Intimidation

In the Xiao Clan's council hall in Wutan City, Xiao Zhan wore a grim expression as he urgently gathered all the clan's senior members.

Even the Three Great Elders rarely saw Xiao Zhan like this. None dared speak rashly, afraid of inviting trouble.

"I summoned you all here today to make one thing clear. My son, Xiao Yan, was surrounded and attacked at Wutan City's Treasure Stall in broad daylight by more than a dozen Dou Zhe of five stars or higher!"

At Xiao Zhan's words, everyone in the council hall's expression changed.

More than a dozen Dou Zhe of five stars or higher? A force like that could probably put up a fight even against a newly advanced Dou Shi.

But the most frightening part was that Xiao Yan, who had yet to turn sixteen, had escaped their combined assault unscathed.

Although they knew of Xiao Yan's reputation as a genius, even the Three Great Elders were unsure exactly how far he had progressed.

"This is outrageous! Who would dare target our Xiao Clan so brazenly?"

The Xiao Clan's First Elder had a fiery temper, and anger surged through him at the news.

"Do we even need to think about it? Who besides the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family could gather so many Dou Zhe on short notice and arrange a premeditated assassination?"

"Those bastards! Aren't they making it clear that they want war with our Xiao Clan?"

For a moment, outrage swept through the Xiao Clan's ranks. If they dared assassinate Xiao Yan today, they would dare assassinate the clan leader tomorrow.

If the Xiao Clan failed to respond, wouldn't that amount to admitting they feared the two families joining forces?

"I think that since Xiao Yan wasn't injured, and this matter isn't particularly suitable for public disclosure, we should refrain from taking further action for now. Once the Xiao Clan has grown stronger, we can settle the score after the harvest."

The speaker was the Second Elder. He advocated turning a major problem into a minor one, then making the minor one disappear. After all, the Xiao Clan was still developing, and openly breaking with the other two great families now would benefit no one.

Smack!

The sound of a palm slamming against the table rang through the council hall. It was Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Clan's leader.

"Settle the score after the harvest? You old fool, how can you even say that? They're already openly ambushing my son! If we let this go, how will our Xiao Clan have the face to maintain its foothold in Wutan City?"

Xiao Zhan was cautious and levelheaded by nature. For the clan's interests, he could give up many things.

But this concerned his own flesh and blood. He could never tolerate it.

Xiao Zhan would never forget his wife's dying request that he take good care of their three children.

If Xiao Yan were assassinated, how could he face Ling Yao in the world below?

"Xiao Zhan, remember your position. You are the Xiao Clan's leader. Are you going to disregard the lives of several hundred clan members for Xiao Yan alone?"

The Third Elder also opposed taking action. If the three great families went to war, even a victory would leave the Xiao Clan with shattered bones and torn sinews. They could not act so rashly.

"Everyone, could you let me, the person involved, say a few words?"

Xiao Yan had originally had no intention of joining the clan's dispute, but now it seemed he had no choice but to step forward.

"Xiao Yan, you may be the victim, but what right does a junior like you have to speak on major clan affairs?"

Because of Xiao Yan, many businesses belonging to the Third Elder's faction had been placed under Xiao Yan's control early on, leaving many of the Third Elder's subordinates dissatisfied with him.

"Old man, don't try throwing your age around with me. If we didn't share the surname Xiao, I'd have knocked you flat with one punch long ago. You ask what right I have to speak? Then I'll show you exactly what gives me that right."

The instant his words fell, Xiao Yan unleashed his Dou Qi at full strength, and the Dou Qi Veil around his body became unmistakably clear!

"Is my strength as a Six-Star Dou Shi enough?"

A Six-Star Dou Shi!

Everyone present stared with wide eyes. Among the Xiao Clan's fighters at the Dou Shi level, apart from Xiao Yan's two older brothers, who were away expanding their mercenary company, there was only this Third Elder.

The First Elder was a three-star Da Dou Shi, and the Second Elder was a two-star Da Dou Shi. Only the Third Elder remained a nine-star Dou Shi.

Yet he was already over fifty, with no hope of reaching Da Dou Shi in his lifetime.

And Xiao Yan, standing before them at just fifteen, had already cultivated to Six-Star Dou Shi!

Everyone knew of Xiao Yan's reputation as a genius, but they had never truly felt what it meant. They had assumed the gap between themselves and this so-called genius was something they could measure with their own eyes.

Today, however, Xiao Yan had delivered a resounding slap to all their faces. What he had achieved at fifteen was already a height many people could never reach in their entire lives.

The Third Elder, who had been so arrogant moments earlier, no longer dared speak. After all, he himself was only a nine-star Dou Shi.

Yet Xiao Yan was so young that breaking through to Da Dou Shi and becoming a Dou Ling, or even a Dou Wang, was practically a certainty.

Xiao Zhan, by contrast, was wild with joy. He had suspected his son had already become a Dou Shi, but had never imagined that in just three years, Xiao Yan had advanced from a Dou Zhe to a Six-Star Dou Shi!

Meanwhile, Xiao Xun'er kept smiling throughout, her eyes filled with approval.

Xiao Yan quickly reined in his Dou Qi. After all, everyone present belonged to the Xiao Clan.

He had done this only to let everyone know how much weight his words carried within the clan.

"We're all members of the Xiao Clan. A little squabbling and the occasional dispute are normal, but I want you to remember one thing. If I, Xiao Yan, am a Dou Ling, then our Xiao Clan is a Dou Ling-level power. If I am a Dou Wang, then our Xiao Clan is a Dou Wang-level power. If I am a Dou Emperor, then our Xiao Clan is a Dou Emperor-level power!"

Xiao Yan's words struck the ground like ringing metal, shaking every member of the Xiao Clan present.

"How powerful a faction is depends on how powerful its strongest member is!"

At that moment, no one in the entire Xiao Clan questioned or opposed Xiao Yan's words anymore.

At his age, he might truly become a Dou Emperor one day. When that happened, the Xiao Clan could even surpass the prosperity it had enjoyed under Xiao Lin's leadership!

"Wutan City's stage is far too small. Sooner or later, I'll leave this place. But before that, the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family must be uprooted!"

After Xiao Yan displayed his strength, no one in the Xiao Clan opposed him anymore. Everyone agreed with his decision.

However, carrying out a concrete plan would still take some time.

Just then, one of the Xiao Clan's Dou Zhe guards rushed into the council hall.

"Clan leader, honored guests are at the entrance requesting an audience!"

Xiao Zhan frowned. Today concerned a major clan affair. No matter who these honored guests were, he did not want to see them.

"Tell them to leave. Our Xiao Clan isn't receiving guests today."

Xiao Zhan waved his hand, signaling for the guard to send them away.

"But they said they were

from the Misty Cloud Sect."

The Misty Cloud Sect!

The moment that name was spoken, everyone present was deeply shaken.

The Misty Cloud Sect was the largest sect in the entire Jia Ma Empire, and even had a Dou Huang expert within its ranks. Why would its members come to their small, remote city?

"How many of them are there? Did you ask their names?"

Even Xiao Zhan dared not be careless upon hearing the name Misty Cloud Sect. If they offended them, it could spell utter disaster for the Xiao Clan.

"Clan leader, only two people came. One is an old man of sixty or seventy, and the other is a girl around the young clan leader's age. She said she belongs to the Nalan Family, and her name is... Nalan Yanran."