Xiao Yan's Decision

Xiao Jian looked at the sword chopping toward him, a smile curling at the corner of his lips. The feeling of death was truly unbearable. Since he did not want to die, he had to defeat his opponent—kill him.

Just as the sword was about to strike Xiao Jian, it stopped, letting out a crisp ring. Then it actually broke free from Xiao Leng's hand and stabbed toward him. Caught completely off guard, Xiao Leng had one arm severed.

The treasured sword flew in a circle before returning to Xiao Jian's hand, without a single drop of blood on its blade.

Xiao Leng stared at Xiao Jian, terror written across his face. He had never imagined such a dramatic turn of events. That sword was far too strange—it had recognized its master, and only its master could wield it.

"You pretended all of it. You calculated that I would pick up that sword, didn't you?" Xiao Leng stared at Xiao Jian with murderous intent on his face. With his right arm severed, he had nearly lost half his fighting strength.

"Go ask the King of Hell." Xiao Jian forced himself to stay upright as he walked toward Xiao Leng.

"If anyone's going down there, it'll be you. Even with one hand, I can still kill you," Xiao Leng said to Xiao Jian.

The dagger in his left hand gleamed with cold light as his eyes locked tightly onto Xiao Jian. The next instant, Xiao Leng drove the dagger toward Xiao Jian's heart. Xiao Jian merely turned slightly and did not evade it.

The dagger plunged viciously into Xiao Jian's body. Xiao Leng froze for a moment; he felt that Xiao Jian should have been fully capable of dodging it.

But Xiao Jian immediately gave him his answer. Xiao Jian's longsword hacked toward Xiao Leng. He had traded his own life for this strike.

Therefore, this sword strike held no flourish—only strength, only killing intent.

Blood splattered in all directions. Xiao Leng, who possessed the proud record of nine battles and nine victories, died.

There were many cruel people in this world, people who killed without batting an eye, yet few could be equally cruel to themselves. Those were the truly terrifying ones.

Xiao Jian supported his body with his sword. At that moment, he had become a figure like a hero.

The three-year agreement has begun. Xue Rou, three years from now, we will surely settle this. I will definitely come for you.

Applause erupted beneath the platform. None of them had expected such a powerful dark horse to appear in the Arena today—or rather, a dark horse so ruthless toward himself.

Xiao Yan had also arrived at the Arena. Looking at Xiao Jian, he felt that ever since coming to the World-Creation Continent, he had always lacked something. It was neither hot blood nor passion, but a goal—a goal that would make him throw caution to the wind.

Back then, it was precisely because he had the goal of defeating Nalan Yanran that he began that period of cultivation. On the World-Creation Continent, he felt that he too needed such a period of cultivation. However, with his current strength, heading to the Magic Beast Settlement would be extremely dangerous. After all, he no longer had Yao Lao's protection; everything had to rely on himself.

Wealth and honor are sought amid danger. Besides, that combat technique is still there. Perhaps I really should make a trip there, Xiao Yan thought.

While Xiao Jun and the others rejoiced, they did not forget to bring Xiao Jian away for treatment. Every one of them was curious about what exactly had happened. Even if the treasured sword had recognized its master, it should not have possessed such power, and everything seemed to have unfolded within Xiao Jian's expectations.

Xiao Yan's Decision

Xiao Yan did not go to find Xiao Jian. Instead, he went to find Xiao Yuting.

"I can agree to half of the conditions you mentioned last time. If I have the ability in the future, I can help Xiao Wanqing, and I can also make a move against the Xue and Qin families. But I can only fight them. If someone needs killing, you will have to do it yourself." Xiao Yan did not waste a single word after meeting Xiao Yuting and went straight to the point.

"Deal. Actually, even if you hadn't agreed, I was planning to help you anyway. We're family, aren't we?" Xiao Yuting said with a smile.

Xiao Yuting had not given up on herself because Xiao Jian had attacked her. Instead, it had stirred up her fighting spirit. Perhaps one day soon, Xiao Yuting would leave everyone astonished.

Xiao Yan had not expected Xiao Yuting to agree. But on second thought, it made sense. She had come here merely to have fun. Given Xiao Wanqing's personality, she naturally would not mistreat her younger sister. Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly and returned to Xiao Jian's side.

By the time Xiao Yan returned to Xiao Jian, Xiao Jian's injuries had improved considerably, though his complexion still looked rather poor. That stab had not taken his life, but it had still left him seriously wounded.

"There's nothing I can do either. I can't enter the Medicine Hall for the time being. But I'm already thinking of ways to improve my alchemy," Xiao Yan said to Xiao Jun and the others with some shame. After all, an alchemist should be able to refine pills when his comrades needed them, yet Xiao Yan could not do so for now.

Xiao Jun and the others said nothing. They understood Xiao Yan's character. If Xiao Yan could do it, he would certainly give it his all. Since Xiao Yan had plainly said that he was facing difficulties, they could not force him.

"Xiao Yan, what exactly happened when you went out that day? Why did he go looking for death the moment he returned?" Xiao Kai was impatient by nature and could not keep his words bottled up, so he asked.

"It may be related to his wife. I found a letter of repudiation, but I don't know much else. It's his private affair, so it wouldn't be right for me to interfere," Xiao Yan said.

"Enough. Once he wakes up, everything will become clear. For someone striving to become strong, this is not some grave injury," Xiao Jun, the most steady among them, said.

"Besides, he has turned misfortune into a blessing. Haven't you noticed that Xiao Jian's control over his sword has become stronger? If I'm not mistaken, he may have formed a resonance with this sword and may even be able to condense a sword spirit," Xiao Jun said.

All things possessed spirits. Once they reached a certain level, they would possess souls of their own. Just like the lightning Xiao Yan had encountered back then, which condensed into the Nine Profound Golden Thunder Dragon, when an unparalleled sword and its master reached a state of perfect understanding, the sword could develop a soul, thereby strengthening its master.

But when the person died, the spirit perished, and the sword was destroyed.

The same broken engagement, the same pride, the same letter of repudiation. Yet their outcomes were different.

Xiao Yan had Yao Lao's help, while Xiao Jian had resonated with his weapon. Moreover, the meaning behind their broken engagements seemed different as well.

Three days later, Xiao Jian's injuries had healed considerably. Xiao Yuting had also asked someone to prepare a cauldron, prescriptions, medicinal ingredients, and the like for Xiao Yan, and she told him the location of the combat technique.

Xiao Yan also chose to leave. At the very least, this time he would not be gone for only a short while.

However, Xiao Yan did not know that the combat technique seemed no longer to be there, because today, the Xiao Clan had received an uninvited guest.