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Heaven 30th of the Dao year 4890. The day one clan of the 36 great clans falls.

It all started one peaceful afternoon. Everyone in the great Xiao Clan was minding their own business.

The seniors were taking clan matters as usual, the prodigies and the young warriors were advancing in their cultivation, and the little ones were playing by themselves in their own little castles.

All was well until their clan rival, the Ming Clan made an unexpected attack! Striking down the Xiao ancestral home with shock and awe!

They came too suddenly. Making short quick work as they disposed the defenses and swiftly unleashed a fury of onslaughts that brought confusion and madness upon the Xiao people.

In a matter of hours, the Xiao Clan were on their last legs. Messages for help to their neighboring Clans weren't responding. The hidden experts who made oaths to protect the clan were quickly put down into submission. The grandiose buildings and ancestry homes that gave the Xiao Clan great pride were reduced to mere rubble.

All of these resulted in grief and despair. Making everyone hear screaming, laughing and crying intertwining inside the chaos. And also hatred for the Ming Clan. Who showed no mercy as they cut off the flesh and blood of the Xiao people.

As the Xiao Clan was struggling in its final hour, Xiao Xuan was bereft of clarity.

Everything he knew was disappearing second by second. As he entered into the halls that were burning in flames, he held his wife's hand firmly as he bashes through the fire, panting, in pain, but determined as a defiant light gleamed from his eyes.

"Xuan'er, what should we do?" behind Xiao Xuan, a worried voice called to him, who didn't look back as he made his way to escape from the madness. And it made his pounding heart ache as he didn't know how to reply.

His wife said nothing after that. Her heart was pounding in anxiety, too. She married into the Xiao Clan to join hands with the one she loved and live in peace. Only to find everything reduced to ashes before she even realised it.

It brought the greatest grief having to encounter this bitter situation. Then she looked over the little life she was carrying on her bosom. Crying like the baby he is. Yet, her son's cries were drowned in the chaos.

Eventually, they made it pass the danger for now and ended up standing in front of a wall. Xiao Xuan pulled out a medallion from his person and held it against the wall. At the next moment, the walls folded apart into a path that led downstairs. It was the hidden escape route that led outside the city. Under a complicated sewer path that no one can easily navigate. And unless you have the medallion guiding you, one could get easily lost in this route that was built like a maze. 

This was Xiao Xuan's final hope in saving his family. The other escape routes had been either blocked or destroyed by the Ming Clan. Which garnered his suspicions, but he had no time thinking about any traitors in the clan.

He turned to his wife, who was crying tears that made his heart bitter. But he had to steel himself. Taking a deep breath, he wiped off her tears and then said.

"Fei'er, I have to go save father. Take Little Treasure with you and escape first. Meet my Master whose waiting for you by the Five Heart Pavilion. He will keep you both safe."

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"No... No, no..." crying, she held her husband's hand wiping her tears. "Don't leave us again, Xuan'er. You're not a match for Ming Jian anymore. Come with us, please!"

Her eyes stricken with tears brought all the more grief to Xiao Xuan. How he loved to go with them. But he couldn't possibly abandon his parents. Who were holding off the threat of the Ming Clan.

Xiao Xuan shook his head and looked like he wanted to cry. "Fei'er..."

"Look there! I think I saw some Xiao people!"

"Kill all the Xiao Clan! Plunder everything they have!"

Just when Xiao Xuan was about to say more, the Ming Clan warriors disposing of the Xiao survivors were approaching towards their location. Eyes flickering in cold light, Xiao Xuan steeled his nerves and dragged his family into the escape path.

"Xuan'er!" his wife cried as she fell into the stairway. But he ignored her as he threw the medallion at her and with flash of moves, he pulled a short spear from his person and destroyed the pathway. Promoting the wall to close shut before his wife could react.

At the next second, they were separated. The wall closed off and Xiao Xuan prayed his wife would hurry to his master.

He stood there, leaning against the wall. Struggling to hold back his tears. Shivering in fear and grief.

He was losing everything. Now he could only bank his hopes that his wife and son would make it out alive. He hope the Ming Clan wouldn't find them. He hoped... He could only hope.

Caught in his despair, he had yet to realise he was surrounded by swordsmen from all sides. Brandishing their sword tips at him. Looking menacing as the blood of the Xiao Clan stained on their profiles. Emanating a vast aura of killing intent.

One particular swordsman who possessed a powerful aura from the rest looked at Xiao Xuan up and down. A mysterious light gleamed from  his eyes as he secretly sent a message to his superiors. He then spoke coldly.

"Clan head Xiao, surrender now and will spare your life! Tell us where your clan's hidden reserves are kept and you will be treated fairly as a prisoner to the Ming Clan! Refuse and will cut you down here and now! Clan head Xiao, make your choice!"

It was apparent that the swordsmen were particularly cautious of Xiao Xuan. Whose background spoke with the mighty roars of dragons and a career of continuous victories.

He only stood there holding no ill intent yet gave them a sense of foreboding. Making them feel nervous as he didn't respond in his daze.

Just as the swordsmen were about to step back, something was making its way here in a bright flash of light.

Then it stopped and hovered in the air, which apparently was an old man in black robes who fluctuated an immense aura of sword intent!

The swordsmen rejoiced as an elder from the Ming Clan came to their aid. No longer did they feel afraid as they took a step back and bowed to the elder, "Greetings, Milord!"

The elder arrogantly hovered there without moving, his eyes flashing with swordlight looked down on Xiao Xuan coldly with a hint of killing intent.

"Xiao Xuan!" without hesitation, the elder lifted a sword finger and intense sword intent erupted from his fingertip, which he viciously jabbed at Xiao Xuan. Firing swordlight that could cut the skies in half!

The swordsmen were shocked and immediately retreated from the attack range. They felt like no matter what they did, the swordlight could destroy them without effort if they dared to block its way. Which prompted them to put up barriers even if they were out of range.

And the target, Xiao Xuan, just stood there in a daze, who had yet to notice the sense of crisis. Instinctively, his body reacted as his hand gripped his short spear and bellowed.

"Reposte!" as he hefted his short spear, it glittered brightly in blue. As the swordlight draws near traveling faster than a bullet right before his eyes, his spear flickered in a blur to which the swordlight bounced away and struck the unfortunate swordsman who couldn't block the attack.

An agonized scream followed by a rumbling explosion echoed out. Blood and heat polluted the atmosphere. Xiao Xuan then woke up from his daze and realized he had instinctively blocked an attack. Alarmed, he looked up and saw the elder hovering there. Immediately, his eyes glowed red from hatred. He couldn't help but shout through his gritting teeth. "Ming! Clan!"

"Clan Head Xiao!" the elder's glowed coldly. His aura growing more intense. His sword aura alone could cut lands into two and rivers apart. And he watched as Xiao Xuan slowly approach. Dragging his short spear on the ground as sparks flew from the spear tip. His aura growing sharper and taller. Eventually expressing a shocking spear intent!