Chapter : 18 : Xiao Clan's Meeting ( Part : 2 ) :
Location : Xiao Clan's Meeting Hall :
At this moment the hall had fallen into a state of heated discussion among the elders and members present.
The matter of either to cancel the engagement promise with the Zhau clan or not had to be decided properly .
Most of them had no good feelings towards the Zhau Clan and were very dissatisfied with the engagement proposal with them to begin with .
But still it was a promise made by one of the important members of the clan and so some were reluctant to break it .
After all in this cultivation world breaking such promises was seen very poorly and would not reflect good on the Xiao Clan's name .
Moreover it's not like that the Xiao clan doesn't have enemies out there who would be waiting for an opportunity to turn the situation against them .
There were many such enemies including the other great clans of the Yu Shan Kingdom .
Especially the Gu clan who considered themselves the prime rivals to the Xiao clan .
If this matter was not dealt with atmost caution then who knows ? it might just give the Gu clan another reason to indirectly strike at them .
However those reluctance quickly went away when they understood that the other party Xiao Xuan had apprently lost his cultivation talent .
On the other hand Xiao Yun was the current genius of the young generation and not only some simple genius but a prodigious genius.
Her name was well known around the Yu Shan Kingdom to the point that various powerful sects and accademies have already letters inviting her to learn under them .
And how can someone like her be engaged to a unknown young master of a small clan who had a currently lost his cultivation talent .
So it meant that the condition for the engagement promise was already broken , hence the promise itself had no meaning left .
This meant outside actors like the Gu clan will have no opportunity to interfere in the matter .
Hence almost everyone had agreed by this point that they should cancel the marriage proposal .
However now everyone's eyes were turned to the fourth elder .
Everyone knew Xiao Fu had always been recentful of the current Clan head Xiao Fang and has opposed many of his decisions .
So many expected him to do the same this time as well .
" I support your decision clan head . " - but at this moment much to the surprise of many Xiao Fu readily supported Xiao Fang's decision .
While he indeed was at opposite with Xiao Fang on most of the matter .
But the one thing that he cared even more than his animosity towards Xiao Fang was the Xiao clan itself .
He was one of the first members to oppose this engagement proposal from the beginning .
To him this was an insult to the reputation of the Xiao clan that one of their strongest geniuses of the new generation had to be engaged with someone from the small Zhau clan .
And he felt that from the beginning there was something suspicious about this entire thing .
He believed that it was the Zhau clan's insidious work that they did something to Xiao Fang's father when he was resting in their home to make him agree to such a ridiculous promise .
And why would they do that ? There multiple reasons for it because they are countless benefits when it comes to be related with the Xiao clan .
For example if the engagement were to go through properly that would mean that the Xiao clan and the Zhau clan have became connected .
This would elevate the Zhau clan's position in the cultivation society as now they would no longer be a remote small clan but a clan with connections with the Xiao clan .
Moreover in future whenever the Zhau clan would be in need the Xiao clan would have to help them in name of familiar ties .
And all these did not even include the other resources and gifts that they would obtain from them .
So to Xiao Fu this was a well calculated strategy used by the Zhau clan to use the name and the resources of the Xiao clan .
Obviously if he understood this then the other elders who were more experienced than him must have senced something like this already .
But none of them said it out loud as they did not have any proof to support their theories .
And since the other party did really them a favour by saving Xiao Fang's father they couldn't be dismissed .
But now things have changed drastically with Zhao Xuan losing his cultivation talents they had the perfect excuse to cancel this engagement promise .
" I agree as well but we need to be polite when doing so after all we can't be seen as the wrong side in this case . " - said the second elder Xiao Peng .
" So what do you suggest we do second elder . " - asked Xiao Fang .
" Clan head I say we prepare a large amount of gifts and cultivation resources as gifts and compensation for the Zhau clan in order to cancel the engagement promise properly . " - Xiao Peng said .
" I agree ! with you suck an elder and I say we should prepare some decent cultivation techniques and Alchemist well to give with the rewards . " - the first elder Xiao Lin also added.
She was by far the most experienced person within the group of people present in the hall .
She had served as an elder to the clan since the time of the previous clan head and was even present at the coronation ceremony of the current king of the Yu Shan Kingdom .
Obviously her words where taken very seriously by everyone in the Xiao clan .
Moreover she had always treated Xiao Yun as if she were her own grandchild .
So she was eager to be the one to cancel this engagement promise .
Hearing that both the first and the second elder agreed everyone in the room nodded in agreement as well .
While sending gifts was not necessary considering that they were not breaking any rules of the promise.
But in this way they could showcase to the world that the members of the Xiao clan are not cheap they compensated the other side with enough resources even if they didn't have to .
And at the same time with so much being given to them certainly many within the Zhau clan would readily agree with the engagement promise cancellation .
After all Zhao Xuan had already lost his cultivation talent which means that they don't have any reason of asserting the engagement promise anymore .
It's better to take whatever they were getting in this scenario then argue and lose everything .
This was a plan that would ensure the best outcome possible for the both side .
" Then allow me as the first elder to visit them as this would show our sincerity best . " - Xiao Lin suddenly gave the proposal .
She wanted this entire scenario to end in a quite manner so handling the situation herself was the best solution.
" Alright ! It's decided then the first elder well leave the clan in a few days with a number of other elders with gifts to the Zhao clan estate . " - Xiao Fang spoke .
After seeing no one object the decision he stood up from a seat the end of the meeting .
With that the people in the meeting hall started to leave preparing for the upcoming departure of the first elder to the Zhau clan not knowing that this simple engagement promise cancellation would start a huge storm in the future .
Location Change : Xiao Fang's House :
At this moment inside Xiao Fang's guest room he was sitting with the second elder Xiao Peng and the first elder Xiao Lin by his side .
" I thank you both elders for helping me in this situation . " - Xiao Fang said as he look at the elders in front of him .
He was truly grateful to them .
Because if not for there tacit support during the meeting he would have felt quite uncertain about his decision to cancel the engagement promise like that .
After all the promise was indeed made by his father and no matter this circumstances it dragged the name of the clan with it .
And now he couldn't deny the fact that he was trying to cancel the engagement promise because of his personal reasons .
After all how can he as a father see his daughter being engaged like that without her consent .
" Hahaha ! No need to thank us clan head we also believe that is matter was indeed not something good for our Clan . " - Xiao Peng said laughing heartily .
" And don't forget Xiao Yun is like my granddaughter so there is no way I would allow something like this to happen to begin with . " - Xiao Lin said while gently smiling .
" Still I am grateful for both of your help . So if it's not too much trouble allow me to invite you to eat today's dinner at my house . " - Xiao Fang said and respectively give the invitation .
While he was stronger than both of them in terms of cultivation strength he was still there junior in age and experience .
Moreover after taking over as the clan head these two have been the most supportive of him .
And even now they help him in his need .
So there is no way for him to be ungrateful to these people .
Seeing that the Xiao Fang was quite adamant about them staying for dinner both of the elders agreed in the end .
" By the way old Peng , I heard you met quite an interesting young genius in this recent competition held between the new generation of cultivators . " - suddenly the first elder Xiao Lin spoke out changing the subject .
Xiao Peng who was asked this question looked at her and after thinking for some time said with a smile .
" Yes indeed this young talent name Xiao Ming was something that I did not expect to see in this competition . " - Xiao Peng then started to recount everything that happened that day .
He described in detail as from Xiao Ming being able to stand the pressure from him to his fight with Xiao Zhan .
While Xiao Ming's name has already spread in most parts of the clan and even the first elder and the clan head knew about him still the recent events relating to the Zhau clan meant that they could not give much attention to it .
They heard reports that someone had defeated Xiao Zhan - the grandson of the fourth elder who was considered the second strongest of his generation after Xiao Yun in a battle .
But at that time they didn't have the time to look at this matter more thoroughly .
Now hearing the details from the second elder both of them understood that this Xiao Ming was indeed quite different from others .
His strength although strong was nothing extraordinary to be mentioned .
But his endurance and his clever mind was something to be praised .
And it seems that the second elder had taken quite a liking to this boy .
" Hmm ! It seems that quite a new character has grown out of our new generation once again . Won't you agree clan head . " - Xiao Lin said with a sly smile as she drank her cup of tea .
" Indeed ! " - Xiao Fang agreed as he nodded his head .
" It seems after this mess is over I need to pay more attention to this Xiao Ming . " - he said as he looked at the night sky outside the window .
" Afterall with this much talent he can be a great member of our clan in the future . " - Xiao Fang said .
It was his duty as the clan head to look after the geniuses of the clan and give them the opportunities they need .
After all every genius in the clan is a future pillar to the clans long lasting stability and power .
" Well ! We can discuss about this matter more in the future but for now let's eat dinner . " - with that all three of them when to eat together discussing various other matters on the way .
And just like this Xiao Ming name has reached the highest ears of the clan without his knowing .
Was it going to be trouble ? Only the future can tell .
To Be Continued .