Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Liu Xi…"
The name was familiar—the arrogant third-grade alchemist who had attempted to humiliate him at the Mittel Auction House, only to have his soul consumed by the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
"He's in Utan City now?" Xiao Yan asked.
Gu Ni nodded gravely. "Yes. His name is Liu Panlong, a third-grade alchemist of considerable standing. He has already paid a visit to the Jiale family. Word is, he plans to meet with you next."
"Liu Panlong…" Xiao Yan murmured, his voice calm but cold. "Then the storm is coming."
A lazy chuckle echoed in his mind. It was Yao Lao. "Heh, don't frown.
With my soul strength and your current cultivation, a third-grade alchemist poses no real threat. At most, he'll bark loudly before realizing the predator he faces."
Xiao Yan's lips curled faintly. "Teacher, barking dogs often draw more attention than we wish. The Xiao clan has just begun its rise. We cannot afford needless trouble."
Yao Lao's faint silhouette appeared beside him, floating midair, eyes closed in thought. "Then deal with him wisely. Show just enough strength to warn him....but not so much that he understands you fully. Fear thrives in the unknown."
"Understood."
Moments later, Xiao Yan left the training chamber and strode toward the clan's main hall. Morning sunlight streamed over the courtyard, casting him in gold.
His expression remained calm, but every step was measured and confident—like a blade sheathed yet sharpened to perfection.
Inside the main hall, Xiao Zhan, Gu Ni, and several elders sat in discussion.
Across from them stood a white-haired man wearing deep green robes embroidered with the sigil of an alchemist...Liu Panlong. His eyes were half-lidded, but his presence radiated pressure.
"You must be Xiao Yan?" he asked, his voice calm yet sharp.
Xiao Yan bowed slightly. "Junior Xiao Yan greets Master Liu."
A pause followed. The tone was respectful, but Xiao Yan's voice carried calm certainty—neither arrogance nor fear.
Liu Panlong's gaze lingered on him, studying him like one inspects a blade. "I hear my disciple Liu Xi disappeared after encountering you."
"Yes," Xiao Yan replied plainly. "We fought. He lost."
"Lost?" A glint of cold light passed through Liu Panlong's eyes. "And then?"
"He fled," Xiao Yan said evenly. "What happened afterward, I do not know."
Liu Panlong stared long and hard, as if trying to detect deception. But Xiao Yan's expression remained unchanged—serene, unreadable.
Finally, Liu Panlong smiled faintly, though there was no warmth in it.
"You are composed. Very well. If you truly possess such talent, I may overlook my disciple's death.
Become my apprentice, and I will take you to the Imperial Capital. Under my guidance, you will ascend far beyond this small city."
A hush fell over the hall. Even Xiao Zhan inhaled sharply. For a third-grade alchemist to offer to take a disciple was no small thing—a coveted opportunity few could obtain.
Yet Xiao Yan merely shook his head. "I am grateful for your offer, Master Liu, but I already have a teacher."
The faint smile on Liu Panlong's lips froze.
"You dare refuse me?" His voice deepened, and his aura surged....pressing down like an unyielding tide.
The air itself rippled, and even the elders in the hall struggled to breathe.
But Xiao Yan did not move. The faint glow of Dou Qi flickered beneath his skin, and his eyes remained calm.
"I have no desire for conflict. But if Master Liu insists…"
Yao Lao's voice sounded softly in his mind, cold and formless. Then let him taste fear.
Silver light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes for a heartbeat.
The oppressive aura shattered like glass under the weight of an unseen presence.
Liu Panlong froze, his expression tightening. What… what was that force just now? Stronger than mine? Impossible!
But when he looked again, Xiao Yan's face was unchanged...calm, composed, and unreadable.
Liu Panlong's lips curled into a thin line. "Very well. Let us see how long your arrogance lasts." He turned, his robe billowing, and left without another word.
As the sound of his footsteps faded, Xiao Zhan exhaled deeply. "Yan'er… that man is dangerous."
Xiao Yan's faint smile remained. "Father, I know. But danger is the forge of growth.
The rise of the Xiao clan will not be so easily stopped."
Outside, the wind swept across the courtyard, stirring the banners of the Xiao clan.
They fluttered steadily, unshaken.....just like the youth standing beneath them.
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