Chapter 317 – The Filial Xu Xiayan

Afterward, Su Ming and Xu Xiayan spent their time drinking and chatting casually, briefly updating each other on their situations.

Su Ming explained to Xu Xiayan the reasons why Chi Qian and the others had joined his team, letting her know that Chi Qian had joined because he had saved her companions—namely, Mu Yan, Feng Qing’er, and Tong Xinyao.

As for why Mu Yan, Feng Qing’er, and Tong Xinyao had joined his team, it was largely due to Chi Qian’s influence, along with some benefits Su Ming had promised them. Only then did the three girls sign contracts with him.

As for the specifics of how he had saved Mu Yan and the others, or what benefits he had offered to make them willingly stay in his team and sign contracts, Su Ming had no intention of explaining those details.

Those matters involved his personal secrets, and even team confidentiality, so Su Ming had every reason not to disclose them to Xu Xiayan.

Xu Xiayan understood and didn’t press for more information.

However, upon learning that Chi Qian had signed a lifetime contract with Su Ming, Mu Yan and Feng Qing’er had signed ten-year contracts, and Tong Xinyao had even signed a twenty-year contract, Xu Xiayan couldn’t hide her astonishment and envy.

“The longest contract in my team is only ten years, and that’s with a Lower-Rank Professional. Most Upper-Rank Professionals wouldn’t sign such long-term contracts all at once. Yet you’ve managed to secure several, including a lifetime contract—what kind of luck is that?”

Xu Xiayan was genuinely envious.

Her team had quite a few Upper-Rank Professionals, even more than Su Ming’s team. But even the closest among them wouldn’t sign a ten-year contract outright; at most, they’d commit to five years. Once the term ended, Xu Xiayan had to find ways to persuade them to renew, often at great cost.

Meanwhile, Su Ming had landed several long-term contracts right from the start, including a former legendary female figure pledging her lifelong service. How could the gap between people be so vast?

She had been working in Tianfeng City for ten years, yet she hadn’t been as fortunate as this newcomer who had arrived less than a month ago. It was almost unbelievable.

“If I had encountered such opportunities and attracted so much talent when I first started my team, we might have already reached S-Rank by now. I wouldn’t be stuck like this, constantly looking for chances to advance.”

Xu Xiayan’s resentful words amused Su Ming, but they also revealed several key points.

“That statement carries a lot of information,” Su Ming remarked, looking at Xu Xiayan with newfound respect.

If Xu Xiayan’s team was actively seeking to rise to S-Rank, didn’t that mean her team’s current Rank was already at a level where promotion to S-Rank was imminent?

“Speaking of which, I haven’t asked what your team is called,” Su Ming finally inquired.

“Finally curious about your big sister’s affairs?” Xu Xiayan blinked and smiled charmingly. “Try searching ‘Summer Chasing Smoke’ online.”

Hearing this, Su Ming took out his Terminal and looked up the term “Summer Chasing Smoke” on the Professional Center’s official website.

With that search, Su Ming finally saw for himself.Witnessing the achievements Xu Xiayan had left behind in Tianfeng City.

“『Summer Chasing Smoke』—a veteran major team established eight years ago. Within just three months of its founding, it rose from an E-rank team to a C-rank team. It took less than two years to advance from C-rank to B-rank, and three years ago, it officially became an A-rank team. It is currently one of the major teams in Tianfeng City closest to reaching S-rank.”

“As of now, the team has 133 members, including 9 Upper-Rank Professionals. Among them, 4 are Four-Star Professionals, 3 are Five-Star Professionals, and the remaining 2 are Six-Star Professionals. Their strength rivals that of top-tier Families.”

“Commander Xu Xiayan, 31 years old, hails from a remote Base City. She was recommended and funded by the Wang Family, one of the Eight Great Families, and serves as one of the Wang Family’s externally appointed high-ranking members. At 18, she became a Three-Star Professional. By 21, she reached the Three-Star limit and arrived in Tianfeng City, eventually advancing to an Upper-Rank Professional at 23, tying the world record.”

“At 26, Xu Xiayan successfully advanced to a Five-Star Professional.”

“At 30, Xu Xiayan successfully advanced to a Six-Star Professional.”

“She is currently one of the youngest Six-Star Professionals in Tianfeng City and is regarded as the most promising talent in the city to advance to Seven-Star. A year ago, she was taken as a Disciple by the Wang Family’s pinnacle figure, becoming the Wang Family’s future ace. Though an external appointee, she holds significant influence and authority within the Wang Family and is highly valued by its upper echelons.”

Looking at these achievements one by one, Su Ming was momentarily left speechless.

“Shocked?” Xu Xiayan seemed to enjoy Su Ming’s expression at that moment, smiling playfully as she said, “Do you regret not accepting my invitation?”

“Not really,” Su Ming put down the Terminal in his hand and sighed. “It’s just that I truly didn’t expect you to be this impressive.”

That Xu Xiayan was a Genius was something Su Ming had heard from Xu Qianqian the first time he met her.

But Su Ming never imagined her talent would reach such heights, leaving behind such a renowned legacy in Tianfeng City, commanding an A-rank team, and even seeking opportunities to advance to S-rank.

What surprised Su Ming the most was that Xu Xiayan was already a Six-Star Professional.

He had observed her before, but perhaps due to her perfect control over her power and Bloodline, without her taking action, Su Ming couldn’t accurately gauge her strength. Thus, her true power had always remained a mystery to him.

It wasn’t until today that Su Ming learned Xu Xiayan was already a Six-Star Professional.

A Six-Star Professional at thirty?

Such a thing had never occurred in Longyao City.

In Longyao City, becoming an Upper-Rank Professional before thirty was considered an extraordinary Genius, let alone reaching Six-Star at that age.

One must understand that the pinnacle of Longyao City was only at the Six-Star level. With her current strength, Xu Xiayan could already dominate Longyao City and ascend to the peak of the Xu Family.”No wonder Xu Qianqian said the Xu Family Head kept urging you to inherit the family. So you already possess the strength to reach the pinnacle of Longyao City?”

Su Ming finally understood why Xu Qianqian had emphasized this so strongly back then.

Xu Xiayan was already a Six-Star Professional with the capability to become Longyao City’s apex figure. If she were to inherit the Xu Family, the family could rest easy for decades to come, without worrying about lacking successors or being pushed down from their position as a top-tier Family.

Unfortunately, Xu Xiayan had no interest in becoming the Xu Family Head, nor was she satisfied with merely becoming the apex of a small Base City like Longyao City.

“That old man has no idea how vast this world truly is, only caring about his little patch of land,” Xu Xiayan said with disdain. “If I hadn’t left my team behind at the time, I would have loved to show him what exactly his proud Xu Family has to boast about when faced with my 『Summer Chasing Smoke』.”

Xu Qianqian had once mentioned that even a top-tier Family like the Xu Family had fewer than ten Upper-Rank Professionals within their ranks.

Yet 『Summer Chasing Smoke』 already had a full nine Upper-Rank Professionals, two of whom were Six-Star Professionals – completely overwhelming a top-tier Family like the Xu Family.

With such an organization under her command, why would Xu Xiayan care about becoming the head of some minor top-tier Family in a small city like Longyao City?

“Among the top-tier Families in Tianfeng City – also a top-tier Family – they have at minimum several dozen Upper-Rank Professionals. Some families at the very peak of the top-tier Families even possess no fewer than ten Six-Star Professionals, only lacking a Seven-Star Professional to compare with the Super Families. What does he have to be proud of in front of me with his backwater top-tier Family that can’t even muster ten Upper-Rank Professionals?”

Just mentioning this made Xu Xiayan angry.

One could imagine how many self-important things Xu Wen must have said to her while trying to persuade her to inherit the family.

In that man’s eyes, Xu Xiayan’s refusal to accept the Family Head position and inherit the family must seem like a foolish decision.

Little did he know that the Xu Family he took such pride in meant nothing in Xu Xiayan’s eyes.

To make matters worse, for the sake of this very Xu Family, Xu Xiayan’s two brothers were fighting so viciously that they’d even endangered their family members’ lives.

This undoubtedly made Xu Xiayan even angrier and more disappointed.

Seeing Xu Xiayan like this, Su Ming couldn’t help but ask:

“You didn’t already have a fight with your family’s old master, did you?”

Given Xu Xiayan’s hot temper, Su Ming had good reason to believe she’d already played the part of the filial child.

Sure enough…

“Who told him to be so self-important? I simply challenged him to a fight!”

Xu Xiayan admitted this without any concern.

“Did you win?”

Su Ming grew curious.

“No.” Xu Xiayan’s face fell, and she said rather helplessly: “We’re both Six-Star Professionals, but I’ve only been promoted for less than a year while that old man was promoted over a decade ago. Not only is he experienced, but his combat skills after years of training aren’t much inferior to the advanced combat techniques here in Tianfeng City. Plus, the Xu Family is a somewhat established top-tier Family with decent foundations – they managed to gather the entire family’s resources to obtain a fine-grade alchemical weapon for that old man. Against him, even I couldn’t gain the upper hand.”The fact is, although Longyao City is small, it is still a Base City after all.

Those who reach the pinnacle of a Base City must have accumulated considerable depth and foundation.

And being older has its advantages—whether in experience, skill, or judgment, they surpass the younger generation.

Thus, the few Six-Star Professionals at the top of Longyao City wouldn’t be easily overwhelmed by others of the same rank, even if they came to Tianfeng City.

If that weren’t the case, those Six-Star Professionals from Longyao City wouldn’t have been able to restrain the Vice Captain of Sin, making even a Seven-Star Professional struggle to gain much advantage and ultimately forcing him to retreat.

This shows that those elders truly possess some skill.

The Vice Captain of Sin is said to be a middle-aged man in his prime, but when it comes to cunning, he’s certainly no match for those seasoned elders.

So, it’s understandable that he ended up being restrained to such an extent.

Xu Xiayan is still young, and it’s only natural that she’s somewhat lacking compared to such veteran Six-Star Professionals.

Of course…

“But I seized the chance and landed a solid punch right on his face, and even singed his beard. I definitely didn’t come out at a loss.”

Xu Xiayan suddenly declared with a smug expression, making Su Ming’s lips twitch involuntarily.

They say daughters are their fathers’ warmest comfort, their little sweethearts from a past life.

But this little “comfort” before him seemed to have a few holes in it.

Fatherly affection and filial devotion from the daughter?

Alright then, you’re still the boss. ︿(￣︶￣)︿

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(End of Chapter)