Xiao Clan Secrets

"Great-uncle, the Xiao Clan's current situation really isn't good." In response to Xiao Han's question, Xiao Zhan could only speak with a bitter expression.

Thinking of how the Xiao Clan's strength had greatly declined recently, while his own cultivation was insufficient and he had been stretched thin handling affairs, he felt even more ashamed.

Then Xiao Zhan gave a detailed account of the Xiao Clan's current situation.

As Xiao Zhan continued, Xiao Han's expression grew increasingly dark.

The Xiao Clan of the past might not have had any Dou Wang experts, but at the very least, there had been no fewer than five at the Dou Ling level.

But the current Xiao Clan was being forcibly propped up entirely by Xiao Lin alone, a single Dou Wang.

Once something happened to Xiao Lin, they immediately could not hold on anymore.

And Xiao Lin had only been able to step into the Dou Wang realm because Xiao Han had once provided a large amount of resources, laying a solid foundation for him. Otherwise, he would at most have become a Dou Ling.

"It seems the influence of bloodline is still quite significant," Xiao Han said with a solemn expression.

Everyone else was utterly confused. Bloodline? What did that mean?

"We'll talk about that later. Continue," Xiao Han said, waving his hand.

"This is the entirety of the Xiao Clan's current situation," Xiao Zhan concluded. "But since you have returned, Great-uncle, we naturally no longer need to leave the imperial capital."

At this point, the Xiao Clan members all showed looks of joy.

Just then, Xiao Han suddenly said, "No. You must leave. Find a remote small city and settle there."

"Why is that, Great-uncle?" Xiao Zhan looked puzzled. After all, abandoning one's own foundation and running off to some remote corner was something no normal person would agree to.

"To avoid the calamity that is about to befall the Xiao Clan," Xiao Han slowly gave his answer.

Seeing the others looking as if they wanted to speak but hesitated, Xiao Han added, "Not the current one. The difficulty in front of you can be wiped out with a wave of the hand. But the Xiao Clan has another hidden enemy, and that is the true great enemy concerning the clan's survival."

"Great-uncle, could you explain in detail?" Hearing Xiao Han's words, Xiao Zhan did not doubt him. He merely asked gravely.

He had heard somewhat about his great-uncle's personality. He was definitely not the sort to make alarmist claims. Clearly, this was a powerful enemy that even Xiao Han could not handle.

Xiao Han hesitated for a while, then uttered two words: "Emperor Clan."

At that moment, everyone could no longer stay calm. Even the Xiao Clan members living in a Small Country in the northwest had heard of Emperor Clans.

Xiao Zhan said in shock, "You mean the Emperor Clans that even have mighty Dou Sheng experts?"

"Yes."

Emperor Clans were clans that had once produced a Dou Di. They had countless Dou Wang and Dou Emperor realm experts, as well as many Dou Zong and Dou Zun, and even Dou Sheng experts that were hard to find in the outside world existed within Emperor Clans.

This news filled the Xiao Clan members with terror.

"How could we have an enemy like an Emperor Clan?"

"Exactly. Now we're truly finished."

...A hall with only a few people in it somehow became as noisy as if there were dozens.

At this moment, Xiao Zhan was still the relatively calm one. "May I ask, Great-uncle, why do you say we have an enemy like an Emperor Clan?

"To them, the Xiao Clan is no more than ants. What connection could we possibly have with them?"

Xiao Han looked at Xiao Zhan with appreciation. "Not bad. You are very suited to being clan leader."

Facing an Emperor Clan, Xiao Zhan's reaction could already be considered quite calm, and he had even grasped the key point in time.

Even some first-rate factions in the Central Plains might not necessarily compare to him after hearing of an Emperor Clan.

"Heh heh~ Great-uncle, you praise me too much." Xiao Zhan smiled modestly.

Then Xiao Han began to explain: "From now on, I speak, and you listen."

"Understood."

Under Xiao Han's narration, a scroll seemed to unfold before them.

"You all know that my talent was passable..." Hearing this, the others silently wiped away their sweat. If someone like you was only passable, then are we trash? But none of them interrupted.

"Back then, after I cultivated to the Dou Ling realm, I accidentally discovered that the Xiao Clan was not a local force of the Jia Ma Empire. After that, I began to grow curious about our origins."

At this point, Xiao Han smiled helplessly. "Who would have thought that once I started investigating, I would walk down a path of no return?"

"As I traveled, I investigated. In the end... I traced it all the way to the Central Plains."

At this moment, the Xiao Clan members were shocked. They had never imagined their origins were so great.

"Only in the end did I discover that the Xiao Clan was once also an Emperor Clan."

Those earth-shattering words shattered the silence in the Xiao Clan hall.

"What?" The elders felt that all the shock they had experienced over the past few decades could not compare to today.

"The Xiao Clan was once the Xiao Clan, one of the Ancient Eight Tribes. Our ancestor Xiao Xuan was also a peak expert of the continent. However, what comes next is the hidden enemy I mentioned."

At this moment, the people in the hall subconsciously tensed their bodies.

"A thousand years ago, the Xiao Clan once fought a great war with the Soul Clan, another one of the eight tribes. In the end, our ancestor was besieged, suffered heavy injuries, and fell. The Xiao Clan was defeated, and the remaining clan members scattered and fled.

"Over these thousand years, the Soul Clan has never given up hunting us down. Now, we may already be the only remaining Xiao Clan Descendants."

"Why do they want to wipe us out?" Xiao Zhan raised his question again. "If it's because of hatred, that shouldn't be enough to go this far, right? Is there something about us that draws them in?"

"Exactly," Xiao Han said, extremely gratified. "Their target is the Tou She Ancient God Jade—my Xiao Clan's clan jade."

Xiao Zhan hurriedly took out the patriarch's Jade Pendant. "This is the Ancient Emperor Jade?"

No wonder he reacted this way. Since ancient times, anything connected to the word "emperor" had never been simple, let alone when the target of the Xiao Clan's mortal enemies was this very thing. This jade was probably more important than his own life.

"Correct. This is one of the eight fragments of the Ancient Emperor Jade. Gather all the fragments, and you can open the Ancient Emperor Cave Abode and obtain the secret of becoming emperor.

In fact, it was precisely the existence of this Ancient Emperor Jade that allowed me to confirm that the Xiao Clan was the former Xiao Clan."

At this point, the Xiao Clan members understood completely. Even if the Xiao Clan did nothing, they still had no choice but to stand against the Soul Clan.

The secret of becoming emperor was something worth driving anyone mad.

No one suggested handing over the jade in exchange for peace, either. Things had already reached this point. It was either you died or I did. If they kept retreating, they would inevitably die without a burial place.

"Then why do we have to stay away from the imperial capital? Wouldn't the imperial capital be more suitable for our development?" At this moment, the Grand Elder raised his question.

"Because in the imperial capital, we would easily attract attention, and the possibility of exposure would greatly increase." Xiao Zhan answered this question directly in Xiao Han's place.

"Correct. If I made a move now, the Xiao Clan would inevitably rise like the sun at high noon in the Jia Ma Empire from now on. That would make it very easy to draw the attention of the Soul Hall, the Soul Clan's claws and fangs.

And the current Xiao Clan is too weak to withstand a breeze. Even with me here, we are no match for the Soul Hall. It could even be said that if the Soul Hall learned of my existence...

It would only strengthen their power and resolve to destroy the Xiao Clan."

"May I ask, Uncle-Grandfather, your current strength is...?"

"Dou Sheng."

Hiss—

The Xiao Clan members made an outstanding contribution to climate warming.

"Dou... Dou Sheng!"

At this moment, Xiao Han struck them down with reality. "So what if I'm a Dou Sheng? Even now, I still can't do anything to the Soul Hall.

Once they make a move, I won't be able to protect you at all. Besides, behind them stands the Soul Clan."

At this moment, everyone abruptly came back to their senses. Indeed, the news that Xiao Han had become a Saint had made them subconsciously overlook the great enemy that was the Soul Clan.

"Then, Uncle-Grandfather, what should we do next?"