Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west-never bully a youth for being poor!

"Xiao Fan, don't you dare act so insolently! This is the Clan Chief!"

There was an internet term, "double-standard dog," and Xiao Ning embodied it to the fullest.

His brows drawn tight, Xiao Zhan snorted coldly at him. "Xiao Ning, shut your mouth. You have no right to speak here."

"Yes... Clan Chief." Xiao Ning forced those words through clenched teeth, secretly nursing a grudge against Xiao Zhan as well.

Ignoring him, Xiao Zhan turned to Xiao Fan and asked again, "Xiao Fan, tell me whatever grievances you have. I'll see that you get justice."

As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Xiao Ning. His meaning was plain.

But instead of an answer, he heard the heavy thuds of Xiao Fan kowtowing.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

After three resounding kowtows, Xiao Fan's utterly resolute voice rang through the hall.

"Clan Chief Xiao, thank you for taking me in and raising me all these years. I, Xiao Fan, have no way to repay you, so I offer these kowtows in gratitude." As he spoke, he knocked his forehead against the flagstones three more times.

Perhaps he had struck too hard; his forehead had already begun to bruise.

Refusing all of Xiao Zhan's concern, he continued:

"From this day forward, I, Xiao Fan, am leaving the Xiao Clan. I will have nothing more to do with it!"

"And Xiao Ning, three years from now, I will settle every grudge, old and new. I will reclaim, bit by bit, all the dignity you trampled underfoot. Just you wait!"

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west-never bully a youth for being poor!"

The young man's ringing, icy words shook every disciple present.

Watching Xiao Fan's retreating figure, Xiao Zhan froze in place. He suddenly thought of his own son, who was wandering far from home. The two were so alike.

"Hmph. Steward Wang, what exactly happened? Are you still not going to tell me the truth?"

His voice was terribly, terribly cold. Steward Wang dropped straight to his knees in fright; he had never seen the Clan Chief so angry.

As he stammered out what had happened, Xiao Zhan shattered the table before him with a slap and roared, "Who gave you the authority to withhold a disciple's stipend on your own?"

"I... I..."

"Now. Immediately. Take what he's owed to Xiao Fan."

"But, Clan Chief, that brat is no longer a member of our Xiao Clan."

"Whether he is or not, what belongs to him belongs to him. The rules cannot be broken!"

A single dose of Low-Grade Qi Condensation Powder meant next to nothing to the Xiao Clan.

More importantly, Xiao Zhan wanted to use this to tell the First Elder's faction that there were some things they should not take too far.

With the Clan Chief having spoken, Steward Wang dared not disobey. He grabbed the medicine and chased after Xiao Fan.

Meanwhile.

Xiao Fan had already reached the Xiao Clan's main gates.

A sudden series of pains gripped his chest. He braced one hand against the gate bolt as his consciousness gradually faded.

He had no idea how much time had passed before shrill shouts reached his ears.

"Hey, you mongrel! Wake up! Don't dirty our Xiao Clan's gates." Already unsteady, he nearly fell to the ground when the man shoved him.

Slowly opening his eyes, Xiao Fan looked around, three questions springing up in rapid succession.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What am I doing?

Memories flooded his mind like a surging tide. Clutching his head, he sank into a crouch on the ground.

Beside him, Steward Wang paused in surprise, then burst into loud, mocking laughter. "You mongrel, weren't you acting all tough just now? What's wrong? Trying to play the fool so you can stay in our Xiao Clan? I'm telling you, it's too late!"

"Here's the Qi Condensation Powder you wanted. Take it..." As though tossing a bone, Steward Wang threw the dose of Qi Condensation Powder onto the ground.

Xiao Fan glanced down at it, then lifted his head. The bewilderment in his eyes gradually gave way to clarity and indifference.

"So that's how it is. To think that I, the mighty Heaven-Slaying God King, would one day be reborn by possessing another's body."

Indeed, the Xiao Fan of this moment was no longer the Xiao Fan whom anyone could trample at will.

He was a supreme God King, titled Heaven-Slaying-a mighty being said to be capable of slaying even the heavens!