"Brother, Hao’Er’s mother not only saved our Xiao Family, but the very things she left behind were taken by your daughter! I hope you’ll treat Hao’Er kindly. If you don’t, you’ll be cursed by the heavens."
Xiao Chen sighed.
He knew he was going to die today. His only hope was that his brother would have a change of heart and protect Xiao Hao after he was gone.
"Brother, rest assured. I’ll take good care of that good-for-nothing. You can go in peace!"
Xiao Yang said, patting his chest with an air of absolute certainty.
"Hao’Er, farewell."
With a look of tragic resolve, Xiao Chen’s figure flickered, and he shot decisively toward the Evil Wolf Stronghold.
’Brother, you can’t blame me. You were the one who offended Ma Hong. He’s a member of the Black Dragon Alliance, an existence our Xiao Family simply cannot afford to provoke.’
’For the future of the Xiao Family, you’ll just have to sacrifice yourself.’
Xiao Yang spoke faintly, his face devoid of any sadness.
SWOOSH!
A moment later, Xiao Chen arrived at the main gate of the Evil Wolf Stronghold.
But he immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.
It was far too quiet. He couldn’t see a single living soul.
’Are those... the bodies of the bandits from the Evil Wolf Stronghold?’
Xiao Chen suddenly gasped.
He discovered corpses strewn across the stronghold grounds. Their deaths had been horrific—they had either been stabbed through the heart or decapitated.
’That’s Ma Hong and the eight chieftains of the Evil Wolf Stronghold... They’re all dead? What in the world happened here?’
When Xiao Chen saw the scene inside the main hall, his scalp prickled with fear.
After all, Ma Hong and the eight chieftains of the Evil Wolf Stronghold were all Profound Realm Powerhouses!
Ma Hong, in particular, had a Cultivation that had reached at least the Profound Realm Fifth Layer.
But now, they had all been slaughtered.
’Just what kind of being had they provoked?!’
’This is great! With Ma Hong dead, I’ve escaped this disaster. Plus, I can take his and the others’ heads to the City Lord to claim the bounty.’
’Then, I can go to the Celestial Pill Pavilion and buy some Elixirs for Hao’Er.’
Xiao Chen was overjoyed.
The bounties on Ma Hong and the eight chieftains of the Evil Wolf Stronghold were all extremely high.
The reward money for their heads would be enough to purchase a significant number of Elixirs.
And with the help of these Elixirs, Hao’Er would surely be able to raise his Cultivation in a short amount of time.
THWACK, THWACK.
Soon, Xiao Chen had lopped off the heads of Ma Hong and the eight chieftains. He wrapped them in a large animal-hide bundle and promptly left the Evil Wolf Stronghold.
"Look, it’s the Second Elder! How is he back so soon?!"
"Could he be trying to flee to escape his punishment?!"
When the Xiao Family powerhouses saw Xiao Chen return unscathed, they all assumed he was deserting.
"Brother, what is the meaning of this? Get back there right now and fight Ma Hong to the death!"
Xiao Yang roared.
The very reason they had followed Xiao Chen into the Demon Beast Mountain Range was to prevent him from escaping.
"There’s no need. Ma Hong is already dead!"
Xiao Chen immediately pulled Ma Hong’s head from the bundle, holding it out for Xiao Yang to see.
"What? It’s really Ma Hong’s head."
"Isn’t the Second Elder’s Dantian damaged? How could he possibly have killed Ma Hong?!"
The Xiao Family powerhouses were all utterly shocked.
Even Xiao Yang couldn’t believe his own eyes.
After all, not even he was confident he could kill Ma Hong. How could Xiao Chen have possibly accomplished it?
"By the time I reached the Evil Wolf Stronghold, the entire stronghold had already been wiped out."
Xiao Chen explained to the group.
"Something like that actually happened!"
"Who in the world has that kind of power, to wipe out the entire Evil Wolf Stronghold?!"
"In our Xiao Family, only the Old Master possesses that kind of strength."
The Xiao Family powerhouses all remarked with awe.
"Brother, you certainly have good luck! I take it that bundle contains the heads of the nine chieftains of the Evil Wolf Stronghold?"
A greedy light flickered in Xiao Yang’s eyes.
"That’s right. Brother, what are you planning to do?"
Xiao Chen’s brows furrowed tightly.
"Brother, you should be grateful you’re still alive. As for these heads, you’d better hand them over. This is the Demon Beast Mountain Range, after all... anything could happen."
Xiao Yang said, beckoning to Xiao Chen with a hand, his tone laced with a clear threat.
He also coveted the bounty for Ma Hong and his men, and he certainly wasn’t going to hand it over to Xiao Chen.
"Brother, you’ve gone too far! I was the one who found their bodies first!"
Xiao Chen roared, his face contorted with rage.
"So what? You didn’t kill them. If you truly care about that good-for-nothing, Xiao Hao, you will obediently hand over these heads. Otherwise, I will expel him from the Xiao Family this instant."
Xiao Yang sneered.
’Damn it!’
Though his heart was filled with fury and indignation, Xiao Chen ultimately had no choice but to hand over the heads.
After all, Ma Hong wasn’t his only enemy.
Once Hao’Er was expelled from the Xiao Family, his life would be in constant peril.
"Hahaha! What a haul! These heads will fetch a bounty of at least ten thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones. I might even be able to buy a Purple Spirit Pill!"
Xiao Yang exclaimed, ecstatic.
The Purple Spirit Pill was an Elixir as renowned as the Qi Gathering Pill, providing immense benefits to Yellow Realm Martial Artists.
If his daughter could consume a Purple Spirit Pill, her Cultivation would surely advance even faster.
’Hao’Er... your adoptive father is useless. I couldn’t even hold on to those heads. Otherwise, I could have bought you a Purple Spirit Pill.’
Xiao Chen’s fists clenched tightly, his heart aching with guilt.
"Alright, let’s head back!"
With a wave of his right hand, Xiao Yang led the Xiao Family powerhouses away from the area.
As for the Evil Wolf Stronghold itself, they didn’t dare set foot inside.
After all, no one knew if the person who had annihilated the stronghold was still nearby.
...
「Half a day later.」
Xiao Hao returned to his residence within the Xiao Family estate.
Not only had he wiped out the entire Evil Wolf Stronghold, but he had also plundered it of all its valuables.
The Evil Wolf Stronghold had spent years burning, killing, and looting, and had accumulated a considerable fortune.
There were over ten thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones alone.
This was nearly a full year’s income for the entire Xiao Family.
In the Profound Yellow World, the purchasing power of Low Grade Spirit Stones was astonishing. A single one was enough to cover an ordinary family’s expenses for an entire year.
Therefore, in Celestial Water City, over ten thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones was an absolutely immense fortune.
’Now that my Cultivation has entered the Profound Realm, Purple Spirit Pills have little effect on me. I must refine higher-level Elixirs. The Celestial Pill Pavilion sells all kinds of Spirit Medicines. I can take a trip there and sell the seven Purple Spirit Pills I have left!’
The last time he’d crafted them, he’d produced a total of thirty-two Purple Spirit Pills. He had absorbed twenty-five through Refinement, leaving him with seven.
Moreover, their quality was flawless; they would definitely fetch a high price.