A conspiracy

"Sigh, Xun'er's fourteenth birthday is in two days. What should I buy her?"

In Xiao Yan's heart, Xun'er held a very special place, second only to his father, Xiao Zhan.

He received plenty of presents on his birthday every year, but only Xun'er's gifts truly suited his tastes.

To his shame, he had spent most of his time cultivating all these years. Thinking back carefully, he realized he had never properly given her a gift.

Now that she had reached ninth stage Dou Qi, and her fourteenth birthday was approaching, Xiao Yan wanted to give her a birthday present to make her happy.

Although Xiao Yan knew Xun'er would gladly accept anything he gave her, her willingness to overlook it was no excuse for him to pick something carelessly.

Xiao Yan was not poor. On the contrary, he was quite wealthy. His monthly allowance alone amounted to a full thousand gold coins!

Such a generous monthly stipend exceeded even those of the Three Great Elders.

Although many people thought it was too much and suspected the clan leader of using his authority for personal gain, no one stood up to object. Xiao Yan's reputation as a genius was simply too resounding.

Xiao Yan had carefully saved all that money, however. By his reckoning, he now had several tens of thousands.

Just over twenty gold coins could support an ordinary family of three for a year. Tens of thousands in pocket money was already a fortune many families could never earn in their entire lives.

"It's about time I took a trip to Wutan City."

Xiao Yan took out the black cards holding his savings. Each could hold up to five thousand gold coins.

Blindly chasing expensive gifts would only make him seem vulgar. At the very least, Xiao Yan knew that many treasures others drooled over were beneath Xun'er's notice.

But Xiao Yan had never formally given a girl a present before, and that left him at a loss.

He might as well wander around Wutan City. Perhaps he would find something a girl would like.

With that thought, Xiao Yan set off without hesitation. He deliberately did not tell Xun'er, hoping to give her a surprise.

Meanwhile, a group of unusual guests arrived in the inner courtyard of the Jia Lie Family's estate in Wutan City.

"Clan Leader Jia Lie, it's been a long time."

The visitor was none other than Oba Pa, leader of the Ao Ba Family, a Three-Star Da Dou Shi!

Sitting opposite him was a thin, middle-aged man: Jia Lie Bi, leader of the Jia Lie Family, likewise a Three-Star Da Dou Shi.

"I invited you here over an important matter, Clan Leader Oba. It concerns the Xiao Clan."

At the mention of the Xiao Clan, Oba Pa frowned. The Xiao Clan was not a native power of Wutan City.

Rumor had it that several decades ago, they had been a great clan of the Jia Ma Empire. They had even produced a Dou Wang expert!

However, an unforeseen incident had caused that Dou Wang's death, forcing the Xiao Clan to retreat to Wutan City, where they became one of the three great families alongside the other two.

For decades, the three great families had maintained a balance like the three legs of a tripod. But in the Xiao Clan's current generation, an extraordinary genius had appeared: Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's talent was terrifying. He had become a Dou Zhe at just eleven years old. In the future, he might bring the Xiao Clan another Dou Wang expert!

If that happened, the balance among the three great families would inevitably shatter, and the Jia Lie Family and Ao Ba Family would surely be swallowed up by the Xiao Clan.

To prevent that from happening, the Jia Lie Family had secretly devised a plan targeting Xiao Yan.

But after becoming a Dou Zhe, Xiao Yan had lived in seclusion, rarely venturing out. For three whole years, he had never left the Xiao Clan's estate, leaving their plan stalled.

Not long ago, however, the informant Jia Lie Bi had planted in the Xiao Clan reported that Xiao Yan had left the estate and, for some unknown reason, headed into Wutan City alone.

This was an opportunity that came once in a thousand years. Whether they could eliminate Xiao Yan would hinge on this operation.

"Brother Oba, I'll keep this brief. Xiao Yan, the Xiao Clan leader's son, condensed his Dou Qi Vortex and became a Dou Zhe at eleven. Three years have passed since then, and I fear he is already at least a Five-Star Dou Zhe. If we let this boy keep growing, once he becomes a Dou Ling, there will be no place left in Wutan City for either of our families."

Jia Lie Bi's expression was grave. His unspoken meaning was obvious.

"So, Brother Jia Lie, you mean... to eliminate Xiao Yan before that happens?"

"Exactly. If you and I acted rashly, we would be far too conspicuous and would inevitably invite the Xiao Clan's vengeance, with no end until one side was dead. Arranging assassins in secret, however, is feasible. As long as they can't produce evidence, even if the Xiao Clan knows we did it, they won't dare fight us to the bitter end, whether on grounds of sentiment or reason."

He had begun plotting this three years ago. Since then, Jia Lie Bi had repeatedly examined and revised the plan to ensure nothing could go wrong.

"So you approached me this time because you want my Ao Ba Family to contribute as well?"

Oba Pa was shrewd enough to state Jia Lie Bi's objective outright.

"Exactly. Surely you understand that when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold, Brother Oba. If Xiao Yan lives, both our families are doomed!"

Jia Lie Bi's words were not without reason. No one would willingly watch a family their ancestors had painstakingly built over a century be swallowed up by someone else.

Oba Pa looked at Jia Lie Bi and asked quietly, "How many men do you intend to send, Brother Jia Lie?"

"I've already arranged for ten Five-Star Dou Zhe death warriors and one Seven-Star Dou Zhe death warrior. I trained all of them specifically for this purpose. Neither their cultivation methods nor their Dou Techniques are ones commonly used by my Jia Lie Family. Even if they're captured or killed, nothing will lead back to us."

Oba Pa was greatly surprised. Even families like theirs had to expend enormous amounts of money and time to train so many Dou Zhe.

He had never expected Jia Lie Bi to go this far just to eliminate Xiao Yan.

After a brief moment of thought, Oba Pa agreed to Jia Lie Bi's plan. "Very well. Those who waver can never achieve greatness. My Ao Ba Family will take part in this plan too. I'll send five Five-Star Dou Zhe and one Seven-Star Dou Zhe to participate in the assassination.

"In addition, I'll provide five doses of my Ao Ba Family's exclusive Qi-Sealing Powder. That way, even if Xiao Yan is a Nine-Star Dou Zhe, he'll go to his death with no return!"

At Oba Pa's answer, a smile finally appeared on Jia Lie Bi's face.

The Qi-Sealing Powder was precisely why he had drawn the other man in. It was a first-tier medicinal pill, but one intended for offensive use.

Dispersed as a powder, it compressed and sealed the Dou Qi of anyone who inhaled it, making it difficult for them to circulate their energy for a short time. It could seal even a Nine-Star Dou Zhe's Dou Qi!

With the Ao Ba Family's Qi-Sealing Powder, even if Xiao Yan had already become a Nine-Star Dou Zhe, death would be his only path!

"Time waits for no one, Brother Jia Lie. I'll return to my family and make the arrangements right away!"

After the Ao Ba Family's party left, Jia Lie Bi took out a red envelope containing a hundred thousand gold coins.

"Deliver this letter to the Shadow Tower. Tell them my

"Jia Lie Family is willing to pay a hundred thousand gold coins to assassinate someone!"

Jia Lie Bi wore a sinister expression. He still had one final, crucial contingency.

The Shadow Tower was the most mysterious assassination organization on the Northwest Continent. Its headquarters were said to be in the Black-Corner Region.

Its branches were scattered throughout several surrounding empires. As long as one could afford the price, one could hire an assassin of sufficient strength.

A hundred thousand gold coins was enough to hire a Five-Star Dou Master from the Shadow Tower. This was Jia Lie Bi's true killing move!

"Xiao Clan, as long as I, Jia Lie Bi, am here, you will never have the chance to rise again!"

His gaze icy and sinister, Jia Lie Bi coldly pronounced the Xiao Clan's fate.