Giving Away the Ancient Jade at the First Meeting? I Don't Want This Thing

Yao Xuan slightly turned his head toward the outside of the room.

Though that Dou Emperor expert had deliberately concealed his aura, Yao Xuan still keenly sensed the Dou Emperor outside through his soul power...

Yet to Yao Xuan, that Dou Emperor's identity was no mystery...

Because he was none other than Ling Ying, one of the Ancient Clan's few Dou Emperor experts, and the guard Gu Yuan had assigned to Gu Xun'er.

But this guard was hardly reliable. He had actually let Xiao Yan sneak into Gu Xun'er's bedchamber so many times.

So even after sensing Ling Ying's presence, Yao Xuan said nothing and simply acted as though Ling Ying did not exist.

But the next moment, Xiao Zhan's voice suddenly sounded outside Yao Xuan's room, and Ling Ying's aura immediately vanished into the night...

"Master Yao Xuan..."

Xiao Zhan stood outside Yao Xuan's room and called out with great courtesy.

Hearing this, Yao Xuan slowly rose and opened the door.

"Clan Head Xiao?"

"Please, come in..."

Yao Xuan politely invited Xiao Zhan inside. "Clan Head Xiao, it is so late. What brings you here?"

Xiao Zhan first cupped his hands respectfully toward Yao Xuan.

"Master Yao Xuan!"

"You have bestowed a second life upon my Xiao Household. I, Xiao Zhan, have no way to repay you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Zhan fiercely bowed down to kowtow to Yao Xuan, thanking him for all he had done for the Xiao Household.

Yet Yao Xuan merely raised a hand lightly. An extremely gentle stream of Dou Qi flowed from his fingertips and effortlessly halted Xiao Zhan before he could bow.

"Clan Head Xiao..."

"There is no need for this. Xiao Yan and I are like-minded brothers, so everything I have done was merely incidental..."

"Clan Head Xiao, there is no need to take it to heart..."

But Xiao Zhan smiled and shook his head.

"Master Yao Xuan, you jest..."

"I have already heard from Yan'er that the ailment preventing him from cultivating Dou Qi has been cured by you..."

"No matter what, such grace is a blessing from heaven to the Xiao Household!"

"So I truly dare not accept these three Green Spirit Pills of yours..."

After speaking, Xiao Zhan took out the three pills Yao Xuan had refined in the back mountain, intending to return them to him.

Xiao Zhan knew full well how precious the Green Spirit Pills were. A single one was worth a million gold coins, let alone three—and one of them was even a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill!

In Xiao Zhan's eyes, these pills were simply too valuable. He felt unworthy of accepting them and thus wished to return them to Yao Xuan.

But Yao Xuan waved his hand. "Clan Head Xiao, there is no need to do this..."

"These pills may be precious, but they will not be of much help to me. Since I have decided to give them to you, simply accept them..."

Xiao Zhan hesitated. "Master, but... but..."

Yao Xuan sized Xiao Zhan up. "Clan Head Xiao, do you think I poisoned these pills? Are you afraid to take them?"

Xiao Zhan hurriedly shook his head. "You misunderstand, Master. It is simply that they are far too..."

Yao Xuan did not want to continue wasting words with Xiao Zhan, so he feigned anger. "What? Do you think my words carry no weight?"

Xiao Zhan's expression changed. "Of course I would not dare!"

"It is only that after accepting these pills, I feel deeply uneasy. If there is anything in the Xiao Household that catches your eye, Master, please take it as you please, so that I may repay you..."

Yao Xuan nodded. "Rest assured. If I need anything, I will say so directly..."

Xiao Zhan pondered continuously, as if he had thought of something, and spoke again.

"Master..."

"I have thought of an item in the Xiao Household that may perhaps catch your eye. If you do not find it beneath your notice, I can fetch it at once..."

Hearing Xiao Zhan's words, Yao Xuan became somewhat interested. "Oh? Is that so? What is this item Clan Head Xiao speaks of?"

Xiao Zhan smiled. "To be honest, Master, although the Xiao Household is now merely a minor family in Wu Tan City, we were once a prominent family in the Imperial Capital..."

"It is only that our family has declined, forcing us to seek peace in this remote corner..."

Yao Xuan nodded, inwardly sighing softly. Good heavens, the Xiao Household was far more than a prominent family in the Imperial Capital. Your ancestors were incredibly wealthy—they were the strongest Emperor Clan on the Battle Qi Continent!

After a brief pause, Xiao Zhan continued, "Thus, the Xiao Household's ancestors were once prosperous as well..."

"Presumably, the Xiao Household's Dou Skills and cultivation methods are beneath your notice, Master. However, we possess an inherited Ancient Jade. My strength is limited, and I cannot see through its mysteries, but perhaps it may be of use to you..."

The moment he heard the words "inherited Ancient Jade," Yao Xuan immediately knew Xiao Zhan was referring to the Tou She Ancient God Jade!

Yao Xuan immediately waved his hand. "Clan Head Xiao, there is no need to be so courteous. This is an heirloom of the Xiao Household and should be passed down properly..."

Though the Tou She Ancient God Jade was the key to opening the Ancient Emperor's Cave-Dwelling, taking the Xiao Household's jade now would be no different from taking a talisman that would cost him his life!

After all, both the Ancient Clan and the Soul Clan had their eyes fixed on this Ancient Jade!

Yao Xuan was even beginning to suspect that Xiao Zhan before him was another transmigrator. Knowing that he cultivated Xiao Yan's Flame Mantra, perhaps Xiao Zhan had not come to repay kindness, but to seek revenge!

After all, what kind of good person offered an Ancient Jade the moment they opened their mouth?

Yao Xuan could not bear the karmic consequences of this Ancient Jade at his current stage...

As for taking the Ancient Jade to the Ancient Clan or Soul Clan in exchange for resources, that was utterly impossible for Yao Xuan in his current weak state!

After all, fair exchanges of resources could only happen between parties of equal strength. If Yao Xuan took this Ancient Jade now and tried to trade it with the Ancient Clan or Soul Clan for resources, it would be the same as delivering himself to his death!

Yao Xuan's mind was very clear at this moment. He could not take the Ancient Jade; he did not even want to look at it.

Thus, without the slightest hesitation, he refused Xiao Zhan and found an excuse to send him away.

In the Xiao Household's Inner Academy, Gu Xun'er's bedchamber.

"Elder Ling, have you investigated this man's origins...?"

Xun'er sat before the table and softly asked Ling Ying outside the room.

Ling Ying replied, "Reporting to Miss..."

"I have asked the clan to investigate. This man is named Yao Xuan and should have come from the Yao Clan..."

Xun'er's delicate brows furrowed slightly. "The Yao Clan? Could someone from the Yao Clan have come here for the Ancient Jade as well?"

Ling Ying shook his head outside the room. "Probably not..."

"The soul within Young Master Xiao Yan's Storage Ring is named Yao Chen, the Venerable Yao who was once extremely famous in the Central Plains. Yao Chen is also from the Yao Clan..."

"According to the clan's information, both Yao Chen and Yao Xuan came from collateral branches of the Yao Clan and were expelled from the clan for unknown reasons..."

"So Yao Xuan's appearance here is most likely to seek refuge with Yao Chen..."

Xun'er nodded upon hearing this. "That does make some sense. As long as he does not harm Brother Xiao Yan, that is enough..."

Ling Ying answered in a deep voice, "For now, this man poses no threat to Young Master Xiao Yan. He has even refined three Green Spirit Pills for Clan Head Xiao, helping him increase his strength, out of consideration for Young Master Xiao Yan..."

Xun'er nodded. "That is good..."

"Elder Ling, I will trouble you to keep a closer watch on these two from the Yao Clan for the time being. If you discover anything amiss, I hope you can act promptly and keep Brother Xiao Yan safe..."

Ling Ying nodded. "Understood, Miss..."

With that, Ling Ying's figure disappeared once more into the vast night...