Chapter Sixteen: Shocking the Xia Family

  "Head of the clan, respected elders, the martial skills demonstration by the 43 individuals has come to an end!" Xia Guqiu said with a strange gaze at Xia Yan, before turning back to face the high platform and speaking loudly.

  Although Xia Guqiu saw that Xia Yan's swordsmanship was somewhat unusual, he didn't know the essence of Xia Yan's practiced swordsmanship, so his gaze at Xia Yan was a bit strange and puzzled.

  "Hmm. Elders, what do you think of the Xia family's martial skills demonstration?" Xia Fei Long nodded slightly to Xia Gu Qiu before asking the nine elders seated beside him.

  "The strongest martial skill of Xia Yan!" The four elders' eyes flashed, and they stroked their gray-white beards, speaking first.

  "I also think Xia Yan's martial skills are the strongest, Xia Yan's 'Sun and Moon Twin Swords' makes me sigh in admiration!" The Seventh Elder said with a gaze of admiration.

  The martial skill that the seven elders had cultivated before was also the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword". His decades of understanding of the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword" among all the people in the Xia family, almost no one could surpass him. Even he couldn't help but praise the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword" used by Xia Yan, which is a testament to his skill.

  "Great elder, what do you think?" Xia Feilong turned his gaze towards Xia Lei once again.

  Xia Lei's heart had been churning with unease for a while now, and Xia Yan's behavior today had left him feeling somewhat unsettled.

  When the clan leader asked, Xia Lei hastily said: "Xia Yan's martial skills are indeed unmatched among the younger generation of disciples."

  Xia Feilong nodded and said, "Yes, I think so too!"

  The final result was announced, and the entire square was boiling again! Thousands of Xia family members couldn't have imagined that their patriarch would praise a Xia family member so highly.

  The patriarch's original words were: This year's selection of outstanding young people has made me and the elderly extremely happy, because our Xia family has produced another genius. This genius is Xia Yan! Xia Yan not only opened up 100 martial arts meridians, but also cultivated his martial skills to a state of perfection!

  The clan leader said so, it's naturally impossible to be fake! Xia Yan's simple three swords actually shocked the clan leader and all the elders!

  "Bang!"

  Suddenly, Xia Liu jumped out from the crowd, holding a green steel long sword and pointing it at Xia Yan.

  When he heard the words of the tribe leader, his face suddenly turned iron blue, and he looked at Xia Yan with anger. He was not convinced, he felt that the few swords used by Xia Yan had no power at all. The tribe leader and the elders must have been deceived by the despicable Xia Yan.

  "Xia Liu, what are you doing?" Xia Guqiu saw Xia Liu jump out of the crowd and point at Xia Yan with a long sword, and hastily rebuked him.

  Xia Yan's face turned red with rage, and he shouted: "This Xia Yan is clearly incompetent, the Clan Leader and the elders have been deceived by him. If he really has skills, dare he fight me? Xia Yan, do you have the guts to fight me?"

  Xia Yan glanced at Xia Liu with disdain, now Xia Liu can no longer arouse his interest. A year ago, Xia Yan still thought Xia Liu's strength was not bad, but now Xia Liu and he have a huge gap. Moreover, this Xia Liu has a narrow mind and dirty mouth, which makes him extremely disgusted.

  Xia Yan didn't respond, and Xia Liu thought Xia Yan was afraid.

  "Haha, Xia Yan, you coward, afraid to accept the challenge! Humph, today let the clan leader and the elders see your skills!" Xia Liu said with a laugh.

  Xia Guqiu also looked at Xia Yan hesitantly and thought to herself, could it be that this Xia Yan is really just a useless ornament?

  "Take this sword!" Xia Liu laughed loudly, then brandished his long sword and took three quick steps forward, "Clang clang clang", charging towards Xia Yan.

  He struck with an exceptionally ruthless and merciless blow, as if he wanted to kill Xia Yan on the spot!

  "Xia Liu!" Xia Guqiu saw that Xia Liu had actually made such a ruthless move, and hastily called out to stop him, but at this point Xia Liu could no longer be stopped. In the brief time of just one breath, he had already closed in on Xia Yan with his sword.

  "Be careful!" Xia Zixin couldn't help but worry about Xia Yan, her eyes widening as she called out with a bright red mouth.

  "You're overestimating yourself!" Xia Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze rising to meet the attack. His feet stood firmly on the ground, his expression unchanged. Xia Liu's sword had already reached his chest, but he seemed not to have noticed at all.

  "Ah..."

  Many of Xia's family members couldn't help but exclaim in shock. Before their eyes, Xia Yan was about to be killed by Xia Liu!

  "Clang!"

  At this moment, a sudden change occurred. Originally motionless, Xia Yan's right arm, which held the long sword, formed a strange afterimage that made it difficult for people to see clearly. By the time everyone heard the sound of the sword strike, when they looked again, Xia Liu's long sword had already flown far away, and Xia Yan's sword tip was pressed against Xia Liu's throat.

  A chill ran down from his throat and spread throughout Xia Liu's body in an instant, with beads of sweat the size of beans continuously rolling down from his forehead.

  He never thought that death would be so close to him. If Xia Yan's sword tip was sent forward another inch, he would have been pierced through the throat and died.

  It's obvious to anyone that he was the one who provoked and struck with deadly force, intending to kill Xia Yan. Even if Xia Yan had killed him directly with this sword, it would have been a justified act of self-defense. Moreover, the current Xia Yan is no longer the Xia Yan of the past, even if Xia Yan had killed him, the clan leader and the elders would not have let Xia Yan pay with his life!

  "Xia Liu, I've been thinking that we're brothers after all. Today, I'll spare your life. From now on, if you dare to insult me or my mother again, don't blame me for being impolite!" Xia Yan said in a cold voice, at the same time, he sheathed his long sword and quickly retreated one step back, staring coldly at Xia Liu who was trembling all over.

  Xia Liu's eyes were dull and fearful as he stared at Xia Yan, his mind in disarray. Just now, Xia Yan's sword had come out of nowhere, and he had no idea how it had been thrust out. At the time, he felt like the sky and earth were filled with sword shadows, and he didn't even know how to defend himself.

  "One sword! Xia Liu was defeated with just one sword!"

  "Xia Yan is so strong? It seems that he has been hiding his true strength all along! From now on, we must be more careful when speaking!"

  "Hmph, I've said it before, Xia Yan's father is Xia Dongsheng. Xia Dongsheng is the most outstanding son of our Xia family in nearly a hundred years. Xia Yan is Xia Dongsheng's son, how could he possibly be a waste?"

  The Xia family's sons and younger brothers discussed it back and forth.

  From today on, Xia Yan's status in the Xia family will undergo a drastic change. Xia Yan's performance today has made him a hope for the prosperity of the Xia family. If Xia Yan can become a Ling Master, then the Xia family's status in Yushui City will rise sharply, surpassing that of the Wang and Xi families.

  "Take Xia Liu down and keep a close eye on him!" Xia Feilong's face was as black as ink, his voice firm.

  Two agile and swift Xia family guards soon arrived on the scene and took the foolish Xia Liu away.

  "From now on, you will move into Feilong Courtyard to live!" Xia Feilong walked down from the high platform, smiling as he spoke to Xia Yan.

  Feilong Courtyard is a courtyard where the most excellent young masters of the Xia family live. In the past, Xia Yan's father, Xia Dongsheng, also lived in Feilong Courtyard.

  Xia Yan shook his head and said calmly, "Thank you for the tribe leader's kindness! However, I've gotten used to that small courtyard and don't want to go anywhere else. Please, Tribe Leader, allow me to continue living in that small courtyard."

  "Hehe..." Xia Fei Long smiled a bit awkwardly, thinking to himself, how come he hadn't discovered earlier that this little brat Xia Yan had been hiding secrets all along?

  Xia Feilong and most people thought that Xia Yan had been hiding his true strength all along! Otherwise, how could he suddenly become so powerful?

  The three elders looked at Xia Changhe, but with a profound gaze, only he was most aware that Xia Yan had indeed not opened up any of his martial meridians in the past.