Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"In this ring, there are some things Xiao Ming's parents left for him. Keep it safe, and don't let anyone know about it," Xiao Haoren warned, his tone heavy with a mix of urgency and secrecy.

Xiao Rui clutched the ring tightly, her expression resolute. "Dad, don't worry. I will definitely deliver it to Brother Ming. But I won't run away. I will stay here and face whatever comes. I believe in Brother Ming—he will return and solve this problem."

Xiao Haoren sighed deeply, gazing at his daughter. Her unwavering determination and trust in her brother were both admirable and worrisome. He chose not to argue further, knowing she would not yield.

However, neither of them realized that their conversation had not been entirely private. A pair of sharp ears had caught every word—Ye Chan's.

"That ring…" Elder Tianxian's ancient voice echoed in Ye Chan's mind, carrying a tone of surprise and intrigue. "It contains the aura of an Immortal God Clan."

"What? Aura of the Immortal God Clan?" Ye Chan's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Master, although the ring looks exquisite, I don't sense anything special about it," Ye Chan replied skeptically.

Elder Tianxian let out a dry laugh. "What do you know? Even a Sacred Lord wouldn't easily discern the secrets of this ring. Let me enlighten you. In the Great Thousand World, there exist clans so powerful and ancient that their mere presence can dominate entire realms. These families, with heritages spanning eons, are collectively known as the Immortal God Clans."

 He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "The aura in that ring unmistakably belongs to one such clan—the Immortal Xiao Family."

"What?! How can that be?" Ye Chan was shocked. "But I heard that the young master of the Xiao Family doesn't have much talent. Even though he looks decent, he's been an outer disciple of the Holy Land for five years and hasn't made much progress. How could he be related to an Immortal God Clan?"

Elder Tianxian chuckled. "You only know a fraction of the truth. From the aura alone, I can be certain that this ring holds the unique cultivation technique of the Xiao Family—'The Immortal Sutra.'"

"The Immortal Sutra? Is it that powerful?" Ye Chan asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Powerful? No, it's beyond powerful. The Immortal Sutra is the foundation of the Xiao Family. Without it, there would be no Immortal Xiao Family. If this technique is leaked, even an Emperor would make a move to retrieve it," Elder Tianxian explained gravely.

Ye Chan's excitement grew. "Even an Emperor… would act?"

In the Great Thousand Realms, cultivation stages were divided into False God, True God, Heavenly God, Quasi-Saint, Saint, Saint King, Great Saint, and Sacred Lord. Beyond that were Half-Step Supreme, Supreme, Quasi-Emperor, and Emperor.

An Emperor's strength was the pinnacle, capable of shaking entire realms with a mere thought. Ye Chan could barely contain his excitement. A technique this powerful was within his grasp!

"Master, shouldn't we take that ring?" Ye Chan asked eagerly.

"No," Elder Tianxian said firmly. "Even if others obtain this sutra, they won't dare to practice it. The Xiao Family won't allow their foundational technique to be leaked. Practicing it requires the Xiao Family's bloodline. Moreover, the moment someone begins cultivating it, the Xiao Family's Immortal Tablet will activate, alerting them. Assassins will be dispatched to hunt down the person," he warned.

Ye Chan's enthusiasm dimmed slightly but didn't vanish entirely. "Master, does that mean we have to give up?"

Elder Tianxian laughed. "Don't worry. While others may not be able to practice it, you can—because you're my apprentice. I have my ways."

Hearing this, Ye Chan's reluctance vanished, replaced by excitement. "But Master, the ring is with Xiao Rui. How do we get it?"

"Patience," Elder Tianxian advised. "There's a martial arts competition tomorrow. Use it to impress the Xiao Family and Xiao Rui. Gain their trust, and the opportunity to acquire the ring will present itself."

"Yes, Master. Not only will I gain Xiao Rui and her Cold Yin Sacred Body, but also the Immortal Sutra. Everything will be mine!" Ye Chan's excitement spilled out, though his tone hinted at his selfish ambitions.

The following day, the Xiao Family's grand hall was filled with anticipation. Elders, core members, and promising talents had gathered for the announcement of the martial arts competition participants.

Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei stood at the forefront, their presence drawing the attention of all. Ye Chan, however, only had eyes for Xiao Rui. Her beauty was captivating, her every movement exuding grace and strength. His blood boiled just looking at her.

Xiao Rui noticed his gaze and frowned, feeling a wave of discomfort. Just as she was about to confront him, Xiao Mei interjected, "Sister, that's Ye Chan—the one who saved me from the robbers."

Hearing this, Xiao Rui held back her words. Though she appreciated his help, his leering gaze left a poor impression.

The meeting began shortly after.

"The martial arts competition will include Xiao Rui, Xiao Mei, and Xiao Wuyu as our participants," Xiao Haoren announced.

"Yes, Patriarch! I will live up to your expectations!" Xiao Wuyu, a 40-year-old in the Nascent Soul 4th stage, cupped his hands respectfully. Despite his age, he was considered a top talent in the Xiao Family, second only to Xiao Rui, who, at 19, had reached Golden Core 9th stage but could battle Nascent Soul cultivators due to her exceptional talent.

"The competition will consist of three rounds: Core Formation, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul stages," Xiao Haoren continued. "Only through unity and strength can we secure victory."

"Chief Xiao, I'm willing to contribute to the competition on behalf of the Xiao Family," Ye Chan suddenly spoke up, his voice confident.

The hall fell silent. All eyes turned to him, some curious, others skeptical.

"Little guy, while your intentions are noble, this is about the survival of the Xiao Family. Don't interfere," Xiao Wuyu said coldly, clearly envious of Ye Chan's talent.

Xiao Haoren intervened, "Ye Chan, Mei'er owes you her life, and we are grateful. But this competition is crucial. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Patriarch Xiao, Mei'eris also my savior I must repay this favor. Please allow me to participate. I will not disappoint you," Ye Chan said with determination.

Seeing his brother's discomfort, Xiao Lin, Xiao Haoren's younger sibling, stepped forward.

"Young man, if you can push me back, I'll let you participate. Don't worry; I'll only use one percent of my strength to defend," Xiao Lin said, a polite way of dismissing Ye Chan's request.

"Elder Xiao, with all due respect, please attack me with your full strength. If I can't withstand it, I'll accept my loss," Ye Chan replied confidently.

The hall erupted into murmurs.

"Arrogant! How dare he challenge Elder Xiao like this?" Xiao Wuyu sneered.

"Silence," Xiao Lin ordered. His face darkened, but he maintained composure. "Fine. Let's start with one percent. If you withstand it, I'll go all out."

Xiao Lin's expression darkened, though he maintained a calm demeanor. "Very well," he said, his voice laced with an icy edge. "I will start with one percent of my strength. If you prove yourself capable, I will gradually increase it. Let us see if your confidence is justified."

The hall grew tense, the murmurs subsiding as everyone turned their attention to the impending clash. Xiao Wuyu crossed his arms, a sneer on his lips. "Arrogant fool. He'll crumble before Elder Xiao even gets serious."

Elder Xiao stepped forward, his aura restrained but still commanding. Ye Chan stood across from him, calm and composed, one hand clasped behind his back. His nonchalant posture further fueled the audience's doubt.

"Ready yourself," Xiao Lin warned.

With a burst of movement too swift for most to follow, Xiao Lin appeared before Ye Chan, his fist surging forward like a lightning bolt. The sheer force of the attack caused the air to ripple, a sign of the power contained even at one percent of his strength.

Xiao Lin appeared before Ye Chan in an instant, his fist striking toward Ye Chan's stomach. As Xiao Lin's punch landed squarely.

Bang!

Ye Chan was sent flying tens of meters, crashing onto the ground.

...."_"....."_"...."_"...."_" 

"what....."

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To be continued -