Chapter 94

"What? All the medicinal herbs have been destroyed? What about the Second Elder? Where is he?" In the hall, an angry roar almost tore the roof off.

A guard trembled as he knelt before Jiali Bi, fear etched on his face. He swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice, "The Second Elder was also killed by the person who destroyed the herbs!"

Jiali Bi's enraged face suddenly froze, his heels suddenly weakening. He plopped down into the chair behind him, his face blank. Jiali Nu was one of the three Great Battlemasters of the Jiali family. His death was undoubtedly a devastating blow to the already unstable Jiali family.

Seeing Jiali Bi's state, the guard who brought the news also looked miserable. At that moment, his mind was still echoing with the terrifying power of the black-robed figure. It was hard to imagine that the Second Elder, a Three-Star Great Battlemaster, was incinerated to ashes in just one encounter with the mysterious person. The terrifying scene almost made everyone present feel the true meaning of fear.

"Who killed the Second Elder?" After sitting in the chair for a long time, Jiali Bi finally came to his senses. His voice was hoarse, clearly indicating that Jiali Nu's death had dealt him a significant blow.

"I don't know. The person was wearing a black robe, and no one saw his face. However, he could control a kind of pale white flame, and the Second Elder was killed by this flame." The guard shook his head and said in a low voice.

"Black robe? Control white flame?" After a brief silence, Jiali Bi's face changed slightly. Controlling flames to harm enemies was undoubtedly the favorite method of alchemists. An alchemist who had a grudge against the Jiali family and possessed the power to easily kill Jiali Nu... These conditions made Jiali Bi think of the black-robed alchemist he had encountered at the auction.

Recalling the respectful attitude of Yafei and Gu Ni towards that black-robed alchemist, Jiali Bi suddenly felt a bitter taste in his mouth. They had been wrong from the beginning. At that time, they had believed that the Xiao family had merely been lucky to hire a mediocre alchemist because of Liu Xi's words. However, the current facts told them that the alchemist of the Xiao family was far stronger than Liu Xi, the half-baked alchemist.

Shaking his head slowly, a look of resentment and fury flashed in Jiali Bi's eyes. The medicinal herbs worth 400,000 gold coins had been destroyed, and due to financial issues, the Jiali family still owed 300,000 gold coins to the medicinal herb family in Tran City.

Jiali Bi had originally planned to refine these herbs into healing potions and pay after selling them. However, the current situation had completely shattered all his plans.

The medicinal herb family that cooperated with the Jiali family also had considerable influence in Tran City. Once they learned that the herbs had been destroyed, they would certainly send people to demand payment. But at this point, the Jiali family's funds were almost depleted, and how could they come up with such a huge sum? If they couldn't pay, the Jiali family's reputation would be ruined.

"Damn it!" Thinking of his frustration, Jiali Bi slammed his palm on the table beside him. Instantly, the hard blackwood table shattered, and wood chips hit the guard's face. However, the guard could only grit his teeth and endure it.

Taking a deep breath, Jiali Bi forcibly suppressed his anger and resentment towards the Xiao family. He waved his hand and said in a calm but forced tone, "Distribute all the remaining healing potions in the warehouse to the various markets. Also, make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut about today's incident. If it leaks out, they will be punished according to the clan rules."

"Yes." The guard's body trembled slightly, and he respectfully responded. Then he got up and quickly left.

Looking at the empty hall, Jiali Bi leaned back in his chair, exhausted. Even if the Jiali family could survive this, their influence would greatly diminish, and they would no longer be able to compete with the Xiao family. Thinking of this, Jiali Bi sighed involuntarily. For some reason, he now felt a bit regretful about his initial provocation of the Xiao family...

However, this regret came a bit too late.

...

After finishing some tasks, Xiao Yan also returned to his family. He asked the Medicine Master to refine some qi-nourishing pills and then hurriedly sent them to Xun'er. Seeing the girl holding the pills with her slightly red, watery eyes, Xiao Yan felt a great sense of satisfaction.

In the days following Xiao Yan's destruction of the Jiali family's medicinal herbs, although Utan City appeared calm on the surface, those who paid attention could notice that the Jiali clan members who used to cause trouble near the Xiao family's market had quietly retreated. Their usual arrogance had also diminished. Everyone was puzzled by the Jiali family's mysterious actions.

Xiao family, the meeting hall.

"What is the Jiali family up to recently? Are they showing weakness to us?" Xiao Zhan frowned as he received various reports and asked the three elders in the hall, puzzled.

Exchanging glances, the three elders shook their heads simultaneously. After a brief moment of thought, the First Elder slowly said, "Abnormality is a sign of trouble. Jiali Bi is a cunning old fox. He might be up to something. We should be more vigilant."

Xiao Zhan nodded, his cautious nature preventing him from relaxing his guard against the Jiali family just because of their surface actions.

His gaze shifted, and Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan, who was almost dozing off in his chair, shaking his head helplessly. This little guy always seemed to lack interest in family affairs.

"Yan'er, have you seen that old gentleman recently?" Picking up his teacup and taking a sip, Xiao Zhan asked casually.

Hearing Xiao Zhan's question, the three elders also turned their attention to Xiao Yan. The importance of that old gentleman to the Xiao family was self-evident, but he seemed to favor Xiao Yan alone, and no one else had ever met him alone.

Everyone could only envy Xiao Yan's special treatment.

Lazily lifting his eyelids, Xiao Yan grumbled, "Yeah, I saw him." After a brief silence, he added, "He said he plans to take me as a disciple."

Hearing Xiao Yan's last words, Xiao Zhan's hand, which was holding the teacup, suddenly froze. He raised his head, his face full of surprise, and stared at the young man slumped in the chair, swallowing hard and still disbelieving, "You mean he wants to take you as a disciple?"

Rolling his eyes, Xiao Yan looked at the overjoyed and excited Xiao Zhan and the three elders whose faces were twitching, and lazily nodded.

"Good, good, good..." Blushing, Xiao Zhan drank the tea in one gulp, stood up excitedly, and paced back and forth in the hall, rubbing his hands excitedly: "I knew my son wasn't an ordinary person. Damn it, anyone who dares to call my son a waste, I'll beat them to death on the spot!"

Seeing Xiao Zhan's excited state, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly and said softly, "In half a month, I'm going to go on a journey with my teacher... I might not return for a year or longer."

"Ah?" Xiao Zhan was taken aback, the smile on his face gradually fading. He frowned and asked hesitantly, "You're not planning to take the entrance exam for the Ghana Academy? That's a famous advanced academy on the continent of Dou Qi. If you can get in, it will be very beneficial for you."

"I will take the exam, but I might skip a year or two of classes." Xiao Yan touched his nose and said with a faint smile: "Although the Ghana Academy is great, they can't help me surpass... Nalan Yanran in less than two years."

Xiao Yan smiled, his gaze slowly sweeping through the hall. It was here that the proud woman had trampled on the last bit of dignity he had left.

Hearing the name that was almost taboo to Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan's face twitched, and he fell silent.

Standing up, Xiao Yan lazily rubbed the back of his head and slowly walked out of the hall. The young man's faint laughter lingered in the hall.

"Since she made the agreement back then, I naturally have to keep it. Not to impress her, but just to say, when I meet her, that your judgment is pretty poor..."

(After this chapter, Potatoes will be going on the shelf. At midnight, there will be an update. Before going on the shelf, I really want to thank all the friends who have supported Potatoes. Without your support, I wouldn't have come this far. Thank you sincerely.)