Chapter 51: Back to the Xiao Family!

"Little brother, why did you die? Why did you die? I never thought you would actually die, but he didn’t, and you did…" Xiao Yun’s eyes truly shed tears. Then, Xiao Yun ran straight ahead, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, directly to Xiao Bing’s corpse, where he hugged the body and wept even more loudly.

"Xiao Sa, why do you blame Xiao Bing? All the responsibility is on him? This statement is simply a huge joke! You, you…"

Xiao Yun pointed at Xiao Sa with both hands, and after drying his tears with his robe, he could no longer speak as he continued.

After a moment, with a gloomy face, Xiao Yun’s gaze shifted to Xiao Bei, “Xiao Bei, I know it, all of this is because of you, right? Right, isn’t it…?”

As if he had gone mad, Xiao Yun rushed straight towards Xiao Bei.

"Are you daring to do this!"

Xiao Bai’s expression, which had already been bad after Xiao Yun disregarded the presence of many people and started talking wildly, worsened when he saw Xiao Yun, who had gone mad, rushing towards the first place in the family trial designated by his father, Xiao Ting, and the Xiao Bei who had recently risen to fame in the Xiao family, transforming from a waste to a heaven-defying genius. Xiao Bai could no longer hold back.

With a palm thrust, a large amount of martial energy condensed in Xiao Bai’s palm. When Xiao Yun, upon hearing Xiao Bai’s angry shout, not only did not stop but continued to rush towards Xiao Bei without regard, Xiao Bai’s palm struck out.

"Peng!"

Xiao Yun’s body was hit several meters away by Xiao Bai’s palm, spitting blood, and then fell to the ground.

"Your brother’s death has nothing to do with Xiao Bei. What you are doing is a great disgrace to your father, Xiao Feng! If you have the guts, you should also be the first in this trial like Xiao Bei! Here, crying and wailing, look at the fine men of the Xiao family kneeling before me, who is not better than you? We are also heartbroken by Xiao Bing’s death, but blaming others recklessly is not the right way to go…"

After scolding Xiao Yun, Xiao Bai turned to Xiao Qi and said, “Take those who are not continuing the trial and leave. Try not to delay, and pay attention in the dark. Return to the Xiao family before dawn, so the family head won’t be anxious. I have already sent a message hawk early.”

After a moment’s thought, Xiao Bai added, “Remember, you must personally announce the top ten of this family trial on the martial arts training ground of the family martial hall. The family head and all the family members are waiting on the platform below, ready to welcome them back with pride!”

Xiao Bai waved his hand, interrupting Xiao Qi’s attempt to speak, “I will stay here. After returning to the Xiao residence, you will report the details of Xiao Lie’s matter to the family head. I will wait for the others to gather, and then find and kill that Black Flame Wolf!”

With a murderous tone, Xiao Bai stood there like a spear.

Xiao Qi responded, then gestured to the crowd. Immediately, two of the ten disciples who had accompanied Xiao Lu to find Xiao Ling and others came forward, directly lifting up Xiao Yun, who had a blank look, disheveled hair, but still glared fiercely at Xiao Bei.

"Follow me back to the Xiao family."

Xiao Qi waved his large hand, and instantly, the Xiao family disciples who were not kneeling all followed Xiao Qi and others. Before moving, Xiao Bei turned his head and looked at the Xiao family disciples who were kneeling in the sunset, then followed the crowd.

...

The sky was not yet bright, and a delicate crescent moon still hung in the sky.

This should have been a time of complete silence, but in the corner of the bustling capital of Wu Kingdom, which could be considered the outskirts, the Xiao residence was not like this.

At the Xiao residence, in the huge family martial hall, there was a clamor of voices.

At this moment, this martial hall, which was usually open only to Xiao family disciples under the age of twenty-five and above the third rank of the innate martial realm, was now open to all members of the Xiao family!

Everyone, regardless of whether they were male or female, young or old, direct or collateral, master or servant, as long as they were part of the Xiao family, regardless of their status, had the right to enter!

Of course, this also included the Jiang family, the only family whose disciples could enter the Xiao family martial hall for cultivation.

It could be said that today was the most jubilant day for the Xiao family martial hall.

The brightness of the sky had no effect on the mood of these Xiao family members.

However, the Xiao patriarch, who was sitting in the highest seat of the martial hall, along with other high-ranking members of the Xiao family, although their faces were smiling, their eyes were somewhat somber and heavy. Of course, if one was not very close to them, they would not feel this.

Time passed bit by bit in such an environment.

Gradually, the moon gradually disappeared, and the weather became a bit cold.

This was a sign that the sun was about to rise from the east.

"Back, back, Xiao Qi and the others are back…"

Suddenly, someone shouted, and all the people in the martial hall training ground turned their heads to look at the only entrance of the martial hall.

The participants of the family trial entered from the entrance, slowly emerging.

The first to enter the martial hall training ground was Xiao Qi, with a solemn expression, followed by the steward, then Xiao Lu… When the last person had entered, the surrounding jubilant sounds slightly diminished, and the voices gradually faded.

After all, too few of the clan members who followed Xiao Qi had returned.

Many people who were anxiously waiting for their familiar relatives did not see the ones they were waiting for.

Although these Xiao family members and some Jiang family members had already anticipated that the family trial had ended a night earlier, which indicated that something had happened.

However, they clearly did not expect that the number of people returning… would be so few?

Could it be? They were all killed by beasts…

At the thought of this possibility, the commotion on the field suddenly became louder, and some people’s faces changed.

They could not help but recall an incident during a family trial where several Xiao family disciples, in order to compete for a higher ranking, entered deep into the mountains and forests, only to tragically encounter high-level beasts and be devoured alive.

The expressions and the atmosphere on the faces of these people infected those around them, and the commotion subsided after a short while.

The atmosphere on the field became somewhat oppressive, far different from the jubilant atmosphere before Xiao Qi and the others entered, which was like waiting for heroes to return in triumph.

"Why did you return so late, Xiao Qi? Didn’t Xiao Bai’s message hawk say you would return not long after midnight? Why are you only returning now when the sun is about to rise?"

Xiao Qi smiled bitterly at Xiao Zhan, “Father… Family head, on the way, we encountered a blue bear. To vent our anger, Xiao Lu and the steward worked together to kill it, which took some time.”