Wu Tan City.
It was originally an unremarkable border town. But in recent years, because of the birth of a certain genius, this small city had been etched into the minds of many. When that same genius broke through to the Dou Zhe realm at the tender age of eleven, the names "Wu Tan City" and "Xiao Clan" became famous.
Unfortunately, that fame was fleeting. Overnight, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had vanished, and now he had fallen all the way back to the seventh stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
The genius had fallen.
Such explosive news had kept Xiao Yan firmly at the top of every gossip list. Wherever one went, one could hear people speculating about the reasons for his fall, with theories growing more bizarre by the day. The Auba and Jia Lie Clans were, of course, tacitly fanning the flames, even starting cruel betting pools on how many more stages of Dou Qi he would lose the next day.
For months, Xiao Yan's popularity remained unshakable. He was the undisputed superstar of Wu Tan City's rumor mill.
However, when people went out to chat today, they discovered the topic had changed. A mysterious vigilante had swept through the city, and the drama was simply too good to miss.
"I knew that thug Wang Ermazi would get what was coming to him! If he hadn't shamelessly latched onto the Auba Clan, he would've been dealt with ages ago. Now the Auba Clan is in a panic themselves; who has time to care about him?"
"The person who did this is truly brave. More than twenty people crippled so far, from both the Auba and Jia Lie Clans. But I haven't heard about anyone from the Xiao Clan being targeted. You don't think… the Xiao Clan was behind this?"
"Unlikely. The Xiao Clan doesn't have the guts to offend two major clans at once. Besides, I heard one of their own guard captains was crippled too."
"Evil is repaid with evil. I just want to say, those thugs deserved it."
The mercenaries' guesses weren't far from the truth. The atmosphere in the compounds of the three major clans was incredibly tense. Each had dispatched patrols to investigate, with the Auba and Jia Lie Clans vowing to find the culprit at all costs. To have more than twenty of their men crippled in a single day was not just infuriating; it was terrifying. One of the unlucky victims from the Auba Clan was a two-star Dou Zhe.
To be able to neutralize a Dou Zhe so silently, without raising an alarm, required the strength of at least a high-level Dou Zhe. As long as such a dangerous individual remained hidden in the dark, no one below the rank of elder could feel safe.
Thus, a thorough investigation was necessary. For the first time in a long while, the three major clans had formed a rare, united front.
The sound of messy, hurried footsteps echoed through the streets, again and again.
Yet, in his inn room, Chen Guan was completely unaffected. He sat calmly, reading a book on magical herbs to supplement his knowledge, feeling not a shred of nervousness at being the city's most wanted man.
That's right. He was the vigilante.
After nearly half a month of travel, he had arrived back in Wu Tan City. It wasn't his destination, just a necessary stop along his route. He had only planned to rest for a day, but as fate would have it, the first person he saw upon entering the city was a mercenary nicknamed Wang Ermazi.
The memory was deeply ingrained. This was the man who had knocked two steamed buns from his hands and, for his trouble, given him a punch from a fist the size of a sandbag.
Do you have any idea how much psychological damage a punch like that can cause a four-year-old child?
The memory resurfaced, and Chen Guan acted with grim satisfaction. He didn't hold a grudge. He simply crippled the man's limbs and destroyed his Dou Qi. Most of the other victims from that night shared a similar history with him.
To find so many old acquaintances in a single day… it really puts into perspective how miserable my life was back then.
Knock, knock, knock~
An unexpected knock sounded at the door.
After cracking open the rear window just in case, Chen Guan opened the door. Standing there was a young man in black robes. He had a grim look on his face but seemed absent-minded, his eyes holding a deep, suppressed anger. Behind him stood six uniformed Xiao Clan guards.
"Sorry to bother you. I am Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan. Some madman caused chaos in the city yesterday, so we are making a routine inquiry. If you see anyone suspicious, please inform us."
Xiao Yan?! I've heard his name for so long, but I didn't even recognize him.
Then again, I only saw him once from a distance when he was just a kid. He was an arrogant little tyrant back then. Now that he's grown up and been hit with such a major setback, it's not surprising his whole demeanor has changed.
But asking me about this… am I supposed to report myself?
"Oh, I see. Is there anything else?"
Chen Guan agreed casually, sizing up his fellow transmigrator. His eyes unconsciously glanced at the simple black ring hanging from the boy's neck. If this were six years ago, he might have risked trying to rob him. But now…
Yao Chen is one hundred percent awake. The thought was dismissed as quickly as it came.
"Apologies for the disturbance," Xiao Yan said, shaking his head slightly. "I'd also like to remind you to avoid going out if you don't have to, especially at night."
He then turned and led his men to the next room. From beginning to end, he was in no mood to seriously look at the youth who was more handsome than him, nor did he feel any suspicion. In his mind, Chen Guan was about his age and therefore likely still in the Dou Zhi Qi realm. He simply didn't have the strength to be the culprit and was ruled out immediately.
"Sixth stage of Dou Zhi Qi."
Watching Xiao Yan leave, Chen Guan muttered to himself. At this rate, he'll be back to square one before he knows it.
He was sighing for Xiao Yan. What he didn't know was that in Xiao Yan's ring, Yao Chen was also slightly stunned by him.
A bone age of only ten years old, yet he's a three-star Dou Zhe, almost on the verge of four stars. What an absolute monster!
Yao Chen couldn't help but wonder if his future would be more hopeful if he followed this boy instead. He was tempted but ultimately gave up the idea. For one, he had been absorbing Xiao Yan's energy for so long; to simply abandon him now would leave him with a guilty conscience.
Furthermore, Yao Chen seriously suspected that a major power from the Central Plains was backing Chen Guan. If a monster of this level could be cultivated in a remote place like the Jia Ma Empire, he would eat his own hat. In his current weakened state, it was better not to get involved with such forces.
First Gu Xun'er, and now this Chen Guan. Two incomprehensible youths appearing in Wu Tan City at the same time… The thought made Yao Chen anxious.
In his haste, he sucked a little too hard, and Xiao Yan was once again plunged into misery.
Feeling his Dou Qi plummet from the sixth stage all the way down to the fourth, Xiao Yan's defenses finally shattered. He stood in the alleyway, pointing a trembling finger to the sky, roaring his defiance at a cruel and uncaring fate.
"Aaaargh!"
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