Begging for Mercy

The moment Xiao Yan stepped into the main hall, he saw that both sides were already at each other's throats, on the verge of coming to blows. Outnumbered, the Xiao Clan would naturally be at a disadvantage.

To prevent that from happening, Xiao Yan instantly roused the Dou Qi throughout his body, turning it into an overwhelming pressure that bore down on everyone. The blue-red Volcanic Azure Lotus Flame coiled around his legs and erupted with tremendous force, launching him forward like a cannonball. He stomped the heads of the two old men charging at the front directly beneath his feet.

With a crisp crack, the sound of bones breaking rang through the Xiao Clan's main hall and reached everyone's ears.

Huh? These two have pretty hard heads. Xiao Yan thought. Though he had not used his full strength just now, he had not held back either. For them not to be crushed outright under such circumstances was already quite impressive, given Wutan City's level of strength.

"Young Clan Chief! The Young Clan Chief is here!"

Seeing Xiao Yan appear so suddenly, the Xiao Clan members lit up with excitement and cheered.

"Ahem, Young Master Xiao Yan has arrived," the First Elder said somewhat awkwardly.

"Huh? First Elder, how did you get hurt so badly? Who did this?" Xiao Yan looked over in shock. If he remembered correctly, he should have stopped them just before everyone began fighting. Could someone have launched a sneak attack?

"Uh... well..." The First Elder stammered for a long while, unable to bring himself to say it. Especially when he saw the two men beneath Xiao Yan's feet, he was too ashamed to speak, even resenting himself for stepping forward so foolishly earlier.

"Um... Young Clan Chief, the people who injured the First Elder are under your feet right now," someone nearby reminded him weakly.

"Is that so?"

Hearing that, Xiao Yan lowered his head and looked. The two men he had stepped on were now taking in more air than they let out, groaning helplessly on the ground.

Only then did Xiao Yan understand why the First Elder had found it so difficult to speak. After all, the people capable of injuring the First Elder had been stomped beneath his feet, one under each foot. Was that not practically the same as saying the First Elder had been stomped beneath his feet?

Although everyone in the Xiao Clan knew the First Elder was no match for him, and even the First Elder himself understood that, the comparison was still far more humiliating when laid out so plainly.

"Ahahaha, well, as long as you're all right, First Elder." Xiao Yan laughed awkwardly and brushed the matter aside before turning to the people from the Jia Lie Clan and the Oba Clan.

Although Xiao Yan had spoken with the First Elder for quite some time, neither clan dared show any displeasure. On the contrary, they wished he would keep talking and, ideally, forget they were even there. Some of those standing toward the back had even begun inching quietly toward the door, hoping to escape this place of trouble.

Yet when Xiao Yan's gaze fell upon them, everyone stiffened instantly, including Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Dun, the heads of the two clans.

The groans of the two First Elders still echoed from the ground, while Wu Jin's cry of "Dou Spirit" still seemed to linger among the rafters. Clearly, the person before them was not someone they could handle.

Moreover, from the conversation just now, the Jia Lie Clan and Oba Clan had learned the young man's identity—Xiao Zhan's son, the Xiao Clan's Young Clan Chief, Xiao Yan!

That fact extinguished their last lingering thoughts of winning him over, leaving only despair in their hearts.

Other than standing motionlessly in place and awaiting Xiao Yan's judgment, no one dared make another move.

Watching the people of the two clans tremble where they stood like children awaiting punishment from their parents after doing something wrong, a trace of mockery rose on Xiao Yan's face.

"Tell me, how do you intend to settle today's matter?" Xiao Yan sneered.

"This..." Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Dun exchanged glances.

Jia Lie Bi stepped forward first. Gritting his teeth, he tried to muddle through the situation. "Well... Young Master Xiao Yan, it's a misunderstanding, all of it is a misunderstanding! Hahaha."

"Ahhh!" A scream rang out. The Jia Lie Clan's First Elder, still beneath Xiao Yan's feet, immediately let out a miserable shriek that sent chills through everyone's hearts.

"Ah, sorry. I misunderstood. I thought this man under my foot liked being stepped on. My apologies." Xiao Yan offered an utterly insincere apology.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, today's affair was entirely the fault of our two clans. We are willing to offer half our family assets, and only ask for Young Master Xiao's forgiveness!" Ao Ba Dun hurried forward and said.

"That's right, Young Master Xiao, please spare our lives! Clan Head Xiao, Brother Xiao Zhan! You and I have known one another in Wutan City for forty years. We have cooperated before as well. Could you spare this brother's life for the sake of our past friendship?" Perhaps because he felt unfamiliar with Xiao Yan and saw little hope in pleading with him, Jia Lie Bi turned his gaze toward Xiao Zhan, who had remained silent from beginning to end, and begged through tears.

"That's right, Brother Xiao Zhan! Do you remember when we joined forces to hunt magical beasts in our youth? This time, the two of us were truly blinded by greed. It was our fault. Please spare us this once for the sake of old times!" Ao Ba Dun knelt before Xiao Zhan, tears and snot streaming down his face.

As for the Wutan City Lord who had brought them here, neither man placed any hope in him. If Wu Jin had been willing to plead for them, he would have done so long ago instead of waiting until now.

Even so, neither of them dared shift the blame onto Wu Jin, though he truly had been the one directing this matter from behind the scenes.

After all, he was a Peak Great Dou Master. If they pushed him too far, he could very well deal with them afterward.

As for whether Wu Jin himself would be dealt with by Xiao Yan and fail to leave through this door alive, neither of them had considered it at all.

Wu Jin was, after all, the Wutan City Lord recognized by the Jia Ma Imperial House. Killing him would inevitably provoke pursuit by the Jia Ma Empire. Even a Dou King might not dare stroke that tiger's whiskers, much less a Dou Spirit.

"What do you think, Father?" Xiao Yan asked Xiao Zhan, directly ignoring Wu Jin beside him.

Wu Jin's lips had turned purple with rage, and his fingers had left deep dents in the armrest of his chair, yet he had no good solution.

Over this period, Wu Jin had realized that Xiao Yan was not a Dou Spirit and remained at the Great Dou Master realm. Yet the strength he displayed was undoubtedly above Wu Jin's own. Though Wu Jin had the Jia Ma Imperial House backing him, that did not mean he could do whatever he pleased!

After all, the connection between local city lords and the Jia Ma Imperial House was not particularly close. It was simply a relationship of paying taxes in exchange for protection. If those above learned that he had stirred up the trouble, they might even abandon him because of Xiao Yan's heaven-defying talent and try to win Xiao Yan over instead.

Xiao Zhan could not help but ponder the question Xiao Yan had thrown to him. He naturally understood what Wu Jin was thinking. On one hand, the Xiao Clan had suffered no casualties in this conflict, so there was no need to exterminate the others. On the other hand, after today, the Xiao Clan would certainly widen the gap between itself and the other two great clans, reaching a level equal to or even surpassing the City Lord's Manor. Under such circumstances, it was necessary to take in a few lackey clans.

"Very well. For the sake of our past friendship, I will spare you this time. However, after returning, you must transfer half of the markets under your control into the Xiao Clan's name. Furthermore, from now on, whenever members of your two clans encounter members of the Xiao Clan outside, they must not offend them. Otherwise, they will be executed without mercy!" Xiao Zhan's tone gradually turned stern, ending in a voice that allowed no doubt.

"Yes! Thank you, Clan Head Xiao, for your mercy." Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Dun cupped their hands together in salute. They then swiftly led the members of their two clans out of the Xiao Clan's main hall.

"Um... Young Master Xiao, the people beneath your feet..." Two members of the Jia Lie Clan and Oba Clan ran over and pointed at the two men beneath Xiao Yan's feet.

Since the matter had already been settled, and the two men likely had no chance of recovering after this ordeal, Xiao Yan did not stop them and allowed them to take the two away.

"Remember, from now on, be more polite when you see members of our Xiao Clan. Understand?"

"Yes, yes!" The two clan members hurriedly agreed before running out at top speed.

"Hahaha! Clan Head Xiao, I never expected your Xiao Clan to have such an outstanding son. Truly unexpected! I had been worried about what might happen today, but I never imagined it would end this way. Since the Xiao Clan is already safe, I shall take my leave first. Until we meet again!" With that, Wu Jin rose and prepared to leave as well.

To his surprise, Xiao Yan stopped him at the door with one hand.

"What? Does Young Master Xiao intend to keep this City Lord for a meal?" Wu Jin's eyes narrowed as he spoke in a gloomy voice.

The atmosphere in the Xiao Clan's main hall immediately grew tense once more.