The Xiao Clan and Nalan Yanran Fighting Side by Side?

In midair, Setting Sun Radiance collided with several Mysterious Tier Dou Techniques, throwing off brilliant sparks like a gigantic firework blossoming in the sky—a breathtaking sight.

Guided by it, the Xiao Clan guards successfully joined up with the first wave of clansmen to arrive. By now, most of the clan's young and middle-aged adults were gathered here.

Xiao Wuqi was terribly anxious. Although he knew the clan leader's arrangements, he had no way to contact him if something unexpected happened.

If most of the Xiao Clan's able-bodied adults perished here tonight, then even wiping out the Jia Lie Family and swallowing the Ao Ba Family whole would not make up for tonight's losses!

All their glorious plans would vanish like bubbles!

"Brother, what finally brought you out here?" Xiao Wugou moved beside his older brother and asked, pleasantly surprised.

"If I didn't come, could I count on you to bring our clansmen home?" Xiao Wuqi kicked him without hesitation. "Cut the useless crap... Who is this?"

"I don't know her either, but she defeated Jia Lie Jing and drove off the troublemakers."

Xiao Wuqi understood enough. Cupping his hands, he said, "Heroine, we shouldn't linger here. Please retreat with us to the mountain behind the Xiao Clan estate..."

Nalan Yanran did not even lift her eyelids. Her gaze remained fixed on the exploding Setting Sun Radiance ahead as she asked softly, "Does the Xiao Clan have a Clan Protection Array?"

"...N-no..."

"Then what's the point of going back? Your presence here already tells me there isn't a single Da Dou Shi left at the Xiao Clan. Do you think a few bricks and roof tiles can stop several Da Dou Shi charging in?"

Nalan Yanran tightened her grip on her sword. She gripped it so hard that the knuckles of her delicate hand turned pale.

Xiao Wuqi opened his mouth. He wanted to say that even buying a little more time in hiding would help. With such an uproar in Wutan City, the clan leader and the others must have noticed by now. If they could just hold out until he returned with reinforcements, the balance between attacker and defender would be reversed!

"...Xiao Clan guards, listen up! The Dou Shi will stay. Everyone else, take our clansmen and neighbors back to the Xiao Clan estate," Xiao Wuqi ordered loudly. "You make a fair point, heroine. Forgive my presumption, but could I trouble you to protect them on their retreat?"

"You talk too much," Nalan Yanran said impatiently. "If I leave, can you hold them off?"

In the distance, the last traces of heat from Setting Sun Radiance dissipated. The Da Dou Shi of the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family approached together, brimming with murderous intent.

Grandmaster, where on earth are you...? Nalan Yanran murmured inwardly, then a glint of resolve flashed through her beautiful eyes.

She took a purplish-red pill the size of a longan from her Storage Ring and swallowed it.

Fortunately, she had listened to her grandmaster before leaving and asked Uncle Gu He for more useful supplies. Otherwise, she truly would not have known how to deal with the Da Dou Shi before her.

"You wretched little bastard! I'll kill you!"

Seeing the devastated ruins and recalling the violent explosion earlier, Jia Lie Bi immediately realized that Jia Lie Jing had died by self-detonation.

His eyes turned red, and azure Dou Qi erupted from his body. Had the Ao Ba Family's two Da Dou Shi not held him back with all their strength, he would already have charged at Nalan Yanran to fight her to the death.

They had yet to drive the Xiao Clan out of Wutan City, and the Jia Lie Family had already lost another Da Dou Shi!

Now, whether they succeeded or failed, the Jia Lie Family would be reduced to a second-rate force in Wutan City...

Meanwhile, Oba Padun could barely keep himself from laughing aloud.

Ah, when the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman reaps the rewards. The Xiao Clan is facing disaster, and the Jia Lie Family has only one Da Dou Shi left. Clearly, Wutan City will belong to the Ao Ba Family from now on!

"Five Da Dou Shi..." Nalan Yanran hefted her treasured sword. Its substantial weight gave her a little sense of security.

"What a pretty little girl..."

The leader of these five Da Dou Shi was not Oba Padun, the Ao Ba Family's patriarch, but a Third-Grade Alchemist who looked about fifty years old. As he gazed at Nalan Yanran's lovely face, made exceptionally alluring by the Ice Silk Silkworm Mask, a lecherous grin spread across his face.

"Patriarchs, take her alive. Whoever captures this little girl for me, I'll help his family become the greatest in Wutan City!"

At his words, a vicious gleam immediately appeared in the four Da Dou Shi's eyes. They stared at Nalan Yanran with the greedy gazes of predators eyeing their prey.

Nalan Yanran sneered. "Heh. You haven't even won yet, and you're already deciding how to divide the spoils?"

"With me personally overseeing the battle, nothing can go wrong." The Third-Grade Alchemist openly ogled Nalan Yanran. "Such poor manners. Once you become my bed-warming maid, I'll personally teach you how to speak properly."

Nalan Yanran was so furious that she laughed. A mere Third-Grade Alchemist would not even be qualified to speak to her in the Misty Cloud Sect, yet he dared spout such outrageous nonsense?

Just then, the pill took effect. Surging power flooded Nalan Yanran's body. She felt stronger than ever before, as though a single punch could sweep away everything.

"Be careful. Don't kill her or damage her face—especially that pretty little face."

"Hahaha! Rest assured, sir. The Ao Ba Family will deliver this little girl to your room completely intact!"

Oba Padun laughed loudly and charged straight at Nalan Yanran with the Ao Ba Family's two Da Dou Shi.

Jia Lie Bi, however, hesitated. Rather than charging in to help, he stood to one side to cover them, seemingly having decided to hand the opportunity over to the others.

Behind them, the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family had deployed all their elite fighters, who were locked in a deadly melee with the Xiao Clan guards.

Battle cries shook the heavens. Dou Qi of every color formed into various Dou Techniques and collided as the elites of Wutan City's Three Great Families paired off in mortal combat, unleashing all their trump cards from the very first exchange.

"Blood Light Blade!"

A crimson, curved blade of light slashed down toward her head. Although its wielder was a Two-Star Great Dou Master, a Yellow Tier Dou Technique like this was simply too inferior.

Nalan Yanran used her Movement Dou Technique again. Her figure swayed with the wind once more, effortlessly evading the attack.

"Oh no!"

"Gale Wind Slash!"

Before the Ao Ba Family's Two-Star Great Dou Master could attack again, Nalan Yanran was already upon him! She swung her sword and struck his blood-colored Dou Qi Armor with power far beyond anything she had displayed before. This was the effect of the pill she had just swallowed!

The Beast Strength Pill could barely qualify as a fourth-rank pill, but after taking it, both one's Dou Qi and physical strength would surge dramatically!

With sheer brute force, Nalan Yanran's sword cleaved through the Two-Star Great Dou Master's Dou Qi Armor and left a deep wound across his chest. Blood poured out instantly, accompanied by a scream!

"You sly little thing! Take my fist!"

Seeing his family's Da Dou Shi suffer such a heavy blow, Oba Padun's expression darkened. He pressed forward himself and hurled a punch at Nalan Yanran's abdomen!

Boom!

Oba Padun's punch was astonishingly fast. Unable to dodge in time, Nalan Yanran was sent flying. Like a kite with its string cut, she plunged into the Xiao Clan ruins nearby.

"A Seven-Star Great Dou Master?!" Jia Lie Bi cried out from the side. "Old Aoba, when did you break through?"