The Great Net

Tragic news came from Wutan City: Xiao Yan, the Xiao Clan's youngest genius, had fallen!

The news spread rapidly over the next few days, soon reaching all of Wutan City. Even many factions in the Jia Ma Empire heard about it.

There were many versions of the rumors surrounding Xiao Yan's death.

Some said the other two families had secretly assassinated him.

Others said Xiao Yan's fiancée from the Misty Cloud Sect had resented the marriage arranged by their elders and fought a duel to the death with him, leaving him gravely wounded. He had ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Regardless of the version, however, the ending was remarkably consistent: Xiao Yan really was dead.

For a time, everyone in the Xiao Clan wore plain mourning clothes and headbands. Even the clan leader, Xiao Zhan, had been so overwhelmed by grief that anguish had attacked his heart, leaving him bedridden.

The Xiao Clan, once one of the three great families, seemed to have had its lifeline severed overnight...

"Has the news been confirmed?"

In the Jia Lie Family's inner courtyard, Jia Lie Bi urgently questioned the spy who had contacted their informant within the Xiao Clan.

"Clan leader, the news is absolutely true. He even personally saw Xiao Yan's body being placed in the coffin."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Jia Lie Bi's mouth finally lifted into a broad smile. "Dead! Good riddance!"

Xiao Yan's death was like pulling a thorn from his heart, lifting the great stone that had weighed upon it.

Now that Xiao Yan was dead, the Xiao Clan was certain to suffer a devastating blow. On the surface, they had only lost a young genius, but in truth, their chance of rising to prominence had been cut off as well.

"Clan leader, the Xiao Clan intends to hold a grand funeral for Xiao Yan. They'll invite every prominent figure in Wutan City. As one of the three great families standing alongside them, our Jia Lie Family is bound to receive an invitation. Should we attend?"

The spy's words slowly wiped the smile from Jia Lie Bi's face.

As the head of a family, he was naturally no simple-minded man.

Although their informant's confirmation made Xiao Yan's death highly credible, how could he possibly believe that Xiao Zhan was bedridden?

The more weakness the Xiao Clan displayed, the more likely it was that they were secretly gathering strength for some explosive move.

If he attended rashly, he might very well face retaliation from the Xiao Clan at any cost.

"Where does the Xiao Clan intend to hold the funeral?" Jia Lie Bi asked.

"Clan leader, the Mittel Auction House is taking full charge of the funeral this time. They're choosing the venue as well."

The Mittel Family was one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great merchant guilds, with businesses throughout the empire.

The Mittel Auction House was an important business belonging to the Mittel Merchant Guild in Wutan City, managed by its chief auctioneer, Ya Fei.

"For something this important, the Xiao Clan actually chose to entrust it to the Mittel Family? Strange. Truly strange."

Jia Lie Bi kept feeling that everything had gone far too smoothly-or rather, that the Xiao Clan had collapsed far too completely.

"Clan leader, I suspect there must be a Xiao Clan scheme behind this. We should stay out of it."

The spy could also smell a conspiracy and offered Jia Lie Bi his advice.

"You're too naïve. If we don't go, suspicion toward our Jia Lie Family will rise sharply. Besides, rumors that we assassinated him are already raging outside. If we stay away, those rumors will all point squarely at us."

After pondering for a while, Jia Lie Bi finally made his decision. "Not only will I go, but my second and third brothers will go as well. Contact the Ao Ba Family's leader and have him accompany us. Even if there really is a scheme, could the Xiao Clan's three Da Dou Shi possibly take down our five?"

Lately, Jia Lie Bi had even dreamed of Xiao Yan in his sleep. What a pity that such a genius was not his own son.

Whenever he thought of his useless son, who was only a Dou Zhe at twenty-one, Jia Lie Bi felt utterly helpless.

Unless he personally saw Xiao Yan buried, he would never rest easy.

"Yes, clan leader. I'll notify the Ao Ba Family right away."

The spy withdrew respectfully, leaving Jia Lie Bi alone.

"Xiao Clan, whatever calculations you're making, don't dream of having your way!"

The Xiao Clan held Xiao Yan's funeral, and all the major families of Wutan City came to offer their condolences.

"First Elder Xiao, a pleasure to meet you. I met that child Xiao Yan in his early years. To think he would fall at such a young age. Truly tragic."

Aside from the Xiao Clan, the Jia Lie Family, and the Ao Ba Family, quite a few second-rate factions attended as well. Their leaders were generally at the Dou Shi realm, and they also expressed regret over Xiao Yan's death.

Most, however, were merely going through the motions. In truth, Xiao Yan's death only gave many families cause to gloat.

The Xiao Clan's leader, Xiao Zhan, never appeared. Their first elder was responsible for handling the entire funeral.

Yet whether the guests showed genuine emotion or took pleasure in their misfortune, little emotion stirred on First Elder Xiao Lie's face.

The entire funeral was meant to catch the upper ranks of the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family in one net.

The Xiao Clan had spent a hundred thousand gold coins preparing this funeral. As Xiao Yan had put it, no price was too high as long as they could eliminate the upper ranks of the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family.

Once the Xiao Clan reigned supreme in Wutan City, all the money they had spent would flow back to them.

What surprised the Xiao Clan, however, was that they had originally planned to spend three hundred thousand gold coins to hire a Da Dou Shi from the Shadow Tower to assist in the assassinations.

Instead, the Shadow Tower had sent two Three-Star Da Dou Shi assassins without charging a single coin!

The reason given by the Shadow Tower's branch master was that someone had already paid the fee on their behalf.

There was no need to guess who could quietly pay the fee to hire two Da Dou Shi. It had to be Xiao Xun'er, who was always closest to Xiao Yan.

Several hundred thousand gold coins was an enormous sum to the Xiao Clan, but to Xiao Xun'er, it was merely a single hair from nine oxen.

Both assassins were Dark-Attribute Da Dou Shi skilled at concealing their auras. Unless a Dou Ling expert was present, even a Nine-Star Great Dou Master would struggle to detect them.

Until the operation officially began, even the Xiao Clan would not know exactly who had come.

The great net woven by the Xiao Clan had already been cast. All that remained was to wait for the fish to swim into it.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan lay inside an Ice Coffin. With the summer heat blazing, using an Ice Coffin to prevent the body from decaying was perfectly reasonable.

Of course, its main purpose was to let Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa see clearly that the person lying inside really was Xiao Yan.

Dressed in plain mourning clothes, Xiao Xun'er kept vigil beside Xiao Yan's

coffin.

Xiao Yan was only feigning death inside. As long as she scattered the Special Incense, he could wake at any moment.

Yet seeing her beloved Brother Xiao Yan lying in there still filled her with an inexplicable ache.

No matter what, she never wanted to see such a day truly come.

Just as everything proceeded according to plan, the funeral's main targets finally appeared!