Chapter 54: The Power of the Xiao Clan
The man called Xin He had clearly lost his sanity and lunged at the woman with his Dou Qi flaring. If he caught her, she would likely be gravely injured, and if he dragged her back to his room, her fate would be far worse.
Xiao Yan, though a ruthless person by nature, found this scene intolerable. He wasn't particularly moved by the woman's plight but believed no one should die in such a miserable way.
In his previous life, when he was powerless, he wouldn't have meddled. But in this life, with his strength, he could alter someone's fate with a flick of his wrist. If nothing else, it spared him the unpleasantness of witnessing such a disturbing event.
As Xin He's clawed hand closed in on the woman, her face filled with despair. If she was dragged back, she would surely die a death both painful and degrading.
Just as she closed her eyes in hopeless resignation, a slender hand reached out and caught Xin He's claw.
"Let me go!" Xin He growled, struggling to break free. But no matter how much he pulled, his hand remained locked in Xiao Yan's grip.
Raising his eyes to look at Xiao Yan, Xin He's hazy mind seemed to catch on something. Xiao Yan's delicate, handsome face appeared unusually captivating to him.
"Grrr!" Xin He unconsciously thrust his hips forward, as if wanting to pounce on Xiao Yan.
"WHAT THE !" Xiao Yan's face twisted in disgust. He stepped back and swung a powerful slap at Xin He.
The strike, imbued with twelve years of Dou Qi cultivation, sent Xin He flying like a cannonball, crashing through dozens of buildings before finally landing in a heap of rubble.
Moments later, Xin He stumbled to his feet, his swollen cheek and broken teeth making him look pitiful. As he noticed the crowd's shocked expressions and his own naked body, shame briefly crossed his face.
But soon, the same wicked fire flared in his eyes again.
"Abalone! I need abalone!" Xin He cried, completely ignoring Xiao Yan as he sprinted toward another seafood house.
"Disgusting," Xiao Yan muttered, shaking his hand as if to rid it of filth. The woman, still trembling on the ground, knelt before him.
"Thank you, my savior!" she cried.
"Don't mention it," Xiao Yan replied coldly before walking away with Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu. Showing too much kindness or warmth in such situations could often lead to unnecessary trouble.
He hadn't acted out of compassion but simply to keep the unsettling scene from ruining his mood. For someone like Xiao Yan, being labeled as kind or virtuous was the last thing he wanted.
As they walked, Xiao Yan muttered to himself, "That curse in the ruins must be terrifying. If I go in, will I come out like him?"
The thought of becoming as desperate and deranged as Xin He sent a shiver down his spine.
While lost in thought, he suddenly felt a cold gaze from afar. Looking up, he saw it was Yao Ling, the Medicine Clan Saintess.
"Cousin!" Xiao Yan shouted, grinning as he waved at her from a distance.
Yao Ling's icy demeanor faltered for a moment, but she frowned as Xiao Yan approached.
"You've mistaken me for someone else," she said flatly.
"No mistake. My mother is from the Medicine Clan. You've heard of Yao Xian, haven't you?" Xiao Yan declared boldly.
At this, Yao Ling said nothing, but the elderly woman beside her smiled. "So, you're Yao Xian's child."
Yao Xian's father was a Dou Saint elder in the Medicine Clan and a peak seventh tier alchemist. While not a major figure, he was far from unknown.
"Well, well! Xiao Wen, Xiao Wu, you old scoundrels are here too?" the other elder, Yao Xu, greeted the two with a grin.
"Small world, isn't it?" Xiao Yan said cheerfully, causing both women to glance at him with slight surprise.
"Heh, if you two can serve as protectors, why can't we?" Xiao Wen joked.
Yao Xu's expression shifted. "Protectors? For him? Then this child must be quite the prodigy in the Xiao Clan."
Xiao Wen merely nodded with a cryptic smile, further deepening the elders' curiosity. After all, it was unheard of for two Half Saints to act as bodyguards. Even the Medicine Clan's future heir, Yao Tian, hadn't received such treatment during his training.
As the elders reminisced about the past, Xiao Yan focused on charming Yao Ling, persistently calling her "Cousin." She, however, remained aloof, only occasionally responding with curt answers.
"See you tomorrow, Cousin!" Xiao Yan said cheerfully as he waved goodbye at the courtyard.
"See you tomorrow," Yao Ling replied coldly before returning to her own quarters.
As she walked away, Xiao Yan muttered, "What a frosty personality."
"Haha, she's a genius with a prestigious background. A bit of coldness is to be expected," Xiao Wen said, creating a barrier around the courtyard to prevent eavesdropping.
"Just wait. Once I become a Dou Emperor, let's see if she still dares treat me like this," Xiao Yan grumbled.
Meanwhile, in Yao Ling's courtyard, her expression softened slightly, though she still seemed distant.
"Elder Xu, what do you think of that Xiao Clan boy?" she asked.
"Miss, his talent might rival that of our young master," Yao Xu said, her tone far more serious than when speaking to Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu. She too created a barrier to ensure privacy.
"You think he's on par with my brother?" Yao Ling asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Miss, didn't you sense it? That boy has already reached the Dou Huang level at such a young age," Yao Xu explained.
"Indeed, becoming a Dou Huang at this age is comparable to my brother's accomplishments," Yao Ling admitted. Her brother, Yao Tian, had reached Dou Huang at fifteen, while she herself had achieved it closer to eighteen. However, her true strength lay in her formidable soul power, unmatched among her peers.
"That's not all," Yao Xu added. "Do you realize those two elders with him are both Half Saints?"
Yao Ling's eyes widened in shock. "Even with the Xiao Clan's strength, assigning two Half Saints as protectors is extraordinary. His status must be far above that of an ordinary Saint Son."
"Exactly," Yao Xu said. "Miss, it would be wise to treat Xiao Yan with respect. While the Medicine Clan and Xiao Clan are both part of the Ancient Seven Clans, we all know the Xiao Clan's strength surpasses the rest, even without their mysterious ancestor."
Hearing this, Yao Ling couldn't help but sigh. The Xiao Clan's immense power was indeed overwhelming.
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