Xiao Zhan abruptly rose, green Dou Qi spilling out uncontrollably.
"And..."
"The Jia Lie Family's other One-Star Great Dou Master elder from yesterday, al-although he didn't disappear, when he was found today, he was already... dead!"
Xiao Zhan's pupils abruptly contracted.
"Dead?!"
Xiao Yan's pupils shook violently. The tea was warm, yet his fingertips felt faintly cold.
"Teacher, how could this happen? We..."
Of the four people Xiao Yan and Yao Chen had knocked unconscious yesterday, one was dead and three had disappeared!
The news sent a trace of fear through Xiao Yan-could someone be following him, targeting him?
From within the Bone Flame Ring, Yao Chen's voice carried a measure of confusion and gloom:
"I used Soul Force to unsettle their souls. While that would leave them mentally disoriented and weaken their strength for a time, it certainly wouldn't kill them..."
"Unless someone came after we left and finished them off when they were at their weakest!"
"Or spirited them away without anyone knowing."
Xiao Yan's heart tightened.
"They wanted to play the oriole waiting behind the mantis, snatching the fruit right under my nose."
Yao Chen's tone was calm, but a hint of coldness seeped through. He paused, then suddenly pressed his lips into a smile:
"Interesting. Very interesting. Little Yanzi, the waters of Wutan City are actually deeper than I imagined."
That afternoon, in the courtyard.
No fresh news about the two great families had arrived.
Inside his room, Xiao Yan was sorting through the Storage Rings he had acquired yesterday, along with the treasures collected from the two families' storehouses.
He categorized them into gold coins, Dou Techniques, pills, and so forth. His haul was quite substantial.
Even the Dou Technique scroll for the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer was among them!
Knock, knock.
Suddenly, a faint knocking sounded at the door.
"Brother Xiao Yan."
Her green skirt swaying, Xiao Xun'er walked into the room with a bright smile, her slender waist delicate enough to encircle with one hand.
"Xun'er? What brings you here?" Xiao Yan rose, momentarily taken aback.
"What? You haven't come to see me lately, Brother Xiao Yan. Am I not allowed to come looking for you?"
Giving Xiao Yan a reproachful glance, Xun'er poured herself a cup of tea and spoke softly, as though in passing:
"Brother Xiao Yan, did you and that mysterious teacher of yours visit the Jia Lie Family last night?"
Xiao Yan paused at her words. He licked his lips and feigned composure:
"Xun'er, you already know..."
He remembered Yao Lao mentioning that an elderly man at the Dou Emperor level seemed to be guarding Xun'er.
Even if his father hadn't told her, he probably couldn't have hidden it from this girl.
"Mhm~ Of course." Xun'er's voice was as gentle and sweet as ever that day.
Dressed in a simple green outfit, her well-fitted clothes complemented her ethereal, unworldly grace, like a green lotus, making even Xiao Yan inwardly admire her.
Yet her next words were startling enough to leave Xiao Yan's lips twitching.
"But your later actions were still a little too conspicuous and too slow. Rather than letting someone with ulterior motives exploit them, you should have destroyed all their bodies and erased every trace right then, so they wouldn't keep disturbing your peace."
Xun'er shook her head, a hint of helplessness and understanding in her eyes. Under Xiao Yan's bewildered gaze, she paused and lowered her voice further:
"And... those who disappeared have probably met with disaster as well."
"What?!" Xiao Yan blurted out, utterly shocked and baffled.
Three Da Dou Shi! In Wutan City, that was already a top-tier fighting force!
Apart from Xiao Zhan, a Dou Ling, there shouldn't have been anyone capable of standing against such a lineup.
How could they have vanished or died without a sound?
Xun'er didn't respond. She merely looked in a certain direction outside the window, recalling Ling Ying's conjecture. Golden flames flickered faintly in her eyes.
"Brother Xiao Yan, do you remember Xiao Zha?"
"Xiao Zha?"
Xiao Yan's brows knitted tightly, caught off guard.
As far as he knew, Xiao Zha was a member of a collateral branch of the Xiao Clan, with the strength of a One-Star Dou Practitioner. He acted with a certain maturity, was usually quiet, and drew little attention.
"Of course I know him. What about him?"
Xun'er withdrew her gaze, a meaningful smile curving her lips:
"Nothing. Perhaps... I'm overthinking things."
Without elaborating further, Xun'er smiled sweetly at Xiao Yan and slowly stood.
She turned and left, her green skirt swaying gently in the breeze, leaving behind a refreshing fragrance.
Three days later, a strange atmosphere hung over all of Wutan City.
With its top experts gone, the Jia Lie Family had no choice but to sell several of its best-located Marketplaces to secure a period of stability and peace in its struggle to survive.
Yet making a living this way was no different from killing the hen to get its eggs.
When Jia Lie Nu, the Jia Lie Family elder who had gone out to escort medicinal ingredients, returned to the family, he felt as though his whole sky had collapsed!
He was now the Jia Lie Family's only remaining Da Dou Shi and had no choice but to lead everyone in making a series of decisions.
Selling the Marketplaces, preparing the funeral, planning for the future, guarding against an unknown enemy...
Yet just as everyone, immersed in grief, hurriedly held a funeral for the deceased elder...
The body of that One-Star Great Dou Master elder mysteriously disappeared!
According to the clansmen guarding the mourning hall, the night had been dark and windy. They had only felt a gust of eerie wind sweep past, and when they opened their eyes again, the coffin was empty, with not even a trace of an aura left behind.
As the news spread, unease gripped the entire Jia Lie Family and even Wutan City.
Some said an evil spirit was at work, others called it their just deserts, and still others secretly whispered that the mysterious Dou Wang expert had used a mysterious Dou Technique out of disdain for the Jia Lie Family.
The Xiao Clan, meanwhile, quietly emerged as the greatest winner amid this wind and rain!
Although the Ao Ba Family had suffered fewer losses, with only its patriarch missing, it was a pack of dragons without a head for the moment.
They hastily chose someone to serve as acting patriarch. In consideration of the "kindness of lending aid," and Xiao Zhan's overwhelming strength, they had no choice but to bow their heads and extend goodwill to the Xiao Clan.
The three great families had fought both openly and in secret for years. Now, at last, signs were emerging that they would follow the Xiao Clan's lead.
That afternoon, Xiao Yan walked alone through the Xiao Clan's courtyards, countless thoughts swirling in his mind.
"Teacher, what do you think... the person who stole the body was after?"
"Extracting souls, destroying corpses, practicing an Evil Cultivation Art-even using it to refine pills!"
Yao Chen's voice was low. "But whichever it is, none is a righteous path. I keep feeling an unsettling presence in Wutan City today."
Xiao Yan nodded. He was about to return to his room to cultivate when his steps suddenly faltered.
At the end of the path ahead, a figure was slowly approaching.
It was a tall young man with handsome features and pale-red eyes, wearing a fitted, light-blue robe of fine make.
Xiao Zha.
This older cousin from a collateral branch usually kept a low profile and had never had much of a presence. It was rare to see him staying within the clan grounds.
The only thing that had left much of an impression on Xiao Yan was the gaunt figure in a black robe and bamboo hat who often followed him like a machine.
Seeing him emerge from his own courtyard, Xiao Yan's pupils abruptly contracted-
In the courtyard behind him stood four additional gaunt figures, planted there without moving.
All wore loose, pitch-black robes and bamboo hats that concealed their faces completely.
What left Xiao Yan somewhat puzzled, however, was that the slight attendant who had once followed Xiao Zha like his shadow was now nowhere to be seen!
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