Chapter 4 – Objective… First, help the Medusa Queen with her transformation!
"Young Master, you're too kind."
Medusa didn't reject Xiao Chen's suggestion. Instead, she offered a faint smile.
"Though I'm not a benevolent person, I do understand the principle of repaying kindness. Young Master Xiao saved my life. No matter what trouble you encounter, I will do my best to help you!"
Hearing this, Xiao Chen's eyes lit up, and he found Cai Yan even more pleasing to the eye.
One must know that, according to rumors, Medusa of the Naga Tribe was a ruthless queen. Yet, in front of him, she behaved like a gentle girl next door.
If the elders of the Naga Tribe saw this, they would probably be so shocked that their snake tails would go limp.
"Actually, I do have something that requires your cooperation..."
Feeling satisfied with this Medusa Queen, Xiao Chen revealed his plan under her puzzled gaze.
He had been worrying about finding a reason to fool the Xiao Family, making it easier to display his abilities.
By elevating his status to the highest in the family, he could get the Xiao Family to help him gather resources.
With enough support, he could temporarily enable Cai Yan's transformation.
This would also allow him to quickly improve his cultivation and even build his own power!
Now, with the appearance of this Medusa Queen, everything seemed much simpler.
***
Creak...
Just as Xiao Chen finished explaining things to Cai Yan, a creaking sound came, and the tightly closed door was opened.
"Young Master, it's time for your medicine..."
As Xiao Chen and Cai Yan turned their gaze, a young girl in white entered, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.
"Ah!! A... a Naga?!"
Before the girl could finish her sentence, she saw Medusa and turned pale with fright.
The bowl of medicinal soup in her hands fell to the ground with a crash.
Because of the enmity between the Naga Tribe and humans, it was widely believed in the Great Qian Dynasty that Nagas were brutal and merciless monsters.
Not only did they love to slaughter humans, but they were also said to violate them.
Thus, cultivators in the Great Qian Dynasty harbored a deep fear of the Naga Tribe.
"Don't panic, she's one of us."
Seeing the girl in white so frightened that her legs went weak, Xiao Chen called out helplessly.
This was his personal maidservant, Yun Xi, who had just turned sixteen this year.
Cai Yan merely frowned slightly at the scene, giving Yun Xi a brief glance before looking away.
"Young... Young Master?! Your injuries are healed?!"
Hearing Xiao Chen's words, Yun Xi finally noticed him standing nearby. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Just a few days ago, Xiao Chen had been on the brink of death, looking like he was about to breathe his last. Now, he was standing, his face rosy and full of life, not at all like someone who had been gravely injured.
Her mind buzzed in confusion.
"Yes, where is the family head?"
Xiao Chen didn't elaborate, simply waving his hand and changing the subject.
The urgent matter now was to understand the Xiao Family's current situation and then decide his future strategy.
"The family head..."
Yun Xi's face changed slightly, her voice choking up.
"The family head bought Earth Rank healing medicine for you, but he was so angry that he went to the Supreme Sword Sect to demand an explanation.
But Lin Feng has already been accepted as a disciple by an elder of the Supreme Sword Sect.
Not only did they ignore the family head's words, but they also beat him down the mountain. The family head was injured and had to return to the family.
The most outrageous thing is... The Lin Family of Heavenly Capital City, knowing that the family head went to the Supreme Sword Sect, demanded that the Xiao Family pay a million Spirit Crystals within three days as compensation.
If we can't pay this compensation in three days, they will destroy all of the Xiao Family's properties."
By the end, Yun Xi's eyes were red, her face full of worry.
"Interesting..."
Hearing Yun Xi's words, Xiao Chen's lips curled into a slight smile.
He was just preparing to make a grand move to win people's hearts, and now the Xiao Family was in trouble, which suited his plans perfectly.
In times of crisis, one could see if a family was united and whether it was worth his effort to cultivate.
"Alright, you go ahead and get busy. The Xiao Family will be fine..."
Seeing Yun Xi's worried face, Xiao Chen walked up to her, gently ruffling her hair.
After calmly saying these words, he headed towards the Xiao Family's council hall.
Cai Yan's eyes flickered slightly at this scene, and she followed him with a graceful sway of her hips.
***
Meanwhile, in the Xiao Family's council hall.
"Damn the Supreme Sword Sect, damn the Lin Family of Heavenly Capital City, this is simply bullying us too much!"
The Xiao Family's Great Elder, having understood the whole situation, slammed the tea table in anger, shattering it to pieces.
As a top sect within the Great Qian Dynasty, the Supreme Sword Sect not only ignored the examination personnel who crippled others during the competition but also accepted them as disciples to shield them, severely injuring the Xiao Family's head in the process.
And the Lin Family of Heavenly Capital City, relying on the backing of the Supreme Sword Sect's elder, demanded that the Xiao Family pay a million Spirit Crystals as compensation?!
One Spirit Crystal was equivalent to a hundred gold coins, and a million Spirit Crystals amounted to a hundred million gold coins.
Even if the Xiao Family sold all their assets, they couldn't gather such a huge sum.
This was clearly an attempt to push the Xiao Family to the brink!
"Family head, perhaps we should visit Lord Liu. Maybe we can leverage his influence to resolve this situation."
As the Great Elder raged, the more composed Second Elder frowned and offered his suggestion.
Liu Tiannan, the lord of Floating Cloud City, had reached the Celestial Grotto Realm in his cultivation.
If he were to intervene, the situation might not be so dire.
"It's useless..."
Xiao Zhan coughed up a mouthful of blood and clenched his fists tightly.
"Before returning to the family, I tried to visit Liu Tiannan, but he turned me away."
"Without a life-and-death bond or significant benefits, the City Lord's Mansion won't help us this time."
Besides the City Lord's Mansion, Floating Cloud City had three other major families.
In the past, the City Lord's Mansion supported the Xiao Family to balance the three major families and consolidate its position.
But to ask the City Lord's Mansion to plead on behalf of the Xiao Family, risking offending the Supreme Sword Sect and the Lin Family of Heavenly Capital City, was impossible!
"It seems the Xiao Family is facing a life-and-death crisis this time."
After Xiao Zhan's words, the hall fell into despair.
"Initiate the family bloodline transfer plan. I will stay behind to deal with them."
After a moment of silence, Xiao Zhan slowly raised his head.
"Family head?!"
Hearing Xiao Zhan's decision, the three elders looked up sharply, their expressions changing.
The bloodline transfer plan was a contingency the Xiao Family's leadership had devised, to be activated only in times of life-and-death crisis, sacrificing the foundation to preserve lives.
The cost would be the loss of the Xiao Family's centuries-old foundation in Floating Cloud City.
"Enough."
Seeing the three elders about to speak, Xiao Zhan raised his hand to stop them, his voice heavy.
"This disaster befalling the Xiao Family is due to my son and me.
Let us father and son stay behind to face it. You three lead the Xiao Family out of Floating Cloud City and find a new path for the family."
After speaking, Xiao Zhan slowly closed his eyes, his face full of exhaustion.
As a father, he couldn't stand by and watch his son be humiliated.
As the family head, he couldn't drag the entire family down over personal grievances.
So, having the Xiao Family relocate to avoid these disputes while he stayed behind to settle things with the Lin Family was the best solution.
"Family head, we are not cowards afraid of death!!"
Hearing Xiao Zhan's decision, the three elders shouted in unison.
For centuries, the Xiao Family had risen from a fallen family to establish a firm foothold in Floating Cloud City.
They had relied on their fierce determination and unity among the clan members.
Now, asking them to abandon Xiao Zhan and Xiao Chen and relocate the entire clan was an unbearable humiliation.