Chapter 98: Saintess Xiao Xiting, the Nine Dragons’ Succession Struggle, and the Battle for the Token

“Master, you look a bit unwell. Has something happened?”
“It’s nothing. What did you just say?”

Master Xiao Xiting waved her hand, signaling that there was no problem, and quickly changed the subject.

This matter was something Xiao Xiting was unaware of. Had she known, she would likely never have accepted it. Everything had been decided by herself, wanting to give the best to her. Fortunately, as she wished, she became the Sacred Maiden of the sanctuary.

“Oh, my brother, whom I haven’t seen in many years, has returned. I want to go back and see him...”

Xiao Xiting was interrupted by her master and only then recalled what she had just said. Coincidentally, Yan Chen’s maternal family also bore the surname Xiao. In that sense, calling Yan Chen “brother” was not entirely inappropriate. Yan Chen’s mother was Xiao Xiting’s aunt, and her summoning was partly to support Yan Chen. After all, the Sacred Maiden of a sanctuary carried considerable weight.

“Then you must promise me this: don’t engage in anything dangerous. First and foremost, ensure your safety. If you encounter danger... forget it, I’ll accompany you myself.”

Originally, Master Xiao Xiting intended to stay at Spirit Peak to recover and let her go alone. But realizing there were too many precautions to give, and seeing Xiao Xiting’s innocence and lack of guile, she feared that if she went alone, she might unwittingly be used as a pawn without even realizing it. After much thought, she decided it was better to accompany her. So much had been invested in her; if anything happened, all that effort would be wasted.

“Alright!”

Xiao Xiting cheered and immediately began packing for the trip back.

...

“You’re only just back?”

Xiao Yanying brought Ling Tian home and just happened to meet Xiao Jin, who was getting up for a meal. His eyes lit up immediately, speaking with a meaningful tone.

He had been drinking with others until midnight outside but hadn’t seen the two return. Now that they arrived together, how could he not suspect there was something between them?

“As you see, you should thank us properly. We’ve just removed one competitor for you.”

Xiao Yanying rolled her eyes at her brother, crossing her arms with a proud expression.

“What? You killed Yan Chen?”

Xiao Jin looked surprised, though a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. He knew the possibility was slim, but he still wished it were true. Yan Chen was currently his greatest threat. If Yan Chen were dead, things would be much simpler. The remaining brothers were manageable.

His strategy was both distant and close combat: keep friends close, unite with allies, and eliminate foes. This tactic was foolproof and perfect. In the end, only he would emerge victorious.

“You’re dreaming. You might as well say you want us to eliminate all your competitors?”

“That’s the sixth brother, Xiao Ru. He left with his sister and won’t participate in this competition.”

Xiao Yanying shot her brother a cold glance, clearly annoyed. She only said she helped remove one person, not that he should start wishing for more here! Killing Yan Chen? If he could do that, she wouldn’t have needed to come back to help.

“Number six, huh? I heard his sister’s illness is quite severe. That’s truly unfortunate.”

A hint of disappointment showed in Xiao Jin’s eyes. He hadn’t taken Xiao Ru seriously; his strength was too weak. But he did feel regret over his sister’s illness. If she hadn’t been sick, perhaps in a few years, the Xiao family would have produced a great talent.

Such is the cruelty of life. Only those who grow and persevere are true geniuses; those who perish young can only be mourned.

Just as he was about to ask how the two were connected to Xiao Ru, someone from the Xiao family came to report:

“Eldest Young Master, it’s getting late. It’s time to depart for the opening ceremony.”

“Then let’s go!”

The Eldest Young Master withdrew his gaze and focused on the messenger. The opening ceremony marked the beginning of the competition among the nine direct descendants for the position of Young Clan Leader. Previously, the struggles had been secretive, but this event would bring matters into the open.

Those with true ability no longer needed to hide; it was a stage to showcase their talents. Though ruthless, every past clan leader had cemented their position this way—it had become a tradition. Outsiders had no right to interfere in family affairs.

“Let’s go see the excitement,” Xiao Yanying said, glancing at Ling Tian with an invitation.

“Alright.”

Ling Tian had no objections. The opening ceremony would likely draw Yan Chen too. He was curious to see how Yan Chen’s mindset had evolved after his recent recovery. As for who would become the Young Clan Leader, it was of no concern to him. Whoever won made no difference; it brought him no benefit.

Before long, they arrived at a solitary fortress outside the Xiao family city, guided by their messenger. Surrounding the fortress were forest, desert, and grassland—an extensive ecological simulation.

The scene was truly impressive. Ling Tian was intrigued by the setup, thinking it would be great if his own family could hold a competition like this. It would surely be a fierce battle.

They entered the central rest area—the venue for the opening ceremony—and saw a towering figure radiating vitality, exuding a profound aura that commanded respect without anger. This was the current clan head, Xiao Tianqi.

He was not alone. Several elders stood nearby to maintain order. A group of young men respectfully stood at one side—more than just eight, as each direct descendant had brought trusted allies.

Ling Tian immediately spotted Yan Chen slightly behind the others.

[Yan Chen’s Dao Heart Damage: 16%]

A prompt sounded in his mind.

Sixteen percent? It seemed the young man was doing quite well here. His Dao Heart had recovered significantly in a short time. Truly, an endless source of opportunity.

Ling Tian’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Yan Chen. Yan Chen, feeling uneasy, stiffened and turned his head away. He clearly sensed that this person was targeting him. To conceal his unease, he pretended not to notice Ling Tian.

[Childhood Companion!]

“Hmm?”

Ling Tian murmured, discovering something remarkable: the woman beside Yan Chen bore a tag above her head identifying her as a childhood companion!

In other words, he needed to persuade this woman to join his faction.

Clearly, this was not going to be easy. The woman seemed close to Yan Chen. If Yan Chen refused, she likely wouldn’t agree either. Ling Tian suspected the system was deliberately increasing his difficulty. After all, he barely remembered who his childhood companion was—was the system just making it up?

He couldn’t resist, of course. He could decline, but then he wouldn’t receive the rewards.

What a headache!

Ling Tian muttered under his breath, never expecting that coming to help and harvest a few opportunities would involve so many complications.

“Xiao Ying!”

While Ling Tian was pondering, Xiao Tianqi noticed Xiao Yanying at his side and, for once, smiled as he called her.

He found the boy Ling Tian rather extraordinary but felt nothing more. He had seen countless prodigies; only a few ever became great emperors.

He knew that achieving greatness required more than talent: character, perseverance, diligence, and refinement were all indispensable.

No matter how gifted you were, becoming an emperor was challenging. Giftedness alone didn’t guarantee success, but all emperors had something extraordinary about them.

“Father!”

Xiao Yanying smiled and ran over when called. The other direct descendants watched her treatment with envy. Being a direct descendant themselves, why didn’t they receive such favor?

Then again, they were all men. In public, it was somewhat inappropriate to be as close to Xiao Tianqi as she was. Besides, Xiao Tianqi had only two daughters: Xiao Fanling, who was seriously ill, and Xiao Yanying, a prodigy in alchemy.

It was clear who he favored.

Even with the strange matters surrounding Xiao Fanling, Xiao Tianqi declared it all in the past, and who dared speak otherwise?

After questioning his daughter briefly, Xiao Tianqi wasted no time, having Xiao Yanying stay by his side as he announced the rules:

“You have seen this area. Over the next few days, each of you will choose a place to set up camp and bring your supporters. I will seal off and isolate this area and provide you with a map indicating locations where you can obtain tokens. At the end, the one with the most tokens will become the Young Clan Leader. The time limit is two months. You may seize tokens from others. Understood?”

“Understood!”

The eight direct descendants responded with shining eyes.

The position of Young Clan Leader was more than a title—it was a chance to inherit power and soar to greatness!

Ling Tian glanced at Xiao Tianqi. The rules seemed less about finding tokens and more about using tokens to fuel the competition. With a two-month limit, others could wait until the end to snatch tokens or eliminate competitors from the start, denying them any chance to gain tokens.

It all came down to strategy and strength.

After Xiao Tianqi left, the remaining direct descendants began forming alliances. Yan Chen was undoubtedly a prize, as his faction was currently the strongest.

While Yan Chen was socializing, he was shocked to see Ling Tian approach and stand beside him, looking at Xiao Bingyu:

“Can you join my faction?”