BTTH: I Am the Ancestor of the Xiao Clan

Chapter 126: Gu Lie Intimidates Xiao Yan

Above the Xiao Family in Wu Tan City.

Hearing Xiao Tianming's words, Xiao Tiance smiled but said nothing. His gaze shifted to the room below, where Xiao Xun'er was introducing Xiao Yan to Gu Lie.

"Uncle Lie, this is Xiao Yan."

At Xiao Xun'er's introduction, Gu Lie finally opened his eyes.

He carefully assessed Xiao Yan, and his eyes soon filled with disappointment. At a glance, there was nothing remarkable about the young man. His looks were above average at best, nowhere near striking. Worse, his strength didn't even qualify him as a Dou Zhe. How could someone like this be worthy of Xiao Xun'er, the pride of the Gu Clan?

"You're Xiao Yan?" Gu Lie's voice was low and stern.

"Yes, I am Xiao Yan. Greetings, Uncle Lie," Xiao Yan replied calmly, bowing with respect despite sensing the disdain in Gu Lie's gaze.

But his composed demeanor only deepened Gu Lie's scorn. To Gu Lie, this was a toad dreaming of eating swan meat. His voice turned cold as he said, "I fail to see anything extraordinary about you. Whether in appearance or ability, you're far beneath Xun'er. You're simply unworthy of her."

Xiao Yan met the comment head on, his tone steady. "Whether I'm worthy of Xun'er is not for you to decide. I like her, and she likes me. That's all that matters."

Gu Lie's expression darkened. Xiao Yan's words were bold, but the Dou Qi Continent was a world where the strong ruled. If Xiao Yan were already a Dou Wang, perhaps Gu Lie would give him a second thought. But for someone not even a Dou Zhe to speak so brazenly? It was laughable.

**"Heh, Xiao Yan, I could teach you a harsh truth about how cruel the world is, but it seems that would be wasted on you.

You are nothing more than an ant I could crush underfoot at any time. You are unqualified to speak so boldly. If you have any sense, perhaps I'll be in a good mood and give you some pointers. But if you don't... neither you nor your family will escape the consequences."**

Gu Lie's tone turned colder with each word, and a powerful pressure began to emanate from him.

"Uncle Lie!"

Xiao Xun'er, alarmed by the mounting tension, tried to intervene, but Xiao Yan raised a hand to stop her. Gritting his teeth, he looked Gu Lie directly in the eye and said, **"Thirty years to the east, thirty years to the west never underestimate the potential of a poor youth.

I, Xiao Yan, may be weak now, but that doesn't mean I'll always be weak. I will grow stronger. I will stand proudly and take Xun'er back, and no one will stop us from being together."**

His voice was steady and filled with determination.

Gu Lie sneered inwardly. Another ant with delusions of grandeur. To him, Xiao Yan's words were nothing more than the ranting of someone powerless. With a wave of his hand, he said dismissively, **"Fine, if you ever reach that day, come and prove me wrong.

But for now, you are not qualified to make such boasts. Oh, and let me remind you: you don't even have the right to speak so brazenly before me."**

As his words fell, Gu Lie unleashed a powerful aura. The pressure immediately forced Xiao Yan to his knees, his arms trembling as he tried to hold himself upright. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Uncle Lie!"

Xiao Xun'er quickly stepped in front of Xiao Yan, shielding him. Concerned for her safety, Gu Lie reluctantly withdrew his aura.

"Cough, cough!"

Xiao Yan coughed, wiping the blood from his mouth before glaring at Gu Lie with unwavering defiance.

"Xiao Yan gege, are you alright?" Xiao Xun'er hurried to his side, helping him stand.

"I'm fine, Xun'er."

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Xiao Yan suppressed his frustration and forced a gentle smile.

Turning to Gu Lie, Xiao Xun'er's expression hardened. "Uncle Lie, you've gone too far!"

Gu Lie sighed and said, **"Too far? Xun'er, do you realize that if the clan learns of your affection for this... nobody, they may act far more harshly than I have?

You must understand your own position. Someone like him will never be part of your future."**

But seeing Xiao Xun'er's icy stare, Gu Lie relented with a sigh. **"Fine. Words are pointless. If he truly has the strength one day to take you away, I won't oppose it.

For now, though, I don't wish to see him any longer. Every time I look at him, I feel irritated."**

With a flick of his hand, a jade bottle appeared and flew toward Xiao Yan. "This is a second tier healing pill. Take it, and your injuries will recover quickly."

Xiao Yan didn't take the bottle. Straightening his posture, he said coldly, "Time will prove everything. I look forward to the day when I can stand before you as an equal."

With that, he turned and walked away. Xiao Xun'er, fuming, grabbed the jade bottle and followed after him.

Watching their retreating figures, Gu Lie shook his head in disappointment. "Xun'er's judgment is terrible. How could she choose such a weakling?"

Above in the Void.

Xiao Tianming glanced at Xiao Tiance, who looked uncharacteristically cold. "Brother Ce, calm down. I checked Xiao Yan's injuries; they aren't serious. Gu Lie still exercised restraint and didn't leave any lasting damage."

"Of course I know that. If he had, Gu Lie would already be a corpse." Xiao Tiance's tone was icy.

Xiao Tianming shuddered, sensing the suppressed fury behind Xiao Tiance's words. He understood that Xiao Tiance had no personal feelings toward Xiao Yan. However, Xiao Yan was crucial to Xiao Tiance's plans plans that could bring the Xiao Clan closer to the source energy they needed to reach the Great Thousand World.

After a moment, Xiao Tianming broke the tense silence. "Brother Ce, if Xiao Yan is so important, why don't you train him yourself? With your guidance, he'd surely reach his potential."

Xiao Tiance shook his head. **"You don't understand, Tianming. If I guide him, at best, he'll reach the level of a high tier Dou Sheng.

Sometimes, it's the hardships of one's environment that unlock true potential. Xiao Yan must endure trials, suffer setbacks, and grow through adversity. That's the only way to unleash the power hidden within him."**

Xiao Tiance wanted Xiao Yan to walk the same path described in the original story, without interference. Why?

In the original tale, Xiao Yan faced life and death situations multiple times. The ancients often said, "In the face of life and death, there is great fear, and only by placing oneself in mortal peril can one be reborn."

Some might argue that Xiao Yan's ascent to Dou Di (Battle Emperor) was solely due to the Flame Mantra (Fen Jue). However, even at its peak, the Flame Mantra was merely a high tier Heaven level technique. What truly forged Xiao Yan into a Dou Di were the hardships and life or death battles he endured.

If Xiao Tiance kept Xiao Yan by his side, shielding him from such experiences, Xiao Yan would never develop the resilience and strength needed to fulfill his destiny.

"Fine, Brother Ce. It's your call," Xiao Tianming sighed, knowing he couldn't change Xiao Tiance's mind. But then he added, "Still, Gu Lie is being outrageously disrespectful. Aren't you going to teach him a lesson?"

Xiao Tiance shook his head, smiling faintly. **"There's no need. If Xiao Yan is to bear the weight of a crown, he must first endure its burdens.

This humiliation might sting now, but for Xiao Yan, it's a small matter in the grand scheme of things. Besides, if I didn't believe in his talent, I might have acted like Gu Lie too. As it stands, Gu Lie is right: Xiao Yan, in his current state, is unworthy of the Gu Clan's pride and joy, their so called celestial maiden."**

"Alright, so what do we do now?" Xiao Tianming asked, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

"We wait. I'm curious to see what kind of tricks Gu Lie has up his sleeve."

With that, the two continued observing the events below.

Back in Xiao Yan's Courtyard

Xiao Yan hurried back to his courtyard and began meditating to recover from his injuries.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xun'er, despite his protests, discreetly gave him the healing pill that Gu Lie had left behind. Within moments, Xiao Yan's injuries healed. When he opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Xun'er's radiant face and smiled warmly.

Noticing his gaze, Xiao Xun'er quickly approached, wrapping her arms around his. "Xiao Yan gege, how are you feeling now?"

Xiao Yan gently stroked her cheek. "Much better. Xun'er, the family behind you must be very powerful, right?"

Her face flushed, and she nodded shyly. "Yes, very powerful. Xiao Yan gege, if you want to be with me, you'll have to work very, very hard."

Xiao Yan laughed heartily. **"Don't worry, Xun'er. I will. Even if it means becoming a Dou Di, I'll keep climbing step by step to reach that goal.

You're mine, Xun'er. No one will ever take you away from me."**

Hearing Xiao Yan's unwavering confidence, Xiao Xun'er nodded with a smile, her heart filled with joy. After a brief embrace, Xiao Yan said, "Xun'er, I need to train. Wait for me. I'll become strong enough to marry you."

"I believe in you, Xiao Yan gege!" Xiao Xun'er said firmly.

Reluctantly, she left Xiao Yan's courtyard, her face still glowing with happiness. Once outside, however, her expression hardened with resolve.

Confronting Gu Lie

Xiao Xun'er returned to Gu Lie's room.

"That kid's fine now, I assume?" Gu Lie asked casually.

Instead of answering, Xiao Xun'er looked at him with unwavering determination. "Uncle Lie, I'm sorry, but I can't go back with you right now."

Gu Lie frowned. **"Xun'er, you know this decision was made by the clan elders. Neither you nor I can change it.

Besides, if you're confident in that Xiao Yan boy, why not return to the clan and wait for him to come to Gu Realm? Wouldn't that be better?"**

**"I know it's the elders' decision, and I firmly believe Xiao Yan gege will one day come to Gu Realm to take me back honorably.

But I've already said that I don't want to leave just yet. Uncle Lie, perhaps you don't understand my personality, but you're welcome to try and see if you can force me."** Xiao Xun'er's eyes gleamed with determination.

Gu Lie was taken aback. He considered using his strength to force her, but when he sensed the faint stirring of the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame within her, he hesitated. If he pushed too hard, she might trigger the flame and injure herself.

With a deep sigh, he said, "Xun'er, is this really worth it?"

Xiao Xun'er smiled sweetly. "It's worth it, Uncle Lie. I just want to spend a little more time with Xiao Yan gege. Please, grant me this small wish."

Gu Lie remained silent for a long time before finally relenting. "How long?"

"Three years. I'll return to the clan within three years, and I promise to reach the Dou Wang level by then."

Gu Lie's expression turned serious. **"Three years? Dou Wang?

Fine, I'll give you three years. But if you go back on your word, even if it means offending the Xiao Clan, I will personally end Xiao Yan."**

"Thank you, Uncle Lie," Xiao Xun'er said sincerely.

Gu Lie then began questioning her about the Xiao Clan's Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. Unfortunately, despite her years of subtle investigation, Xiao Xun'er had never seen the jade within the Xiao Clan.

"Strange," Gu Lie muttered. "The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade should be in the Xiao Clan. Could it be on Xiao Zhan?"

"I'm not sure," Xiao Xun'er replied before excusing herself.

Once alone, Gu Lie frowned in thought. "Could it really not be in the Xiao Clan?"

A Dark Night in Xiao Manor

Later that night, the Xiao family hosted Gu Lie with great hospitality, ensuring both sides were content.

However, under the cover of darkness, a member of Gu Lie's Black Smoke Army infiltrated the Xiao estate.

Before the soldier could reach Xiao Zhan's quarters, a massive force struck him down a palm strike from Xiao Tiance. The man's lifeless body was then dumped outside Gu Lie's guest room.

Above in the Void

"Brother Ce, won't this alert Gu Lie? If he sees the corpse, won't he realize someone is secretly protecting the Xiao Clan?" Xiao Tianming asked, perplexed.

Xiao Tiance waved dismissively. **"The Gu Clan already knows the Xiao Clan is being protected. There's no need to hide it.

As for why I didn't eliminate Gu Lie outright it's because I don't want the Xiao Clan and Gu Clan to become enemies. If we clash with the Soul Clan in the future, we can't afford to have the Gu Clan stabbing us in the back.

Don't worry. Gu Lie and Gu Yuan are smart enough to prioritize the alliance between our clans over a single dead soldier."**

Xiao Tianming frowned. "Brother Ce, it looked like that soldier was searching for the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade in Xiao Zhan's room. Why don't we just retrieve the jade ourselves? That way, we can ensure it's safe."

"Not yet," Xiao Tiance replied, a mysterious smile on his face.

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