The atmosphere in the room was suffocating, and Lin Yan and the others stared in quiet astonishment at Xiao Yan's first display of fury before them. This man usually carried himself with a calm, cheerful demeanor—so unexpected was his outburst that it seemed truly formidable. Fixing his gaze firmly on the pale-faced Xiao Li, Xiao Yan took a deep breath, forcing down the surge of anger within him. Turning to Xiao Yu, whose eyes were red with emotion, he spoke firmly, "What exactly happened? Isn't Brother Li supposed to be in the Gamma Empire? How did he suddenly end up at the Cangnan Academy?" A powerful and surging aura suddenly erupted from within the room. Even Xiao Yu, who was relatively close to Xiao Yan, was pushed back several steps, her face filled with astonishment as she gazed at Xiao Yan, whose expression had suddenly turned dark and severe. This aura—was it even stronger than that of Master Ruolin? In just half a year, Xiao Yan had grown so formidable! "Brother Xiao Yan, calm down!" A graceful figure swiftly darted beside him, her slender hands tightly gripping his arm. Gentle golden light radiated forth, and under the glow of this light, Xiao Yan's previously uncontrolled aura gradually stabilized. A few hurried breaths, and still Xiao Yan's hands couldn't help but tremble slightly. Before he left, Xiao had secretly relocated the Xiao family to his elder brother Xiao Ding's mercenary company. Now, as the second commander of Mo Ti Mercenary Company, Xiao Li had unexpectedly appeared at the Galen Academy—thousands of miles away from the Gamma Empire. That meant the entire Mo Ti Mercenary Company, along with the Xiao family, must have suffered a devastating, catastrophic blow. The fingernails had driven deep into the palm, blood dripping from the crevices. Xiao Yan gazed at Xiao Li lying on the bed, pale as paper, his sense of guilt cutting through him like a knife, bringing waves of pain. He had never expected that relocating the Xiao family to his elder brother's residence would ultimately harm them so deeply. Sitting lightly by the side of the bed, Xiao Yan suppressed the trembling in his hands, grasping Xiao Li's arm and channeling a thread of qi into his body. Only after a while did he release his hold, the gloom on his face slightly easing, though his voice remained as rough and cold as ever: "Brother Li has sustained significant internal injuries—likely from being severely wounded during a confrontation. Fortunately, he is not in immediate danger of losing his life." From his storage ring, he retrieved a healing pill for internal injuries and pressed it into Xiao Li's mouth. After a few moments, seeing that his complexion had slightly improved, Xiao Yan finally exhaled softly. "Now we simply wait for Brother Li to regain consciousness. Once he wakes up, he will know exactly what has transpired within the Xiao family." His face remained stern, yet the quiet tone carried an undercurrent of chilling intensity. "Could it be the Yunlan Sect?" Xun'er murmured, hesitating. "If it's the Yunlan Sect, then I, Xiao Yan, will never stop until they are utterly destroyed!" Xiao Yan's lips suddenly curled into a fierce smile, his voice echoing as if coming from the depths of the underworld, devoid of any emotion. Xun'er sighed softly. In the Garma Empire, aside from Yunlan Sect, it would be extremely rare to find another power willing to act so ruthlessly against the Xiao family. During the period while Xiao Li was recovering, the atmosphere in the room remained heavy and oppressive. Even Huojia and the others, after a quiet sigh, quietly stepped out, leaving the room to Xiao Yan and his companions. "Ah—" Suddenly, a sharp, intense cough rang out in the otherwise silent room. Xiao Yan, seated by the bedside, swiftly lifted his head to meet the slowly opening eyes of Xiao Li. The deep bond of brothers, their flesh and blood tied together, warmed both of their faces slightly. "At last, I see you, Xiao Yan," said Xiao Li. "I thought I'd never make it this far." Leaning against the soft pillow, the initial joy on Xiao Li's face when he first saw Xiao Yan gradually softened into a smile, and he sighed, "With three months' time, if it hadn't been for that flying beast, it would have taken us at least a full year to travel from the Gamma Empire all the way here." Gazing at Xiao Li's pale face, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a touch of warmth welling up in his nose. Six months ago, his second brother had been full of vigor and determination, brimming with battle spirit. Now, however, what remained was only an ever-growing intensity of resolve and resolve. "Second brother, what has happened? What about the eldest brother?" Xiao Yan gently held onto Xiao Li's arm. As the smile slowly faded from his face, after a moment, Xiao Li lifted his head and laughed softly—his laughter thick with deep sorrow and rage. Beside him, Xiao Yu's tears rolled down uncontrollably. "Is it the Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan's arm trembled rapidly, his heart filled with fury and wrath, so intense that it nearly overwhelmed his sense of reason. "During the first two months after the Xiao family's relocation to the Mo Tie Guild, everything remained calm. The Yun Lan Sect's search efforts did not extend to the border regions either. Yet, just as we began to believe the tense atmosphere was about to ease, slaughter arrived quietly." "That evening marked the monthly celebration of the Mo Tie Guild—yet the celebration turned into a blood banquet. A number of people surrounded and ambushed the guild that night. Though they concealed their identities, how could the distinctive sword energy generated by the Yun Lan Sect's unique cultivation techniques remain undetected?" Xiao Li smiled faintly, his face etched with deep-seated hatred. "The forces sent to besiege the Mo Tie Guild were exceptionally strong. The guild members suffered nearly complete casualties. Although several family elders of the Xiao clan fought valiantly to protect them, the family itself also incurred significant losses." "Yun, Lan Sect... It seems Master Yun, that old meddlesome fool, truly intends to eliminate us completely!" His black pupils were nearly filled with blood vessels, his face contorted in terror. Xiao Yan's body trembled rapidly, a thick aura of murderous intent filling the entire room. After a moment, he suddenly stood up, only to be swiftly pulled back by Xun'er: "Xiao Yan, where are you going?" "Back to the Jima Empire! I want every single member of Yunlan Sect to share my fate!" His voice was solemn, laced with intense anger and ferocity. "What good will returning now do for you? The Xiao family is now in dire straits—besides you, who else can save them? If you perish, how will you face Xiao Uncle?" Seeing Xiao Yan's fierce demeanor, Xun'er realized he had become both enraged and overwhelmed, and thus spoke loudly. "Xiao Yan, stand firm! Brother sent me all the way across the realm, risking his life, just to find you—so you're not going to simply run back and leave me behind!" "Xiao Li angrily scolded, 'This blood feud must be avenged. You have no excuse for your involvement—yet, if you now return, will you be able to defeat Yun Shan?' Xiao Yan's body went rigid, his hair falling loose from his forehead. The intense suppression of rage and murderous intent nearly drove him mad. 'Moreover,' Xiao Li said in a low, grave tone, 'this matter seems far from simple.' Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan regained some composure, his voice hoarse, like that of a wind-blown chest pump: 'What?' "The force that slaughtered our mercenary team that night—besides Yunlan Sect—seems to be hiding something else... "Xiao Li's eyes flashed with sharp intensity, the venomous undertone clearly etched upon his pale face. "Though they remained concealed in the shadows, I could still sense that cold aura. They appeared as formless, faceless shadows. Their targets were remarkably precise—always our Xiao family members. Their attacks were utterly unyielding; occasionally, a dark iron chain would shoot forth from the darkness, striking with eerie precision. These chains were so strange that even the flow of our qi could be pierced through. Every time the chains rustled in the night, a family member would be struck through and dragged away. After each family member was taken, the shadows would search their bodies, observing their movements—more like seeking something specific than merely hired to carry out assassinations. Shadows? Iron chains attacking?" Strange terms entered his mind, yet instantly flooded his brain with a sudden, intense cold. His mind raced, images flashing rapidly past—then abruptly halting. It was the silhouette within the black storm on the Black Domain Plain, the black iron chains. A growing chill spread through his body. Simultaneously, the voices of Yao Lao and Xiao Yan echoed in his heart, resonant and serious: "The Spirit Palace!" "Why have they targeted the Xiao family? They have no connection whatsoever with the Spirit Palace!" Xiao Yan's body stiffened; his hair fell over his face, shielding his features. A quiet, cold murmur echoed in his mind. Yao Lao, too, remained silent. He couldn't comprehend why such a vast and enigmatic force as the Spirit Palace would have any connection with a humble family like the Xiao's. If it were due to him, it seemed unlikely—after all, the Spirit Palace simply could not have known he was by Xiao Yan's side. "We didn't know exactly what they were looking for, but the Senior Elder had told me and my brother before he passed away." At this, Xiao Li suddenly looked up at Xiao Yan, saying, "He specifically instructed you to preserve the family's jade—never to let it fall into the hands of outsiders!" A sudden wave of coolness surged through his mind, and a crisp breeze escaped from his lips, his voice growing cold and clear within: "So... their true objective... was the 'Deshagong Emperor's Jade'!"