Chapter 27: Beggar? (Seeking recommendations and collections!)
Xiao Jia's master Xiao Ding summoned Xiao Jihuan on the same night after receiving the report from the six elders.
Several elders also went to visit Xiao Jihuan one after another in the evening, as if they had made an appointment. Although Xiao Jihuan's current cultivation is nothing in their eyes, this time, Xiao Jihuan's astonishing talent will surely make him a top-notch master of the Xiao family in the future. Even surpassing the head of the Xiao family, Xiao Ding, is not impossible...
Such a person is worth their while to make an early investment and cultivate good karma.
Always suppressed under Xiao Jihan, Xiao Jishan, who ranked second in the Ji character generation and had also been closed for nearly half a year, finally broke through the warrior barrier and entered the realm of martial arts on the second day after Xiao Jihan's departure. He thought that this time at the end-of-year tournament, he should be able to compete with Xiao Jihan, at least stir up trouble before Xiao Jihan's life-and-death duel with Chen Huan, but as soon as he left his closed-door training, he learned of Xiao Jihan's promotion to fifth-grade warrior.
This even made Xiao Jishan, who was known for his bold and uninhibited personality, feel a wave of powerlessness rising from deep within...
And the younger generation of martial artists under the age of twenty, who were also top-notch experts in their own right, felt equally shocked. They knew all too well how difficult it was to advance a single rank after reaching the Martial Grandmaster realm.
……
"A fifth-grade martial artist? I've underestimated you..."
In the dead of night, Xiao Lao stood at the top of Tianlu Mountain in the backyard of the Xiao family, gazing out at the distant and endless Cyan Cloud Mountains, muttering to himself.
"I wonder what kind of realm that stinky kid will be able to advance to? However, it seems like there's no hope this time... In just half a year, Xiao Jihan advanced from a 7th rank warrior to a 5th rank martial artist... Such talent and comprehension is probably even stronger than that stinky kid's, the only thing lacking is a spiritual root... There's still one day left, he should be back by then, right?"
……
Chen Hao has been away from the Xiao family for a whole four months, and such an insignificant role should have been forgotten by many people. However, as the year-end competition approaches day by day, the outer disciples of the Xiao family not only haven't forgotten Chen Hao but instead, he has once again become one of the topics of discussion among everyone.
Some people speculate that Chen Hao may have died in the Demon Cloud Mountains; others guess that Chen Hao was afraid of being brave for a moment, and had long since escaped to who-knows-where, perhaps never to return to the Xiao family again. A very small number of people think that Chen Hao will definitely come back, and if he does, ninety-nine percent of people believe that there is only one outcome: death...
Until the eve of the year-end grand comparison, when night fell and Chen Huan still hadn't returned, almost everyone thought that Chen Huan had either escaped or died in the Magic Cloud Mountains.
That night, Xiaoling, who had a relatively good relationship with Chen Huan, was tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Firstly, she would have to face the annual grand competition early tomorrow morning, which made her anxious. Secondly, Chen Huan still hadn't returned, making Xiaoling's heart ache. She also thought that perhaps she would never see Chen Huan again, that coarse linen hemp-clothed youth with a natural talent that was astonishing, maybe he could only exist in memories, gradually fading away with the passage of time...
……
"Knock knock knock......knock knock knock......"
At eight o'clock in the morning, the sun rises in the east, and the soft sunlight pours onto the earth. A new day has just begun, and the entire Xiao family is filled with loud, majestic, and dense bell sounds. In an instant, figures quickly move towards the core of the Xiao family, the largest martial arts arena.
The annual Xiao family competition is the most grand event of the Xiao family.
All of the Xiao family's disciples, whether they are in the Xiao family or within Yunzhou County or outside of it, will put down everything and return to the Xiao family to watch this grand competition.
It's not just a simple ranking of the top twenty disciples under the age of 20 in the Xiao family, but more importantly, they also need to select the top ten most outstanding disciples to represent the Xiao family and participate in the Yunzhou Martial Arts Conference.
This is a matter of great importance regarding the future fortune of the Xiao family, no one is unconcerned and no one takes it lightly.
Xiao Jiaqiang. As the younger generation of the Xiao family, they can hold their heads high when they venture out into the world. If the Xiao family is weak, they will have to lower their heads in shame.
There is no doubt that this will be the most crowded and lively gathering of the Xiao family all year.
……
"How dare you, where did this beggar come from? Is this also a place you can come to?"
Just as the people of Xiao's family were rushing to the martial arts arena, several guards from Xiao's family who were on duty at the gate saw a beggar in tattered clothes trying to enter the Xiao's house. One of the guards immediately drew his sword and shouted loudly, blocking the beggar's way.
"I am Xiang Zibei's younger brother, Xiao Xianghao!"
To the surprise of several guards, "Beggar" calmly said in a low voice. Of course, even if he changed color, it couldn't be seen. At this moment, Chen Huan, who had been running wildly for three days and three nights, was already covered in dust, with only his deep black eyes still shining brightly.
"Xiao Xianghao? Are you Xiao Xianghao?"
"Exactly!" Chen Hao replied with a fist bump.
After leaving the Xiao family, he spent four months tempering himself in the Demon Cloud Mountain Range. His originally slender figure had grown taller by nearly half a head, and his physique had become more robust due to his intense cultivation.
He should have returned to the Xiao family ten days ago, but an accident trapped him for a full ten days. After escaping, he rushed all the way back and finally arrived at the moment when the big comparison of the Xiao family began. However, at this time, his disheveled appearance made it impossible for people to associate him with the Xiao family disciples.
Long hair, a light pat can make dust fly, tangled together, dirty beyond recognition, the whole body is pitch black, emitting a strong and pungent smell like blood and stench...
It's clear that he hasn't taken a bath in a long time. The clothes on his body, which seemed to have shrunk, were tattered and blackened. If you didn't look closely, you wouldn't notice the emblem on his chest symbolizing the Xiao family heir, or the eye-catching number 99. This was originally a white uniform, but now it's almost a dark purple color...
"You're actually back alive?"
Several guards looked at each other for a moment, and one of them stared at Chen Huan with some surprise. It was clear that these guards had long known about Chen Huan's solo trip to the Magic Cloud Mountains for training.
"Can I go in?" Chen Hao smiled slightly, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, and said lightly: "The year-end grand comparison is about to begin..."
"Kid... you're really asking for it... cough, if I were you, I'd leave immediately. It's not easy to escape with your life, why come back and seek death? Listen to my advice, leave the Xiao family... in the future, be more low-key!" What made Chen Huan astonished was that the middle-aged guard didn't respond to his words, but instead looked at him with a full of pity and said.
"Thanks for the reminder!" Chen Hao slightly stunned, clasped his fists and said to the middle-aged man. Since the other party had confirmed his identity, he no longer hesitated, and resolutely stepped into the Xiao family under the astonished gaze of the middle-aged guard and other guards.
