Chapter 318: Ranking Advancement

In the Xiao Family training ground, Xiao Yuanshan was sparring with a few disciples.

"Did you hear? That guy Xiao Liang caused trouble again and even took a lot of people out!"

"Alas! Our Young Master, after becoming a Holy Son of Qingfeng Academy, has become even more directionless! Sooner or later disaster will come!"

"Exactly! The Xiao Family will inevitably be ruined by him! We'd rather have our Senior Brother become the Young Master!"

"That's right! Our Senior Brother is at the Yuan Dan Eightfold realm and is the 312th‑ranked figure on the Holy Ranking. How could he not be stronger than Xiao Liang!"

Xiao Yuanshan was coaching a disciple on the arena, yet he heard every word spoken by the crowd below clearly.

At that moment, he felt a private sense of pride!

"Xiao Liang? Your triumph won't last long! The Xiao Family will soon change hands!"

Since he inadvertently obtained some secret techniques from a disciple of the main Xiao bloodline, his bloodline was enhanced and his realm began to rise rapidly.

His reputation within the Xiao Family also grew. In contrast, the troublemaking Xiao Liang increasingly drew criticism from many Elders. Had he not come from a side branch, he would have become Young Master long ago.

However, recently he gained support from some Elders, planning to overthrow the current head of the Xiao Family. Soon, he would no longer have to swallow his anger toward Xiao Liang and put on a façade.

Just as his pride swelled, the front courtyard of the Xiao Family erupted into chaos, with cries for help rising everywhere.

"Could anyone dare to cause trouble at the Xiao Family?"

He had no time for more words and hurriedly led men over.

Charging straight into the Xiao Family were Ye Liuyun and his companions.

To let everyone warm up, Ye Liuyun temporarily did not release the Skeleton Puppet. The guards in the front courtyard were fighting Wu Qingcheng, Yu Er, and Ru Yue, while the others held back.

"Who dares to cause trouble in my Xiao Family?" Xiao Yuanshan bellowed, arriving with several Sea Transformation Ninth Layer disciples.

"Perfect timing, Qingcheng, you now have an opponent. These Sea Transformation disciples are perfect for you to spar with," Ye Liuyun transmitted a voice to Wu Qingcheng with his Divine Sense.

Then he shouted to everyone of the Xiao Family, "Xiao Liang dares to send men to assassinate me; I'm here to demand an explanation!"

"It's Xiao Liang's fault again!" the crowd muttered, grinding their teeth in hatred.

In that short time, they had already slain over ten guards, and the battle continued as more of their men kept falling.

At that moment, seeing Xiao Yuanshan arrive felt like a savior's appearance, and they immediately pleaded for help.

"Hmph! Do you think the Xiao Family is empty? The Xiao Family isn't a place you can cause trouble in."

Speaking so, he moved to strike at Yu Er and Ru Yue.

"Your opponent is me!" Ye Liuyun, sensing his realm, immediately acted. At the same time, he sensed the bloodline aura on the man, which seemed familiar.

Thus his Golden Pupil activated, pulling his Soul into the Thunder Fire Domain. The Hell Mingshe lashed its tail, snatching his Soul away, and after a few Blood Thunder strikes, Ye Liuyun launched a Soul Search.

"So he's of the same clan as Xiao Mubei and even obtained Xiao Mubei's secret technique. No wonder his bloodline feels so tangled! Looks like this guy has caused many victims!"

This Xiao Yuanshan, by flattering and scheming, obtained from Xiao Mubei the technique of absorbing others' bloodlines, and after improving it, kept challenging Holy Ranking contestants, absorbing their bloodline power, so his realm rose faster than Xiao Mubei's.

He never expected it to end up in Ye Liuyun's hands now.

"Spare me, I can tell you all my secret methods!" Xiao Yuanshan's Soul begged Ye Liuyun.

"No need! I already know this method!" Saying so, Ye Liuyun unhesitatingly annihilated his Soul. He would never let such a malicious hypocrite live to cause more harm.

After Ye Liuyun destroyed Xiao Yuanshan, the Holy Ranking instantly changed, placing him at 312th. The Alliance updated this information on his Token immediately.

"Impressive, the Alliance—so powerful, updating information instantly. How do they know?" Ye Liuyun thought, then stopped pondering.

This Alliance exuded strangeness everywhere; he resolved to investigate it thoroughly later.

At this moment, he still needed to focus on the Xiao Family's developments; once a strong opponent acted, he would release the Skeleton Puppet.

Wu Qingcheng also fought alongside the disciples brought by Xiao Yuanshan.

Soon, higher‑realm Elders arrived to aid the Xiao Family. Lin Feier, Shi Yuan, Bai Hu, and Lei Ming each found suitable opponents and engaged in battle.

Lei Ming challenged a Yuan Dan Sixth Layer elder and started fighting. Although at a disadvantage, she could barely hold on thanks to her scale armor.

"Seems she's also trying to push herself, using this pressure to raise her realm."

This time Ye Liuyun gave her no aid, silently watching their fight. As long as she avoided a fatal blow, he decided not to intervene, letting her face it herself for true training.

More Xiao Family members gathered; many cultivating Elders and disciples joined the battle formation. Ye Liuyun ignored the low‑realm fighters, but whenever a high‑realm Elder tried to act and upset the balance, he would launch a Spiritual Soul Attack on them, killing them to prevent participation.

At this point, the Clan Chief of the Xiao Family rushed over, ordering both sides to cease. Yet without Ye Liuyun's command, his people ignored him, so they could not stop.

The Clan Chief realized that among them, Ye Liuyun was their leader. He said to Ye Liuyun, "Young gentleman, what shall we call you? My son caused trouble; the Xiao Family is willing to compensate; could your men temporarily stand down?"

Ye Liuyun calmly waved his hand, saying, "I am Ye Liuyun. I'll take any compensation myself, so you need not worry. Xiao Liang is already dead by my hand; now it's the whole Xiao Family's turn! In your next life, gain some sense, and stop producing disasters!"

"What? You killed my son Xiao Liang?" the Clan Chief shouted.

"What's so surprising about that? I dared to come and annihilate your Xiao Family; how could I spare him?" Ye Liuyun retorted.

"My son is a Holy Son of Qingfeng Academy! How dare you kill him?" the Clan Chief seemed still in disbelief.

"Just a worthless fool; I can't fathom how he became a Holy Son! Does Qingfeng Academy have no talent among its younger generation?" Ye Liuyun retorted nonchalantly.

Lin Feier's heart trembled at the words. If this spread to Qingfeng Academy, retaliation would be inevitable.

However, she also knew that since Ye Liuyun destroyed the Blood Demon Sect, the major sects had not withdrawn from him; no one dared to provoke him. Qingfeng Academy certainly wouldn't go after him for a single sarcastic remark.

In truth, Ye Liuyun failed to realize that it wasn't Qingfeng Academy's weakness, but his own rapid growth that now far surpassed those sects' disciples. The once‑formidable sects no longer held any deterrent for him.