Are you kidding?
That masked man Yan'er called Yun Leng was a Dou King expert.
His purpose in coming to the Xiao Clan was laid bare—to annihilate them.
And Zhou Changqing had dealt with him, which was the same as saving the Xiao Clan!
For a debt of this magnitude, never mind a single front courtyard; even if the entire Xiao Clan manor were torn down, Xiao Zhan would have to stand on the side and cheer, "A fine demolition!"
Besides, the fact that Zhou Changqing could defeat his opponent with such ease was proof that his strength had already surpassed anything Xiao Zhan could imagine. He was perhaps even stronger than his own father, Xiao Lin.
Faced with such a powerhouse, Xiao Zhan would have to be an absolute fool to utter a single word of complaint.
"As long as Uncle Xiao doesn't mind, hehe, that saves me a fortune," Zhou Changqing said with a joking tone, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Xiao Zhan shook his head with a good-natured smile before his expression turned serious. He looked at his son. "Yan'er, what is all this about?"
"Father, it's a long story..."
At his father's question, Xiao Yan held nothing back and explained the whole affair from the beginning.
The more he spoke, the colder his expression became, his gaze toward the ruins of the main hall turning to ice.
Xiao Zhan's brow furrowed deeper and deeper as he listened, his face growing grim.
A behemoth like the Misty Cloud Sect was not an entity the Xiao Clan could afford to provoke.
The First and Second Elders of the Xiao Clan, however, were listening with mounting fury until they burst out in rage.
"To hell with the Misty Cloud Sect's Grand Elder! Utterly shameless!"
"That son of a bitch!"
Hearing the elders' curses, Xiao Zhan did not stop them. Instead, he began to think calmly about how the Xiao Clan should handle the aftermath.
This Yun Leng might have been narrow-minded, but he was still the Grand Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Even if he had committed such a despicable act, it was unlikely the sect would abandon him over it.
If this wasn't handled properly, it would undoubtedly spell another disaster for the Xiao Clan!
Not to mention, the Misty Cloud Sect's former sect leader, Yun Shan, had broken through to the legendary Dou Ancestor realm.
If the Misty Cloud Sect decided to pursue the matter, there would be no place left for the Xiao Clan to stand, not in the Jia Ma Empire, and perhaps not in the entire northwestern region.
Xiao Yan saw his father's worry and immediately offered reassurance. "Father, there's no need to worry. The Misty Cloud Sect may be powerful, but I'm no pushover myself. If they dare to come, they'd better be prepared to have their teeth knocked out!"
His words were filled with confidence!
A Dou Ancestor was strong, but he had his teacher!
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan clapped Xiao Yan on the shoulder, gratified, and stroked his beard with a smile. "My son has grown up. You're stronger than I am."
After smiling, however, Xiao Zhan's expression became solemn once more. "But this is a grave matter. We must discuss it carefully."
"Yan'er, and Changqing, you are both far beyond what you once were. So I want to ask for your opinion, to take the lead. What do you plan to do with this Yun Leng?"
As he spoke, Xiao Zhan looked toward Zhou Changqing.
The two young men exchanged a glance, each understanding the other's thoughts.
Zhou Changqing threw up his hands. "Do whatever you want with him. I have no objections. It's Old Xiao's call."
"But Old Xiao, you'd better be quick. That old bastard probably doesn't have much time left."
He knew Xiao Yan. There was no way he would let Yun Leng go.
Besides, Yun Leng had intended to wipe out the Xiao Clan. So, when it came to the act of finishing him off, he wouldn't steal Xiao Yan's thunder.
"Hmph! That old dog planned to annihilate my Xiao Clan. We can't let a tiger return to the mountains, or the consequences will be endless. So, we kill him!"
Xiao Yan snorted coldly, hefting his Heavy Xuan Ruler and striding toward the ruins of the main hall.
*Crack... Bang...*
He swung the massive ruler, sweeping aside the shattered beams, pillars, and stones in his path until he arrived directly before a large crater.
In the crater, Yun Leng's breathing was faint. His black robes were caked in dust, his limbs were twisted at unnatural angles, and his chest was caved in, his skin split and flesh mangled.
At this point, he was completely immobile, his mind hazy, the flame of his life about to be extinguished at any moment.
Barely able to make out Xiao Yan standing before him, a trace of unwillingness and fear flickered in Yun Leng's dim, lifeless eyes.
"Die, you old dog!"
Looking at the old man who had nearly brought about the extermination of his clan, Xiao Yan's eyes were filled with nothing but icy killing intent. Without a shred of hesitation, he swung the Heavy Xuan Ruler down, smashing it viciously upon the man's head.
Instantly, Yun Leng's skull burst under the ferocious force. Brain matter splattered as he became a headless corpse.
For Xiao Yan, who had fought his way through countless battles, such a minor scene didn't make him feel nauseous. There was only a sense of satisfaction and relief.
At that moment, Zhou Changqing also walked over.
He peered into the pit at the corpse, which now had a severe lack of a head, and fell into thought.
"Old Zhou? You want a turn? That old dog was cursing you quite a bit earlier."
Seeing Zhou Changqing approach, Xiao Yan smiled and offered him the Heavy Xuan Ruler, assuming he also wanted to vent some anger.
Zhou Changqing shot Xiao Yan an exasperated look and shook his head slightly. "I don't have a habit of desecrating corpses."
"I have to say, Old Xiao, your methods for dealing with enemies are a bit crude."
"Huh?"
Xiao Yan looked completely baffled, not understanding what he meant.
Zhou Changqing didn't explain. He simply waved his arm.
In the next second, a blinding bolt of lightning shot out and struck the headless corpse.
The searing, wild electricity, which seemed capable of tearing anything apart, flared brilliantly. It danced and flickered across the body, relentlessly destroying everything it touched.
In just a few breaths, the corpse was reduced to fine dust under the tyrannical lightning.
At the same time, Zhou Changqing cupped his hand like a claw and made a grasping motion toward the spot where the body had been.
Instantly, a transparent, humanoid silhouette materialized from the void!
The silhouette's blurry, aged face was unmistakably that of Yun Leng!
Under the immense force of Zhou Changqing's spiritual strength, the spectral figure was yanked over in an instant, clutched in his hand.
Xiao Yan's pupils shrank as he cried out involuntarily, "A spiritual body!"
Zhou Changqing raised an eyebrow at Xiao Yan. "When you kill someone, you have to be thorough. Destroy the corpse, scatter the soul—not one step can be missed."
"This old bastard was a high-level Dou King, after all. His spiritual strength is much greater than an ordinary person's. After death, his soul won't dissipate immediately and can even retain a degree of consciousness. It won't last long, but what if something unexpected happens?"
"My friend, your professional skills need some improvement."
As he spoke, the lightning in Zhou Changqing's hand flared, instantly engulfing Yun Leng's spiritual body.
Lightning naturally suppressed ghostly apparitions. Ravaged by the electric arcs that carried the might of the heavens, Yun Leng's soul rapidly began to disintegrate.
"Ahhh...!"
"My lord, save me!"
A bloodcurdling scream emanated from the spectral figure, chilling enough to make one's skin crawl.
Hearing the spirit's cry, Xiao Yan's expression changed. But before he could say anything, Yun Leng's soul had completely dissipated into the world.
"Old Zhou! That old bastard had a backer!"
Faced with Xiao Yan's alarm, Zhou Changqing appeared quite calm and nodded. "I figured as much."
"No matter what, Yun Leng was the Grand Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Even if his head was clouded by rage, a man who has been around for so many years is no fool."
"If he didn't have some sort of backing, why would he have come here with so few people?"
"I just don't know where his support is. To watch him die here just like that... so cold to even their own people. They can't be anything good."
He too was a little surprised. Yun Leng's death had been far too easy.
Seeing Zhou Changqing's calm, calculating demeanor, and thinking of Queen Medusa who had yet to appear, Xiao Yan relaxed slightly. At the same time, a feeling of admiration welled up inside him.
He had to admit, compared to Old Zhou, he was still too naive.
That 'double deliverance' method his friend had just used on the enemy was truly stunning.
It had also opened a door to a whole new world for him.
So this was how one should properly kill someone!
I have to learn this. I'll take a note now and find a chance to practice later!
"Jie jie jie... A useless piece of trash hardly counts as one of this Protector's own. He's not worthy."
"But this piece of trash did give this Protector a pleasant surprise. A decent soul, and a target my Hall has been pursuing for a long time."
Just then, a sinister, eerie cackle that could make one's hair stand on end echoed from the void, reaching the ears of everyone present.