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--- Chapter 289 ---
Wu Tan City - Xiao Clan.
An elderly figure in white stood before a bed, wearing an uneasy look on his wrinkled face. "So, Xiao Yu fainted because you told her about our crisis?"
This white-clothed elder is none other than the grandfather of Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu, also known as the Grand Elder, Xiao Tianbe. Very few people know his name, but he is one of the few who remember the clan's former glory
Xiao Ning looked down guiltily. "Yes, Grandpa. I told my sister about what has happened to our clan in recent years, some of which you shared with me a while ago."
"I didn't expect her to be this shaken by it... I regret telling her..."
Xiao Tianbe looked at his grandson and sighed. "It's not your fault, Xiao Ning. This girl admired Xiao Yan too much, and who would have thought she would return home so suddenly?"
"I expected her not to come back for a few more years, at least until our clan regained its footing, but I miscalculated," He unconsciously clenched his hand. "It must have been a great shock to her."
'But it's not necessarily a bad thing.'
Xiao Tianbe reflected on the fact that the current state of the Xiao Clan is worse than it has been in years.
A few decades ago, when the previous clan leader was still alive, the Xiao Clan could still stand among the noble families in the Jia Ma Imperial City and even formed alliances through engaged marriages.
Yet, everything suddenly went downhill after the previous leader died in battle. The Xiao Clan panicked and moved out of the imperial city, settling in the small Wu Tan City. What makes things worse is that the current head of the clan, Xiao Zhan, has proven to be foolish
Not only did Xiao Zhan marry a woman of unclear background, but his third son, Xiao Yan, is an even greater disappointment.
Everyone, excluding Xiao Tianbe and a few elders, believed that Xiao Yan could revitalize the Xiao Clan to its former glory with his talent. Yes, they think Xiao Yan's birth was a blessing from their ancestors.
However, rather than a blessing, Xiao Tianbe now believes that Xiao Yan's spoiled, arrogant behavior has turned that talent into a curse.
Perhaps it was Xiao Tianbe's jealousy, as his lineage hadn't produced any exceptional talents. Only in recent years has the appearance of Xiao Yu and Xiao Ning given him hope.
Even then, Xiao Yan's loss of talent and his fall from the status of a mighty genius have only reinforced Xiao Tianbe's belief. Even a genius needs to know his place and act for the best of the clan's interest.
With disappointment after disappointment, even members of the Jie Lie and Aoba Clans now feel brave enough to bully them. Back when the Xiao Clan was at its peak, even small fry like them wouldn't have dared to look down on the Xiao Clan.
Honestly, Xiao Tianbe couldn't even blame Soaring Wind Dojo for causing this crisis. At the very least, he knew that Soaring Wind Dojo hadn't taken any direct action against the Xiao Clan.
In fact, they have been allowing the Xiao Clan to operate freely despite their past grievances. After all, Xiao Tianbe was aware that the Soaring Wind Dojo was the most influential force in Wu Tan City, thanks to its connections with the Primer Merchant Group and the Alchemist Association's branch.
There's even a rumor about their collaboration with the Thunder Sword School.
If Soaring Wind Dojo wants, they could easily wipe the Xiao Clan from the face of the Dou Qi Continent. Why would they bother suppressing a small clan like them?
The more Xiao Tianbe contemplated these issues, the gloomier his mood and expression became, as all this pressure made him realize how weak and vulnerable the Xiao Clan truly was.
"Let's calm down for a bit..." Xiao Tianbe sighed again. He glanced at his grandson, "Xiao Ning, how is your probation stage with the Soaring Wind Dojo? Have they accepted you as an outer disciple?"
Xiao Ning gave a solemn look, "I should be able to join in a week or two, the instructor told me my foundation was solid enough."
"But grandpa, won't joining the Soaring Wind Dojo cause our clansmen to feel betrayed?"
"Betrayed? Those fools knew nothing!"
Xiao Tianbe turned his back and looked outside the window. "They don't know how powerful the Soaring Wind Dojo was."
"Five years ago, the Dojo Master Meng Xi was a 7-Star Dou Grandmaster, and today, I don't even know how strong he was. Dou Spirit, no, he could even be a Dou King Expert."
"Even if the clan head and all the elders combined our strength, we couldn't defeat Dojo Master Meng Xi..."
"No way, Dojo Master, is that strong?" Xiao Ning has met Dojo Master Meng Xi many times in the dojo.
He even sometimes received a few advice from him, but he never felt the 'extreme power' his grandfather talks about.
Xiao Tianbe shook his head gently, "Too young."
"How could you, who just started the way of cultivation, sense Dojo Master Meng Xi's strength?"
"Ning, Grandpa will teach you a lesson today," He stroked his white beard gently, "When you can't defeat them, join them!"
"Let those prideful fools of the clan feel betrayed, at least with my vision, our family won't perish under these pressures."
"Xiao Clan's future doesn't lie in Xiao Yan; it lies within you."
"Do you understand?"
Xiao Ning felt his heart beating excitedly, "I understand!"
Xiao Tianbe smiled and nodded, "Good, now get out and train a little bit more."
"I will talk with Xiao Yu's friend."
Xiao Ning left the room, and then Xue Ni entered with a calm look, "Junior greets elder."
Xiao Tianbe smiled, "You're Xiao Yu's friend, just call me Grandpa like her and Xiao Ning. Our family wasn't big, to begin with."
"Okay, Grandpa." Xue Ni followed with a smile.
Xiao Tianbe sat on the edge of the bed and caressed Xiao Yu's forehead, sighing. "Are you curious why Xiao Clan was in such a dire state?"
"While Xiao Ning has told you, he hasn't explained everything."
"Mm," Xue Ni nodded curiously. "If it were just a conflict between two geniuses, it shouldn't be like this, right?"
Xiao Tianbe stared at Xue Ni, "Well, you aren't wrong. But that's on the basis that both geniuses are nearly, if not, equal to a certain degree..."
"Unfortunately, compared to Xiao Yan, that little monster, Han Yuan, is hundreds, if not thousands, times better."
"Is he that strong?" Xue Ni frowned, feeling that 'Han Yuan' wasn't that impressive because she had seen all kinds of geniuses in the Jia Nan Academy.
"Strong? Hehe, if he were only strong, our Xiao Clan wouldn't be like this, girl." Xiao Tianbe laughed bitterly. "The problem is this young man is almost perfect."
"Talent, personality, upbringing, he's spotless!"
"Although I haven't personally watched it, at seven, that kid possesses a fighting will and battle senses that even caught Dou Grandmaster off guard."
"He hadn't even started his path as a Dou Fighter at the time."
"A few months later, he could already contend against our Xiao Clan's shame, I mean, genius... No, he defeated him horribly."
"Do you know what he used at the time?"
"A powerful dou technique?" Xue Ni tilted her.
Xiao Tianbe clenched his hands helplessly, "No, just a basic shoulder throw, and martial arts."
"To finish that off, he used a modified low-level yellow Dou Technique, Tempest Kick, to defeat Xiao Yan!"
"This..." Xue Ni suddenly became intrigued by this genius named Han Yuan.
"That's his talent," Xiao Tianbe sighed once more. "His personality is even better than Xiao Yan's."
"Let's just say due to Xiao Yan's personality, the people in Wu Tan City and even our clan weren't very fond of him."
"In contrast, Han Yuan is an orphan, and he has only a sister left. Yet, he's kind, humble, and more importantly, thoughtful of others."
"Even when Xiao Yan acted arrogantly in the opening of Soaring Wind Dojo, he didn't hold a grudge. So far, the only flaw I could see in him is the fact that he was too kind..."
"Uh, was that a flaw?" Xue Ni was speechless.
Xiao Tianbe chuckled, "Yes, being kind can be a flaw, especially in this world."
"What if he's just faking it?" Xue Ni commented casually.
Xiao Tianbe chuckled even more, "Hahaha, if someone fakes kindness, but does it for so long, it is still kindness. The important part is that he had done it, for good or bad."
"And people knew that."
"That's why people like Han Yuan more than our arrogant young master here."
"So what if his kindness wasn't from his heart? His actions brought so much goodness to Wu Tan City. You don't know this because you are a newcomer, but Han Yuan's popularity brings people into this city and makes business prosper."
"Common people are more than happy to experience this change because their living condition also improves tremendously, and that's all that matters to them."
"Do you understand why the Xiao Clan is falling now?" Xiao Tianbe said with a weary smile.
Xue Ni fell into silence, "Why did you say all this to me, Grandpa?"
Xiao Tianbe glanced at his sleeping granddaughter, "Because I want you to steer my granddaughter to the right path. I know after Xiao Yu woke up, she would definitely go to Soaring Wind Dojo and ask for an explanation from that young man."
"At that very moment, I want you to help her, and if possible, dissuade her from being too reckless."
"If I try to stop her, she wouldn't even listen and would become more reckless instead."
Xue Ni's mouth twitched. "Xiao Yu is a little stubborn."
"Very well, I will do it."
"But I only do this because Xiao Yu is my best friend!"
Xiao Tianbe nodded in understanding and then chuckled, "That's good enough, thank you."
"I am happy that my granddaughter could have a friend like you."