The Bottleneck: Xiao's Blade Spares Neither Young Nor Old

Wutan City.

The winds were especially restless in Wutan City today.

The mass-production plan for healing medicine had already begun. Large quantities of pills flowed into the market, and with the cooperation of the Mittel Auction House, Wutan City had practically become the Xiao Clan's domain. Jia Lie and Oba, who had long been growing restless, could no longer endure it.

If they could not win commercially, they could only resort to the most primitive methods!

Members of the Jia Lie Clan and Oba Clan surrounded the Xiao Clan marketplace, and the atmosphere was tense. However, an especially lecherous voice shattered the standoff.

"Hehehe, pretty girl, there's nothing worth staying for in the Xiao Clan. Come with your big brother instead, hmm?"

Liu Xi, his face pale as frost, leered lustfully at Xiao Xun'er.

As a great first-tier alchemist and an honored guest of the two major clans, Liu Xi did not believe the Xiao Clan could pose any threat to him. Right now, he only wanted to use those two clans to gather beautiful women for himself.

Jia Lie'ao hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand and had his subordinates follow Liu Xi's orders.

They had originally planned to make their move today and seize the marketplace's businesses and medicinal pills, but having Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yu as unexpected bonuses was not bad either.

They would take them all first and use them as bargaining chips.

Xiao Xun'er wore an indifferent expression and said nothing. She merely watched the thugs slowly closing in around them as though she were looking at dead men.

Xiao Yu, who had only just returned home from the academy and come out shopping with Xiao Xun'er, could no longer hold herself back. Her face turned livid as she raised an arm to shield Xiao Xun'er behind her and glared coldly at Liu Xi.

"What are you scum trying to do?! Are you declaring war on my Xiao Clan?"

"Hehehe, the Xiao Clan? Hmph, there won't be a Xiao Clan in a few days.

I like feisty women like you most. The ones who are cold as ice on the outside are the most fun to play with." Liu Xi licked his lips, his smile widening.

Growing increasingly heated inside, he could no longer be bothered to keep up pretenses. With a light wave of his hand, the guards dispatched by the Jia Lie and Oba Clans stepped forward again.

At their head was a squad captain at the Dou Master level.

"Damn it, those two dens of bastards actually invested so much for this trash alchemist." Xiao Yu gritted her teeth.

They had not brought any guards with them this time. There were only the two of them, yet they had somehow been surrounded by the two rival clans in their own marketplace.

"Xun'er, you leave first later. I'll cover the rear. That little pervert ran off somewhere early this morning for who knows what reason. Go back and find him."

Gritting her teeth, Xiao Yu drew her whip and took out two pills Xiao Yan had given her from her robes. She wanted to stuff them into Xiao Xun'er's hand, but seemingly recalling Xiao Xun'er's relationship with Xiao Yan, she paused before swallowing them herself.

"Hehehe, a parting of life and death? Interesting. If you're willing to obey my commands, I wouldn't mind letting this little beauty go." Liu Xi's eyes gleamed, and even his breathing became heavy.

"...What a... fucking idiot. I can't take this anymore."

Xiao Xun'er frowned deeply, her face filled with disgust, as though she had stepped in dog shit.

Only the words she had learned from Xiao Yan could accurately express how she felt right now.

"Yes, that expression. You've been a great help, little lady."

Seeing Liu Xi's expression grow even more unrestrained, Xiao Xun'er instantly lost all patience.

A glint of golden light flashed in her eyes. Faint golden flames quietly emerged over the jade-like hand hidden within her sleeve.

She could not endure it any longer. She could neither let it go nor bear with it.

If there was one thing Xiao Xun'er had learned from Xiao Yan during all the years she had spent with him, the first thing that came to mind would probably be that fearless, unrestrained spirit.

If Brother Xiao Yan were here, he probably would not have tolerated them speaking so much nonsense, would he?

The moment they revealed their intentions, he would probably have shouted, "Strike first to spare yourself a hundred strikes," and charged in to kill them.

Imagining Xiao Yan standing here, Xiao Xun'er smiled knowingly.

Since Brother Xiao Yan was not here, she would experience for herself the thrill of acting on impulse!

"Oh? You want to fight? Hohoho, after you lose..." Seeing the stances of the two girls, Liu Xi began teasing them again.

A cold gleam flashed through Xiao Xun'er's eyes. She was about to stop holding back and kill him.

However, at that moment, a thunderous roar erupted, so loud that nearly everyone present wanted to cover their ears.

"Too noisy."

BOOM!!!

A figure wreathed in blazing flames descended from the sky. Like a meteor, he tore across the heavens with a long tail of fire behind him. From above, he stomped down with unstoppable momentum, landing amid the Jia Lie and Oba forces.

The first to bear the brunt was first-tier alchemist Liu Xi.

With that single strike, he was not even given the chance to say a word before his entire body was crushed into flying ash.

The earth shook violently from the point of impact. The bluestone pavement became covered in spiderweb cracks, smoke and dust rose everywhere, and a wave of fire erupted outward.

Pale yellow flames turned pure white as they surged, swallowing every person in their path.

Jia Lie'ao, the young master of the Jia Lie Clan, was among them. Before he could even cry out for mercy, he became an empty shell and fell face-first to the ground. His body was immediately reduced to ashes.

The Dou Master squad captain was swallowed whole by a fire serpent in an instant. His Dou Qi veil could not even hold out for a breath.

"D-Demon!!!" The survivors at the edge were scared out of their wits and fled in a panic.

As the firelight slowly faded, Xiao Yan's figure appeared before everyone.

"Was I too late?"

Xiao Yan raised his chin toward Xiao Yu, then walked over to Xun'er and lifted an eyebrow slightly.

"..." For a moment, Xiao Xun'er was actually dazed. The youth amid the flames seemed like a god descending into the world, always appearing when she needed him most.

"Hmph!" Coming back to her senses, Xun'er lightly bumped into Xiao Yan's embrace. She said nothing, but the frost on Xiao Xun'er's face instantly melted away.

"How could I let trash like that dirty your hands?" Xiao Yan met Xun'er's gaze and gently squeezed her little hand. Understanding her slight grievance, he immediately teased her in a soft voice, whispering a few words by Xiao Xun'er's ear.

"You're awful."

Seeing this, Xiao Yu immediately felt her teeth ache.

She looked at the devastated marketplace, then at the shameless couple embracing as though no one else existed. Xiao Yu was so angry that her chest nearly exploded.

"Brother Xiao Yan, you've become stronger again." Setting aside everything else for the moment, Xiao Xun'er leaned back slightly and examined Xiao Yan, genuine surprise appearing on her face.

Xiao Yan had changed far too much. He looked more resolute on the surface, while within, he had undergone an earth-shaking transformation!

This physique...

Xiao Xun'er asked herself honestly: even within the Gu Clan, Xiao Yan's physique would likely be considered extraordinary.

Could it be...

"Xun'er has become much stronger too... Oh, right, Sister Yu, sorry for giving you a scare." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then gave Xiao Yu a cheeky grin.

Xiao Yu's face darkened. He only remembered her now?

Was she really that lacking in charm? Xiao Yu subconsciously lowered her head and glanced at her full, shapely thighs.

When she looked up again, her gaze met Xiao Yan's seemingly casual eyes. His gaze was open and candid, containing only an appreciation for beauty.

For some reason, that only made Xiao Yu even angrier.

Before the two girls could say anything else, Xiao Yan smiled and waved his hand, turning toward the terrified rabble.

The smile on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by deep disdain.

His gaze locked onto a young man sprawled on the ground, so frightened that he had wet himself. Xiao Yan raised a hand and pulled him over through the air.

"Ahhh—Xiao Yan, don't kill me! If you kill me, my father won't let—" Oba Niu, son of Oba Pa, the Oba Clan's patriarch, was terrified by the immense suction force. He struggled desperately to no avail and could only scream.

Before he could finish, Xiao Yan shattered every tooth in his mouth with a blast of Dou Qi, sealing his mouth shut.

"Get back there. Xiao's blade spares neither young nor old.

Tell those two old bastards to wash their necks and wait for me. I'll give you three days. Three days from now, there will be no more Jia Lie or Oba in Wutan City."