Chapter 10

Here at the Xiao family mansion, even though the mood was heavy, Xiao Haoran, the father of Xiao Mei and the current leader of the Xiao family, arranged a dinner to thank Ye Chan for saving his daughter.

As the dinner progressed peacefully, suddenly—

Boom!

The door was kicked open, and a threatening voice rang out from outside.

"Xiao Haoran! How dare you defy young master Li Wei's orders?"

Soon, the speaker stepped into the dining hall. It was a big, fat man with a sneer on his face. Just one look at him was enough to tell he wasn't a good person.

As he entered the room with his group, his gaze froze briefly upon seeing Xiao Mei. Then, his expression changed into one of sly calculation.

"Ah, Miss Xiao Mei," Hu Lingtou drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. "It seems your little trip went well. How fortunate for you."

"Hmph! Hu Lingtou, why are you here?" Xiao Mei's tone was sharp and hostile. She knew well that Hu Lingtou, the head of the Hu family—one of the four major families in Moonshade City—was a despicable man.

In Moonshade City, the four major families were the Xiao family, the Li family, the Hu family, and the Jin family. Ever since Li Wei became a core disciple of the Roaring Lion Sect, the Hu family had completely submitted to the Li family, acting as their lackeys.

Hu Lingtou chuckled darkly, unfazed by her hostility. "Oh, don't be so cold, Miss Xiao Mei. I'm just a messenger delivering news. Young Master Li Wei is very displeased with your family's behavior. He's not only demanding that Xiao Rui marries him but also—" he paused, his lips curling, "you as well."

Swish!

Before Hu Lingtou could finish, Xiao Mei unsheathed her sword, the blade gleaming with a deadly light. "You're courting death!" she hissed, her aura flaring with righteous fury.

"Stop it, Mei'er!"

A firm voice rang out, stopping Xiao Mei in her tracks. She turned to see her father, Xiao Haoran, watching her with a serious expression.

"Xiao Haoran, don't ruin the entire Xiao family just because of your selfishness," another voice shouted from the gate.

This time, it was Jin Qubai, the leader of the Jin family, who entered the hall.

Seeing the scene, Xiao Mei realized the gravity of the situation and reluctantly stepped back. If a fight broke out now, the Xiao family would undoubtedly suffer heavy losses.

"Jin Qubai, you too?" Xiao Haoran's voice carried both disappointment and frustration.

Jin Qubai shrugged. "The Li family's power grows by the day, and with young master Li Wei's backing from the Roaring Lion Sect, resistance is futile. You should think carefully before defying him."

After a tense silence, Xiao Haoran finally spoke. "Give me some time to consider."

"Good." With that, Jin Qubai and Hu Lingtou turned and left.

As they were leaving, Hu Lingtou noticed Ye Chan sitting at the table and shot him a cold glare. Ye Chan returned the gaze, his expression equally displeased. He knew this man was responsible for the ambush on Xiao Mei during her trip.

For Xiao Mei, Ye Chan felt something more than friendship—he had a crush on her. And now, hearing that this vile man wanted to force her into marriage angered him even more.

Dinner ended shortly after, and everyone retired to their rooms. Xiao Mei, however, went directly to the backyard of the mansion.

Stepping into the serene backyard, she noticed a figure in the pavilion. It was a girl—a stunning beauty standing beneath a blooming cherry tree.

Her long black hair flowed like silk, shimmering softly under the moonlight. She wore a graceful blue dress with golden patterns, perfectly outlining her slender figure. Her smooth, jade-like skin glowed faintly, and her bright, enchanting eyes were focused intently on a painting. Her very presence exuded elegance, purity, and grace, making her appear like a goddess descended to the mortal realm.

Xiao Mei smiled mischievously as she snuck up behind the girl and hugged her. "Sister, what are you doing?"

"Ah!" Xiao Rui let out a soft cry, startled. If anyone had heard that sound, it could have made their blood boil.

Realizing it was Xiao Mei, she was both happy and annoyed. "You little brat! The first thing you do after coming back is scare your sister!"

Xiao Mei grinned and rubbed her cheek against Xiao Rui's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sister. I just missed you so much! Besides, you know that only you, me, and Brother Ming are allowed in the backyard."

"Alright, alright, stop hugging me!" Xiao Rui scolded.

"Oh, how could you say that? Don't you like me anymore?" Xiao Mei pouted, making a cute face.

Xiao Rui sighed helplessly, but when Xiao Mei saw her starting to get genuinely annoyed, she reluctantly let go.

Curious, Xiao Mei looked at the painting Xiao Rui had been working on. "Sister, what are you painting?"

Xiao Rui hesitated, her cheeks turning pink, but she eventually showed the painting. It depicted two girls—Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei—playing with a handsome young man. The man's sharp features and gentle smile were striking enough to charm anyone who saw him.

Looking at the painting, Xiao Mei sighed. "It's been five years since we last saw Brother Ming."

"Don't worry," Xiao Rui said softly. "Uncle Chen has gone to the Divine Blue Sect to ask for Brother Ming's help. He'll return soon."

A beautiful smile graced Xiao Rui's face as she spoke. When she was younger, she loved following Brother Ming around, playing with him, and watching him practice.

Seeing Xiao Rui's dreamy expression, Xiao Mei teased, "Sister, I remember when we were kids, you used to say you'd marry Brother Ming when we grew up. So, are you still planning to marry him when he comes back?"

"Shut up, you naughty girl! What nonsense are you spouting?" Xiao Rui blushed furiously and lightly smacked Xiao Mei on the head.

After their playful bickering, the two sisters settled down and began chatting about Xiao Mei's recent travels.

At night Ye Chan walked out of the Xiao family mansion.

Looking at the mansion, he was deep in thought and couldn't help but wonder whether to help the Xiao family or not. Soon, an image of a beautiful figure appeared in his mind—the image of Xiao Mei—and the events that had transpired in the hall flashed before his eyes.

Ye Chan clenched his hands. He now definitely knew that he liked Xiao Mei, and she also regarded him as a friend. As long as he helped her family solve this matter, he was sure she would be impressed by his heroic act.

By nature, he would usually challenge Li Wei directly, defeat him, and surprise everyone. He was certain that such an act would impress Xiao Mei. After all, even though he was only at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage, he could fight against a Soul Transformation cultivator.

But after investigating Li Wei, Ye Chan knew such an action would be courting death. According to his findings, Li Wei was an extremely shameless person. If he lost, he would have his master intervene and kill his opponents.

And his master wasn't just anyone—he was a Transcendence-level cultivator and the sect master of the Roaring Lion Sect, a dominating force in this region.

Even with his master's soul residing in his ring, Ye Chan didn't believe he could defeat a Transcendence-level cultivator. Defeating Li Wei was one thing, but escaping alive from the hands of his master was another entirely.

As these thoughts churned in his mind, Ye Chan unknowingly wandered into a remote area within the Xiao family mansion.