Chapter 274: Return to the Xiao Clan

Northwest Continent.

As a relatively remote region of the Dou Qi Continent, the Northwest Continent has never had many powerhouses. If one were to scour the entire Northwest Continent, it is not certain that even a hundred Dou Zun powerhouses could be gathered.

Because of this, compared to the landscape of Central Plains where sects and family powers stand in great numbers, what exists here are mostly large empires and the many small kingdoms subordinate to them.

In every empire, a Dou Zong powerhouse is sufficient to guard a territory and deter the surroundings. However, there are exceptions to everything, and the strength of the empires naturally varies.

Nowadays, although the empires of the Northwest Continent are spread out like stars, they also exhibit a certain pattern.

The three major empires, led by the Tian Snake Empire, Jia Ma Empire, and Chu Yun Empire, stand in a tripod formation, and all other empires and kingdoms are led by these three parties.

Among the three major empires, the Tian Snake Empire is an established power with peerless strength, and its state-protecting sect, the Tian Snake Mansion, even has an Ancestor at the Dou Zun realm.

However, Jia Ma and Chu Yun have come from behind. The former's power grew at an inconceivable speed; the previous Sect Master of its imperial sect, the Yunlan Sect, Yun Shan, originally had ordinary strength and was unknown in the Northwest Continent.

Yet, in a certain year, he suddenly announced that he had become a Dou Zun powerhouse, forcefully crushing a crowd of powerhouses from surrounding empires. The Jia Ma Empire thus became famous, expanding its territorial borders by more than several thousand miles in one go.

The history of the rise of its neighbor, the Chu Yun Empire, is also quite strange. It was originally just an ordinary empire that was slightly stronger, but after the rise of the Jia Ma Empire, it attempted to unite with the Luo Yan and Mu Lan countries to curb the former's momentum, only to be met with a head-on blow and suffer heavy losses.

However, in recent years, the Chu Yun Empire has suddenly gained a large group of powerhouses of unknown origin, and there is even a Dou Zun among them.

Because of this, the two bordering countries, Jia Ma and Chu Yun, have been in constant local wars for many years, with various powerhouses fighting and probing each other incessantly.

There are no major wars, but friction never ceases!

On this day, above the Jia Ma Empire.

Suddenly, a subtle fluctuation originated from space, and then a pitch-black hole appeared. A figure in white slowly stepped out; it was Xiao Han, who had rushed over from the Central Plains.

"Jia Ma Empire, it's been a long time since I've been back!" He sighed slightly, then identified the direction, his figure turning into a stream of light as he streaked toward the direction of Wutan City.

At this moment, Xiao Zhan was frowning, staring at a map of the Jia Ma Empire and the surrounding major empires hanging on the wall.

The current Jia Ma Empire looks like it is at its zenith, known as one of the top three in strength in the Northwest Continent, but in reality, it is beset by crises. With Jia Ma as the center, other countries are faintly surrounding it.

Although the Gama Imperial Family is still the nominal ruler of the Jia Ma Empire, in reality, they are completely powerless to deal with the threats coming from all directions.

The greatest contributor to being able to hold on until now is the Xiao Clan, or at most, one could count Yun Shan.

The Gama Imperial Family is also clear about this in their hearts and has decisively laid flat! They are almost completely undefended against the Xiao Clan, telling Xiao Zhan everything, including secrets, and letting him take overall control of the country's military power.

They know very well that the Xiao Clan does not look down on the power in their hands at all. Rather than being secretive, guarding strictly, offending people, and living in fear.

It is better to just hand it over to them. Only if the Jia Ma Empire still exists can their Imperial Family have a possibility of survival; otherwise, they are finished all the same.

Although Xiao Zhan highly approves of the Gama Imperial Family's sensible behavior, he still has a headache when facing the powder keg at the border.

The fundamental problem now is that the number of Xiao Clan powerhouses is severely insufficient.

Strictly speaking, although Xiao Han gave the Xiao Clan a cheat, the Chu Yun Empire has an administrator personally entering the field; the two sides are not on equal footing at all.

If it weren't for the fact that there are not many Soul Hall powerhouses in the Northwest Continent, a lack of higher-level Dou Zun, and the fact that Dou Sheng powerhouses cannot enter the field, the Xiao Clan's current situation would have already collapsed.

"Damn Soul Hall!" Xiao Zhan smashed his fist against the wall in front of him. "Don't give my Xiao Clan a chance, otherwise, you will have a hard time."

"It seems your days as the Xiao Clan Leader are not very easy!" At this moment, a teasing voice entered Xiao Zhan's ears.

"Hm?" He was stunned for a moment, then as if remembering something, Xiao Zhan's face revealed wild joy. "Uncle Ancestor?!"

"Yo!" Xiao Han revealed his figure, smiling: "It's hard for you, little guy, to still remember me!"

"Hehe~" Xiao Zhan laughed honestly, only to be met with a wave of disdain from Xiao Han, who pouted and said: "You're already a Clan Leader, yet you have so little dignity."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Xiao Zhan admitted his mistake repeatedly, but the smile on his face could not be contained.

"How is the situation of the Xiao Clan now?" Xiao Han changed the subject directly and asked in a deep voice.

Although he had already initially understood the situation of the Xiao Clan, he lacked more detailed intelligence.

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan's mood, which had been slightly excited by Xiao Han's arrival, also sank, and he began to introduce it in detail.

At the end of his words, Xiao Zhan could only smile bitterly: "Our Dou Zun powerhouses are more than ten fewer than the Soul Hall, nearly half less."

"If it weren't for their low levels, and the fact that I can hold back five or six of them every time, plus others risking their lives to hold back some, the war situation would have already collapsed!"

What Xiao Zhan did not say was that he is currently acting entirely as a firefighter. Almost every time the war situation is unfavorable, he needs to go out personally. In recent years, he has almost traveled all over the border of the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Han's expression was cold. He looked at the exhausted Xiao Zhan and patted the latter's shoulder. "You have already done very well."

It can be seen that the current Xiao Zhan is exceptionally aggrieved. After years of recovery, the Xiao Clan's strength should not have been like this.

However, all these years, Xiao Clan powerhouses have been secretly sent to the Central Plains. There are not many powerhouses left, and their talent is not the best. Being able to maintain the situation under the strikes of the Soul Hall already makes Xiao Han very satisfied.

"Isn't this why I, your Uncle Ancestor, am here to send you warmth now?" Xiao Han chuckled.

Xiao Zhan revealed a look of anticipation; he had a deep understanding of his Uncle Ancestor's methods!

"Go, call all the current Dou Zun and high-level Dou Zong of the Xiao Clan, and have them gather in the Xiao Clan's space."

"Yes!" Xiao Zhan performed what it meant to be as fast as Ji Ying on the spot. In less than a quarter of an hour, nearly fifty people were neatly lined up before Xiao Han.

The few people at the very front exuded powerful and long-lasting auras, clearly having stepped into the Dou Zun realm long ago.

"Uncle Ancestor, these are the powerhouses that the Xiao Clan can call back now. There are others who need to guard the borders and cannot return for the time being," Xiao Zhan reported.

"Hm!" Xiao Han carefully examined the crowd. Although they revealed fatigue unconsciously due to the successive battles with the Soul Hall, everyone's eyes were sharp, their auras deep, and their fighting spirit high. Clearly, they were all among the better ones in terms of strength at the same level.

"Follow me!" Xiao Han greeted them and walked into the Xiao Clan space first. Compared to when it was first created, the space energy at this time was quite abundant; it was indeed a good place for cultivation.

"Alright!" The corners of Xiao Han's mouth curled into a smile that made people feel awe. "Xiao Zhan, come out; everyone else, sit down for me."

After everyone did as told, Xiao Han took out a strange pitch-black disk amidst their confusion.

Xiao Zhan's pupils shrank: "Array Disk?!"

"Yo?" Xiao Han praised, "You little guy still remember this thing!"

Although he was speaking, the movements of Xiao Han's hands were not slow at all. With the injection of Dou Qi, the palm-sized Array Disk instantly turned into runes filling the sky, covering everyone except Xiao Han and Xiao Zhan.

"Attention, if you cannot bear it, withdraw yourself, otherwise I cannot guarantee your safety," Xiao Han said with a serious face.

"Yes!"

However, soon, this seriousness immediately turned into a smile, with a hint of schadenfreude: "Good luck to you all!"

The others were already confused, and after hearing Xiao Han's nonsensical words, they were even more perplexed. Only Xiao Zhan, who was slightly more familiar with Xiao Han, expressed mourning for his clansmen in his heart and prayed for them.

Xiao Han flicked his sleeve, and Dou Qi as vast as an abyss surged out, exploding toward the top of the array dome.