When the sun hung high in the sky again, no one from the Jia Lie Family appeared.
Some bold people went to look around the Jia Lie Family's grounds. Gold coins, cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, medicinal ingredients-everything had been looted.
Every member of the Jia Lie Family had died a gruesome death. Not one had been spared.
Their council hall, in particular, looked as though a giant had crushed it with a palm. All the Jia Lie Family's higher-ups inside had been reduced to twisted heaps of pulp.
The Jia Lie Family, one of Wutan City's three great families, had been exterminated overnight. Every family, mercenary company, and shop in Wutan City was terrified. They sent gifts to the Xiao Clan one after another, expressing their willingness to submit.
After all, anyone with eyes could see that the Jia Lie Family had attacked their third young master, Xiao Ce, during the day, only to be exterminated that night. It could not have been more obvious which force had acted.
The Xiao Clan.
Xiao Zhan's study.
Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Ce with a complicated expression. "Ce'er, tell your father the truth. Did you have anything to do with what happened to the Jia Lie Family?"
Xiao Ce had long expected Xiao Zhan to ask and offered the explanation he had prepared. "Father, it did have something to do with me.
"During the two months I was away, I took a master. He lives in seclusion in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. When he learned I'd been injured, he ended up exterminating the Jia Lie Family."
"Is that so?" Xiao Zhan quickly accepted this explanation. After all, it made sense.
Surely Xiao Ce, a mere Dou Shi, could not have single-handedly exterminated the Jia Lie Family overnight. That would have been far too shocking.
"Ce'er, this master of yours is rather bloodthirsty. Remember to be extra careful when dealing with him in the future," Xiao Zhan advised earnestly.
Xiao Ce agreed with a solemn expression. After listening to Xiao Zhan ask a few more concerned questions about his injuries, he took his leave of the study.
Back at his residence.
Xiao Ce had been sitting cross-legged, practicing the Breath-Concealing Technique for a while, when he heard a knock at the door.
He opened the courtyard gate to find Xiao Xun'er holding a jade box, standing beside Xiao Yan.
"Xun'er, Fourth Brother, what brings you here?" Xiao Ce asked.
Xiao Yan looked worried. "Third Brother, I heard you took a hit head-on from the Jia Lie Family's Da Dou Shi and several Dou Shi. How are you feeling?"
Xiao Ce answered without missing a beat. "I was wearing extremely high-quality protective armor at the time. I wasn't hurt. Don't worry."
Xiao Yan was still a little worried. "Really?"
Xiao Ce simply gave Xiao Yan an unforgettable smack on the back of the neck and laughed. "If something really were wrong, could I still be standing here?"
Reassured, Xiao Yan rubbed his red, swollen neck and grimaced. "Damn, Third Brother, go a little easier!"
Xiao Ce smiled and looked at the jade box in Xiao Xun'er's hands. "Xun'er, what have you got there?"
Xiao Xun'er opened the box, revealing an ointment like white jade inside. "This is a healing ointment. It works quite well. I wanted to apply some for you, Brother Xiao Ce..."
Xiao Yan chimed in from the side. "Ah, then you've brought it to the wrong person, Xun'er. Third Brother looks perfectly fine..."
"Go on, get back to your own courtyard!" Xiao Ce rewarded Xiao Yan with a kick.
Xiao Yan bared his teeth, grumbling as he ran off. "Third Brother, you forget your brother the moment you see a pretty girl!"
Ignoring him, Xiao Ce took Xiao Xun'er's hand and led her into the little courtyard. "Xun'er, I really do feel some pain. Help me apply a little ointment."
Blushing, Xiao Xun'er lowered her head and murmured her assent. "Mm~"
"Xun'er, you were close by, so the shock waves must have caught you too. Let me apply some ointment for you."
"Brother Xiao Ce, I'm fine... just a tiny bit, then."
"Xun'er, why is your lower belly so red? I..."
"B-Brother Xiao Ce, so hot... your hand is so hot..."
Time always quickened its pace during happy moments.
Seemingly in the blink of an eye, Xiao Ce had already spent over a month at home.
Over that month and more, his cultivation had risen another star, reaching Four-Star Dou Shi. He was another step closer to breaking through to Da Dou Shi and gaining his next deployment opportunity.
As for the Breath-Concealing Technique, perhaps because the system had transmitted this secret art directly to him, sparing him the time needed to understand and comprehend it, his progress had been consistently swift.
Over that month and more, he had smoothly reached major accomplishment.
When he used it with his current Dou Shi cultivation, even Dou Ling experts could not sense his aura at all. Dou Wang experts had to come close to notice it, and even at the closest distance, they could not clearly discern his cultivation.
It was worth mentioning that, as a treasure of heaven and earth, the Ninth Grade Golden Pill had both comprehension and talent at their maximum.
With the month in the little valley and the month-plus in the Xiao Clan, she had smoothly cultivated the Breath-Concealing Technique to perfection.
Now, as long as she did not unleash the full strength of an Eight-Star Dou Sheng, even Hun Tiandi could brush past her without sensing her aura.
Besides her, the Mysterious Yellow Flame had also practiced the Breath-Concealing Technique. She had only just reached minor accomplishment, making her the slowest of the three "people." This left her a little down, and she was always secretly practicing by herself at night.
Knock, knock, knock-
There was a knock at the courtyard gate. Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er had come.
Xiao Ce looked at the two of them and asked, "What is it?"
Xiao Yan sounded rather excited. "Jia Nan Academy's recruitment is here. Come with us, Third Brother."
Xiao Xun'er also looked at Xiao Ce and said with a smile, "Brother Xiao Ce, you're a nineteen-year-old Dou Shi. You'll definitely pass the recruitment easily."
Looking at the two of them, Xiao Ce calmly shook his head. "No, I won't be going."
Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er froze, then immediately asked why he would not go.
Xiao Ce did not hide anything, explaining concisely, "With the Three-Year Agreement ahead of me, I need to travel and improve my strength quickly. Academy life doesn't suit me for now.
"You two go. Once it's time for the Three-Year Agreement, I'll come to Jia Nan Academy to join you."
Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er felt rather dejected and downcast, but they also knew Xiao Ce had a point. After telling him to stay safe while training away from home, they left.
Watching them leave, Xiao Ce sighed softly, returned to his room to pack his belongings into the Gilded Ring, and left the Xiao Clan.
Before leaving, he went to take a look at the recruitment site. Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er both passed smoothly with the highest rating.
It was worth mentioning that, because the cultivation method he had practiced from the start was Early Earth Tier, Xiao Yan's cultivation had progressed considerably faster than in the original story. He had already reached five-star Dou Zhe and was not far from Six-Star Dou Zhe.
There was no Three-Year Agreement, no practicing the Flame Mantra, and no need to search for Heavenly Flames.
Because of this, Xiao Yan did not request leave and depart as he had in the original story.
After watching the recruitment process from the air, Xiao Ce tapped the Golden Pill hanging against his chest and whispered, "Let's go. It's time to leave."
The Ninth Grade Golden Pill stirred. A sliver of vast power leaked out, tearing open a spatial passage before Xiao Ce.
Xiao Ce stepped forward and vanished. His destination was not the Tagor Desert, but the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
Before heading to the desert, he had to visit that cave from the original story, no matter what. He could not miss the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map.
Before you continue