As time went by, all the seats in the arena were filled, and even the front row seats were occupied by the younger generation of the Xiao Clan, led by Xiao Feng.
On the elders' seat high in the void, Xiao Dingtian and others were prominently displayed. Sitting at the head of the table was Xiao Yuheng, the clan leader, who was rarely seen on ordinary days. What surprised most people was the old man sitting next to him, who was none other than Xiao Zhen, the great elder of the Xiao Clan.
Normally, although the clan gathering is a rare feast for young people in the clan, the Grand Elder would not participate. This time, even he showed up, which shows that the quality of this clan gathering has reached a very high level. This also made many people subconsciously think of Xiao Yan.
"Even the Grand Elder has spoken up for Xiao Yan; it seems he has high hopes for him!"
" Xiao Yan's relationship with the three cabinet heads isn't exactly harmonious. This intervention is probably to help him relieve some pressure. After all, with the Grand Elder present, even Xiao Dingtian, one of the cabinet heads, has to restrain himself to some extent."
"Tch, you only know one side of the story. Although the First Elder did step in for Xiao Yan, his real purpose was probably for the Second Miss. Among the younger generation returning to the clan this time, the Second Miss's strength is extremely high, and I heard that she has already become Tier Seven Alchemist. Heh, this is going to be quite a show."
The crowd in the stands chattered amongst themselves, but when they mentioned the so-called second young lady of the family, their faces couldn't help but reveal expressions of admiration. Especially when they mentioned her status as Tier Seven Alchemist, almost everyone present unanimously thought of Xiao Yan, who had just successfully refined a seventh-level pill two months ago and was also a genuine Tier Seven Alchemist. If these two were to meet, it would likely not end well.
On the elders' platform, Clan Chief Xiao Yuheng frowned slightly as he looked at the row of empty seats in front of the stands below. He couldn't help but feel suspicious. It was already this late, and Xiao Yan, Xiao Xuan, and the others still hadn't shown up, which made him secretly worried.
Elder Xiao Zhen, who was standing to the side, also noticed this and was quite curious. If Xiao Yan hadn't arrived yet, he might have understood why, but Xiao Xuan always respected the family, and he would never be late for such a grand event unless there was a very important reason.
"Cough cough..."
Just then, a faint cough, imbued with Origin Qi, rang in the ears of everyone in the square. Instantly, the noisy chatter subsided and vanished completely in a moment, leaving the square utterly silent. Countless gazes turned to the elder in the high seat, their eyes filled with awe.
It was truly rare for the most elite members of the family to gather here. Even some of the elders in the family would have to maintain a respectful attitude upon seeing such a scene, let alone these younger members.
At this moment, Xiao Dingtian stood up, his cloudy old eyes slowly scanning the entire scene. He paused briefly when his gaze swept over a certain spot before withdrawing his gaze. A smile appeared on his old face as he said calmly:
"Now that everyone is present, let's not waste any more time; let the clan gathering officially begin!"
"Whoosh!"
As soon as he finished speaking, countless young members of the Xiao Clan on the stands below responded enthusiastically, their shouts even louder than before, almost reaching the sky.
On the elders' platform, Xiao Dingtian smiled with satisfaction, then gently pressed his hands into the void. An invisible pressure immediately swept across the entire arena, and the atmosphere gradually stabilized. Only then did he continue to smile:
"According to the clan's rules, the battle zones are divided into three based on cultivation level: Origin King, Origin Emperor, and Yuan Zong Sect. The Origin King battle comes first, and the fifty winners will receive rewards from the clan. The top ten will have the right to challenge the Origin Emperor level, and if they win, the corresponding rewards will be doubled. The same applies to Origin Emperor and Yuan Zong."
"Remember, the clan council is only used to assess the strength of all participants present, in order to hone your combat experience. The Council of Elders also hope that you can grow to the greatest extent through mutual struggle, not that you will kill each other for rewards. We hope you can stop when you've reached your limit, otherwise, don't blame the Council of Elders ruthless."
"Now, the first match of the clan council, the battle of ten against the Origin King, begins!"
The moment Xiao Dingtian uttered the last word, a huge crowd surged onto the battle platform, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.
The clan meeting shall now begin!
Meanwhile, within the Xiao Clan's villa, where Xiao Yan resided, Xiao Xuan and Lian'er stood outside the secret chamber, frowning as they gazed at the still unmoved chamber. Both of them grew somewhat nervous.
Suddenly, the usually composed Xiao Xuan turned his gaze to the direction of the martial arts arena, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled, gritting his teeth and saying in a low voice:
"The clan meeting has already begun."
Upon hearing this, Lian'er's beautiful eyes flashed, and her bright eyes followed suit. She then breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze returning to the tightly closed door of the secret chamber. A hint of urgency flickered in her eyes, and after a slight pause, she said:
"Fortunately, today is only the Battle of the Origin King; hopefully, there's still time."
"You silly girl, tomorrow is the Origin Emperor Battle. The Third Elder registered you, so you should at least go and watch today. Otherwise, you'll be completely unaware of some of the rules and might suffer a great loss."
Looking at Lian'er, whose pretty face was filled with worry, Xiao Xuan felt a little sorry for her. Lian'er's participation in the Xiao Clan Assembly was, in a sense, a recognition of her by the Xiao Clan. When Xiao Yan officially joined the clan in the future, Lian'er would be able to avoid those strange looks. However, she insisted on staying here, hoping to see Xiao Yan emerge from seclusion with her own eyes.
"What? At a time like this, Xiao Yan is still refining pills?"
Just then, a clear female voice suddenly rang out from in front of the courtyard gate. The two people immediately turned their gazes and saw a man and a woman standing outside the gate. The man was tall and imposing, with a rather tough look between his brows. The woman was dressed in a red dress that tightly covered her body, revealing her curvaceous figure. Her pair of long, snow-white legs were boldly exposed to the air, attracting attention.
What surprised Xiao Xuan the most at this moment was that the auras of these two people were both above the Five-Star Yuan Zong!