Chapter 265 – Even You Would Suffer a Great Loss

“Aunt.”

Seeing Xu Xiayan staring at Su Ming while her eyes darted around, clearly scheming something mischievous, Xu Qianqian’s voice turned completely emotionless.

Clearly, Xu Qianqian was genuinely getting angry.

“Oh, don’t be so tense. I’ll stop looking,” Xu Xiayan naturally detected the emotion in Xu Qianqian’s voice and quickly withdrew her gaze from Su Ming. She sighed while muttering, “Really, you were so adorable as a child. How did you end up like this?”

“My apologies for turning out like this,” Xu Qianqian said coldly. “I never expected that even after ten years, Aunt would still be so improper. You’re already at this age—can’t you act more maturely?”

Xu Xiayan choked on her words, her expression nearly crumbling.

“Listen, dear niece,” Xu Xiayan suddenly spoke with grave sincerity. “Don’t you know that a woman’s age shouldn’t be brought up so casually?”

“It’s only because Aunt was so rude to my classmate first,” Xu Qianqian retorted without holding back. “Didn’t Grandfather also say that you should have gotten married long ago?”

“Him?” Xu Xiayan curled her lips dismissively. “He’s just eager for me to find someone to marry into the family, settle down here permanently, and become his successor.”

At this, Su Ming, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

Wow, did I just overhear something incredible?

Was Xu Wen actually planning to have his youngest daughter succeed him?

In other words, the pinnacle of the Xu Family intended for Xu Qianqian’s aunt to become the Family Head?

This was huge news. If it were accidentally leaked, many people would probably explode on the spot.

In contrast, Xu Qianqian remained completely unfazed.

“Then why don’t you follow Grandfather’s instructions, Aunt?”

Xu Qianqian even asked this question.

Xu Xiayan looked at Xu Qianqian with utter speechlessness.

“My dear niece, are you serious?” Xu Xiayan said helplessly. “If I really did that, your eldest uncle and second uncle—your father and Xu Yanyan’s father—would probably hate me for the rest of their lives, right?”

After all, for the so-called position of Family Head, Xu Qianqian’s father and Xu Yanyan’s father had been fighting for who knew how many years. They had even gone so far as to target each other’s blood relatives, making them the epitome of family infighting and the ultimate representation of sibling rivalry.

After all that fierce competition, if the Family Head position ended up being snatched away by their youngest sister who hadn’t returned for ten years, those two would likely break down instantly and go mad on the spot.

In that case, Xu Xiayan would definitely become a thorn in her brothers’ sides, and she’d probably spend her whole life dealing with their schemes.

“That old man has no idea what he’s doing, letting his children fight for power like this. What a waste of all those years he spent as Family Head,” Xu Xiayan remarked sarcastically. “Or maybe that old coot is deliberately letting his children compete against each other, thinking it’ll temper them?”

Such a scenario wasn’t impossible.

In fact, in some major Families, such things were quite common.To hone the abilities of the younger generation, allowing them to compete with one another is indeed not seen as a bad thing in the eyes of some old-timers.

As for the competition turning so vicious, whether they simply don’t care and choose to turn a blind eye, or whether they’ve genuinely been kept in the dark, unable to hear or see what’s happening—only they themselves know the truth.

In any case, Xu Xiayan held nothing but disdain for this.

“Listen to me, dear niece,” Xu Xiayan said to Xu Qianqian, “don’t ever follow in your father’s or uncle’s footsteps, spending your entire adult life entangled in scheming and power struggles, thinking it will grant you more authority. In the eyes of the truly strong, the power they wield is laughable.”

“What does it matter even if they become Family Head?” Xu Xiayan continued. “At their age, they still haven’t advanced to the rank of upper-level Hunter. Even if they take the position, the Family won’t truly be under their control in the future.”

Her words were undeniably cutting.

Yet, it had to be admitted that she spoke the truth.

The reason the Six Great Families could stand as the top-tier families, holding the greatest authority in Longyao City, largely boiled down to the existence of six pinnacle figures.

Only with a Six-Star Professional at the helm could a top-tier family truly be considered top-tier. Otherwise, like the Mo Family, no matter how prosperous their development or how extensive their influence, if the Family’s pinnacle was only a Five-Star Professional, they would inevitably fall short of the Six Great Families, relegated to the status of a first-rate family.

Thus, if any top-tier family were to lose its Six-Star Professional, that family would inevitably decline.

At the very least, the families and clans below would never stand idly by and watch a top-tier family without a Six-Star Professional continue to hold so much authority, territory, and benefits.

Given this, the one who truly holds the greatest say in a family is not the Family Head, but the strongest Professional at its pinnacle.

The reason Xu Wen held the most power in the Xu Family was not because he was the Family Head, but because he was a Six-Star Professional.

It was only because he, as a Six-Star Professional, became the Family Head that the position held the greatest authority within the Family.

Conversely, if the Family Head was not the Family’s pinnacle, then the one with the most authority would not be the Family Head, but the strongest figure at the apex.

For example, in the Li Family, the Family Head was not the pinnacle. The true pinnacle of the Li Family was the elder who had appeared at the Xu Family’s banquet and had once crossed paths with Su Ming. He was a senior elder of the Li Family, not the Family Head, yet even the Family Head had to follow his orders.

The same held true for the other top-tier families. Some Family Heads were the pinnacle of their families, while others were not, but without exception, the one with the greatest authority was the Six-Star Professional at the apex.

Although Xu Yongfeng and Xu Yanyan’s father both wielded considerable influence and authority, capable of deciding many matters within the Xu Family, even if they became Family Head, they would not be able to command the Family’s future pinnacle.

If the Xu Family were to lack a Six-Star Professional in the future, the situation would be even worse. Whichever of Xu Yongfeng or Xu Yanyan’s father became Family Head would bear the greatest blame for the Family’s decline and fall from the ranks of the top-tier families.

Suddenly, Su Ming began to understand why Xu Wen had chosen his youngest daughter, who had not returned home for ten years, as his successor.The reason was none other than Xu Xiayan being the most talented, highest potential, and even the strongest in the Xu Family.

Judging by Xu Xiayan’s demeanor, she must have already advanced to an Upper-Rank Professional.

Moreover, she was definitely not just a Four-Star.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have so blatantly rejected Xu Wen’s arrangements and acted so dismissively.

This only meant that this aunt had already gained the strength to resist Xu Wen, making it seem like Xu Wen could do nothing about her.

Such a Xu Xiayan was now admonishing Xu Qianqian.

“When you go to Tianfeng City in the future, you’ll understand. In Tianfeng City, families like the Xu Family are everywhere, yet they live cautiously every day, not daring to offend those Super Families, let alone those true powerhouses. The so-called authority of the Xu Family means nothing there.”

Xu Xiayan reached out and patted Xu Qianqian’s head.

“Your talent and potential aren’t bad. If you’re willing in the future, you’ll definitely be able to go to Tianfeng City. Then you’ll know what it means that there’s always someone better beyond you, and a higher sky beyond this one. As long as you become stronger, you can obtain almost anything. Understand?”

Xu Xiayan’s teachings not only silenced Xu Qianqian but also made Su Ming nod quietly beside them.

Su Ming strongly agreed with this aunt’s philosophy.

He had seen the truth of this world clearly, knowing that in such a world, those who truly dominate everything are the powerhouses with extraordinary abilities, not the so-called influential upper class with authority and power.

Only by becoming the strongest could one be considered to have reached the Peak in this world.

This was also Su Ming’s long-held belief – after becoming invincible under heaven, he could do whatever he wanted.

At that time, who could stop him?

No one!

Then, if he wanted authority, he could have authority; if he wanted treasures, he could have treasures; if he wanted women, countless women would willingly throw themselves at him.

That would be the true Peak of life!

Everything before that was merely illusory, temporary, like the extremely limited scenery halfway up the mountain.

Holding such thoughts, Su Ming didn’t mind being an extra character before reaching the summit, lying low until he became invincible under heaven before indulging to his heart’s content.

Now, Xu Xiayan’s words further solidified Su Ming’s resolve.

“Slap!”

On the other side, Xu Qianqian swatted away Xu Xiayan’s hand that was patting her head.

“I know.”

Xu Qianqian just replied indifferently with these words.

“Good that you know.” Xu Xiayan nodded while rubbing her swatted hand in frustration, muttering quietly: “Won’t even let me pat your head, indeed not as cute as when you were little.”

Xu Qianqian ignored Xu Xiayan’s muttering and finally got to the main point.

“You haven’t forgotten what you promised me, right? Aunt?” Xu Qianqian said: “Help me take someone to Tianfeng City.”

Xu Xiayan’s hand-rubbing motion paused slightly.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.” As she said this, Xu Xiayan turned to Su Ming, squinting her eyes: “The person you want me to take should be this little lover of yours, right?”

“He’s a classmate!” Xu Qianqian emphasized, but nodded in reply: “It’s him. Any problem?”

Su Ming also looked at Xu Xiyan.

Regarding this, Xu Xiayan seemed somewhat indifferent.”There’s no issue, it’s just a matter of giving someone a ride along the way. Tianfeng City doesn’t prohibit anyone from entering, unless they’re wanted Underground Professionals. Even a refugee would be accepted by Tianfeng City.”

Xu Xiayan, who spoke these words, seemed to intentionally or unintentionally bring it up.

“But are you sure you want to do this?” Xu Xiayan looked Su Ming over once more and said, “I’m not trying to scare you, but for foreign Professionals without a referral, Tianfeng City isn’t exactly an easy place to thrive in.”

This was only natural.

While Tianfeng City was indeed a paradise for Professionals and a Holy Land for humanity, it couldn’t hide its nature as humanity’s frontline to block the Chaos Demon Cave—the world’s largest Spirit Demon Abyss Entrance.

Its purpose was to confront the Phantom Demon armies emerging from the Chaos Demon Cave, and its meaning of existence was to use lives to obstruct the large-scale invasion from the Spirit Demon Abyss.

Thus, although Tianfeng City enjoyed the most resources in the world as a Holy Land, it was also the most dangerous perilous ground.

Moreover, Tianfeng City gathered the world’s most powerful group of Professionals, with humanity’s strongest factions stationed there. The intricate and complex environment inevitably bred much deceit and scheming. If one plunged in unprepared, the consequences would be dire.

With a referral from an emissary, one could gain protection from major factions in Tianfeng City, reducing many dangers and avoiding numerous detours.

But without a referral, background, or support, trying to make a living in Tianfeng City empty-handed would be anything but easy.

Simply surviving there was challenging, let alone rising to prominence.

Well aware of how fierce and cruel the competition in Tianfeng City was, Xu Xiayan felt compelled to remind Xu Qianqian and Su Ming, urging them to reconsider.

Especially toward Su Ming, Xu Xiayan genuinely hoped he would recognize the difficulties and retreat.

After all, Xu Xiayan was quite surprised that Xu Qianqian had such a male classmate.

The fact that Xu Qianqian would ask her for help proved this classmate held no small place in her heart.

But no matter what, if he was Xu Qianqian’s classmate, then Su Ming must still be an Academy student, at most twenty years old, right?

At that age, regardless of his star rating, he was undoubtedly a lower-rank Professional.

A lower-rank Professional, without a referral or protection from a major faction, trying to establish himself in a place like Tianfeng City would be as difficult as climbing to the sky.

Even she herself had only managed to make a name in Tianfeng City and attain her current strength and status by accepting a referral. Without that referral, without the resources and protection of the faction behind her, she would never have grown so smoothly to this day.

What about Su Ming?

Regrettably, Xu Xiayan didn’t hold much hope for him.

Probably, neither Su Ming nor Xu Qianqian would know that Xu Xiayan was already aware of their relationship and Su Ming’s identity.

When Xu Qianqian asked Xu Xiayan to help bring someone to Tianfeng City, Xu Xiayan had already curiously looked into it a bit. As a result, she learned of Su Ming’s existence and just how “ordinary” he was.

That her little niece would have such a close relationship with a male like this—to be honest, Xu Xiayan was quite taken aback.But she didn’t object, nor did she look down on Su Ming. She simply felt that with Su Ming’s current strength and potential, if he went to Tianfeng City, he would likely end up at the very bottom of the social ladder, living a miserable existence.

Thus, Xu Xiayan vaguely felt inclined to persuade him otherwise.

Unfortunately…

“Don’t underestimate him, Aunt.”

Xu Qianqian looked directly at Xu Xiayan and spoke bluntly.

“If you underestimate him, even you will suffer greatly.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiayan immediately raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

Xu Xiayan smiled enchantingly.

That smile was beautiful and alluring, yet for some reason, it carried a dangerous undertone.

“If you say so, then I’m rather curious about what abilities your little sweetheart possesses that could make me suffer such a great loss.”

As she spoke, Xu Xiayan pulled something out from her impressive bosom.

(End of Chapter)