.

"It's fine, Brother Xiao Zhan. I only came today to bring my daughter here. If anything, I interrupted the reunion between you two."

Gu Yuan set Gu Xun'er down and said to Xiao Zhan, "Her name is Xun'er. I'll have to trouble you from now on, Brother Xiao Zhan."

"Hello, Uncle Xiao Zhan," Gu Xun'er greeted him.

Seeing how polite Gu Xun'er was, Xiao Zhan immediately took a liking to her and responded with several cheerful greetings.

Pulling Xiao Yan over from the side, Xiao Zhan said, "This brat is Xiao Yan, my youngest son. He's five this year. Let Little Yan take you around the house first. I'll arrange a place for you to stay later. From now on, treat this place as your own home."

"Alright, Uncle Xiao Zhan," Gu Xun'er said.

"Since Brother Xiao Zhan has made arrangements, I trust him and won't say more. There are still matters to handle in my clan, so I'll be leaving first. Brother Xiao Zhan, until we meet again."

Seeing that Xiao Zhan had made arrangements, Gu Yuan bid farewell. There truly were matters waiting for him in his clan, and as clan leader, he could not remain away for too long.

"Since that's the case, I won't keep you, Brother Gu Yuan. Until we meet again."

Gu Yuan nodded, then looked at Xiao Yun. "Brother Xiao Yun, come visit the Gu Clan when you have time. Farewell."

Xiao Yun nodded. "Farewell, Brother Gu Yuan."

Gu Yuan did not linger any longer. He tore open space and stepped inside, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan cried out inwardly, A powerhouse's methods! This is definitely a powerhouse's method!

Though he was envious, Xiao Yan was full of confidence in himself. He believed that one day, he would become just as powerful, tearing through space with his bare hands and coming and going like the wind.

Just as Xiao Yan imagined his future life of moving like the wind, a slap landed on the back of his head.

"Brat, hurry up and take your little sister Xun'er around so she can get familiar with the place."

"Old man, could you go a little easier?" Xiao Yan complained.

Before long, only Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yun remained in the main hall.

After sitting in silence for a long time, Xiao Yun spoke first, breaking the quiet.

"Big Brother, a lot must have happened to the Xiao Clan over these eight years, right?"

Eight years ago, the Xiao Clan had been a family living in the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire. Now, the Xiao Clan had come to a small place like Wutan City.

"Yes, too much has happened. Eight years ago, the Xiao Clan was a Battle King family in the imperial capital, but now..." Xiao Zhan's eyes held a trace of complicated emotion.

Xiao Yun asked, "Big Brother, how is the old man? When I left back then, I gave him a medicinal pill. He hasn't passed away, has he?"

The old man Xiao Yun referred to was his and Xiao Zhan's father, Xiao Lin.

This was what Xiao Yun cared about most. When he left the clan eight years ago, Xiao Yun knew that his father, Xiao Lin, would face a future calamity. Originally, he had not wanted to leave.

But if he had not left then, his cultivation would have progressed slowly. In the end, to raise his strength quickly and secure a better future for the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yun had no choice but to leave.

And to prevent Xiao Lin from becoming someone who never appeared after the beginning of the original story, Xiao Yun had deliberately given Xiao Lin a medicinal pill.

With that pill, Xiao Lin should have safely survived his fatal calamity.

"Don't worry, Second Brother. Father isn't dead. He fell into a coma seven years ago, though, and there are still no signs of him waking up."

Hearing that Xiao Lin was not dead, Xiao Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he was alive, Xiao Yun's current cultivation and Ninth Grade alchemy abilities would be enough to save him.

"Where is the old man? Big Brother, take me to see him."

"Alright."

Xiao Zhan rose to his feet and led Xiao Yun toward the back mountain of the Xiao Family. Before long, they arrived at a concealed cave entrance.

The moment they arrived, two figures sprang out from the nearby grass.

"Clan Leader."

The two men greeted him respectfully upon seeing who had come.

Xiao Zhan nodded and said to them, "Continue hiding in the surrounding area. Do not let anyone approach this place."

"Yes."

The two quickly vanished from sight, disappearing into the surrounding bushes.

"Let's go."

After that, Xiao Zhan continued leading the way, and Xiao Yun followed him.