Even standing beside Xiao Zhan didn't make him feel this small.
Dark emotions flickered in his eyes as he pondered the situation over and over again, until finally he sighed deeply, cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan, and left the hall in defeat.
Yet, to Xiao Yan's surprise, only three days later, Oba Pa returned....this time bringing with him four Da Dou Shi and sixteen Dou Shi from his family.
Such decisiveness even made Xiao Yan raise an eyebrow in surprise.
After a few questions, he learned that the day Oba Pa had left, he'd gone straight to the Miteer Auction House and spent a small fortune consulting Ya Fei.
Whatever that woman had said clearly struck a chord, for Oba Pa had made his decision almost immediately afterward.
Since they had come with sincerity, Xiao Yan didn't bother dragging things out.
He instructed Liu Panlong to hand over the specially refined poison pills prepared in advance.
"The antidote will remain with my father," Xiao Yan said casually. "From now on, you'll follow his commands."
At the end of the day, gaining new subordinates was no loss. After a few polite words, Xiao Yan left the follow-up to Xiao Zhan and Liu Panlong, returning to his quarters to cultivate.
"Heh heh..."
Watching the newly sworn members of the Oba Family swallow their poison pills, Liu Panlong chuckled darkly, his tone dripping with mock sympathy.
Patting the trembling, sweat-soaked shoulder of Oba Pa, he grinned.
"Congratulations," he said, lips curling in amusement. "You've just made the most important decision of your life."
"From this day forth, the Oba Family will rise to glory."
Flying high, huh?"
Hearing Liu Panlong's laughter, Ao Ba Pa and the other high-ranking members of the Ao Ba family could not help but show faint, bitter smiles.
Although both Ya Fei and Liu Panlong had openly said that becoming a subordinate of the Xiao family was not a humiliation, but a path to a bright future,
the reality was inescapable: as someone else's servant, with life and death ultimately under another's control, the situation was inevitably tinged with bitterness.
In the past, the two great families of Wu Tan City had stood shoulder to shoulder with the Xiao family.
One was chased away like a hunted dog, while the other now bowed and submitted.
This brought immense pride to many in the Xiao family.
Without spilling a single drop of blood, they had resolved two of Wu Tan City's greatest families, securing the title of the city's largest clan.....undisputed.
Yet, amid the pride, no one forgot whose hand had brought this sudden advantage, whose power had crafted this moment.
The young boy at the heart of it all, however, remained entirely unbothered.
Though he treated Wu Tan City as his home, Xiao Yan's ambitions were vast enough to contain the cosmos itself.
To him, the petty affairs of Wu Tan were trivial.
Two months later, at the Xiao family's rear mountain.
"Shh!"
A streak of energy left a jade-like hand as a young girl forcefully kicked out with her smooth, white leg.
Her figure darted like a nimble swallow toward the boy standing opposite.
Seeing her serious expression, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a faint smile.
He shifted sideways with an elusive step, brushing past the energy, and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
In one swift motion, he reached out and caught the girl's slender waist, dissipating her momentum with a gentle force.
"Not bad, not bad. You've improved quickly....already reaching the eighth stage of Dou Qi."
Holding the girl in his arms, her chest rising and falling from exertion, Xiao Yan gently wiped the sweat from her smooth forehead before placing her down amidst her shy, adoring gaze.
"Xiao Yan-gege, you're so bad! You never play fair when we spar."
Xun'er's cheeks flushed crimson as she complained, her exhaustion mingling with embarrassment, making her look like a delicate red apple...utterly charming.
"Hehe."
Xiao Yan smiled without responding to her teasing, gently ruffling her hair. "Have the elixirs I gave you all been used up?"
Xun'er nodded lightly. Her earlier playful fierceness softened into a delicate, elegant smile.
"Almost done. With your elixirs, Xiao Yan-gege, my progress has really accelerated."
"That's good. Make sure you reach the rank of one-star Dou Zhe before we enter Canaan Academy together." Xiao Yan's voice was calm, almost encouraging.
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