#706 - Why did Xiao Meng die?
“Although our ancestor Xiao Xuan ultimately failed and died in the Soul Clan's siege, he inflicted heavy damage on the Soul Clan back then.
“However, the Gu Clan, as allies, sat idly by and watched all this happen. Even with the Soul Clan's Heavenly Emperor heavily injured and their experts nearly wiped out, they still didn't dare to attack.
“Instead, they watched them recover and grow to their current strength... What qualifications do they have to cooperate with us again?
“I originally proposed this plan, but Elder Xiao Yuanshan rejected it. The result from a thousand years ago serves as the best warning.”
Xiao Zhan's words caused Xiao Yan to fall silent. Emotionally, he naturally leaned towards the Gu Clan, but rationally, he knew that cooperating with them might not be a good choice.
“Where is Elder Xiao Yuanshan? I want to see him and ask him some questions,” Xiao Yan asked.
Xiao Zhan shook his head: “The Elder has already passed away...”
Xiao Yan's pupils shrank, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. How could a Dou Sheng suddenly die?
Xiao Zhan gave him the answer: “Incredible, isn't it? That an Elder who lived from a thousand years ago to this era would actually die?
“It was his own choice! Faced with the choice of cooperating with the Gu Clan or the Soul Clan, the Elder chose the latter.
“This choice aligned with the family's interests... but emotionally, the Elder couldn't accept it, feeling he had no face to face the companions who died in the past.
“So, after entrusting the Xiao Clan to me, he went alone to the Soul Clan and challenged Soul Mirror, one of the Four Demon Saints, ultimately perishing together.
“Although this will weaken the combined strength of our two clans, he believed that even so, our alliance could sweep away the other clans. The Xiao Clan needs to consider how to seize this benefit from the Soul Clan.
“The Elder made his decision with his life. Tell me, can I change course? Can I cooperate with the Gu Clan?”
Xiao Yan couldn't answer. In the face of the greater good of the family, personal feelings sometimes had to be put aside.
First, there was ancestor Xiao Xuan, who spent a thousand years preserving hope. Then, there was Elder Xiao Yuanshan, who made his decision with his life. Compared to the sacrifices of these predecessors, his own fondness for the Gu Clan due to personal feelings seemed so pale.
He had sworn before ancestor Xiao Xuan's tombstone to make revitalizing the Xiao Clan his lifelong responsibility. From that moment on, he was no longer just Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan.
Xiao Yan opened his mouth, but no words came out. He could only tacitly agree to cooperate with the Soul Clan.
“But Xun'er's revenge…” Xiao Yan couldn't help but say.
Xiao Zhan replied decisively: “Although the Gu Clan isn't a qualified ally, they have indeed shown kindness to the Xiao Clan over the past thousand years. It's just that this kindness isn't significant enough for us to disregard the family's interests.
“If our clan can win this battle, I will help the Gu Clan preserve a trace of their bloodline, just like the Gu Clan helped us a thousand years ago.
“I watched that girl Xun'er grow up, and I treat her like half a daughter. Her revenge naturally can't be left unsettled.
“Our cooperation with the Soul Clan will only last until we open the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's cave together. After that, there will inevitably be a war between the two clans.
“At that time, you will be the one to deal with Soul Wind and Soul Jade, the two murderers who killed Xun'er. Any objections?”
Xiao Yan said with a serious expression: “That's for the best.”
He had witnessed the scene of Gu Yuan fighting the Soul Heavenly Emperor. That kind of power could be described as earth-shattering. Even he, in his current state, felt he had no chance of winning against these two.
Xiao Zhan said with a solemn expression: “That is indeed the biggest difficulty, but we need to make the other clans lose their ability to interfere before the war between our two clans begins.
“So, we must first kill the Lei Clan's patriarch, the Yan Clan's patriarch, and... Gu Yuan.”
When he mentioned this name, Xiao Zhan's tone was slightly complicated, but he didn't reveal too much emotional fluctuation.
“Among them, Gu Yuan is very difficult to deal with and may not be able to be killed, but at least he must be severely injured to the point where he can't affect the subsequent actions.
“The Soul Heavenly Emperor is responsible for him. In order to severely injure him, the Soul Heavenly Emperor will also need to pay a certain price. When the war between the two clans begins, I will work with the three elders to hold him back.
“Void Swallowing Flame will be blocked by Ding'er and Li'er, the Soul Clan's Three Sword Saints will be handed over to Xiao Yu, Xiao Ning, and Xiao Mei... Xiao Qing, Xiao Ke, and the others from the Xiao Clan will block the remaining experts from the Soul Clan.
“You just need to accept the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's inheritance. I heard from your teacher that you can open the Heavenly Tomb... When the time comes, take the inheritance and run to the Heavenly Tomb, and don't worry about anything else.
“Even if all the other members of the Xiao Clan die, as long as you can break through to Dou Di, it will be worth it!”
Xiao Yan was silent again. The entire family was placing their hopes on him, even willing to die for it. How could he betray such a sentiment?
He took a deep breath and said solemnly: “I will definitely live up to your expectations!”
Xiao Zhan laughed loudly: “Good, good, good! Yan'er, it all depends on you!”
Xiao Yan suddenly asked: “What about the Four Demon Saints? Because Elder Xiao Yuanshan took away Soul Mirror, have they been renamed the Three Sword Saints?”
Xiao Zhan shook his head: “No, the Soul Clan's Three Sword Saints are different people... All Four Demon Saints are already dead. Soul Mirror perished together with Elder Xiao Yuanshan, and you've seen the reason for the deaths of the other three... that Grade 9 Golden Pill.”
“What? Grade 9 Golden Pill?” Xiao Yan was dumbfounded.
“Yes, at that time, in order to capture him, Void Swallowing Flame and the remaining Soul Slaughter, Soul Fiend, and Soul Inferno from the Four Demon Saints jointly pursued him. As a result, after the great battle, the three of them died, and Void Swallowing Flame also lost a large amount of its source power, dropping in realm from the early stage of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng to an Eight-Star Dou Sheng.”
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. He muttered in his heart: The elixir refined by my teacher is too fierce... It's probably able to fight against Gu Yuan and the Soul Heavenly Emperor.
At the same time, he felt even more deeply the terror of Ape Gong Amon, who was actually able to obtain such a terrifying Grade 9 Golden Pill...
But fortunately, his attitude is more inclined towards me, at least he won't be an enemy... Xiao Yan thought to himself.
“Wait, why doesn't Amon break through to Dou Di himself?” Xiao Yan had a new question.
“Because the inheritance of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor doesn't suit their path. He needs to return to the Great Thousand World to find something. After obtaining that thing, he will use it to initiate a perfect evolution... He is unwilling to give up his future potential,” Xiao Zhan said.
“Is that so...”
Xiao Zhan suddenly said: “In the battle with the Soul Clan, if possible, try not to harm the life of Soul Miasma, one of the Three Sword Saints.”
“Why?”
“He's Soul Owl's older brother. I even discussed with him about arranging a marriage between you and Soul Owl... But considering Nalan Yanran's precedent, I gave up,” Xiao Zhan said, stroking his chin.
Ah? Xiao Yan's face flushed... No wonder Soul Owl's attitude towards him was so strange. When he asked Soul Owl to help him find Little Meng's whereabouts, she left in a huff.
Xiao Yan said awkwardly: “We're not suitable...”
Xiao Zhan shook his head slightly: “It seems we're indeed not suitable...”
With the important matters concerning the overall situation discussed, Xiao Yan's expression returned to the coldness he had shown when they first met. He took a deep breath, calmed his mood, and asked:
“Father, have you been watching me?”
Xiao Zhan's heart sank, and he nodded.
“Then do you know about Little Fairy Doctor? The family took action against the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan and the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan, causing me to not get the Demonic Core of the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast in time... indirectly causing Little Fairy Doctor's death…” Xiao Yan's tone was filled with dissatisfaction and questioning.
A Demonic Core of the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast wasn't anything precious to the Xiao Clan, which at the time had the ability to capture the entire Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan and Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan to refine pills... Could it be that they deliberately allowed Little Fairy Doctor to die without saving her just to temper me? Xiao Yan didn't understand.
Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan's face, which carried a hint of coldness, and sighed in his heart...
He said with a hint of apology in his tone:
“I'm sorry, Yan'er... At that time, we had already reached a cooperation with the Soul Clan. The Soul Clan wouldn't attack you, and Yao Chen had been resurrected and become a Dou Sheng, making a name for himself in Zhongzhou...
“I thought you would be very safe at that time, so I neglected your side and focused more attention on the family's plan. By the time I realized it, it was already too late…”
Xiao Yan reluctantly accepted this explanation, but there was one more thing that was even more difficult to accept after learning that the Xiao Clan had reached a cooperation with the Soul Clan and that Xiao Zhan had become the Soul Palace Master...
This made him even feel a trace of resentment towards his always-respected father...
Since the Xiao Clan had reached a cooperation with the Soul Clan, since his father had become the Soul Palace Master...
Then why was Little Meng still imprisoned in the Soul Palace and suffering torture?
Why did she still die?
Because she was a traitor to the Amon Clan?
Was it the Amon Clan's patriarch who was interfering?
But Ape Gong Amon clearly said that the Amon Clan's patriarch didn't necessarily want Little Meng to die?
Could it be that his father sacrificed Little Meng in order to please the Amon Clan's patriarch?
In the original story, the relationship between Xiao Yan and Xun'er was a deep affection cultivated since childhood, while his relationship with Medusa was a man's responsibility.
In this world line, because of Amon's arrangements, Xiao Yan mistakenly thought Medusa was Xiao Meng, mistakenly thought her child was Xiao Meng's child, had both affection and responsibility for Xiao Meng, and had also experienced the influence of a hundred lifetimes of reincarnation...
Little Meng's importance in his heart far exceeded other confidantes... Even Xun'er was inferior.
If saving Little Meng would completely collapse the overall situation, then he might be able to understand the family's decision to let Little Meng die without saving her... But this clearly wouldn't happen!
Since sacrificing Xiao Meng wouldn't have a major impact on the situation, then why sacrifice Xiao Meng?
Xiao Yan's eyes were already bloodshot, and his expression became somewhat ferocious.