Information to Buy His Life

The balance of power in Wutan City was completely rewritten by this battle. Having lost its Da Dou Shi, the Jia Lie Family could no longer amount to much.

The businesses belonging to the Jia Lie Family were soon swallowed up by the Xiao Clan.

Although the Ao Ba Family still had its patriarch, Oba Pa, without the Jia Lie Family acting as a buffer, it could no longer stand against the Xiao Clan.

And after hearing of Jia Lie Bi's death, its members lived in constant dread.

"I never thought the Xiao Clan would actually go this far."

Oba Pa had suspected that the funeral might be a feast concealing a deadly trap, so he had only sent his younger brother, Aoba Rui, in his place.

His thinking had been that even if Aoba Rui came under attack, joining forces with the Jia Lie Family to strike back would still deal the Xiao Clan a serious blow.

Yet a few days later, word reached him that the Xiao Clan's Three Great Elders and Xiao Zhan himself had all emerged without a scratch.

The Jia Lie Family's three Da Dou Shi, a third-rank spirit pet, and his own younger brother, Aoba Rui-a force equivalent to five Da Dou Shi-had all been wiped out by the Xiao Clan.

At that point, Oba Pa knew the tide had turned against him. Once the Xiao Clan finished swallowing up the Jia Lie Family, it would come for him.

After all, he, Oba Pa, had also taken part in the assassination attempt against Xiao Yan. The Qi-Sealing Powder had already exposed where he stood.

Now, never mind protecting the Ao Ba Family's businesses-even his own survival was in question.

"What should I do? What should I do?"

Oba Pa was wracked with regret. In a moment of foolishness, he had believed Jia Lie Bi's words, and now his relationship with the Xiao Clan had soured beyond repair. Even if he bled himself dry, it might not be enough to mend relations between the two families.

It was not as though he had never considered fleeing Wutan City with his treasures and assets.

But after leaving the place his forebears had spent decades building up, where could he go? Who knew how long it would take to establish his own power all over again?

At that thought, Oba Pa gritted his teeth and quickly made a decision.

His Ao Ba Family possessed a treasure that might buy his life-and the lives of the entire family.

"Hahaha! Now that Jia Lie Bi is dead, our Xiao Clan has acquired sixty percent of the Jia Lie Family's businesses in just three days. The rest is only a matter of time."

In the clan's council hall, the Three Great Elders were beaming. Xiao Yan's plan had been a tremendous success, wiping out the Jia Lie Family's strongest fighters in one stroke.

Even though the Jia Lie Family still had some Dou Shi, most were the sort to trim their sails to whichever way the wind blew.

The Xiao Clan did not make things difficult for them. Those willing to submit were allowed to do so, while those unwilling had the businesses under their management bought out by the Xiao Clan.

Naturally, the price was extremely low. If they refused, the Xiao Clan also had ways to make it impossible for them to keep operating.

After all, a great clan naturally needed some forceful methods.

Many people cared more about profit. Who stood above them made no difference at all, and once the Xiao Clan united Wutan City under its rule, their standing might even rise with the tide.

"The only pity is that my son, Xiao Yan, is now considered 'dead' in Wutan City."

The only price was Xiao Yan's death, for only that pretext could reasonably turn this purge into a feud between clans.

But it did not really matter. Once the Xiao Clan stabilized the situation in Wutan City in a few years, no one would be able to say anything even if Xiao Yan returned.

The person at the heart of it all merely yawned. A battle between Da Dou Shi was still beyond his ability to intervene in, so Xiao Yan had ultimately been nothing more than a spectator.

That left Xiao Yan somewhat disappointed. He wondered just how wide the gap was between his current strength and that of a true Da Dou Shi.

"Reporting to the patriarch! Oba Pa, patriarch of the Ao Ba Family, is here to request an audience!"

Just then, an unexpected visitor arrived, leaving everyone in the Xiao Clan puzzled.

"Oba Pa? He actually dares to come to our Xiao Clan at a time like this? How many men did he bring?"

Xiao Zhan immediately pressed for an answer.

"Patriarch, he came alone."

Alone?

No one present understood what medicine Oba Pa was hiding in his gourd.

Still, since he had come alone, he certainly was not here to declare war or cause trouble.

"Let him in. I want to see what he's up to."

Xiao Zhan signaled for the guards to let him through. The Xiao Clan was currently devoting all its efforts to dealing with the Jia Lie Family's remaining businesses and had no time to deal with the Ao Ba Family yet.

He had not expected the other side to pop up at this critical juncture.

Soon, a middle-aged man slowly entered the Xiao Clan's council hall and cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Zhan and the Three Great Elders.

"Patriarch Xiao, I trust you've been well."

Yet the moment he entered, Oba Pa spotted Xiao Yan seated to one side. The young man showed no intention of even hiding himself.

Only then did Oba Pa realize that everything had been a trap laid by the Xiao Clan. Jia Lie Bi's death had been far too bitter a loss.

But matters had already reached this point, and Oba Pa could no longer afford regret. He had come today to fight for a way out for the Ao Ba Family.

"Well, if it isn't Patriarch Oba. What brings you to our Xiao Clan today?"

Every member of the Xiao Clan watched him warily. If Oba Pa made a single suspicious move, he would be subdued on the spot.

"Please, everyone, don't get agitated. I, Oba Pa, have come to offer gifts. At this point, both my Ao Ba Family and the Jia Lie Family have suffered a complete defeat.

"So I intend to give half of the Ao Ba Family's businesses to the Xiao Clan. Even if we can only remain a second-rate power in Wutan City, as long as the Ao Ba Family survives, that will be enough."

Oba Pa's concession was considerable, yet it only drew Xiao Zhan's disdain. "That sounds quite nice, but there is something you must understand, Patriarch Oba. As you are now, you have absolutely nothing with which to oppose our Xiao Clan.

"Even if you refuse to hand over those businesses, they will belong to our Xiao Clan sooner or later. Why, then, should we let you remain in Wutan City?"

Xiao Zhan's reaction was within Oba Pa's expectations, so he revealed the trump card he had brought this time.

"As long as the Xiao Clan is willing to spare the Ao Ba Family, we will not only hand over the formula for Qi-Sealing Powder, but also provide the coordinates of a treasure. Of course, if the Xiao Clan insists on destroying my Ao Ba Family, those coordinates will be buried underground along with me."

Oba Pa's words successfully caught the attention of quite a few Xiao Clan members present.

"That patter might fool children, but if you truly had the coordinates of such a treasure, why would your Ao Ba Family have left it untouched until now?"

First Elder Xiao Lie snorted coldly, convinced that Oba Pa was merely bluffing.

Yet Oba Pa appeared

perfectly calm. Everything was within his expectations.

"That's right, I know where this treasure is. The reason my Ao Ba Family has not retrieved it is that we simply lack the strength to take it away. Because this treasure is known as a Heavenly Flame."

A Heavenly Flame!

Oba Pa's words instantly made Xiao Zhan and the Three Great Elders widen their eyes. Many of the Xiao Clan's younger members, however, had never even heard of Heavenly Flames.

"What I offer in exchange is the precise location of this Heavenly Flame, the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame!"