A shift in authority

"Xiao Qian, Xun'er, are you all right?"

Only after Xiao Qian had finished refining the puppet, put it into his Storage Ring, and taken a stroll around the lake hand in hand with Xiao Xun'er did Xiao Zhan and the others come hurrying over.

Xiao Zhan's face was filled with anxiety, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. The Great Elder followed close behind, looking just as tense.

"Clan Leader, Great Elder, after all this time, anything that was going to happen would have happened already."

Xiao Qian chuckled, thoroughly unimpressed by their efficiency.

"Sorry, I was worried we'd be intercepted again, so I took a detour. Thank goodness you're all right!"

Xiao Yu had followed behind the Great Elder as well, feeling both guilty and relieved.

Her gaze flickered evasively before she burst into curses. "It's all that bastard Xiao Yan's fault! He was heavy, troublesome, and only made things worse. He woke up halfway and started going berserk. It took me ages to knock him out again!"

She waved her arms as she spoke, her face full of frustration.

The Great Elder immediately turned to stare at Xiao Zhan.

Looking somewhat embarrassed, Xiao Zhan explained, "Xiao Yan fell victim to the Jia Lie Family's scheme. There's still a huge quantity of drugs in his body, and we can't clear them out quickly. I've already tied him to his bed."

"Drugs? What drugs?" Xiao Xun'er was bewildered.

She had grown worried because it was getting so late and had followed the connection between them to find him. She still had no idea what had happened.

"It was... well, that sort of drug..." Xiao Yu stammered, her small face flushing crimson, too embarrassed to say it outright.

Xiao Zhan gave Xiao Qian a curious look. "They shouldn't have overlooked you. How are you unaffected?"

"Who said I was unaffected? I merely suppressed it." Xiao Qian stole a glance at Xiao Xun'er.

The girl finally realized something. A blush suddenly colored her face, making her look like a peach blossom in full bloom, so tender and lovely it seemed to drip with color.

The atmosphere grew suggestive for a moment, as though an invisible current were passing between them.

"Ahem. What about the people who were hunting you?"

Seeing Xiao Xun'er's bashful expression, Xiao Zhan tactfully changed the subject, his face gradually turning solemn. "Earlier, the Jia Lie Family stirred up trouble at the Xiao Family Market for no reason and injured several of our guards. Even Jia Lie Bi showed up, so the Great Elder and I had no choice but to go... I never imagined it was a feint to the east while they struck in the west!"

"That old bastard Jia Lie Bi!" the Great Elder cursed. "To think his targets were you and Xiao Yan!"

"Hmph. Killing a threat before it grows-I anticipated that, but I never expected them to go this far." Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Qian and asked, "Where are the people who hunted you? I heard Jia Lie Lin was among them? That fellow's a Dou Shi. Where is he now? We'll go kill him!"

"Dead," Xiao Qian said.

His tone was calm, as though he were talking about something utterly insignificant.

"Dead?!" Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder exclaimed together.

Their eyes widened, their faces filled with shock. They could not believe a Dou Shi had been dealt with just like that.

Xiao Yu covered her mouth, her eyes shining. "Was... was it you?" Her voice held both delighted surprise and disbelief.

Xiao Xun'er glanced at her, a golden gleam flashing in her eyes. "Big Brother dealt him a fatal blow. Afterward, I burned him to ashes."

Xiao Yu shuddered, as though she were seeing her for the first time.

She stared at Xiao Xun'er in astonishment, never having imagined that this usually quiet girl possessed such a formidable side.

Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder remained steeped in shock, unable to recover.

Someone with Three-Stage Dou Qi had dealt a Dou Shi a fatal blow? Was this some tale out of mythology?

Their hearts were filled with doubt and shock, and they gained a new understanding of Xiao Qian's strength.

Rustle, rustle.

Just then, several sounds of movement through the woods suddenly rang out.

Everyone's expressions sharpened. Judging by the sounds, the newcomers' Dou Qi cultivation was not low.

Xiao Zhan immediately stepped in front of Xiao Qian and Xiao Xun'er and barked in a low voice, "Who goes there!"

Two figures in dark green robes appeared on the woodland path. One was middle-aged, with a sinister gaze; the other was somewhat younger, his face covered in brutish flesh.

"Jia Lie Bi! Jia Lie Nu!"

Xiao Zhan sneered. "What? Stirring up trouble at our Xiao Family Market wasn't enough, so now you've come running to our Xiao Clan's Back Mountain? Do you really think this clan leader and the Xiao Clan's elders are dead?!"

Yet Jia Lie Bi swept a glance over Xiao Qian behind him, his expression even darker than Xiao Zhan's. "Xiao Zhan, hand over my Ao!" His voice was low, carrying barely restrained anger.

"Oh? Jia Lie Ao?" Xiao Zhan froze briefly, then quickly scoffed. "You failed to keep an eye on your own son, and now you're coming to the Xiao Clan demanding him back?!" His tone was full of mockery.

"Stop playing dumb!" Jia Lie Bi growled, his eyes blazing. "We both know what happened tonight! We can discuss compensation! But if you dare do anything to Ao, the Jia Lie Family and your Xiao Clan will fight until one of us is dead!" His gaze was vicious, like a beast driven into a corner.

"Your son's a person, but mine isn't?"

Xiao Zhan's temper flared as well, fiery red Dou Qi surging from his entire body. "A fight to the death? Just what I wanted!"

His Dou Qi burned like flames, scorching the surrounding air.

In an instant, swords seemed drawn and bows bent. Both sides brimmed with killing intent, a great battle poised to erupt at any moment.

Xiao Qian and Xiao Xun'er watched coldly from the sidelines.

Each side had two Da Dou Shi present, so neither held an advantage. If they fought, the outcome would be difficult to predict. The two watched quietly, waiting for the situation to change.

"Where did Jia Lie Ao go, then?" the Great Elder suddenly asked Xiao Qian softly.

Xiao Qian answered casually, "He died in the woods over there." His tone was relaxed, as though he were discussing something of no consequence.

"Bullshit!" Jia Lie Bi's hearing was quite good. He roared, "We've already searched! Everyone we sent died there, except my son!"

"You brought it on yourselves, and now you're eating the bitter fruit." Xiao Zhan gloated.

Jia Lie Bi nearly spat blood, but he had no choice but to humble himself. "Consider this a defeat for the Jia Lie Family. I can authorize the transfer of three markets to you, as long as my son returns safely."

Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder exchanged a glance, unable to help feeling tempted.

If Xiao Yan alone had been attacked, they might have chosen to negotiate, but this matter also involved Xiao Qian... They hesitated, unsure what to choose.

"Xiao Qian, what do you think?" Xiao Zhan asked quietly for his opinion. The sight made the corners of Jia Lie Bi's and Jia Lie Nu's eyes twitch madly.

Who exactly was the head of the Xiao Clan?

Their hearts were filled with confusion.

Jia Lie Bi took a long look at Xiao Qian and Xiao Xun'er, who stood aloof to one side. Suddenly, he felt a chilling sense that he had kicked an iron plate. That instinct had saved his life many times before.

Unease welled up inside him. Something felt wrong.

"I think Clan Leader Jia Lie's sincerity is lacking." Xiao Qian smiled without warmth.

One look told Xiao Zhan that he already had a plan, so he refrained from interrupting and left the matter to him.

"Then tell me, what would show sufficient sincerity?" Jia Lie Bi asked, swallowing his anger.

Seeing his complete reversal in attitude, Xiao Zhan could not help cursing inwardly. Old fox!

Xiao Qian had naturally already prepared what he would say. He spoke leisurely. "Since you're making amends, you should make a proper show of it. At noon tomorrow, please bring the deeds to the markets and deliver them to the Xiao Clan with great fanfare. And enter the Xiao Clan's gates alone. Then we'll exchange the markets for your son."

Jia Lie Bi's gaze darkened.

Great fanfare would disgrace the Jia Lie Family, letting everyone in Wutan City know that they had bowed to the Xiao Clan. As for making him enter alone, that was even more sinister. What if there was an ambush...

"No! My elder brother cannot go to your Xiao Clan alone. Who knows what you might do!"

Jia Lie Nu suddenly stepped forward without hesitation. "I'll go in my elder brother's place!"

Conflict crossed Jia Lie Bi's face, his thoughts unreadable.

He wanted to save his son, yet feared for his own safety. His heart was deeply torn.

No one from the Xiao Clan paid any attention to Jia Lie Nu's words, either. They all knew that once Xiao Qian had spoken, the matter was settled. Jia Lie Bi would have to come, whether he wanted to or not!

Only Xiao Yu found it strange. She looked at the clan leader, then at her grandfather, then at Xiao Qian, unable to understand how the authority to speak had passed into Xiao Qian's hands.

"Agreed."

After a long silence, Jia Lie Bi finally nodded slowly. "But it can't be just our two families. I propose having the Otto Family serve as witnesses."

He was trying to secure some safeguards for himself.

Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiao Qian.

Xiao Qian nodded indifferently.

He knew perfectly well that, witnesses or not, he had ways to deal with it.

Jia Lie Bi relaxed a little. If they had still insisted at this point that he enter the Xiao Clan entirely alone, he truly would not have dared go.

If his son died, he could father another. If he himself died, he would be dead for good!