Chapter 10: If Your Magical Artifact Fails, Don’t Blame the Monster’s Strength!

The Xiao Family Manor.

"Damn Yang Qingyuan and Yang Yitan! What arrogance! Sooner or later, I will make sure your Yang family completely disappears from the Yiqi Dao Alliance!"

When Xiao Tiansheng returned with a dark expression, he immediately ran into Xiao Wancheng, who was scolding the servants.

After overhearing the low-voiced curse from his foolish son, Xiao Wancheng promptly dismissed the servants and beckoned Xiao Tiansheng forward.

"Tiansheng, come here."

"Father..."

The once fierce Xiao Tiansheng instantly wilted upon seeing Xiao Wancheng.

"Did you encounter someone from the Yang family when you went out just now?"

"Father, how did you know?"

Xiao Wancheng shot a glance at Xiao Tiansheng, then sighed silently.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Under Xiao Wancheng’s steady gaze, Xiao Tiansheng had no choice but to recount every detail of the incident on the street.

Xiao Wancheng stroked his chin thoughtfully, eyes narrowing.

"So you’re saying that the kid who attacked the Yang family’s son-in-law at their wedding banquet not only escaped punishment but even brazenly appeared on the street afterward?"

"Yes, Father! It’s clearly a staged act by the Yang family! If it weren’t for Yang Qingyuan knocking out their son-in-law, we would have taken him away right then and there. Once we had him in our hands, we could have used him to sully the Yang family’s reputation a thousand ways!"

Xiao Wancheng’s expression turned equally grim.

Though he had made quite a scene at the Yang family’s wedding banquet, that was not his true intention.

What Xiao Wancheng truly desired was for the Xiao family, under his generation, to rise and become one of the top noble houses within the Yiqi Dao Alliance!

He aspired even to surpass the Wangquan sword house and become the true ruler of the Yiqi Dao Alliance!

Currently, the alliance leader, Wangquan Shouzhuo, was frail and sickly since childhood, utterly incapable of managing the alliance’s affairs.

If it weren’t for his status as head of the Wangquan family and his own formidable strength, he would have long been overthrown as leader.

It was precisely because of this that Xiao Wancheng dared to act so recklessly under the authority granted by the Obsidian Overseer.

He knew the only real threats came from the Wangquan and Dongfang families.

One head was a frail invalid who could hardly wield his sword; with the rising power of the demon clans, Wangquan Shouzhuo would never expend his limited strength fighting his own people unless absolutely necessary.

The other was the Dongfang family, a recent upstart barely held up by its sole pillar, Dongfang Guyue, lord of the Shenhuo Manor.

In terms of foundation, Shenhuo Manor was far inferior.

Thus, this unique era was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Xiao Wancheng.

He had to seize every moment, employing any means necessary to elevate the Xiao family.

Otherwise, once the next generation of the Wangquan family grew up and took over the Yiqi Dao Alliance from Wangquan Shouzhuo, the Xiao family would have no hope of rising again.

Recalling the strength and composure displayed by the young Wangquan Baye at the Yang family wedding banquet, Xiao Wancheng felt a bitter knot in his throat.

The Wangquan family always produced prodigies—an indisputable fact.

With Wangquan Baye, the family’s future was assured.

But as for the Xiao family...

Xiao Wancheng glanced silently at his eldest son, Xiao Tiansheng.

"Sigh..."

"Father, why the sudden sigh?"

"Nothing. Where’s your second brother?"

"Don’t know. Haven’t seen him. Probably hiding in his room reading."

Xiao Wancheng sighed again and continued, "Tiansheng, send someone to investigate Yang Qingyuan’s background. I have a feeling his origins are extraordinary. He might just be our greatest trump card to bring down the Yang family!"

"Yes, Father!"

Xiao Tiansheng’s face brightened instantly.

He knew nothing of Yang Qingyuan’s mysterious background, but he knew that soon he could rightfully seek revenge against those two who had bullied him today!

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Elsewhere, Yang Qingyuan was completely unaware that the Xiao family had already begun a covert investigation into his origins.

After shaking off Yang Yitan and the Wangquan siblings, Yang Qingyuan followed his original plan.

He went to a tailor’s shop to have several stylish outfits made, then indulged in a lavish feast at a restaurant.

Since arriving in this world, this was the first time he had eaten with such satisfaction.

The feeling of being rich truly was wonderful...

The restaurant was a gathering place for all kinds of people from every walk of life, and during meals, it was naturally full of gossip and information exchanges.

Here, all one needed to do was find a seat, order some peanuts and a jar of wine, and then simply listen to the myriad strange tales from all corners of the land.

"Tell me, among today’s four recognized demon emperors—the Southern Sovereign, Northern Emperor, Eastern Fox, and Western Fox—which one is truly the strongest?"

"That’s definitely the Southern Poison Emperor. They say this old monster has ruled the south for over ten thousand years, his poison arts unparalleled, undefeated to this day!"

"Who says? What about the Western Desert Fox Emperor, Fan Yunfei? I heard once he single-handedly blocked the gate of the Wangquan Manor, killed the current head of the Wangquan family with one palm, and left with swagger. That scandal was once the biggest shame of the Wangquan family."

"By that logic, the Northern Mountain Demon Emperor, Shi Kuan, is no less formidable. He single-handedly liberated the Northern Mountain demons, and his iron fists are unstoppable!"

"What about the Fox Demon Queen, Tushan Honghong?"

"Fox Demon Queen? Just a pimp and matchmaker leader. How could she be ranked alongside those three as one of the four great demon emperors? No one even knows who first started calling her that..."

"Listen to me! I once went with my senior brothers to... hic—Tushan! That Tushan Honghong is really, really powerful. With just one punch, she knocked down the strongest among us. Even more incredible, she could catch all our magical weapons barehanded!"

"Dude, you’re drunk. Catch magical weapons with bare hands? Let that Tushan Honghong try catching the Wangquan Sword barehanded! If the weapon fails, don’t blame the demon’s strength!"

"You know, I’ve actually heard people say that Tushan Honghong’s claws are called the Insulating Claws, which can supposedly nullify all magical weapons in the world."

"Is that really true?"

"Why would I lie? I’ve been to Tushan before. Those Tushan fox demons are strange—they’re strong, yes, but they never kill. Even if you storm in boldly, they just beat you up and toss you out, never taking a life..."

"Hahaha, what a joke! Are there demons in the world that don’t kill? If they’re demons, they eat people. That’s like dogs liking to eat filth—it’s just their nature."

"Dude, I don’t mind you insulting demons, but could you choose a better metaphor?"

"Ahem, sorry, my bad..."