Chapter 25 – Upheaval (4)
Today could be said to be the Xiao Clan’s busiest day.
Early in the morning, the Xiao Clan entrance was already densely crowded. All of the influential families of Floating Cloud City could be seen here, and furthermore, they were represented by their heads. Although there were many present, none dared to be loud. They all whispered to one another in the smallest voices possible for fear that they would disturb the important guests amongst the Xiao Clan.
“I heard a long time ago that the Xiao Clan’s founder came from the Xiao Sect. It looks to be unexpectedly true.”
“The Xiao Clan will be soaring to new heights. We have to maintain a good relationship with them from now on.”
“Good thing I’ve never offended the Xiao Clan, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep in peace.”
“Old Mu, why did you come too?”
“Oh, every one was rushing to be the first here, so I couldn’t not come. They’re here to establish a relationship, but I’m here just in case. What if that brat from the Xiao Sect checked how many influential families were in Floating Cloud City and then saw that no one from my Mu family came here? If they find some fault with that, then my entire family would have to bear the consequences.”
Xiao Clan’s entrance remained closed, and everyone outside all waited with great care. Not one of them dared to leave.
They waited until nine in the morning.
Before dawn, a platform had been set up in the empty ground in the middle of Xiao Clan, with chairs, tables, and all kinds of equipment set up around it. At eight in the morning, Xiao Clan sounded an urgent order for all of its inhabitants to assemble. At once, the Xiao Clan’s inhabitants gathered together as they immediately rushed to the rendezvous spot. In less than a quarter of an hour, everyone in the Xiao Clan, be they young or old, were in their designated positions with not one missing.
Today would be the Xiao Clan’s most significant day. They all clearly knew what was going to happen today, and the vast majority had looks of excitement and anticipation. There were even some with mediocre talent who still wished in their hearts for the chance to be chosen by those from the Xiao Sect.
Xiao Che was basically the last to arrive. When he walked in leading Xia Qingyue by the hand at a pace that was neither fast nor slow, he instantly became the focus of everyone present… Of course, if was just him alone, chances were that no one would even want to look at him twice. What was important was the Xia Qingyue at his side!
She had an exquisitely graceful posture and a complexion that was alluring enough to conquer not only a city, but the world as well. The people there acted as if they were seeing an incomparably beautiful river fairy slowly walking towards them. This was especially true for the young men, who stood there with glazed eyes and wildly beating hearts. Some even had drool unconsciously streaming down the corners of their mouths..
In contrast, Xiao Che at her side… His face was pale, his eyelids drooped, his eyes seemed soulless, and his footsteps lacked strength. He had not even walked a dozen steps and had already yawned three times with the appearance of someone who had had excessive sexual intercourse and now yearned for sleep.
Huh? Excessive sexual intercourse….
As they thought of this and also saw the two of them hand in hand, quite a few people clenched their teeth as they trembled all over. Their eyes radiated a deep disastifaction and a flaming jealousy. Upon thinking about this heavenly beauty, a goddess who they yearned for in their dreams being pressed down every day by the piece of waste that they looked down on the most, their stomachs almost split open with anger and jealousy.
Xiao Che’s half asleep and extremely fatigued appearance was not an act, but it obviously couldn’t be because of any excessive intercourse. It would be strange if he had energy when he woke up at three in the morning for her regular acupuncture treatment, worked himself half to death, and then was again woken this early in the morning. As for their clasped hands, it definitely couldn’t have been Xia Qingyue’s doing. Rather, when they were walking over, Xiao Che suddenly grabbed her under the watchful eyes of the crowd. Since Xia Qingyue couldn’t impolitely free herself, in addition to the fact that she had gotten used to him holding her by the hand these past few days, she could only let it be.
“Everything within the Xiao Clan is excellent, except the fact that we have an unnecessary and unsightly piece of trash!”
As Xiao Che walked past a youth, a mocking voice that was loud enough for him to hear came from his side. Xiao Che raised his eyebrows slightly and saw Third Elder Xiao Ze’s grandson, Xiao Chengzhi, intently squinting ahead. An undisguisable sneer hung from the corners of his mouth, and on his face was a look of envy that he vigorously tried to hide.
He said those words to the person in front of him, but even an idiot knew that he was mocking Xiao Che. At once, the sound of laughter rose from the surroundings. Each and every young disciple looked at Xiao Che with a ridiculing expression in their eyes.
“Brother Chengzhi, were you talking to me just now?” Xiao Che’s footsteps paused as he asked Xiao Chengzhi with a harmless smile on his face.
“Oh, Brother Xiao Che, you misunderstood. I was clearly talking to a piece of trash just now. For Brother Xiao Che to ask this, does that mean you consider yourself to be a piece of trash?” Xiao Chengzhi turned around and said with a smile. As his gaze touched Xia Qingyue’s beautiful snowy face, a difficult to disguise look of zeal flashed through his eyes.
“Oh! So that’s how it was!” Xiao Che nodded with sudden understanding. He then pulled Xia Qingyue’s hand along with him: “Looks like he wasn’t talking about me. Qingyue my wife, let’s hurry up and return to our position…. Tut tut, as I look at a pathetic toad dreaming about eating swan meat, I’d rather be a piece of trash that sleeps holding the swan every night. Qingyue my wife, what do you think?”
“What… did you say!!” Xiao Chengzhi suddenly turned around, a dark expression on his face.
“Huh?” Xiao Che paused and looked at him in surprise: “Brother Chengzhi, what’s wrong? I was just talking about a toad so why do you have such a strange reaction? Don’t tell me that Chengzi has some special relationship with the toad I was talking about?”
“You ! !” Xiao Chengzhi’s trembling lips revealed his immense fury, yet he couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Qingyue my wife, we had better go quickly. A toad will bite when it gets anxious. If we were bitten by this thing, wouldn’t we be disgusted to death?” As Xiao Che talked, he pulled Xia Qingyue far away.
Xiao Chengzhi’s face muscles spasmed as he almost puked out blood.
“Che Er, Qingyue, come over here.”
In the midst of the crowd, Xiao Che quickly saw Xiao Lie beckoning to him with Xiao Lingxi by his side. He and Xia Qingyue swiftly walked over.
After Xia Qingyue underwent Xiao Che’s acupuncture treatment, not to mention her physique, even her face showed a great change. Ignoring her physique, her complexion had become more delicate, rosy and luminous. However, this change of complexion held a different meaning under Xiao Lie’s eyes. Seeing Xiao Che clearly exude an spiritless attitude, Xiao Lie lowered his voice and said with a chuckle: “Che Er, you’re still too young. You’re only half grown, and your body is still developing. Concerning these matters between men and women, you should control yourself as much as possible or else it may harm your body.”
“Ah?” Xiao Che stared at him. After recovering, he could only nod his head in embarrassment: “This… I understand. In the future, I’ll definitely control… control…. AH!”
He uttered a sound of pain. The small hand held in his suddenly pricked him mercilessly with its nail. Xia Qingyue turned her face away, but one could faintly see a patch of pink slowly spread across her cheeks.
Eh eh ehhh? She actually blushed…
Xiao Che was about to quietly explain himself when he once again grimaced in pain… It was Xiao Lingxi’s small hand that had fiercely pinched his left arm.
“Little aunt, why did you pinch me?” Xiao Che said as he looked at Xiao Lingxi, a wronged expression on his face.
“Hmph!” Xiao Lingxi pouted and also faced the other way, ignoring him in a fit of anger.
“Young Master Xiao has arrived ! !”
At this time, a loud and clear shout erupted from the front of the crowd. The crowd immediately quieted as everyone’s eyes turned towards the source of the sound, wanting to catch a glimpse of the elegance of the Xiao Sect’s members. Not long after, a luxuriously dressed young man with a proud demeanor walked over through the crowd. Xiao Moshan was not more than half a step behind him, and Xiao Yunhai was in front personally leading the way. Both his expression and posture were differential, with not even a hint of disrespect.
Under Xiao Yunhai’s guidance, Xiao Kuangyun walked up the erected platform and sat on the seat of honor in the middle. He swept his gaze over the Xiao Clan members beneath him with a haughty look, like an emperor overlooking his subjects. A moment later, he nodded to Xiao Yunhai to indicate that they may begin.
“Is this the big shot from Xiao Sect? If we don’t talk about anything else, his appearance is still a bit too unsightly. Aren’t the genes of the great Xiao Sect suppose to be formidable… Eh? He shouldn’t be adopted, right?” Xiao Che muttered quietly.
“One hundred of him can’t compare with little Che!” Xiao Lingxi echoed in reply. As soon as she said that, she remembered that she was suppose to be mad at him. She once again quickly let out a *hmph* sound, and turned her face to ignore him.
“Che’er, Xi’er, don’t spout nonsense.” Xiao Lie said in a low voice.
“Oh.” Xiao Che answered, as he stopped talking.
“Is everyone from Xiao Clan here?” Xiao Kuangyun slowly said with half open eyes and a bored tone of voice. However, both his eyes were rapidly spinning about searching the crowd for the figure of the fairy he saw yesterday as well as the girl whom Xiao Yulong claimed to on par with that fairy.
“It has already been confirmed. Everyone is present, there won’t even be one missing.” Xiao Yunhai said with a serious look in his face.
“Very good!” Xiao Kuangyun nodded. His gaze then slanted towards the main entrance: “Who are those people standing outside the door?”
“Reporting to Young Master Xiao, they are all powerful families within Floating Cloud City. They’ve been gathered here since early this morning, hoping catch a glance of Young Master Xiao’s elegance.” Xiao Yunhai replied as he half rose out of his chair.
“Ah, it’s like that.” Xiao Kuangyun nodded and then said with a wave of his hand: “Since they are guests, we can’t let them wait outside like that. Let them come in. Having the people outside of Xiao Clan witness today’s matter is also a good thing, otherwise others may later say that I was being biased.”
Xiao Yunhai promptly sucked up to him: “Young Master Xiao is truly worthy of being the son of the sect master of the Xiao Sect. You’re this young and are already this open-minded. It’s enough to make me blush with shame… Xiao De, quickly, invite our guests in.”
The main entrance opened and all the powerful inhabitants of Floating Cloud City orderly walked in, each and every one with a reserved demeanor. All of them brought a heavy gift. Amongst the crowd, Xiao Che also saw Xia Qingyue’s father, Xia Hongyi.
“Very good, now we can start.” Xiao Kuangyun straightened in his chair and finally assumed what could be considered a normal sitting posture as he looked down and lightly spoke: “My name is Xiao Kuangyun and I am from the Xiao Sect. Regarding the great name of the Xiao Sect, you all should be very clear. In the Blue Wind Empire, there’s nothing that my Xiao Sect can’t resolve. All of you ought to feel honored and proud because even though you are a bit weak, you can still be said to be related to the Xiao Sect. The founder of the Xiao Clan was the son of one of our Xiao Sect’s Elders. However, although your founder was the son of an elder, he was actually born from a female servant. His status was so low it wasn’t worth mentioning, and his profound strength was really too lacking. As a piece of trash, he wasn’t fit to remain in the Xiao Sect. Your founder was thus banished by that Elder to this place, and that’s how your Xiao Clan came into existence.”
Xiao Kuangyun’s extremely harsh words did not hide his disdain for both the entire Xiao Clan and their founder. A few Xiao Clan members scowled upon hearing this, but no one dared to make a fuss.