Chapter 48: Adding Tianyu

"So you are the one who killed Wu Jin?" Jia Tianyu asked, revealing a kindly smile.

"It is I," Xiao Yan replied. "And you?"

"Me?" Jia Tianyu was taken aback, thinking to himself that this was the first time a junior had asked him such a thing. He wondered, had the Xiao clan elder who went to find you earlier not told you?

However, Jia Tianyu quickly realized that Xiao Yan was placing himself on the same level as him. Since you asked who I am, shouldn't you also introduce yourself?

"I am Jia Tianyu, a member of the Jia Ma Empire's imperial family. I have come to Wutan City this time to handle the matter of the Wutan City Lord." Jia Tianyu smiled, thinking to himself that a genius truly possessed an arrogance unlike ordinary people. He spoke, then shifted his tone, becoming serious: "Xiao Yan, I ask you, did you kill Wu Jin!"

As soon as his voice fell, the members of the Xiao clan, who had just relaxed their minds due to Jia Tianyu's kindly attitude, suddenly became tense. Xiao Yan, however, did not change his expression; he first walked to the seat at the right hand of Xiao Zhan and sat down, picking up the tea beside him that was about to go cold and taking a sip.

Only then did he say unhurriedly: "It is I."

"Then do you know your crime!" Jia Tianyu's tone grew increasingly heavy, and the aura belonging to a Dou Ling spilled out from his simple robes, pressing down on the hearts of everyone present, causing the breathing of the Xiao clan members to collectively slow by a beat.

"Oh? Know my crime? I, Xiao Yan, acted according to the law; what crime is there?" Regarding Jia Tianyu's aura, Xiao Yan acted as if he did not see it, instead asking with some curiosity.

"According to the law?" Jia Tianyu repeated, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes. Since when did the Jia Ma Empire have a law that allowed citizens to behead a City Lord?

"Why? Does your Excellency not know?" Xiao Yan said, feigning confusion, then immediately turned his head to ask the Great Elder opposite him, who also wore a look of confusion: "Great Elder, do you know where I killed City Lord Wu Jin?"

"Ah?" The Great Elder, suddenly brought up by Xiao Yan, was startled and let out a cry. The people around, including Jia Tianyu, also looked over, and the dense gazes caused his body to stiffen abruptly.

Although everyone knew where Wu Jin had died, Xiao Yan's confident appearance still made everyone inexplicably feel a bit unsure.

"This, this, City Lord Wu Jin—died—right here." The Great Elder was also bewildered at this moment, not knowing what Xiao Yan wanted to express. He thought to himself that he hadn't rehearsed a story with Xiao Yan, but after struggling for a long time, he still told the truth.

Hearing an answer that was no different from what they already knew, everyone turned their gazes back to Xiao Yan.

"Then did he have an invitation when he came?" Xiao Yan took another sip of tea and asked calmly.

"In, invitation?" The Great Elder and everyone else felt it was somewhat inexplicable, thinking that since the man came to pick a fight, how could he possibly have an invitation.

"No," the Great Elder still answered truthfully.

"See, doesn't that fall under the law?" Xiao Yan said.

But when everyone heard this, they were still bewildered.

However, the Great Elder, as the person involved, remembered something and blurted out: "According to the laws of the Jia Ma Empire, if someone breaks into a private residence, the owner may kill them without guilt?"

"As expected of the Great Elder, truly clever!" Xiao Yan gave an appreciative look and praised.

Only then did Jia Tianyu finally understand, and in his heart, he felt a sense of being unable to laugh or cry.

However, he felt no anger in his heart; there was even a sense of relief.

The members of the Xiao clan, having heard Xiao Yan's reasoning, also recalled what Xiao Yan had said when they were planning earlier. It was just that at the time, they all thought he was going to kill people from the Jia Lie and Ao Ba clans, so after Xiao Yan let those two clans go, they hadn't paid it any mind. Who would have thought it would be used on the City Lord, Wu Jin.

No, there's no way to behead a City Lord with this reason! The Xiao clan members shouted in their hearts, then furtively glanced at Jia Tianyu's expression, and only after discovering that he was not angry did they feel slightly at ease.

"So that's how it is, but this alone is not enough to completely wash away your crime of privately beheading a City Lord!" After being unable to laugh or cry for a moment, Jia Tianyu made his face serious again and said in a deep voice.

"So, what do you people from the Imperial Capital intend to do?" Xiao Yan asked calmly.

No, could you show me a little respect? From just now until now, Xiao Yan had an air of not taking Jia Tianyu to heart, and even the famously good-tempered member of the Jia Ma imperial family couldn't hold it together anymore.

Sighing helplessly in his heart, Jia Tianyu cleared his throat and said in a rather serious tone: "According to the law, those who kill a City Lord without authorization must pay with their lives! But—considering there were extenuating circumstances, it is changed to being escorted to the Imperial Capital for imprisonment!"

Thankfully, it wasn't beheading. Many Xiao clan members breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a bit regretful, thinking it was a pity that the young clan head had ended up with a sentence of imprisonment at such a young age.

However, the few people led by Xiao Zhan who had rich experience heard the subtext, exchanged a tacit glance, and saw the amusement in each other's eyes.

"Oh, imprisonment. Let me ask, specifically where? And for how long?" Xiao Yan asked, still acting as if nothing had happened.

Jia Tianyu was asked something rather awkward: "This—ahem, there aren't many places in the Imperial Capital that can imprison a peak Great Dou Shi or even a Dou Ling, so it will likely be inside the Imperial Palace. As for the time, that depends on the situation."

As he spoke, Jia Tianyu even exchanged glances with Xiao Zhan. Do you understand? If you understand, hurry up and persuade your son to stop asking. Is what comes after this something that can be said? Our imperial family also needs a fig leaf!

Xiao Zhan could naturally understand Jia Tianyu's meaning. Although he didn't know if Xiao Yan really didn't understand or was just pretending not to, he still spoke up to persuade him.

"That, Yan'er, if a person does something wrong, they must accept the punishment. The imperial family has said that as long as you go to the Imperial Capital and are locked up for a period of time, you will return. Listen to your father, let's just make the trip."

Although Xiao Zhan added the bit about returning after a period of time, Jia Tianyu did not correct him. Because for him, the most important thing was to take the person away; besides, what Xiao Zhan said might not necessarily be untrue.

"Apologies, Father. I said before that I intend to study at the Canaan Academy later. Besides, I haven't finished the matters at home, so I really don't have the time to go to the Imperial Capital. Senior Tianyu doesn't need to exchange glances with my father either; I will not go." Xiao Yan smiled and responded to both of them.

"You really won't go?" Jia Tianyu's eyes narrowed.

"I won't," Xiao Yan said with a slight smile, firmly.

"Hmph! That won't be up to you!" Jia Tianyu snorted coldly, revealing a trace of hostility for the first time since arriving at the Xiao clan.

Yes, Xiao Yan's talent was excellent, far beyond what someone of Wu Jin's caliber could compare to, so the Jia Ma Empire naturally would not take the initiative to destroy such a genius now that Wu Jin was already dead. But the premise was that this genius was willing to be used by the Jia Ma Empire; otherwise, the more talented they were, the greater the threat, and they needed to be eradicated as soon as possible!

Facing the coldness released by Jia Tianyu, Xiao Yan did not care, but also released his own aura to help some of the weaker Xiao clan members resist it a little.

"Sigh, Senior Tianyu, Xiao Yan is not someone who doesn't know what's good for him or fails to appreciate the Empire's good intentions, it is just that I truly have my own pace to follow and cannot waste my time in the Imperial Capital. However, I think it is certainly impossible for you to give up just because of these words. So, how about this," Xiao Yan proposed: "You and I have a fight. As long as you can win against me, I will go with you. Conversely, the matter of going to the Imperial Capital will be dropped, how about that?"

"Have a fight? With me?" Jia Tianyu suddenly laughed out loud, and the aura on his body was released without reservation at this moment; he was impressively a six-star Dou Ling, only one step away from a seven-star Dou Ling!

"Then let me see exactly what level this Xiao Yan, who has caused such a stir in the Imperial Capital based on just a single piece of news and is rumored to be the number one genius of my Jia Ma Empire, is at!"