"You..."
Jia Lie Rong held a fairly high position in the Jia Lie Family, or she would never have developed such a spoiled and overbearing temperament.
When had she ever heard anyone describe her the way Xiao Yan had? And to be judged like that in front of a woman whose looks and bearing far surpassed her own, her face immediately turned livid with anger.
Beside them, Xun'er's eyes held a smile. As for Jia Lie Rong's provocation, she paid it no mind at all.
"Brother Xiao Yan is a little strange today, but since you stood up for Xun'er, I'll let it go..."
The words came as a murmur from her lips, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.
"Brat, looks like you're courting death!"
Jia Lie Qi withdrew his gaze from Xun'er, his eyes thick with lust.
His gaze fell on Xiao Yan, and seeing that the pretty boy before him actually had such a beautiful woman following him, he felt a surge of indignation.
"You little bastard, do you know who I am?"
Jia Lie Qi appeared to be glaring viciously at Xiao Yan, but he was actually emphasizing his identity, hoping to attract Xun'er's attention:
"This young master is the grandson of the Jia Lie Family's third elder. If you obediently kneel down and kowtow to Rong'er to admit your mistake, then slap yourself a few times, this young master will spare you. Otherwise..."
"Don't blame me for not giving you a chance!"
Jia Lie Qi was already around fourteen, a head taller than the ten-year-old Xiao Yan and Xun'er. Now, as he looked at Xiao Yan, his eyes were filled with contempt.
"Oh."
Xiao Yan nodded indifferently. So they were two poor fools who didn't know who he was.
With his Soul Division Martial Soul, he could clearly sense that at least twenty pairs of eyes had been fixed on them from the shadows.
Several figures had even been secretly following him since he stepped out of the Xiao Clan. Some were guards the Xiao Clan had sent to protect him; the others were naturally enemies who meant him harm.
Xiao Yan knew about the conflict between the Xiao Clan and the Jia Lie Family. At first, he had thought these two were the ones driving the plan forward.
Now it seemed... they were merely disposable pawns the Jia Lie Family was using to carry it out.
"You!"
"Stone Shattering Palm!"
Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes. Before anyone could have expected it, he flashed forward and struck Jia Lie Qi in the chest with his palm.
"Crack..."
Bones shattered, and Jia Lie Qi's body flew backward. Xiao Yan remained where he stood, holding his palm out as he spoke indifferently:
"What a load of nonsense."
"Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan!"
For a moment, the entire marketplace fell silent.
Xiao Yan had learned from this world's version of himself about the conflict between the Xiao Clan and the Jia Lie Family. It had always been irreconcilable.
So when faced with the Jia Lie Family's probing, he held nothing back.
On the one hand, the two families were enemies to begin with. On the other, he wanted to reinforce the image in everyone's minds that "Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan is still an invincible genius."
That way, even if they switched back again later and the worst outcome still came to pass, with the cause of the disappearance of Battle Through the Heavens Xiao Yan's Dou Qi Vortex still undiscovered, they could still buy some time.
Xiao Yan's decisive attack left everyone rooted to the spot. Even Xun'er behind him was somewhat surprised. The usually kind and proud youth had actually acted so decisively today.
"Brother Xiao Yan does seem... a little different today..."
Nobody had expected Xiao Yan, who was usually arrogant but kind to everyone, to attack Jia Lie Qi so decisively.
But this gave the Jia Lie Family members hiding in the shadows just the excuse they needed.
"Xiao Yan, how dare you attack Young Master Jia Lie Qi!"
A loud shout rang out from the shadows. A young man then charged out with more than ten Jia Lie Family guards and rushed toward Xiao Yan.
"Protect Young Master Xiao Yan!"
Voices cried out across the marketplace, and figures immediately rushed toward Xiao Yan, surrounding him and protecting him behind them.
Xiao Yan had long anticipated the turn of events around him. His gaze fell on the Jia Lie Family crowd, his eyes calm.
"Brothers, he dared to hurt Young Master Qi! Get him!"
The guard leading the Jia Lie Family group glared fiercely and roared. The Jia Lie Family guards behind him swarmed forward.
Even to attack the Xiao Clan, they needed a reason, and Xiao Yan's attack on Jia Lie Qi was the perfect one.
A melee between the Xiao Clan and the Jia Lie Family erupted in the marketplace.
Most importantly, there was also the Ao Ba Family in Wutan City.
The three families might have their own disputes over other matters, but when it came to targeting Xiao Yan, the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family were certainly in cahoots.
This marketplace was also Xiao Clan territory. As soon as the fighting broke out, a Xiao Ma disciple went to notify the clan, bringing reinforcements from the Xiao Clan.
"Cousin, are you all right?"
Jia Lie Rong had been stunned ever since Xiao Yan sent Jia Lie Qi flying with his palm.
Watching the battle between the two families erupt in the blink of an eye, she finally understood, slow as she was: she and Jia Lie Qi were merely disposable pawns the Jia Lie Family had used to target Xiao Yan.
Looking at Jia Lie Qi wailing on the ground, Jia Lie Rong crouched down, but a flash of malice passed through her eyes.
"Cousin, where are you hurt?"
Jia Lie Rong pressed her palm against Jia Lie Qi's chest. No one noticed that the jade hairpin in her hand, which they had just been fighting over, had now become the perfect murder weapon.
"Pfft~"
A barely audible sound rang out. The wailing Jia Lie Qi's eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Jia Lie Rong. He had never imagined that he would escape death at Xiao Yan's hands, only to be killed by Jia Lie Rong.
"B-bitch..."
Jia Lie Qi's eyes bulged. Jia Lie Rong threw herself forward, catching his hand and gripping it tightly in hers. She fell across him and cried:
"Cousin... cousin, are you all right?"
As she spoke, she drove the jade hairpin deeper. Her lips moved close to Jia Lie Qi's ear, cold and sinister as a venomous snake:
"A piece of trash like you wants to marry this young lady? Go to hell..."
Jia Lie Qi's eyes remained wide as he gradually breathed his last amid Jia Lie Rong's cries.
Across the entire battlefield, no one noticed Jia Lie Rong's little move except Xiao Yan and Xun'er, who were close at hand.
Xiao Yan looked at Jia Lie Rong, who was also only in her early teens. It was hard to imagine she could be so ruthless. Sure enough... the most venomous thing was a woman's heart!
Xiao Yan glanced at Xun'er beside him and only then realized that the melee had not frightened the girl at all.
"Xiao Yan, die!"
Amid the melee, a Jia Lie Family guard had come within a short distance of Xiao Yan.
His gaze swept over the breathless figure on the ground and the crying Jia Lie Rong. His eyes lit up as he charged at Xiao Yan.
"Be careful, Brother Xiao Yan. He's already reached the level of a Dou Zhe."
Xun'er spoke up in warning, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
Though the newcomer had reached the level of a Dou Zhe, Xun'er remained perfectly calm.
Xiao Yan watched the newcomer, drawing on the Soul Power in his body and gathering it in both hands.
"Sky-Rending Claw!"