Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Xiao Yan remained calm, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire arena. Amidst the diverse gazes and whispers, his eyes finally settled on Zhao Jin, who was also staring at him.
"Hmph, Xiao Yan, things have come to this point, it's no use trying to argue anymore. You betrayed your clan, colluded with outsiders, and committed such a treasonous act. Today, I will expose your true colors!"
Upon seeing Xiao Yan's gaze fall upon him, Zhao Jin's eyes flickered involuntarily. He opened his mouth slightly, then raised his head proudly and shouted with an upright and incorruptible expression.
"You!"
On the other side, Lian'er's pretty face showed even more anger. She was about to speak when Xiao Xuan stopped her and gestured to Xiao Yan with his chin, indicating that he should rest assured. Only then did the girl angrily retract her words.
"Noisy."
Hearing Zhao Jin's deafening shout, Xiao Yan merely glanced at him indifferently, chuckled softly, and uttered contemptuous words that immediately darkened Zhao Jin's face. However, Xiao Yan seemed oblivious to the commotion, ignoring it completely, and walked straight toward Xiao Xuan and the other person.
I'm sorry to have worried you these past few days.
Approaching, Xiao Yan smiled reassuringly at Xiao Xuan. The composure in his smile dispelled the last trace of worry in Xiao Xuan's heart. Lian'er, standing beside him, also pursed her red lips, a charming smile appearing on her delicate face. Then, however, she frowned maliciously, staring at Zhao Jin in the distance, and said fiercely:
"That Zhao Jin is really arrogant and rude; we'll have to teach him a lesson later!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded gently and smiled at the girl:
"Don't worry, it definitely will."
"Be careful. That guy even invited Xiao Dingtian on this trip, so he must have come prepared. He probably intends to fight you to the death. If he seizes an opportunity, we'll really have no choice but to leave the Xiao Clan."
Xiao Xuan Xiao Yan to the crowd in the distance with his eyes. Xiao Dingtian was standing there. When the latter noticed the gazes of the grandfather and grandson coming towards him, he also narrowed his eyes and stared at the two of them.
"Is he Xiao Dingtian? The head of the three cabinets, and also the one in the Xiao Clan who most strongly opposes our staying."
With his gaze fixed on that aged body, a cold glint flashed quickly in Xiao Yan's eyes. After all, weren't all the troubles they had recently encountered caused by him?
"Third Elder, now that this matter has been settled, shouldn't we convict this fellow? Colluding with outsiders is a crime of treason. According to clan rules... shouldn't we destroy his cultivation and expel him from the clan?"
Just then, Zhao Jin's chilling voice rang out again. Only then did Xiao Yan slowly turn his gaze back to the latter. Looking at Zhao Jin's smug expression, a layer of cold killing intent gradually surfaced in his dark eyes.
He didn't want to be enemies with them, but Zhao Jin kept targeting them, being aggressive and pushy, which was simply too much!
Upon hearing this, Xiao Mingyuan frowned, his face turning rather grim. Zhao Jin's actions were intended to use him as a pretext to further solidify the charges against Xiao Yan. Such behavior was truly malicious!
Unfortunately, while such methods were ruthless, Xiao Mingyuan could not do them. Although his contact with Xiao Yan was not deep, he could still see that Xiao Yan harbored ambitions and was unwilling to be subordinate to others. However, it was absolutely impossible for him to have disloyal intentions or abandon his principles. Putting aside other matters, even if Xiao Xuan himself were truly willing to return to the clan, Xiao Yan would never do such a despicable thing.
However, the most important thing right now is not how he views Xiao Yan, but the increasing number of the Xiao Clan members gathered around. After Zhao Jin's words, these people have clearly come to believe in Xiao Yan's actions. As long as they don't shut up, even if the clan leader intervenes, he still won't be able to solve the problem.
"Hmph, it's a wonder that this kid was treated like a prince the moment he entered the clan. Who would have thought he was actually a lackey of the Ouyang Clan!"
"No wonder his cultivation broke through so quickly. It seems he got quite a few benefits from the Ouyang Clan this time!"
"What's the point of keeping such a scoundrel around? Let's just cripple his cultivation, kick him out, and let him fend for himself!"
"It's better to just kill them directly, to prevent them from ruining the reputation of my Xiao Clan after they get out!"
Sure enough, as more and more people gathered around, the discussions on the field gradually became noisy, and various low curses continued one after another. Some people who had been envious of Xiao Yan's breakthrough in cultivation just a moment ago were now mocking him with disdain. At the same time, the mocking sneer on Zhao Jin's face became even more intense.
Often, the pressure one faces varies depending on their position, especially within a powerful family-based organization. When everyone agrees on one point, even if one is innocent, they are destined to be deeply embroiled in this escalating debate, to the point of madness.
This is what is meant by "public opinion is a fearsome thing."
However, even so, facing such a situation where thousands of people were hostile to him, Xiao Yan's face remained calm and composed.
Having experienced too many such things, he no longer cared about them. Besides, the so-called shared ancestry was utterly ridiculous in his eyes. Although the Xiao Clan in front of him was powerful, in some respects, it was far inferior to the Xiao Clan of Wutan City back then.
Xiao Yan slowly raised his gaze, sweeping over the crowd of people with all sorts of eyes around him. His cold and sharp gaze made those people shrink back the moment they met his eyes. Seeing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but sneer. His gaze then fell on Zhao Jin. The two looked at each other from a distance, their eyes narrowed. After a long while, they burst into laughter in unison.
Standing before the crowd in the distance, Xiao Dingtian gazed at Xiao Yan's face, devoid of any warmth, and a faint chill rose in his heart. This young man truly seemed to be different from others.
"Hahaha, Elder Xiao Dingtian, I have a question for you, is that alright?"
Just as Xiao Yan and Zhao Jin were laughing, the former suddenly spoke, even addressing Xiao Dingtian by his given name. This startled many present, given Xiao Dingtian's high status within the Xiao Clan —even the clan leader would address him with respect. Yet, Xiao Yan...
"Speak, what is it?"
Xiao Dingtian squinted his old eyes. Accustomed to the respect he received from others, he was somewhat surprised by Xiao Yan's sudden actions. Although he was also dissatisfied, what intrigued him more were Xiao Yan's strange words.
Xiao Yan glanced at Zhao Jin, and the mocking look in his eyes suddenly made Zhao Jin's heart skip a beat, and the smile on his face immediately disappeared.
"If I remember correctly, the Xiao Clan seems to have a rule that, outside of times of war, no one in the Xiao Clan may attack the two major clans or their subordinate forces without authorization. Those who violate this rule will be severely punished as traitors. Am I correct?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan's gaze fell on Zhao Jin. Their eyes met, and Zhao Jin's face turned ashen, his heart filled with utter horror...