Chapter 22: In This Life, Humanity Has Nothing to Do with Me; I Will Protect Only the Xiao Family

“You!”

The Azure Flame Martial Emperor roared in anger, never expecting to be forced to his knees at their very first encounter, utterly shaming this would-be emperor.

Yet, the words that followed from the White-Clad Divine Emperor plunged him into an icy abyss: “A mere ant dares to scheme to annihilate the bloodline of this emperor?”

What? This unfathomably powerful White-Clad Divine Emperor actually claimed the Xiao family as his own bloodline!

The Azure Flame Martial Emperor was stunned to realize that this great emperor might be the ancestor of the Xiao family—Xiao Xuan.

“You... you are Xiao Xuan?” The disbelief in his voice was palpable.

Xiao Xuan was a name of immense significance in the history of the Xiao family. Wasn’t he supposed to have perished a hundred thousand years ago?

“Ancestor Xiao Xuan, is it truly you?” The members of the Xiao clan cried out with excitement, kneeling in reverence.

The return of the ancestor was undoubtedly monumental news for the Xiao family. With his protection, who would dare to bully them?

After all, a grand emperor was no trivial matter.

Outside, the ancient sect elders were equally shocked, struggling to believe that Xiao Xuan still lived.

“Impossible! Xiao Xuan, how could you still be alive?” The Azure Flame Martial Emperor refused to accept the truth.

Xiao Xuan glanced at him coldly, with no intention of explanation.

In his eyes, the Azure Flame Martial Emperor was nothing but a mere ant, unworthy of his words.

“Tell me, who sent you to deal with the Xiao family? Perhaps I can grant you a swift death.” Xiao Xuan’s voice was calm but carried an unyielding authority.

A chill ran through the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s heart, but he still tried to deny it. “Senior, this is a misunderstanding, I—”

Before he could finish, Xiao Xuan acted. A single finger gently tapped the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s crown, unleashing a colossal force that shattered his body to pieces. His quasi-emperor essence was instantly refined into a quasi-emperor origin.

Xiao Xuan’s strike was decisive and resolute, leaving no room for hesitation.

Before absolute power, all schemes and tricks were futile.

“You—”

The Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s words were abruptly cut off as his body exploded into a mist of blood.

He had never anticipated that Xiao Xuan would act with such ruthless decisiveness, leaving no chance for defense and destroying his body outright.

Moreover, by refining his body into quasi-emperor origin, Xiao Xuan severed the very root of any hope for his resurrection.

---

“You can’t kill me, Xiao Xuan!”

Now reduced to a soul alone, the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s face twisted in terror.

Only now did he fully grasp the horror of Xiao Xuan, the Xiao family’s grand emperor of a hundred thousand years, and the vast gulf separating him from true imperial realm.

A grand emperor’s casual flick could bury a quasi-emperor.

“Hmph, a mere ant. Why shouldn’t I kill you?” Xiao Xuan’s expression was cold—today, the Azure Flame Martial Emperor must die.

“You have been away from the Tianxuan Continent too long. The world has changed; you are no longer the only grand emperor!”

The Azure Flame Martial Emperor tried to intimidate Xiao Xuan by invoking the names of other grand emperors, hoping to give him pause.

“Trying to use other grand emperors to threaten me?”

Xiao Xuan seemed to hear a joke and spoke calmly, “I once suppressed the Extreme Dao Holy Spirit, sealed the Forbidden Zone Ancient Emperor, and slew the foreign supreme in the Abyss. To threaten me with another grand emperor? How naïve!”

A shiver ran down the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s spine. He knew Xiao Xuan spoke no lies; those glorious feats were real.

Such achievements pressed down on him like mountains, suffocating.

“I am willing to submit. I’ll reveal the mastermind behind this—if you spare my life!”

The Azure Flame Martial Emperor suddenly turned 180 degrees, begging for mercy, hoping to be spared.

“To spare you life? You think you deserve to bargain?”

But Xiao Xuan showed no hint of mercy.

It was already too late for the Azure Flame Martial Emperor to plead.

With a gentle tap of his finger, Xiao Xuan caused the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s soul to explode instantly, memories spilling forth like sparks, which Xiao Xuan absorbed and refined.

“The Great Soul Search Technique!”

While erasing the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s soul, Xiao Xuan directly employed the forbidden soul-searching art. As the memories poured in, they unfolded vividly before him.

Soon, a smile appeared on Xiao Xuan’s face. “Found it.”

A phantom image materialized before him, showing a conversation between the Azure Flame Martial Emperor and a mysterious grand emperor.

---

This mysterious grand emperor seemed to have incited the Azure Flame Martial Emperor to strike the Xiao family, promising that the Xiao family’s imperial inheritance would greatly benefit him.

Xiao Xuan pondered: Why did this mysterious grand emperor hide his identity? Why was he so well informed about events from a hundred thousand years ago? Could it be connected to the ancient imperial clan’s legacy?

“No matter who he is, if he dares to show his face, I will destroy him!” Xiao Xuan sneered, refusing to dwell further.

He had returned, and had all the time in the world to settle scores with traitors and those who schemed against the Xiao family.

Meanwhile, the ancient sect elders watching were stunned beyond belief. They could hardly accept that the Xiao family’s great emperor from a hundred thousand years ago was still alive, and that the Azure Flame Martial Emperor was powerless before Xiao Xuan, like a mere chick.

“The Tianxuan Continent is about to undergo great upheaval...”

Everyone present understood that the events of the Xiao family today would rapidly spread across the continent, causing tremendous waves.

“This quasi-emperor artifact, though I undervalue it, is still a fine treasure for the Xiao family.”

After removing the Azure Flame Martial Emperor’s presence and extracting his memories, Xiao Xuan’s gaze casually swept over the Azure Flame Cauldron.

The cauldron ceased spinning, slowly shrinking until it merged into Xiao Xuan’s palm.

Though not an imperial weapon, this cauldron contained many rare materials that, with some refining, could be bestowed upon the Xiao clan as a powerful armament.

Having dealt with the Azure Flame Cauldron, Xiao Xuan turned his gaze to the terrified followers of the Azure Flame Martial Emperor, including the purple-robed elder who had once oppressed the Xiao family.

In an instant, all their bodies stiffened before bursting into blossoms of blood, their lives extinguished.

Even the once arrogant only son of the Azure Flame Martial Emperor, Cang Er, was crushed into a mist of blood by a single finger of Xiao Xuan—dead beyond doubt.

“Unworthy descendants, welcome Ancestor Xiao Xuan!”

After eliminating the invading enemies, all the Xiao clan members—including Xiao Qingtian and Xiao Jinyu—knelt before him, faces brimming with excitement.

Now that Ancestor Xiao Xuan had returned, the Xiao family no longer needed to bow to any force.

“Rise,” Xiao Xuan’s voice carried a hint of warmth as he looked upon the kneeling clan members.

For a hundred thousand years, he had sacrificed much for the Tianxuan Continent, but owed his own family dearly.

Now that Xiao Xuan had returned, the external turmoil no longer concerned him.

Even if the Tianxuan Continent were to plunge into darkness, chaos, and the cries of the suffering filled the land, it would have nothing to do with Xiao Xuan.