Gu Yuan, so you weren't dead after all

Xiao Xuan looked at the Xiao Clan descendants kneeling before him.

A trace of familial warmth, born of their shared blood, flowed through his heart.

Although these descendants were far too weak and knew little of the world, they were still of his lineage. The same Xiao Clan blood flowed through their veins.

Xiao Xuan did not blame them. "Rise," he said.

Xiao Zhan and the others kowtowed to thank their ancestor, then stood.

Still finding it hard to believe, Xiao Zhan asked, "Are you... truly our Xiao Clan's ancestor?"

Xiao Xuan nodded. "Indeed."

Curious, Xiao Zhan asked, "Ancestor, was our Xiao Clan powerful a thousand years ago? How did we have a nine-star Dou Sheng like you?"

Xiao Zhan was burning with curiosity.

As far as he remembered, the Xiao Clan had already been like this when he took over from the previous clan leader. Their strongest member had only been a Dou Ling, and in his generation, no one had even reached that level yet.

How had a Dou Sheng suddenly appeared? Had the Xiao Clan really been that powerful once?

Xiao Xuan drew a deep breath. "Powerful? We ruled over an entire region! A thousand years ago, our Xiao Clan wasn't based on this barren continent at all. We stood in the Central Plains as one of the Eight Ancient Clans."

"Based in the Central Plains? The Eight Ancient Clans?" Xiao Zhan froze.

He knew of the Central Plains. Legends described it as a land of immense wealth, hundreds or thousands of times stronger than the continent where their Jia Ma Empire lay. Only the continent's strongest, most elite powers could establish themselves there.

But he had never heard of the Eight Ancient Clans. What were they?

Xiao Xuan said, "The Eight Ancient Clans are eight ancient families. Each had a mighty Dou Di born among its ancestors, igniting a Dou Di bloodline that was passed down through the generations.

"Our Ancient Xiao Clan had many Dou Di among its ancestors. Even by my era, we still ranked among the three strongest of the Eight Ancient Clans."

"Dou Di... the Ancient Xiao Clan!" Xiao Zhan's breathing quickened as he listened.

Our ancestors were that badass? We even had Dou Di!

Just hearing it made Xiao Zhan's blood boil. For a moment, he felt as though he, too, had become a badass.

But if their ancestors had been so formidable, why had they fallen this far in a mere thousand years?

Xiao Zhan could not understand.

Xiao Xuan continued, "Unfortunately, certain upheavals later befell our Xiao Clan. Our Dou Di bloodline weakened with each generation. By my time, it was on the verge of running dry.

"Had that continued, the Xiao Clan would only have declined, perhaps even been swallowed by the other ambitious ancient clans. Later, I tried to restore our Dou Di bloodline, but for certain reasons, I ultimately failed. The Dou Sheng of the Hun Clan, one of the Eight Ancient Clans, surrounded and killed me.

"Our Xiao Clan fell into complete decline as a result. Even I never imagined that, a thousand years later, it would have become like this..."

Xiao Xuan sighed.

Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Clan elders, and Xiao Yan listened to his account, finally learning what had happened to their clan in the past.

They had never imagined that the Xiao Clan had once enjoyed such glory.

Xiao Zhan consoled him. "Ancestor Xiao Xuan, there's no need to dwell on it. We men of the Xiao Clan can shoulder a burden and set it down.

"Though our Xiao Clan has declined, it is human effort that shapes the outcome. As long as even a thread of our bloodline survives, we will surely rise again and contend for supremacy over the world!"

Xiao Yan added from beside him, "That's right, Ancestor. There's no need to linger on the past. Our Xiao Clan will surely surpass its former glory."

Looking at the father and son, Xiao Xuan burst into laughter. "Good, good, good! True sons of our Xiao Clan! A thousand years may have brought our clan low, but the pride and confidence in our bones and blood remain."

Xiao Xuan was delighted with their words. These were the descendants his Xiao Clan ought to have.

Then he said, "Rest assured. Your ancestor has returned to rescue our Xiao Clan from deep waters and scorching flames! With me leading you, we will surely return to the Central Plains and regain our former heights."

Xiao Xuan declared that he had returned to rescue the Xiao Clan from deep waters and scorching flames.

As for how the Xiao Clan had ended up in such dire straits, don't ask.

His words were not arrogance, but confidence.

As the strongest member of the Ancient Eight Clans a thousand years ago, Xiao Xuan at his peak had feared none of them. He had never even truly regarded Hun Tiandi as a threat.

Only after his final attempt to break through to Dou Di failed had Hun Tiandi dared to bring men to surround and kill him.

Under ordinary circumstances, who the hell was Hun Tiandi?

Hun Tiandi had been of his generation. From childhood to adulthood, Xiao Xuan had crushed him in every respect.

In a truly fair fight, he could beat Hun Tiandi into despair.

Now, not only had Xiao Xuan returned at his peak, he also held an Emperor Grade Nascent Pill.

Wouldn't bringing the Xiao Clan back to the Central Plains be child's play?

Ancient Eight Clans, after a thousand years, I, Xiao Xuan, and the Ancient Xiao Clan have returned!

Xiao Xuan looked at Xiao Zhan. "How many members does our Xiao Clan have left?"

His first task was to gain a thorough understanding of the clan's current circumstances.

He had only toured the clan grounds with Xiao Yan earlier. For the actual number of clan members, he needed to ask Xiao Zhan, the clan leader.

Xiao Zhan said, "Ancestor, our clan currently has 122 direct-line members and over 300 members from the collateral branches.

"The main family is based in Wutan City, with the Xiao Residence as our ancestral home. Our influence covers the entire city. You could say our Xiao Clan still commands considerable prestige in Wutan City.

"In addition, two of my sons have established a mercenary group elsewhere and are trying to expand our influence beyond Wutan City."

Xiao Zhan had three sons. His eldest, Xiao Ding, and his second son, Xiao Li, had ventured out and founded the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. In truth, they were also laying the groundwork for the Xiao Clan's outward expansion.

Clearly, Xiao Zhan had ambitions to extend the clan's influence.

Xiao Xuan nodded at this. "At its height, our Ancient Xiao Clan had over a million members. To think that now, fewer than a thousand remain..."

"The Hun Clan! Hun Tiandi!"

Hatred surged through Xiao Xuan's heart.

The Hun Clan and Hun Tiandi were the very ones responsible for all of this. Without them, how could the Xiao Clan have fallen so far?

He swore inwardly that this time, he would destroy the Hun Clan and avenge this grudge!

Xiao Xuan continued, "What is the clan's overall strength?"

Xiao Zhan said, "At present, the strongest members of the Xiao Clan are us old fellows, all at the Da Dou Shi level. Besides us, there are twelve Dou Shi and three Dou Shi guest elders. Below them are the Dou Zhe and the younger generation..."

Their strength could only be called pitiful.

Merely hearing it gave Xiao Xuan a headache.

He had learned about this from Xiao Yan earlier.

It turned out that the Da Dou Shi level, which he had barely known anything about, was below even Dou Wang and Dou Ling.

In the Ancient Xiao Clan of old, even those doing odd jobs and cleaning had been above Dou Wang. No wonder he had never heard of it.

Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.

Xiao Xuan said, "It isn't a major problem. Once I break through to Dou Di, your Dou Di bloodline will awaken as well, and your strength will naturally rise."

As though something had suddenly occurred to him, Xiao Xuan continued, "Right, I have another question. At our height, the Xiao Clan had been on friendly terms for generations with the Gu Clan, one of the Ancient Eight Clans.

"Their clan leader, Gu Yuan, was a dear friend of mine. Before the Hun Clan surrounded and killed me, I entrusted our clan to his care. Have you heard of Gu Yuan?"

In truth, Xiao Xuan was rather worried as he said this.

He thought Hun Tiandi had most likely killed Gu Yuan as well. Otherwise, Gu Yuan should have looked after the Xiao Clan.

If Gu Yuan were still alive, the Xiao Clan should never have ended up like this.

He had asked the question to confirm this with Xiao Zhan.

After hearing his words, Xiao Zhan thought for a moment. "Ancestor, do you mean Gu Yuan, Mr. Gu?"

Xiao Xuan had assumed Hun Tiandi had already killed Gu Yuan. Yet Xiao Zhan actually knew him?

Xiao Xuan was stunned.

"You actually know Gu Yuan?"

Xiao Zhan nodded. "Yes. Mr. Gu Yuan is a very important figure. He visited our Xiao Clan and took considerable care of us."

Xiao Zhan recalled that it had happened more than ten years ago.

Mr. Gu Yuan had arrived at the Xiao Clan and given them many resources. There had been several crates of the incredibly precious Qi Gathering Powder alone, along with numerous first-grade pills and magical beast magic cores.

The Xiao Clan's most precious and valuable possessions-the high-level Yellow Tier cultivation technique "Flame Refining Incineration" and the low-level Xuan Tier Dou Technique "Furious Lion Vajra"-had also been gifts from that great figure, Mr. Gu Yuan.

Unfortunately, in the decade or so since, that "generous" Mr. Gu Yuan had never visited again, leaving Xiao Zhan missing him dearly.

Xiao Zhan said, "Mr. Gu Yuan is a great benefactor of our Xiao Clan! To think he was an old friend of yours, Ancestor. No wonder he treated us so well!"

At those words, Xiao Xuan's expression instantly turned icy.

"Are you saying Gu Yuan is still alive, and that he visited the Xiao Clan more than ten years ago? And he gave you first-grade pills, magic cores, Yellow Tier cultivation techniques, and other such junk?"

Xiao Zhan smiled. "Yes, Ancestor. Isn't he your dear friend?"

If he weren't a dear friend, why would he give the Xiao Clan all those things for nothing? Xiao Zhan thought.

Xiao Xuan laughed in anger.

"A dear friend? Now... not anymore."

He raised his head and loosened his limbs.

When he heard that the old bastard Gu Yuan was still alive, Xiao Xuan had nearly failed to suppress his Dou Sheng aura.

Xiao Xuan said, "Gu Yuan, I thought Hun Tiandi had already killed you. So you weren't fucking dead after all..."

"I asked you to look after my Xiao Clan, and this is how you did it? We'd have been better off if Hun Tiandi had killed you!"