A day later, Xiao Hao had prepared all the necessary supplies and was ready to set off for the Demon Beast Mountain Range at any moment.
"Disaster! One of the Xiao Family’s Spirit Stone Ore Veins has been attacked!"
"It was the bandits from the Evil Wolf Stronghold!"
"They’ve already seized the ore vein for themselves! Quick, go inform the Patriarch!"
Just then, a sudden uproar erupted throughout the Xiao Mansion.
"The Evil Wolf Stronghold? Aren’t they the largest group of bandits near Celestial Water City? Why would they suddenly make a move against a Xiao Family Spirit Stone Ore Vein?"
Xiao Hao was also a little surprised when he heard the news.
The Xiao Family was one of the most prominent families in all of Celestial Water City.
And just yesterday, Xiao Yu had been accepted as Tang Feng’s disciple.
Logically, no one should have dared to provoke the Xiao Family.
Yet, the bandits from the Evil Wolf Stronghold had suddenly seized one of the Xiao Family’s Spirit Stone Ore Veins.
This was all very strange.
"Second Brother, Father wants you to go to the Elder Hall."
Just then, Xiao Yang burst into Xiao Chen’s residence, his face grim as he spoke.
"Eldest Brother, why is Father looking for me?"
Xiao Chen’s brow furrowed slightly.
"You’ll find out when you get there."
Xiao Yang sneered, his tone sounding like he was giving an order.
"Adoptive Father, I’ll go with you."
For some reason, a sense of foreboding welled up in Xiao Hao’s heart.
"Insolence! The Elder Hall is no place for trash like you."
Xiao Yang barked harshly.
"Hao’er, you wait for me here."
After speaking, Xiao Chen left with Xiao Yang.
’What on earth is the Xiao Family plotting? They wouldn’t dare do something to my adoptive father, would they?’
A flicker of worry couldn’t help but cross Xiao Hao’s eyes.
Unfortunately, his strength was still too weak. Even if the Xiao Family truly intended to harm his adoptive father, he was completely powerless to stop them.
’Get stronger. I have to get stronger, and fast!’
Xiao Hao clenched his fists, his resolve to journey to the Demon Beast Mountain Range hardening even further.
...
At that moment, all the higher-ups of the Xiao Family were gathered in the Elder Hall, every one of them wearing an extremely solemn expression.
"Father, may I ask why you’ve summoned me?"
Xiao Chen couldn’t help but ask.
"Hmph! You rebellious son! Do you have any idea why the Evil Wolf Stronghold has seized our Xiao Family’s Spirit Stone Ore Vein?"
Xiao Long said, his face livid.
"I don’t know. The Xiao Family has never offended the Evil Wolf Stronghold, as far as I know."
Xiao Chen looked bewildered.
The Evil Wolf Stronghold was a bandit faction that had only risen in the last six months, and the identity of its leader was a complete mystery.
Xiao Chen remembered that during his time as Patriarch, he had never crossed the Evil Wolf Stronghold.
But for some reason, the Evil Wolf Stronghold had targeted a Xiao Family Spirit Stone Ore Vein.
He truly couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
"Heh! Second Brother, this is all your doing!"
Xiao Yang scoffed, the corners of his mouth curling in mockery.
"Rebellious son, do you remember Ma Hong? He is the leader of the Evil Wolf Stronghold!"
Xiao Long said coldly.
"What? Didn’t I severely injure Ma Hong back then? How has he made a comeback?!"
Xiao Chen’s expression changed drastically.
Years ago, in order to secure a Spirit Stone Ore Vein for the Xiao Family, he had offended an extremely powerful Martial Artist.
That Martial Artist had been severely wounded by him during their duel and hadn’t been heard from since.
But now, he had staged a comeback and even become the leader of the Evil Wolf Stronghold.
His seizure of the Xiao Family’s Spirit Stone Ore Vein was surely to take revenge for what happened back then.
"Rebellious son, this is a disaster of your own making, so you will be the one to solve it.
Ma Hong has demanded that you go to the Evil Wolf Stronghold in one month for a duel. If you win, he will return the ore vein to us."
Xiao Long said, his face devoid of expression.
"Father, my Dantian is severely damaged, and my strength is nowhere near what it used to be. How could I possibly defeat Ma Hong?
With the Xiao Family’s current power, we shouldn’t be afraid of a group of bandits. We could just wipe them out."
A chill ran through Xiao Chen’s heart.
His father knew full well that his strength was a fraction of what it once was, yet he was still ordering him to duel Ma Hong.
Wasn’t this just sending him to his death?
"Silence! If it were just Ma Hong, the Xiao Family would naturally have nothing to fear. But Ma Hong is now a member of the Black Dragon Alliance! If we carelessly offend the Black Dragon Alliance, they could annihilate our Xiao Family with a wave of their hand."
Xiao Long roared, his eyes filled with deep apprehension.
"I understand. In one month, I will go to the appointment myself."
Xiao Chen said, his face ashen like death, and immediately left the Elder Hall.
Even he had never imagined that Ma Hong would have actually joined the notorious Black Dragon Alliance.
No wonder even his father was wary of acting rashly.
"Father, I’m afraid Second Brother’s chances are slim this time! For Ma Hong to be able to join the Black Dragon Alliance, his strength must be far greater than before. Second Brother defeating him is nothing but a fool’s dream."
Xiao Yang said with a gloating expression.
"He has only himself to blame for being blind enough to offend Ma Hong. As long as Ma Hong’s anger can be pacified, it doesn’t matter if he dies. He’s already a cripple who can no longer create any value for our Xiao Family."
Xiao Long said with an indifferent expression.
It was as if Xiao Chen wasn’t his son at all, but merely a tool to be used.
...
"Adoptive Father, you’re back! What did Xiao Long want with you?"
Xiao Hao couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief seeing Xiao Chen return safely.
"Sigh! Hao’er, I’m afraid my time is short! If one day I’m gone, you must take good care of yourself!"
Xiao Chen couldn’t help but sigh.
"Adoptive Father, what on earth happened?"
It was as if a bomb had gone off in Xiao Hao’s mind, and he hurriedly pressed for an answer.
"It’s Ma Hong, the leader of the Evil Wolf Stronghold. He’s come to get his revenge on me."
Then, Xiao Chen told Xiao Hao everything that had happened, down to the last detail.
"Damn it! That old bastard Xiao Long knows your cultivation has plummeted, yet he’s still making you go duel Ma Hong! He’s clearly sending you to your death! You can’t agree to it."
A blazing rage erupted in Xiao Hao’s eyes, and he spoke through gritted teeth.
It’s said that even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own young.
But to pacify Ma Hong’s anger, Xiao Long was actually sending his own son to his death.
It was simply outrageous.
"It’s no use. This whole affair started because of me, so only I can end it. If I don’t show up in a month, Ma Hong certainly won’t let this go."
Xiao Chen shook his head helplessly.
’No! I can’t let my adoptive father go to his death for nothing! There’s still one month. If I can become stronger than Ma Hong, I can take care of him myself.’
A cold glint flashed in Xiao Hao’s eyes.
As far as he knew, when Ma Hong was defeated by his adoptive father all those years ago, his cultivation had already reached the Profound Realm. He had certainly grown even stronger since then.
Therefore, if Xiao Hao wanted to kill him, he would need to reach the Profound Realm at the very least.
But for him to reach the Profound Realm within a month, it was absolutely impossible through conventional cultivation.
The only glimmer of hope was to enter the Demon Beast Mountain Range and hunt Demon Beasts.
"Adoptive Father, I’m going somewhere to enter secluded cultivation for a while. I will definitely be back in a month. You don’t need to worry about me."
Not long after, Xiao Hao left a letter in his room, secretly departed from the Xiao Family, and rushed toward the Demon Beast Mountain Range outside Celestial Water City.