In the spacious living room of the city lord’s residence, the host, Mute Tie, after settling Xiao Yan and his party, finally sat back in his seat. He then instructed the servants to serve tea one by one, attending to them meticulously. “Haha, I didn’t expect that after three years, Brother Xiao Yan’s strength has reached such a level,” Mute Tie said with a smile after taking a sip of tea. He then subtly glanced at Xiao Yan’s companions, Xiao Li and Lin Yan, feeling a bit uneasy. He knew that the most terrifying thing about Xiao Yan’s return wasn’t his own immense power, but rather the strong experts he had brought with him. Any one of them was probably capable of contending with the ten strongest in the empire.
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and did not linger on this topic. After a moment of thought, he said slowly, “Brother Mute Tie, it seems that the Jia Ma Empire has not been peaceful these past few years…”
Mute Tie smiled bitterly and sighed, “Indeed, it has not been peaceful. All of this is due to the Cloud Rearing Sect’s actions.”
“Oh?” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow.
Mute Tie took a sip of tea to wet his throat, as if organizing his words. After a moment, he continued, “Not long after you left the Jia Ma Empire, the Cloud Rearing Sect changed its detached style. Not only did they recruit disciples extensively, but they also seemed to be sending their disciples to various important cities across the country. The royal family and the three great families probably noticed these small actions, but no one dared to say anything due to Yun Shan’s terrifying power. Later, the Cloud Rearing Sect became even more arrogant…”
At this point, Mute Tie stole a glance at Xiao Yan, hesitated for a moment, and then continued, “Subsequently, the Cloud Rearing Sect carried out the extermination of the Xiao family. This caused a great uproar in the empire, but it did not hinder the Cloud Rearing Sect in any way.”
Xiao Yan’s hand gripping the teacup tightened slightly, and his black eyes narrowed, a faint cold light flashing through them.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s calm demeanor, Mute Tie was taken aback, and then he understood that this young man in front of him probably already knew about it…
“Brother Mute Tie, do you know where the remaining members of my Xiao family are?” Xiao Yan asked softly, stroking the teacup.
“I’m not too sure about that. After the incident with the Xiao family, they completely disappeared. But if Brother Xiao Yan is looking for them, I suggest you go to the Mi Tuoer family. They might know something,” Mute Tie shook his head and replied.
“Mi Tuoer family?” Xiao Yan nodded slightly, realizing he would have to go to Hai Bo Dong and find out about his brother’s whereabouts.
“Ha ha, the Mi Tuoer family is now completely under Miss Ya Fei’s control. Tsk tsk, though she is still young, even our family’s elders admire her abilities in secret. In just three years, she has made the Mi Tuoer family rise to the top among the three great families. It is truly impressive,” Mute Tie said with a smile.
“Big Sister Ya Fei?” Xiao Yan was taken aback by the name stored deep in his memory, and then a warm smile appeared on his face. When he was being chased by the Cloud Rearing Sect, it was she and the Mi Tuoer family who gave him a chance to escape. He would never forget her kindness.
“I didn’t expect that she really could control the Mi Tuoer family. I had underestimated her before,” Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and smiled lightly. He knew very well that it was extremely difficult for a woman, especially one without much talent in Dou Qi, to become the leader of a family in a world dominated by Dou Qi.
Mute Tie smiled and then casually asked, “Is there going to be some big moves when Brother Xiao Yan returns this time?”
“Just targeting the Cloud Rearing Sect.” Xiao Yan smiled lightly and then suddenly asked, “Does Brother Mute Tie have any news about Yun Shan?”
Mute Tie was surprised and then awkwardly shook his head. “How could I know anything about a warrior of his level? However, from the communications of the elders, I heard that Yun Shan’s power may be even stronger than it was three years ago.”
Xiao Yan was helpless at this almost useless information. Staring at the tiny ripples in the teacup, a beautiful and elegant face suddenly flashed in his mind. The various playful looks on her face made his heart suddenly fluctuate chaotically.
“Crack!” The teacup in his hand cracked slightly, and everyone in the room was stunned, staring at Xiao Yan, who suddenly had a burst of qi.
“Brother, what’s wrong?” Xiao Li, sitting closest to Xiao Yan, immediately touched him and asked.
“Nothing.” Xiao Li’s touch brought Xiao Yan back to his senses. He took a deep breath, suppressing his chaotic thoughts, and waved his hand. “By the way, Brother Mute Tie, do you know who is in charge of the Cloud Rearing Sect now?”
“Who else, surely it’s Yun Shan,” Mute Tie shrugged and said.
Raising his brows, Xiao Yan’s tongue rolled several times before he finally uttered the name he had resisted for three years: “What about Yun Yun? Isn’t she the sect leader of the Cloud Rearing Sect?”
“Yun Yun, the sect leader… After you left the Jia Ma Empire, Yun Shan stripped her of her position as sect leader and she no longer manages the sect’s affairs. Now, all power in the Cloud Rearing Sect is controlled by Yun Shan,” Mute Tie said with a sigh.
Xiao Yan nodded silently, and deep in his heart, he felt a slight relief.
“Most of the recent actions of the Cloud Rearing Sect are due to Yun Shan. And judging by the recent events at the Ghost Exterminating Pass, the Cloud Rearing Sect will probably start making some big moves soon,” Mute Tie said slowly. “If the emperor hears about this, the royal family might be stirred up. From the recent movements, the situation described in the letter from the elder of the tribe might be true.”
“What’s the situation?” Lin Yan was startled and asked.
Mute Tie’s face turned tense as he placed the teacup on the table. After a moment, he said, “The Cloud Rearing Sect might be planning to attack the three great families…”
Xiao Yan frowned. Was the Cloud Rearing Sect really trying to eliminate all the forces in the empire?
“Of course, whether or not they will attack the Mu and Nalan families is still unclear, but one thing is certain, they will definitely target the Mi Tuoer family first in the short term!” Mute Tie said gravely.
“Why?”
“Hehe, I think Brother Xiao Yan knows something about this. The relationship between Old Master Hai Bo Dong of the Mi Tuoer family and you is quite close. Back when you were being chased by the Cloud Rearing Sect, the Mi Tuoer family secretly helped, and even later, when the Xiao family was attacked by the Cloud Rearing Sect, the Mi Tuoer family was involved, which saved the Xiao family from total annihilation. Although the Mi Tuoer family acted very secretly, I’m sure the Cloud Rearing Sect knows about it… For some reason, the Cloud Rearing Sect is very interested in your Xiao family and keeps searching for the remaining Xiao family members, but without much success. From the current situation, it should be because of the Mi Tuoer family’s efforts. Therefore, if they want to find the remaining Xiao family members, the Mi T Luoer family, as their protector, will definitely be their first target,” Mute Tie explained, stroking his chin.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Given the situation, it seemed he needed to head to the capital quickly. Otherwise, not only would the Mi Tuoer family suffer the same fate as the Xiao family, but the remaining Xiao family members protected by the Mi Tuoer family would also be in grave danger.
“Currently, the capital is bound to be in turmoil. It’s too close to the Cloud Rearing Sect, and once things erupt, it will be extremely chaotic.”
“Brother Mute Tie, please help me keep my return to the Jia Ma Empire a secret. Also, make sure your subordinates don’t leak any information. If the Cloud Rearing Sect hears about it, they will not only speed up their plans but also strengthen their defenses,” Xiao Yan said solemnly, standing up and turning to Mute Tie.
“Alright, no problem,” Mute Tie nodded without hesitation. “To be safe, I will delay reporting the border incident to the royal family for a few days. Otherwise, they will certainly know about your return.”
“In that case, thank you,” Xiao Yan bowed and smiled.
“Brother Xiao Yan, are you planning to head to the capital?” Seeing Xiao Yan get up, Mute Tie also stood up and asked.
“Time is tight, so I won’t stay here for long. After I resolve matters, I’ll come back to have a chat with Brother Mute Tie,” Xiao Yan smiled and nodded.
Mute Tie didn’t press him further and merely nodded, then personally escorted Xiao Yan and his party out of the living room.
Exiting the living room, Xiao Yan and the others’ figures flashed, and they boarded the tiger-hawk beast hovering in the sky. Standing on the huge head of the beast, Xiao Yan bowed to Mute Tie below and said with a hearty laugh, “Brother Mute Tie, if you need anything in the future, just find Xiao Yan.”
“Hehe, Brother Xiao Yan, take care on your trip to the capital. If possible, please help my Mu family. I, Mute Tie, am deeply grateful!” Mute Tie smiled and said sincerely.
Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. With a wave of his hand, the tiger-hawk beast let out a low roar and rose into the sky, carrying a strong wind, and finally disappeared into the horizon as a small black dot…
Gazing at the sky where Xiao Yan and the others had vanished, Mute Tie sighed softly. He knew that the already turbulent capital would be shaken even more by Xiao Yan’s arrival…
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