Farewell, Wu Tan City!

Farewell, Wu Tan City!

As usual, Chen Xiao returned to the Xiao Family with Xun Er, one behind the other.

The moment he stepped through the main gate, Chen Xiao saw Xiao Zhan and the three great elders watching from not far away, as if they were waiting for something.

"Looks like Brother Chen Xiao has been exposed."

Xun Er was clever as ice and snow. Seeing their expressions, she immediately guessed the gist of it.

Chen Xiao nodded slightly, without thinking much of it.

Back when he was in the Xiao Family, Chen Xiao had not wanted to owe too many favors, so he had done his best to hide his strength. He had also carried out his daily chores perfectly, leaving no one able to find the slightest fault, trading labor for his daily meals.

Now that he had already decided to leave, exposing his strength would not cause much trouble.

That was precisely why, when he went to the Oba Family, he had never thought of concealing himself.

He went openly and returned openly.

So during that process, many people from the Oba Family had seen him, and even Gale Bi and the others had met him face-to-face.

Since the Xiao Family had taken part in dividing up the Oba Family, they only needed to make a little effort to ask around, and they would be able to learn the ins and outs of the entire matter.

"Let's go over and take a look."

Seeing the two of them walk in, Xiao Zhan and the three great elders immediately hurried forward to greet them.

Xun Er's identity went without saying.

As for Chen Xiao alone, the fact that he could take down Oba Pa by himself was enough strength to make them treat him with courtesy.

"Uncle Xiao Zhan."

"Clan Leader, three elders."

Xiao Zhan and the three great elders had already prepared a whole basket of things to say, but when they came closer and heard the two of them greet them as normally as ever, they suddenly did not know how to begin.

They had already figured out that Chen Xiao had grown up in the Xiao Family, but it was only today that they had truly remembered there was such a person.

Try to claim a connection?

Where could they even start?

At that thought, Xiao Zhan could not help sighing softly, feeling a little regretful that he had discovered it too late.

"Xun Er, and Chen Xiao... Young Friend, you're back."

"Clan Leader should just call me by my name. Though Chen Xiao is not a member of the Xiao Family, I grew up in the Xiao Family. There is no need to be so distant."

Xiao Zhan understood those words, and the Grand Elder and Second Elder also understood them. Only the Third Elder reacted a little more slowly.

"Fine. Then this old man won't be pretentious either. As for what happened last night, thank you, Chen Xiao, for having Xun Er notify us in advance, allowing my Xiao Family to gain quite a few benefits. Also, not knowing before was one thing, but now that we know, it is no longer suitable to let you live over there with the guards. I'll have someone arrange a new residence for you at once."

Xiao Zhan first expressed his thanks, then quickly made arrangements as he spoke.

Standing before Chen Xiao at this moment, he had already realized that he could not see through Chen Xiao's strength at all.

What that meant could not have been more obvious.

Compared to him, even his Youngest Son, who had made him feel so proud, seemed to become insignificant.

"There's no need to trouble yourself, Clan Leader. My family's vengeance has been taken. I have also made up my mind to travel far tomorrow. All these years, it was only by relying on the Xiao Family's shelter that I was able to cultivate in peace. Chen Xiao thanks you here. In the future, if the Xiao Family has need of me and it is within my ability, I will not refuse."

Chen Xiao spoke very sincerely, but Xiao Zhan and the three great elders understood that this bond of old kindness could not be maintained for too long.

Once or twice, Chen Xiao might lend a hand, but if it happened too many times, that friendship would be used up.

So if they truly treated him as a helper who would come when called and leave when dismissed just because of those words, they would be making a grave mistake.

"You're leaving tomorrow? So soon?"

"I decided this long ago. Chen Xiao still has to go pack his things. Clan Leader, three elders, farewell."

Chen Xiao cupped his fist slightly and said no more, heading straight toward his residence.

Xun Er followed closely behind him.

Watching the two of them walk farther and farther away, the Third Elder immediately grew somewhat anxious.

"Clan Leader, we should have spoken to him about seeing him off. Also, although our Xiao Family isn't large, we can still take out some cultivation resources. Using them to befriend him would definitely bring only benefits and no harm!"

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan said nothing and merely shook his head.

The Grand Elder spoke up instead. "Old Third, forget it. Too much is as bad as too little. If Chen Xiao truly had the intention of deepening his ties with us, he would have revealed his strength long ago. With his talent, could our Xiao Family possibly not have focused on nurturing him?"

"That's right. His name is Chen Xiao, not Xiao Chen. Maintaining the existing bond of old kindness is enough. Forcibly clinging to him would only make people dislike us instead. Let him go. From the matter of the Oba Family, it can be seen that he is someone who clearly distinguishes gratitude and grudges. Since he said this today, if my Xiao Family faces trouble in the future, he definitely won't stand by and do nothing."

The Second Elder also agreed.

After hearing what the two of them said, the Third Elder finally came to a realization.

It did seem to be true.

It was already quite good that Chen Xiao remembered the Xiao Family's care over the years. If it were someone a bit more cold-blooded, even if he cleanly severed all ties with the Xiao Family, there would be nothing to say.

"Sigh, what a pity. We discovered it too late. Or to be more accurate, he hid himself too well. In the entire Xiao Family, I'd guess only Xun Er knew a little." The Third Elder accepted reality and sighed ruefully.

"The past cannot be changed. It is the future we must grasp properly. Xiao Yan's talent is likewise something rarely seen in a hundred years. Once he grows up, perhaps he will have even more interactions with Chen Xiao."

"Looking at it that way, wouldn't the future of my Xiao Family be smooth sailing?"

After the Grand Elder and Second Elder indulged in their hopes for a while, smiles couldn't help spreading across their aged faces.

And truth be told, at this current point in time, the atmosphere among the Xiao Family's higher-ups was extraordinarily harmonious.

Unfortunately, this atmosphere probably wouldn't last much longer.

Elsewhere.

Packing his luggage was only an excuse. After obtaining a Storage Ring, Chen Xiao had always carried the more important things with him.

As for the bedding and other miscellaneous items in the little hut, Chen Xiao had no intention of taking them with him. There was no need, and they took up too much space.

A low-grade Storage Ring only had so much space; one had to budget it carefully.

Thus, Chen Xiao made a roundabout trip and brought Xun Er to the Back Mountain of the Xiao Family.

Today, there would be no cultivation and no practicing of Dou Techniques—only lying back to watch the clouds gather and scatter, stealing half a day of leisure from a fleeting life.

Gazing at the blue sky and white clouds high above, Chen Xiao glanced out of the corner of his eye at the young girl sitting quietly beside him.

"Xun Er..."

The young girl looked over.

Chen Xiao swallowed the words that had reached his lips and shook his head with a rueful smile.

"I'd originally wanted to say some parting words, but on second thought, there will still be plenty of chances for us to meet in the future, so I won't ruin the mood."

"I remember Brother Chen Xiao saying that he would head to Jia Nan Academy in half a year. Xun Er thought it over and over, and it seems the only chance for us to meet again would be when Brother Chen Xiao returns to sign up. Where would these plenty of chances come from?"

The young girl, who had always been obedient and well-behaved, rarely showed her playful side again today. She blinked her clear eyes innocently, as if she truly didn't understand.

Chen Xiao couldn't help chuckling. "Wu Tan City is too small—so small it doesn't match Xun Er's air at all. If I continue staying in Wu Tan City, I'm afraid the chances for me to meet Xun Er in the future will only grow fewer and fewer."

"Only by going out—out of the Jia Ma Empire, out of the Northwest Continent—can one behold the countless wonders and splendid sights one longs for. Perhaps only then can I meet Xun Er at the summit."

Xun Er, sitting beside him, was startled. The way she looked at Chen Xiao changed slightly.

Meeting at the summit—what a beautiful phrase.

Perhaps even he didn't know what an ambitious goal he had set for himself.

"Then Xun Er will look forward to that day."

Chen Xiao nodded slightly and said no more, quietly enjoying this rare stretch of leisure.

The next day.

Outside Wu Tan City.

Dressed in new clothes, Chen Xiao stepped out into the morning sun, his gaze looking far into the distance.

The disgraces of the past were not worth boasting of; today, unfettered, his thoughts stretched without end.

"Goodbye, Wu Tan City!"