Chapter 79: An Extremely Convincing Performance
The Xiao Clan's residence was located near the imperial palace.
In recent years, with Xiao Lin having advanced to Dou Wang and forging ties with Nalan Jie, the Xiao Clan's status had greatly improved. In the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire, they had carved out a position for themselves. While they hadn't officially become the empire's fourth great clan, their reputation faintly overshadowed many other powers.
This had also made the Xiao Clan a thorn in the side of many. Yet, due to fear of Xiao Lin and Nalan Jie, no one dared act rashly.
But now, with the sudden deaths of both men, those hidden forces bared their fangs like a pack of ravenous hyenas, locking their greedy eyes on the Xiao Clan, ready to tear a piece of flesh from them. If not for concerns about appearances, the Xiao Clan might already have been carved up.
…
Night fell. Inside the Xiao Clan's reception hall.
The three current elders of the clan were locked in heated argument about the clan's future. The Second Elder insisted that the Xiao Clan should abandon everything in the capital and relocate to another city to rebuild. With the current state of affairs, they could no longer defend such vast assets. If they stayed too long, their enemies would surely descend and devour everything.
Rather than waiting for disaster to strike, it would be better to make a decisive sacrifice now and preserve a future for resurgence.
The Third Elder, however, refused to let go of the capital's properties. The Xiao Clan had worked too hard to get this far—how could they simply give it all up? As for those who coveted their wealth, he didn't believe anyone would dare strike openly in the capital.
The imperial capital had its rules. The Jia Ma Empire's royal family wasn't just for show!
Thus, the two argued bitterly.
The Grand Elder, seated at the head, listened in silence. At last, he raised his hand and turned his gaze to a man in his thirties below. "Xiao Zhan, as the young patriarch, what do you think?"
"I agree with the Second Elder. We can't bet on our enemies showing mercy. And the royal family's attitude toward our clan has always been ambiguous. My father gave his life for the Jia Ma Empire, and yet they've given no explanation—not even identified the murderer. I don't believe the royal family will protect us."
Xiao Zhan spoke with bloodshot eyes, his voice low and heavy. He had yet to recover from his father's death.
"The patriarch died for the empire. I don't believe those royal bastards would sit by and watch our clan fall! If they do, who would ever serve the Jia Ma Empire again?"
The Third Elder rebutted immediately.
"It's easy to guard against open attacks, but not hidden ones…"
The Second Elder spoke calmly, yet his words pierced through to reality.
Everyone here was sharp. The rules might be upheld on the surface, but in the shadows, whether you could defend yourself depended solely on your own abilities. The royal family wasn't a charity, and its members were cold and pragmatic—if you had value, they'd woo you; if not, they didn't care who you were.
The Third Elder's expression turned frosty. "Little tricks in the dark? They're not the only ones who can do that! The three of us old guys aren't dead yet!"
All three elders were at the Dou Ling level. Unless a Dou Wang acted openly, he truly wasn't afraid of anyone's petty scheming.
"Then let's wait and see."
The Grand Elder said deeply. He, too, didn't want to give up the family's legacy. Generations had sacrificed for what they had now. To abandon everything because of Xiao Lin's death would mean starting over from nothing, leading to a catastrophic decline in their influence—let alone the loss of vital cultivation resources.
After a pause—
He looked to Xiao Zhan again. "Tomorrow, go to the Nalan Clan and see if they'd be willing to form an alliance. Let our two families support each other."
"Alright."
Xiao Zhan nodded without objection. His third son, Xiao Yan, had been betrothed to Nalan Yanran when they were a year old. The two families were technically in-laws. If they could unite now, it might benefit both sides. Staying in the capital would be ideal.
Meanwhile, in a cozy bedroom—
A gentle, graceful woman was telling a story to a small child. The little one blinked his bright eyes, listening quietly without fuss, appearing obedient and mature beyond his years. Eventually, sleep overtook him, and he leaned against his mother and drifted off.
Seeing her well-behaved third son, the woman smiled softly. Compared to her first two children, this third one was unexpectedly easy to care for. Since birth, he never cried or fussed, seemed incredibly clever, and was very likable.
But soon, a trace of worry clouded her brow. How could she not know of the Xiao Clan's current crisis? Yet, as a woman, she had little say in such matters. Lost in thought, a wave of drowsiness suddenly overcame her. Her head dipped slightly, and she soon fell asleep with the child in her arms.
At the same moment, her left index finger twitched slightly—as if an invisible force was at work, gently removing a black-colored ring from it.
Whoosh~
The moment the ring was removed, it turned into a streak of light and flew out the window toward a dark corner.
In the shadows, a blurry figure raised a hand and caught the ring. As he looked at the storage ring in his palm, golden flames flickered in his eyes. After a moment, the flames vanished. He carefully stored the ring away, then retrieved from his own ring another identical-looking one and sent it back inside, guiding it with soul power to slide neatly onto the woman's finger.
This figure was none other than Yao Yan. He had scouted the area in advance and made preparations to eliminate any future risks.
With matters involving the Flame Mantra and the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Jade, one could never be too cautious.
In truth, with his sixth-grade alchemist-level soul power, he didn't need to worry about being discovered at all. Putting Xiao Yan's mother to sleep had been a simple soul technique—just like how a lack of oxygen could cause someone to faint, a powerful soul could easily render someone unconscious.
As for Xiao Yan—the protagonist of the original story—Yao Yan merely glanced at him before looking away, choosing not to kill him. There was no need. He didn't believe the boy could threaten him. Without the Flame Mantra and Yao Lao, Xiao Yan's fate was more or less sealed.
If he truly did have protagonist-level luck and rose to power against all odds… well, Yao Yan actually looked forward to it.
Now, the only thing left was the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Jade…
Yao Yan's gaze sharpened. He had already located it. With his soul power, there were no secrets within the Xiao Clan. The unique Ancient Emperor's Jade was hidden in the clan's ancestral shrine.
Go or not?
Having just acquired the Bone Flame Ring, he hesitated. But that hesitation quickly vanished. With steely resolve, he moved toward the ancestral hall. The guards stationed along the way were mere illusions to his soul perception—none could detect even a whisper of his presence.
Soon, Yao Yan arrived at the Xiao Clan's ancestral hall. Two guards stood within, but under the pressure of his soul force, the already drowsy pair fell into deep sleep.
He stepped in boldly, scanning the ancestral tablets until his gaze locked on the one at the highest position.
Extending his soul power, the topmost tablet slowly slid aside, revealing an exquisite brocade box beneath. With a thought, the box floated to Yao Yan and gently opened, revealing an ancient jade radiating a strange glow. Mysterious patterns pulsed on its surface, faint and flickering—like it was breathing.
"Could it be that the Xiao Clan really is connected to that imperial clan?"
Yao Yan muttered in surprise, seemingly amazed that the item truly existed. After a careful inspection, a look of joy burst across his face. "My luck is insane! To think I stumbled upon the long-lost Xiao Clan in such a remote place! If I bring this back, those old farts in the Yao Clan will go crazy!"
In this moment, he played his part to perfection.
(END CHAPTER)
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