"Hiss..."
Sharp intakes of breath rang out incessantly as everyone stared in terror at the deep crater in the center of the courtyard. Half a foot stood within it, its severed end as black as charcoal.
This was the handiwork of the Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus.
The last line of defense in the hearts of the Jia Lie Family members at their compound crumbled as well. Those who still had strength fled desperately, leaving only a one-sided slaughter behind.
"How terrifying. For Ning'er to survive at his hands, he really must have shown mercy." After killing a Jia Lie Family Dou Zhe before him with a single palm strike, Xiao An looked toward the youth standing straight at the gates, his heart still trembling.
He, along with every other member of the Xiao Clan, now had to reconsider where he stood. A youth of such extraordinary talent had returned in force, and in the foreseeable future, he was destined to achieve far more than any of them.
Once we get back, I'll take Xiao Ning to kowtow and apologize again... Bitterness filled Xiao An's heart. As he saw it, if he and his son wanted to remain in the Xiao Clan, they had no other choice.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, the focus of everyone's attention, picked up the Heavy Xuan Ruler from the ground under their watching eyes. The black-haired youth in white stood with the sunlight at his back, his ink-dark eyes filled with nothing but cold indifference.
"Third Elder, you can handle things here, can't you?" Xiao Yan asked coldly.
"Yes." The Third Elder nodded. This nephew of his felt like a complete stranger, and... he frightened him.
Xiao Yan turned and left, stepping through the gates before slowly disappearing at the end of the street.
Inside the Jia Lie Family compound, the slaughter continued, cutting down the weeds and tearing out their roots.
"Fuck."
The moment the Jia Lie Family's gates disappeared from his sight, Xiao Yan's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed.
He quickly took a bottle of pills from his Storage Ring, pulled one out, and swallowed it.
Cool Spiritual Energy flowed down his throat and into every limb and bone, nourishing his parched meridians and slowly repairing some hidden injuries.
That whole performance had certainly looked impressive, but it had also consumed an enormous amount of energy. There wasn't a single thread of Dou Qi left in his dantian now.
At the same time, however, Xiao Yan clearly sensed that the new Dou Qi produced by the Flame Mantra was more condensed than before. This must have been what Yao Lao meant when he said cultivation stabilized faster between life and death.
"This is much faster than obediently sitting around meditating." Xiao Yan spat a mouthful of tainted blood onto the ground, then continued toward the Xiao Clan with a faint, smug smile on his lips.
"Oh? He's pretty strong. Adoptive Father never taught me this Secret Art..." On the roof of a tall building, Xiao Yi Xian watched Xiao Yan in the distance with surprise on her face.
She assumed this was a Hun Clan Secret Art that Hun Tiandi had taught Xiao Yan. Indeed, most people could hardly imagine any Secret Art other than one belonging to a Dou God Clan that could allow a Dou Zhe to kill a Da Dou Shi.
Even a severely wounded Da Dou Shi.
Xiao Yi Xian felt no jealousy, though. She, too, had a Hun Clan Secret Art taught by Hun Tiandi, and it was even one of their core Secret Arts. If she struck a target who was unprepared, even a Peak Dou Emperor couldn't guarantee escaping unscathed.
That move primarily targeted the soul, however.
As Xiao Yi Xian pondered a few things, she felt the resentment beside her growing stronger and stronger. At last, she cast a disdainful glance to the side.
Not far from Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Xun'er stood atop another tall building, staring at her with resentment, as though looking at someone who had drawn a blade to steal her beloved.
"You aren't even his girlfriend. What gives you the right to be jealous? Anyone who didn't know better would think you two were married." Xiao Yi Xian's airy words sounded unbearably grating to Xiao Xun'er, making the girl's face flush with anger.
Then Xiao Yi Xian looked Xiao Xun'er's unimpressive figure up and down, confidently thrust out her chest and lifted her chin, and covered her mouth as she snickered.
"Xuan Lao, teach this woman a lesson!" Xiao Xun'er pointed at Xiao Yi Xian and snapped.
An old man standing in midair instantly appeared behind Xiao Xun'er. He wore yellow robes, his aura restrained and his eyes as still as an ancient well. There was no sign that he possessed any cultivation at all; only the fact that he stood suspended in the air revealed that he was far from ordinary.
"Miss, she's from the Hun Clan." Yu Lao's words made Xiao Xun'er's pupils contract. She stumbled back several steps, nearly falling off the roof.
"Bullying a junior hardly befits your standing as a Saint."
Another old man instantly appeared behind Xiao Yi Xian. Dressed in black, he had a sinister, chilling aura and cold, emotionless eyes. Space warped slightly around him, making it obvious at a glance that he was no ordinary man.
"Bone Saint, which Saint are we facing?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, covering her mouth with a soft laugh.
"Tong Xuan, a guest of the Gu Clan," Gu You replied coldly.
"It's been a long time, Bone Saint," Tong Xuan said evenly.
Gu You, the Hall of Souls' Second Heavenly Venerate, an Advanced Half-Saint.
Tong Xuan, a guest of the Gu Clan, an Advanced Half-Saint.
"According to the agreement between our clan leaders, we compete fairly for the Tuoshe Ancient Jade. Keep your young lady in line." Gu You showed Tong Xuan no courtesy whatsoever.
"Your young lady is the one who needs to be kept in line. Though I'm not particularly fond of that boy Xiao Yan, drawing a blade to steal another's beloved is hardly ladylike." Tong Xuan narrowed his eyes, his expression hostile.
"Heh, calling it stealing another's beloved is a bit much. Would your Gu Clan let its young lady marry the young master of a fallen clan? More likely, you'll use her to win over some outstanding young talent, won't you?" Gu You's words left no room for retreat.
"Oh?"
The space within thirty li of Wutan City instantly grew viscous. At that moment, even a Nine Revolutions Dou Zun would have been unable to tear open a spatial passage there.
"Come to think of it, I haven't fought in over thirty years. This is a perfect opportunity. Care for a little sparring, Bone Saint?" Tong Xuan's smile never reached his eyes. Judging by his aura, however, this battle was inevitable even if Gu You refused.
"Exactly what I had in mind." Gu You waved his hand, instantly opening a fractured Demiplane beside him.
The two Half-Saints flashed inside, leaving only the two girls staring at one another.
"You-hmph!" Xiao Xun'er stamped her foot, jumped off the roof, and raced toward the Xiao Clan.
"With that strength, she's at least an Eight-Star Dou Zhe. Didn't they say that before their bloodlines awaken, people from Ancient Families don't progress much faster than ordinary people?" Xiao Yi Xian shook her head and put the matter aside. She, too, needed to be waiting in the courtyard before Xiao Yan returned.
"Brother Xiao Yan, that woman you brought back last night bullied me!"
Xiao Yan had only just returned home and hadn't even had time to rest when he saw Xiao Xun'er rushing toward him, her tear-streaked face like pear blossoms drenched in rain, before throwing herself into his arms.
She's not angry anymore? Xiao Yan's hands hung helplessly in midair.
On the other side, Xiao Yi Xian slowly appeared, leading Qing Lin by the hand and watching Xiao Xun'er with a teasing smile.
"Did the protective charm I gave you work well? I saw that the Da Dou Shi's desperate final strike didn't hurt you," Xiao Yi Xian asked Xiao Yan.
"It worked fine." Xiao Yan gave an awkward laugh. He could hardly tell her that Yao Lao had actually protected him.
"Protective charm? Wasn't I the one who gave you that?" Xiao Xun'er, who had just been weeping like rain-drenched pear blossoms, abruptly raised her head and stared anxiously at Xiao Yan.
Suddenly, Xiao Xun'er shot out her hand and pulled two protective charms out from below Xiao Yan's neck.
"Two?!" At that moment, Xiao Xun'er could have strangled Xiao Yan.
Before you continue