How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?

"Are you sure you're leaving tomorrow?"

"I'm sure."

"Good. The eaglet has grown its wings. It's time for it to soar." Xiao Lin looked at Xiao Yan with a warm smile.

"I'm about to head out, Grandpa. Aren't you going to give me some traveling money?"

Xiao Yan blinked, his face a picture of innocence.

"You little rascal, I knew you'd say that. Tell me, what do you still need? When it comes to resources, you, the Emperor's Son, can command far more than a mere Dou Sheng like me." Xiao Lin glared at him.

"Hehe." Xiao Yan thought it over. He really didn't have anything else he wanted.

He lacked neither cultivation methods nor combat skills, and he could take his pick of natural treasures from the clan's treasury. If he really had to name something, what he needed most now was heavenly flames. But since he hadn't yet cultivated the Flame Mantra, even devouring heavenly flames wouldn't benefit him much.

So his first stop would naturally be the Starfall Pavilion.

Still, that wasn't any fun.

After all, getting things for free was the source of human happiness.

"These are some of the things I collected before becoming a Dou Sheng. The resources inside should last you a while." Looking at Xiao Yan's still somewhat boyish face, Xiao Lin ultimately tossed him two Storage Rings.

"The red one is compensation for the Nalan Family. The black one is for you."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately probed the rings with his soul power.

Inside the black ring were over a dozen Earth-tier cultivation methods and combat skills, most of them intermediate or advanced. There were also several Eighth-Tier Pills and numerous natural treasures.

The red ring held relatively less, but it still contained three Earth-tier combat skills and cultivation methods, along with a pile of fifth- and sixth-tier pills. In terms of value, it should have equaled a Dou Zong's entire fortune.

Plenty, plenty! Xiao Yan grinned from ear to ear. Although he already had plenty of good things, who would ever complain about having too many treasures?

"Look at you. Go see your parents. You're leaving tomorrow, so spend some time with them." Xiao Lin laughed and gave Xiao Yan a kick.

"Sure thing." Holding the two Storage Rings, Xiao Yan left Xiao Lin's room with a cheerful smile and headed to his parents' room.

"Dad, Mom..." Xiao Yan strode into the room, only to find his mother, Yao Xian, sobbing in his father Xiao Zhan's arms.

"Yan'er, you're leaving tomorrow. These are some belongings and supplies I prepared for your journey." With reddened eyes, Yao Xian handed Xiao Yan a Storage Ring.

Xiao Yan probed it with his soul power. Good heavens, there was actually a little more inside than Grandpa Xiao Lin had given him. The pills and medicinal ingredients alone were enough to supply a small sect outside.

Besides being the daughter of a Yao Clan elder, Yao Xian was herself an alchemist on the verge of reaching the eighth tier. Naturally, she had given him plenty of pills.

As the saying went, a loving mother's sword cleaves down upon her wandering son-no, a loving mother's thread becomes the clothes upon her wandering son.

A mother's love was always great. So what about a father's love?

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Zhan beside her.

"What are you looking at me for? Your dad doesn't have anything valuable on him. All my income goes toward supporting this family." Xiao Zhan waved a hand, looking utterly shameless.

"Tch." Xiao Yan curled his lip.

The family talked late into the night. Early the next morning, Xiao Yan went around visiting the clan elders' homes.

"First Elder, I'm leaving today."

"Good. Go out there and make something of yourself."

"I'm leaving."

"I know. I'll see you off."

"I'm leaving."

"??"

"So, aren't you going to give me something?" Xiao Yan held out his hand.

The First Elder: "..."

"Third Elder, I'm leaving soon. I came to say goodbye."

"Good boy. Here's a little token of my affection." The Third Elder tossed him a Storage Ring.

"Is your affection only worth this much?"

The Third Elder: "..."

"Fifth Elder, I'm leaving. I came to say goodbye."

"Go on, go on. Get some proper experience."

"Aren't you going to give me something?"

"Give you what? I've got no money. Just this one life!"

"How dare you! As the Emperor's Son, I'll lock you in the Demon Suppression Tower!"

The Xiao Realm was vast beyond measure, its area exceeding that of almost any empire on the continent. Its borders were also reinforced with formations, so anyone below Dou Sheng could only enter or leave through the Boundary Gate.

The Boundary Gate stood amid the Boundary-Crossing Mountains in the northeast. A hundred zhang tall, it looked like a mysterious black hole from afar, with Xiao Clan members passing in and out from time to time.

Beneath the black hole, two Peak Dou Zun experts led a contingent of troops guarding the site, making its importance to the Xiao Clan plain.

The Boundary Gate was especially lively that day. With Xiao Yan leaving, nearly everyone of standing in the Xiao Lin Lineage had come: one Dou Sheng, nearly ten Dou Zun, over a hundred Dou Zong, and numerous juniors made for quite a magnificent gathering.

The many clan members passing through the black hole all wondered which family's young master was heading out.

"Will we ever see each other again, Brother Yan?"

"When we meet again, you have to be happy."

Xiao Ning looked at Xiao Yan with tearful eyes.

"Get lost. You're scaring me, acting like that." Xiao Yan shoved Xiao Ning away.

"You have to be cheerful. You have to be happy, Brother Yan."

"Keep this up and I'll hit you!"

Xiao Yan stood there as a crowd of his lackeys and little followers gazed at him, reluctant to part.

"Don't worry." Xiao Yan pressed both hands down in a calming gesture. The ten Storage Rings on his ten fingers reflected dazzling rays of sunlight.

Not far away, several clan elders found that radiance exceptionally blinding.

"Once I've established myself on the Northwest Continent, I'll bring you over. Then I'll lead you in carving out a place of our own there!"

Xiao Yan gave his followers a pep talk.

"Young master, we should leave," Xiao Wen gently reminded him.

"I know." Xiao Yan nodded slightly and bid farewell to his family and friends.

"Everyone, take care! Until we meet again!" With that, he followed Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu into the Boundary Gate.

"Brother Yan! Brother Yan, how am I supposed to live without you?"

His followers wept as though their hearts were being torn apart.

"With this departure, the eaglet takes flight. One day, he'll rule the skies." Watching Xiao Yan's retreating figure, Xiao Lin's lips curved into a smile.

Night fell. The Nihility Devouring Flame remained on guard duty, looking utterly weary of life. In the rear mountains, faintly illuminated by his black flames, several figures gathered.

"He's finally gone."

"Keh keh, he's finally gone. Our plan can begin."

The black moonlight illuminated the First Elder's aged face, revealing an eerie smile like a blooming chrysanthemum.

"That brat has put us old fellows through quite a lot over the years."

"Xiao Yan was full of crafty ideas. Most of the children in the clan have been led astray by him."

"Now that he's gone, those brats are dragons without a head. There's no one to stand up for them or shoulder the blame anymore. It's the perfect time to deal with them."

The Third Elder's sinister voice drifted over.

"They say a thief within the family is the hardest to guard against. Under Xiao Yan's leadership, they've stolen no end of things from us old men over the years. They even ate the heavenly treasure sacred lotus I was saving for pill refinement."

The Fifth Elder's bitter voice rang out.

"Xiao Li electrocuted so many of my Heavenly Dragon Fish, too."

"And the fifth-tier magical beast I raised, my Baa-Baa Sheep-it was so adorable, and those little brats roasted it."

"..."

Everyone talked over one another, grumbling about the havoc their unfilial descendants had wreaked on them over the years.

"But things are better now. With Xiao Yan gone, we have plenty of ways to put them through the wringer."

Someone uttered those words, and beneath the black moon, the smiles on the elders' faces grew ever more terrifying.

"Keh keh."

"Keh keh keh."

"Keh keh keh keh keh keh keh!"