Settling the Score

"Thank you for your trouble, Second Uncle. This is exactly the mithril I needed. Go back and get some proper rest!"

The Xiao Realm, Heavenly Strategy Manor.

Xiao Chun was worried that he might seek revenge on his behalf. That would undoubtedly expose their branch's true strength, and if the matter escalated, their plan could fail.

"Tian Ce, I'm fine. You mustn't act rashly," Xiao Chun said worriedly.

"Ah, you've suffered, Second Uncle. Look, I haven't even asked who you clashed with. Clearly, I intend to let the matter rest. Don't worry. Just go back and get some proper rest." Xiao Tian Ce spoke with a somewhat ashamed expression, looking as though he was putting the bigger picture first. It was quite convincing.

Seeing this, Xiao Chun repeatedly confirmed that he would not go looking for trouble before finally nodding and leaving with his mind at ease.

After Xiao Chun left, Xiao Tian Ce's expression turned cold. He murmured to himself, "My parents died early. Though you're my second uncle, you raised me just as my own father would have. Second Uncle, how could I possibly swallow this insult?"

"Someone, come here!"

As he spoke, Xiao Tian Ce called toward the outside.

A moment later, a member of their branch's Dark Yellow Army stationed near Heavenly Strategy Manor hurried inside.

"Xiao Bieli of the Dark Yellow Army pays his respects to the clan head. What are your orders?"

A man whose strength was roughly at Peak Dou Zong, yet whose age was about the same as Xiao Qing's, ran inside and bowed respectfully to him.

"Mm. Do you know who clashed with Elder Xiao Chun at the Treasure Pavilion within the past hour?" Xiao Tian Ce asked gravely.

"Reporting to the clan head, I do. Word of this just spread through almost the entire Xiao Clan. It was Elder Tian Elder Yun who clashed with Elder Xiao Chun. His son wanted to forge a sword as his weapon and needed mithril.

"But there was only one piece of mithril left in the Treasure Pavilion. Relying on his cultivation at Peak Four-Star Dou Saint, Elder Tian Elder Yun demanded it, disregarding Elder Xiao Chun's earlier application.

"Elder Xiao Chun refused, so Elder Tian Elder Yun said that if Elder Xiao Chun could withstand one move from him, he would give up the mithril. He said he would let Elder Xiao Chun have it out of pity for our branch." Xiao Bieli bowed as he spoke.

Hearing this, Xiao Tian Ce suddenly sneered. "If I remember correctly, the head of Xiao Tian Yun's branch is his elder brother, Xiao Tian Shan, right? A peak Six-Star Dou Sheng."

"Yes, Clan Head. Elder Tian Shan is indeed the head of that branch," Xiao Bieli confirmed.

"Good. Very good. I slept for a hundred years, and to think that Tian Shan, who once treated me with the utmost deference, has actually become the head of a branch."

Xiao Tian Ce laughed in his fury. If he remembered correctly, back when he, Xiao Xuan, and Xiao Chen were known as the Three Talents of the Xiao Clan, the brothers Xiao Tian Shan and Xiao Tian Yun had merely been his followers.

To think that after a hundred years, those two brothers had started throwing their weight around.

Whoosh!

With a stir of Xiao Tian Ce's soul power, a masked Heavenly Demon Puppet abruptly appeared.

Xiao Bieli jumped in fright. Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Tian Ce said coldly, "Take this Heavenly Demon Puppet to Xiao Tian Shan's Mountain Ghost Pavilion. Tell him that Elder Xiao Chun is my second uncle. Since his younger brother Tian Yun made my second uncle withstand one move before he would give up the mithril, I, as his nephew, cannot simply stand by.

"If he can withstand one move from this Heavenly Demon Puppet of mine, this matter will be settled. If he objects, let him and Xiao Tian Yun come to Heavenly Strategy Manor in person and argue their case with me."

"Clan Head, can this Heavenly Demon Puppet handle it?"

Although Xiao Bieli could sense that the Heavenly Demon Puppet beside him was powerful, he was still somewhat worried.

"Go. You needn't worry about anything else."

"Yes!"

Xiao Bieli bowed respectfully, then turned and left. The Heavenly Demon Puppet followed him at an unhurried pace.

Half an hour later, the Heavenly Demon Puppet returned.

Since the Heavenly Demon Puppet had been refined using a sliver split from his own soul, Xiao Tian Ce knew everything that had just happened.

Meanwhile, at Mountain Ghost Pavilion.

Mountain Ghost Pavilion was also one of the Xiao Realm's famous buildings. Just moments earlier, Xiao Tian Yun and Xiao Tian Shan had been sent flying backward like kites with severed strings, both their arms broken.

Watching what had just happened, Xiao Bieli was astonished. He had never expected a single Heavenly Demon Puppet to defeat both Elder Tian Shan, a peak Six-Star Dou Sheng, and Elder Tian Elder Yun, a Peak Four-Star Dou Saint, at the same time.

Besides surprise, his previously worried face now also showed the satisfaction of seeing justice done.

"Elders, the clan head said that after you withstand one move, this matter will be settled. If you object, you may go to Heavenly Strategy Manor and argue your case with him," Xiao Bieli declared.

"We wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare. Go back and tell Brother Tian Ce that I'll come shortly, bearing thorn branches to beg forgiveness."

Xiao Bieli had thought Xiao Tian Shan would fly into a rage over losing face and make things difficult for him. He had never expected that, after being defeated in one move, Xiao Tian Shan would not even dare utter a threat.

"I'll be sure to pass that on."

After Xiao Bieli and the Heavenly Demon Puppet left together, Xiao Tian Yun looked at his elder brother beside him, his face full of resentment. "Brother, why are you still such a coward? Xiao Tian Ce is merely an Early Five-Star Dou Sheng. Could he possibly be stronger than a peak Six-Star Dou Sheng like you?"

Smack!

Xiao Tian Shan slapped Xiao Tian Yun hard across the face, then rebuked him coldly. "What do you know? The moment Xiao Tian Ce woke up, I warned you not to provoke anyone from their branch again. Did you let my words blow past your ears?"

"Brother, you actually hit me?"

Xiao Tian Yun found it hard to accept that his own elder brother, who had always doted on him, had slapped him over this matter.

"If you insist on being a fool, don't drag me down with you.

"Do you know whether a single one of the other clansmen who used to bully Xiao Tian Ce's branch has dared to keep doing so since he woke up?

"And stop talking about Xiao Tian Ce being only an Early Five-Star Dou Sheng. Even if he were only as strong as you, who in the entire clan besides the clan chief would dare claim they could firmly suppress him? Who would dare say they could defeat him for certain?

"Heh, Tian Yun, don't think cultivation realms represent everything. Overwhelming someone through a higher realm only applies to people like us.

"For a genius like Xiao Tian Ce, fighting above his level is as ordinary as a daily meal.

"Never mind anything else. Just take that puppet from earlier. One simple punch injured both of us. Its strength is at least that of a Seven-Star Dou Saint.

"Enough. Tidy yourself up. We'll go together, bearing thorn branches to beg forgiveness."

Xiao Tian Shan understood his own limits well. After delivering that lecture, he wanted to let the matter rest and planned to take Xiao Tian Yun along to apologize.

Beside him, Xiao Tian Yun was deeply indignant at his elder brother's cowardice. "Go yourself if you want to. I'm not going to humiliate myself like that. I'm going to find Brother Xiao Wu. He's a Late-Stage Seven-Star Dou Saint now. Surely he isn't afraid of Xiao Tian Ce?"

Hearing this, Xiao Tian Shan looked at his foolish younger brother and scolded him, exasperated that iron would not become steel. "Xiao Wu? Heh. Believe me, if you go looking for him now, you won't even get to see his face."

"I don't care. I refuse to swallow this insult."

With that, Xiao Tian Yun swiftly vanished from the spot.

After he left, Xiao Tian Shan instructed his clansmen to prepare gifts and waited for Xiao Tian Yun to return empty-handed so they could go together.

In truth, he was somewhat afraid to go to Heavenly Strategy Manor alone. Before Xiao Tian Ce fell unconscious, he had always seemed to him like a light beyond his reach.

"Go on. If you still can't see the situation clearly, then go and try."

There's one more update coming after midnight. I took a nap this afternoon and missed the scheduled time. I'll make up that update shortly.