With a loud shout, truly a heartfelt maxim, Zhao Jin, without hesitation, brought his palm down heavily on Xiao Yan's head. If this palm struck, even if Xiao Yan didn't die, he would instantly become an idiot!
Above Xiao Yan's head, the energy of heaven and earth continued to gather frantically, and his cheeks bulged slightly without him realizing it, as his internal Origin Qi was also mobilized.
Although he was currently in the process of breaking through, he was not completely unaware of the outside world. Faced with Zhao Jin's ruthless actions, even at the cost of damaging his cultivation, he had no choice but to confront him head-on!
"Get out! You've ruined my Zhao Clan's fortune. Today, I will not only expel you, but I will also take back what we've lost, many times over!"
Zhao Jin looked down at Xiao Yan, who was right in front of him, and a chilling aura rapidly gathered in his palm. With a sinister smile on his face, he suddenly brought his palm down!
"Boom!"
In an instant, a deep explosion suddenly resounded, followed by an astonishing ripple of energy that spread outwards. Along its path, the ground shattered once more, turning into a thick layer of dust. Not far away, the already crumbling half-built building finally collapsed under this blow.
Watching this scene unfold, many people around were shocked. After all, this was Yuan Zun Venerable. Even his simple movements could cause such a commotion. If he were to actually fight, how terrifying would that be!
Dust billowed, followed by another low thud. A figure was sent flying backward from the point of impact, taking a hundred steps in mid-air before finally regaining his footing. Looking up, he recognized the person as Zhao Jin!
A gentle breeze swept by, dispersing the dust and revealing an old man. Behind him, Xiao Yan continued to absorb the energy of heaven and earth, his aura already reaching the level of Three-Star Yuan Zong. After a moment, once his aura was completely stabilized, he would truly break through.
" Zhao Jin, the family has always been lenient with you because you are generally meticulous in your work. But we never expected you to act so recklessly and shamelessly, openly attacking members of the Xiao Clan! Are you challenging the dignity of the Xiao Clan?!"
After glancing at Xiao Yan, who was unaffected behind him, Xiao Mingyuan turned around, his face icy as he stared at Zhao Jin in the distance, and shouted in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jin's face turned ashen. He hadn't expected Xiao Mingyuan to suddenly appear at this crucial moment, and his sharp words struck at his heart, exposing the entire Zhao Clan in a single sentence.
Sure enough, as soon as Xiao Mingyuan finished speaking, the eyes of many members of the Xiao Clan around him couldn't help but fall on Zhao Jin. Many of them had been treated coldly by him in the past, and some had even suffered because of him. Now that Xiao Mingyuan had said these words, the hostility that was hidden deep in their hearts was now revealed.
Seeing this, Zhao Jin's heart skipped a beat, and with a flicker of his eyes, he quickly shouted:
"Third Elder, you are mistaken. The Zhao Clan's loyalty to the Xiao Clan is as clear as day. My actions are merely to prevent the family from being deceived in vain!"
Xiao Mingyuan's face darkened, and those present couldn't help but sneer upon hearing this. Zhao Jin, however, ignored it all, his eyes darting around, and continued shouting loudly:
"The other day, Xiao Yan left the clan without permission and met with Ouyang Miao, the heir of the Ouyang Clan, in Shuyang City. I happened to witness this. Although I tried my best to persuade him, Xiao Yan not only refused to listen to a word, but even ordered the Fan Jian under the Ouyang Clan to attack me. I was no match for him and had to retreat. If the Third Elder does not believe me, he can ask Young Master Xiao Tian. He was also present at the time and can serve as a witness!"
After saying that, Zhao Jin looked at Xiao Mingyuan with an innocent expression and said sternly:
"I know that the Third Elder is on good terms with Xiao Yan, but when it comes to matters of great importance to the family, I hope that the Third Elder will not show favoritism!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the murmurs in the room immediately subsided, and many people turned their attention to Xiao Yan, who was still sitting cross-legged.
If that's really the case, then Zhao Jin's actions today are understandable. Besides, Xiao Yan has only been in the Xiao Clan for less than a month, and he met the young master of the Ouyang Clan in secret. This is a taboo, and if it's confirmed, even if Xiao Yan has great abilities, he will probably find it difficult to stay in the Xiao Clan.
Upon realizing this, Xiao Mingyuan's heart sank. He naturally understood Zhao Jin's deeper meaning, but since he had brought out witnesses, it meant that there was more than one person who knew about this, and the matter must be true. Then, Xiao Yan...
"You're lying! We just happened to run into the young master of the Ouyang Clan, so..."
That's why I ordered the Fan Jian to attack me, so everything I said is true.
Beside Xiao Xuan, Lian'er's pretty face was full of anger, but before she could finish speaking, Zhao Jin gave a forceful argument, which made the people around him believe Zhao Jin's words even more.
After all, even those close to Xiao Yan admitted it themselves, so why would Zhao Jin need to fabricate anything?
Immediately, the Xiao Clan members on the field started discussing again, and the topic shifted from Zhao Jin to Xiao Yan and his group.
Xiao Xuan frowned. Although he knew the ins and outs of the matter, he was outnumbered and the situation was already set in stone. If he said anything more, he would only add fuel to the fire and cause more trouble.
But at that moment, a cold laugh suddenly rang out.
"Heh, Patriarch Zhao Clan is truly eloquent and sharp-tongued. With just a few words, he not only distorted the facts but also pinned all the blame on me. He truly has the demeanor of a 'strongman'!"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone present immediately turned to look in the direction of the voice. Xiao Xuan and Xiao Mingyuan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and smiles returned to their faces.
Although Zhao Jin still controlled the situation on the field, they immediately felt much more relaxed after Xiao Yan spoke, as if all the troubles would be resolved. And in fact, that was indeed the case.
"Heh, you broke through?"
Xiao Mingyuan smiled as he looked at Xiao Yan, who had a calm expression on his face, and nodded with a smile.
"Yes, thank you very much, Third Elder."
Xiao Yan nodded slightly and said.
"Haha, I didn't expect that you would have made a breakthrough in your cultivation in less than a month since you came back. It seems that you are determined to win the clan meeting in a few months!"
Xiao Mingyuan laughed loudly, as if he had already forgotten what Zhao Jin had said a moment ago. The latter smiled faintly, exhaled lightly, his expression suddenly turning cold, and said indifferently:
"Of course, Bai Hua risked her life for me, so I should give the Xiao Clan a surprise in return."
Upon hearing this, the former's face suddenly froze...