LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 30: Yanran’s Return
If you want to see more chapters in advance, you can just click my Patreon, they are 20 Chapters ahead!
The Jia Lie clan disappeared overnight.
This was the news that Xiao Yan received on the second day.
It wasn’t the kind of disappearance where the family was destroyed and everyone died, but a true disappearance, as if they evaporated from the mortal world.
The residence, members, guards, assets, businesses, and even records—everything related to the Jia Lie clan vanished without a trace, as if the Jia Lie clan had never appeared in Wutan City.
Everyone in Wutan City still remembered the Jia Lie clan, but it seemed as though they had never existed, it’s as if their memory is just an illusion.
The first reaction of everyone in Wutan City was to believe that it was the work of the Xiao clan, that they had completely erased the Jia Lie clan from Wutan City.
After all, the Xiao clan had just clashed with the Jia Lie clan, and now the entire Jia Lie clan had disappeared. It was hard to believe that it had nothing to do with the Xiao clan.
However, the truth was that the Jia Lie clan and the Xiao clan were both part of the three major clan in Wutan City. While there might be differences in their power, the Xiao clan didn’t have the ability to erase all traces of the Jia Lie clan like this.
Therefore, this incident became an inexplicable mystery in Wutan City.
Xiao Zhan and the three elders were shocked by this news, and Xiao Yan was also filled with astonishment.
Just one night had passed, and the entire existence of the Jia Lie clan had been completely erased.
It was easy to destroy a family, but to eliminate all traces of a family’s existence, including their history, was something that not even the imperial family of the Jia Ma Empire or the largest sect, the Yunlan Sect, could do.
Compared to Xiao Yan’s bewilderment, Yao Chen wasn’t surprised by this news.
The disappearance of the Jia Lie clan was undoubtedly orchestrated by the forces behind Xiao Xun’er.
Regardless, the fact remained that the Jia Lie clan had disappeared. Among the people in Wutan City, this matter was hotly discussed for three days. Gradually, the mention of the Jia Lie clan became less and less frequent, until they were completely forgotten.
Next, something interesting happened.
The Ao Ba clan, another one of the three major clans in Wutan City alongside the Xiao and Jia Lie clan, was supposed to compete with the Xiao clan for the assets that originally belonged to the Jia Lie clan in Wutan City.
However, to everyone’s surprise, a few days after the disappearance of the Jia Lie clan, Ao Ba Pa, the patriarch of the Ao Ba Family, sold all of the family’s assets in Wutan City at a surprisingly low price and moved his entire family out of the city overnight.
Although Ao Ba Pa believed in his heart that the Xiao clan was not responsible for this, fear prevailed in his heart.
Are you kidding me? If the Jia Lie clan can disappear overnight without a trace, what chance does my Ao Ba clan have?
Regardless of whether this was the work of the Xiao clan or not, the most important thing is to save our lives!
In this way, within just a few days, Wutan City was left with only the Xiao clan, and under the control of Xiao Zhan, they acquired the markets and assets of the Jia Lie and Ao Ba clan, becoming the undisputed dominant clan in Wutan City.
Although Xiao Zhan and the three elders were puzzled by this turn of events, the Xiao clan did benefit from it. They didn’t have the need to investigate the truth behind the matter.
The turmoil in Wutan City had come to an end, and the Xiao clan was about to celebrate their annual coming-of-age ceremony.
The coming-of-age ceremony was followed by the New Year celebrations, and now that the Xiao clan had become the only major family in Wutan City, the atmosphere within the entire clan was lively and festive, with decorations and celebrations.
In the training grounds of the Xiao clan, many young members were gathered in groups, making lanterns and paper-cuttings for the festive occasion. Since there were no other clan celebrating the New Year, there were no shops selling related items. The young members of the Xiao clan had nothing else to do during this period, so they decided to make their own decorations. Yao Chen also watched with curiosity as the young members of the Xiao clan worked on these crafts.
Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, Xiao Mei, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Ning sat together in a circle, chatting leisurely while working on their respective tasks.
“The sudden disappearance of the Jia Lie clan was quite unexpected. Such a large family vanished without a trace,” sighed Xiao Ning, holding a pair of scissors, feeling somewhat displeased as he pouted.
He only learned about what happened after the incident, and he also heard from Xiao Yu about Xiao Yan’s reason for going to confront the Jia Lie clan alone. After listening, Xiao Ning was furious!
Who the hell do they think they are? Trying to kidnap someone in broad daylight! And they wanted to kidnap my sister?! They were lucky Xiao Yan didn’t break all four of their legs!!!
At that time, Xiao Ning wanted to lead the Xiao clan’s younger generation and confront the Jia Lie clan to demand an explanation. But Xiao Yu whipped him a few times and made him behave, temporarily calming him down. However, in secret, he still planned to find trouble with the Jia Lie clan someday.
But unexpectedly, the next day, the entire Jia Lie clan vanished into thin air. Xiao Ning had been holding his anger in his chest and hadn’t had a chance to let it out. He felt extremely aggrieved.
“Did they offend someone?” Xiao Mei asked, tilting her chin in confusion, while Xiao Yu calmly speculated.
“Maybe they incurred divine retribution.”
Although Xiao Yu’s tone seemed indifferent, her gaze subtly glanced at Xiao Xun’er, and Xiao Ning noticed it too.
Xiao Xun’er’s identity was mysterious, and both Xiao Yu and Xiao Yu had sensed something, while Xiao Mei remained oblivious.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xun’er noticed the subtle glances from the two siblings, but she maintained a calm expression and turned to Xiao Yan with a gentle smile, asking, “Xiao Yan, when will Xiao Ting and Xiao Li return?”
“They sent a letter saying they will definitely be back before the New Year,” Xiao Yan replied with a smile, a hint of longing appearing on his face.
Xiao Ting and Xiao Li were Xiao Yan’s eldest sister and second sister, respectively. They had always doted on Xiao Yan, but their care and attention intensified after their mother’s death. At the peak, they even attended to Xiao Yan’s every need, even for daily activities like dressing and grooming.
Every year, the members of the Xiao clan who were away would try to return before the New Year. Xiao Ting and Xiao Li were no exception.
At that moment, Xiao Zhan walked in with his hands behind his back. The recent development of the Xiao clan had put him in a great mood. The Jia Lie clan had disappeared, and the Ao Ba clan had also fled. The people who used to give him headaches were nowhere to be seen in just a few days, making him extremely happy.
“Yan’er, how are the preparations coming along?” Xiao Zhan approached Xiao Yan and inquired, his mood bright. Xiao Yan responded accordingly.
“The progress is going well. We should be able to finish everything today.”
“That’s good, that’s good~ Try not to delay tomorrow’s coming-of-age ceremony.”
Xiao Zhan smiled and suddenly a servant from the Xiao clan entered from outside, bowing with clenched fists and speaking loudly.
“Lord Patriarch! There’s a visitor at the door seeking an audience!”
“A visitor?” Xiao Zhan furrowed his brow slightly. “Who is it?”
“It’s a young girl who claims to be Nalan Yanran.”
!!!!!!!
Upon hearing that name, Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun’er’s movements halted instantly, and their faces visibly darkened.
Xiao Yu naturally noticed the reaction of the two and turned to Xiao Ning, asking, “Who is Nalan Yanran?”
“She is Xiao Yan’s cousin and fiancée. She came here before with great fanfare, proclaiming that she wanted to marry Xiao Yan,” Xiao Ning replied softly, and Xiao Yu’s eyes slightly narrowed.
Fiancée… Indeed, I have heard Grandfather mention it. Xiao Yan’s grandfather and the patriarch of the Nalan family arranged a marriage between the two clans.
With these thoughts in mind, Xiao Yu’s gaze turned slightly dim.
“Niece Nalan? Why is she here?”
Upon hearing Nalan Yanran’s name, Xiao Zhan’s heart sank.
Could it be… She’s trying to urge the marriage matter?