Chapter 55: The Conflict Among Youths

At the Xu Clan’s side, Xu Tianlang and Xu Lin both stood at the front, but they were clearly divided into two factions. Behind Xu Tianlang and Xu Lin stood their own supporters, respectively. The Xu Clan disciples who kept running over also clearly took sides, standing behind one of the two.

Xu Ziyan glanced toward Xu Lin’s direction and noticed a young man standing beside him, who appeared slightly older than Xu Lin. Xu Ziyan knew this was Xu Haoran’s eldest son, Xu Qi.

On the opposite side, the crowd was divided into three factions. In front of each faction stood a tall and straight youth. Looking at their emblems, Xu Ziyan immediately recognized that they belonged to the City Lord’s Manor, the Xiao Family, and the Wu Family. At this moment, the youth from the City Lord’s Manor, standing in the middle, spoke in a sarcastic tone:

“Heh, Xu Tianlang, so you’re the genius of the Xu Clan’s younger generation? Hmm, your cultivation level isn’t all that impressive, is it? Still stuck at the Second Layer of Qi Refining Stage. I wonder when Brother Tianlang plans to break through?”

“Li Nu, even with my Second Layer of Qi Refining Stage cultivation, I can still beat you until you’re scrambling for your teeth!” Xu Tianlang said arrogantly.

“Is that so?” Li Nu curled his lips disdainfully, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

By this time, Xu Ziyan had already squeezed through the crowd. She noticed Xu Qingxue and the others were also there, so she made her way over to them and asked softly:

“What happened?”

When the others turned and saw it was Xu Ziyan, they immediately acted as if they had found their backbone. Xu Qingxue remained silent, her face pale, while Xu Li lowered her voice and said:

“It’s Xu Tianlang. He and some of the clan disciples wanted to eat in the most luxurious private room at Maple Forest Pavilion, but the City Lord’s son had already reserved that room. Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but just as Senior Brother Tianlang was about to leave, Li Nu happened to arrive and started mocking him. That’s how they ended up arguing. More and more people heard about it and came over, and now it’s turned into this!”

“How do you know all this so clearly?” Xu Ziyan asked skeptically, thinking that with Xu Li’s status as an Outer Hall Disciple, it was unlikely she would have been eating with Xu Tianlang.

“I heard it from the Inner Hall Disciples!”

Xu Ziyan shifted her gaze toward the opposite side, scanning the three figures standing at the front several times. She noticed all three were only at the First Level of Qi Refining Stage, but something felt slightly off to her. Logically, with their cultivation levels, how dare these three confront Xu Tianlang, who was at the Second Layer of Qi Refining Stage? Not to mention, there was also Xu Qi, who was also at the Second Layer of Qi Refining Stage, and Xu Lin, who had just broken through to the Third Layer of Qi Refining Stage, standing there as well.

What puzzled Xu Ziyan the most was the faint disdain and intense fighting spirit visible in the eyes of the three youths opposite her. How was that possible?

Quietly, Xu Ziyan released her Spiritual Power, slowly enveloping the three youths across from her. She frowned slightly—the feedback she received still indicated they were at the First Level of Qi Refining Stage. But what shocked her was that she vaguely detected the aura of a Breath-Concealing Talisman on them. If Xu Ziyan hadn’t thoroughly studied Talismans, she wouldn’t have been able to capture that faint trace of energy.

Xu Ziyan was deeply alarmed. Were they hiding their true cultivation levels? Were they not really at the First Level of Qi Refining Stage? What was their purpose in concealing their strength? Recalling what Second Uncle had mentioned about the alliance between the City Lord’s Manor, the Xiao Family, and the Wu Family, Xu Ziyan gradually felt a wave of unease. She immediately made a decision:

“They can’t be allowed to fight. Our clan barely managed to secure a breather because of the Beast Tide. If Xu Qi, Xu Lin, and Xu Tianlang are injured or killed here, and it triggers an early clan war, that would be a blow the Xu Clan simply can’t afford right now.”

“Xu Tianlang, how about we spar?” Li Nu’s mocking voice rang out at that moment.

“Spar? Are you prepared to die?” Xu Tianlang said coldly.

“Hahaha…” Li Nu laughed loudly while playing with the horsewhip in his hand. “No need for you to worry about that. But don’t worry, I won’t kill you. Just make sure you don’t cry later when you end up disabled!”

Xu Ziyan knew she couldn’t wait any longer. If she did, both sides would start fighting. She urgently shouted:

“Wait!”

Having said that, she pushed her way forward with effort. Xu Tianlang and Li Nu, who had been about to draw their swords, paused in surprise at her voice and stopped their movements, turning their gazes toward Xu Ziyan. The other Xu Clan disciples also looked over. When they saw it was Xu Ziyan, they stepped aside one after another, creating a narrow path for her in the middle.

Although Xu Ziyan’s displayed cultivation level was only at the Tenth Layer of Houtian, the Clan Leader had enthusiastically promoted her as an idol for the younger generation on the High Platform at the Central Plaza. Thus, when Xu Ziyan stepped forward, most of the Xu Clan disciples looked at her with admiration and stepped back. Even those from Xu Tianlang’s faction, who inwardly looked down on Xu Ziyan’s cultivation level, still respected her bravery in Tongyou Valley and moved aside as well.

Xu Ziyan strode through the path that had opened up in the crowd. Xu Lin’s eyes lit up when he saw her, but then dimmed again. Beside him, Xu Qi’s gaze held a sense of approval, as if he was looking at his own younger sister.

Xu Tianlang’s expression was complex. There was some approval in his eyes, but more than that, there was displeasure. In his mind, it was hard to imagine that someone at the Tenth Layer of Houtian would dare to interrupt two Qi Refining Stage cultivators who were confronting each other and about to fight. He felt this was a disregard for him, Xu Tianlang. Since when did a mere Houtian cultivator get to call the shots in the Xu Clan?

Even though Xu Ziyan had made outstanding contributions to the clan in Tongyou Valley and was publicly praised by the Clan Leader, Houtian was still Houtian. How could an ant-like figure expect to soar to the skies?

Thinking this, the contempt in Xu Tianlang’s eyes grew even stronger. Small people were just small people—give them an inch, and they take a mile. They start thinking they’re somebody! But in front of everyone, Xu Tianlang couldn’t very well yell at Xu Ziyan, especially since she had just been elevated as an idol by the Clan Leader. So, he turned his head away, his face pale with anger.

On the opposite side, Li Nu also heard Xu Ziyan’s shout and looked over. Seeing the Xu Clan disciples quietly stepping aside one by one, he was momentarily startled, thinking some important figure from the Xu Clan had arrived. But when he saw that the person emerging from the crowd was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, with a cultivation level of only the Tenth Layer of Houtian, he couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.