BTTH: Demon Emperor Xiao Yan

The establishment of Xiao Sect stirred quite a ripple across the entire Black-Corner Region. Although the city it occupied wasn't among the most prosperous areas, it was still a large city—one rich in resources and full of potential. While no major factions had yet made a move, many had already set their sights on it. And now, their target had been snatched by a small, unknown sect—how could they possibly let that slide?

So, less than half a month after Xiao Sect was founded, a second-rate faction stormed into the city with grand momentum. Their leader was a Five-Star Dou King, backed by several hundred subordinates. Under normal circumstances, taking over a city with no known Dou Kings should've been a walk in the park.

But just a day later, the Dou King's corpse was dumped outside the city gate like trash—his face still frozen in terror. As for his subordinates, they had vanished without a trace. It was later discovered that most of them had been wiped out by Xiao Sect, and the rest had surrendered.

This shocking news shook the Black-Corner Region. Many had assumed Xiao Sect had only taken the city through the element of surprise, that its actual strength was mediocre. After all, the city lacked even a single Dou King, and had very few Dou Spirits, so conquering it hadn't seemed like a major feat.

But for a faction to obliterate an enemy led by a Dou King with ease… that meant Xiao Sect must at least have a high-star Dou King in its ranks. That alone gave it the qualifications of a quasi-first-rate faction. And if it had a Dou Emperor supporting it, then it could legitimately be called first-rate.

Recognizing that, the other factions that had been eyeing the city withdrew their intentions—at least for now. While they continued sending spies to gather intelligence, they refrained from any direct action. Meanwhile, under Xiao Yan's firm leadership, the city fell completely under his control—even its name was changed to Xiao City.

Of course, these faction rankings only made sense within the Black-Corner Region's local standards. In Xiao Yan's eyes, even the strongest so-called first-rate powers here wouldn't amount to anything in Central Plains. They wouldn't even be considered minor powers in that world.

After Xiao Sect firmly established its foothold, batches of Pills began circulating from within. Most of them were Tier Four, and occasionally, even Tier Five pills appeared. These not only brought in massive profits, but also led to a significant revelation: Xiao Sect had a high-tier alchemist!

No matter where you went, alchemists were coveted assets—especially those capable of refining Tier Five Pills. In the Black-Corner Region, even the most elite sects had few, if any, such alchemists. In fact, a Tier Five alchemist often received better treatment than a Dou King.

So when news spread that Xiao Sect had a Tier Five alchemist, its fame skyrocketed. Several factions even sent representatives to request pills. After proper compensation was offered, Xiao Yan graciously fulfilled their needs.

In reality, given Xiao Yan's current strength, even refining Tier Six Pills wasn't a problem. But those required incredibly rare ingredients—ones he didn't yet possess. Moreover, his current pill cauldron was of poor quality. He planned to wait until he acquired a better one before attempting Tier Six pill refinement.

There was another reason he kept his true capabilities hidden. The Black-Corner Region had a notorious Tier Six Alchemist known as the "Medicine Emperor." If Xiao Yan exposed his real skills, it would almost certainly provoke that man. So for now, he chose to present himself as a Tier Five alchemist—and even at that level, Xiao Sect was thriving.

With funds rolling in, Hai Bodong was quickly put to work—tasked with gathering intelligence and purchasing ingredients. But he couldn't help grumbling the whole time. He had assumed Xiao Yan brought him to the Black-Corner Region to act as muscle, only to find himself treated like a glorified housekeeper.

Still, what could he do? He did need the Purple Spirit Recovery Pill, after all. And honestly, no one else could do the job. He certainly couldn't expect Qing Lin, a ten-year-old girl, to go out bartering for herbs. Although Xiao Yan had given her the title of "Deputy Sect Master," her young appearance made it impossible for others to take her seriously.

During this period, Hai Bodong witnessed just how generous Xiao Yan could be. If someone performed well, he'd casually reward them with an entire bottle of Pills. Even Hai Bodong felt his heart ache at the extravagance. Sure, Xiao Yan was a high-level alchemist—but wasn't this a bit excessive?

That said, this kind of extravagance was incredibly effective at winning loyalty. In just a few short months, every member of Xiao Sect held genuine admiration and submission toward Xiao Yan. Once forced into obedience through bloodshed, they now served him willingly.

Their Sect Master might be ruthless, but he wasn't stingy. And in a place like the Black-Corner Region—where life was lived on a knife's edge—profit was the only thing that mattered. As long as Xiao Yan provided them with enough rewards, they would gladly risk their lives for him.

This reputation even attracted several powerful individuals. Two Dou Kings on the run from their former factions joined Xiao Sect. At first, they planned to take over from within—but the moment Hai Bodong revealed his Dou Emperor strength, they fell in line immediately.

Of course, there were still some who tried to deceive Xiao Yan. But after the first person to attempt it was publicly executed by dismemberment, no one dared follow suit. Even Hai Bodong knew—Xiao Yan didn't mind his people taking bribes or skimming profits, but only after the job was done. Though Xiao Yan looked like he didn't micromanage, he had a tight grasp on the sect's operations. In the early days, someone was executed almost every day.

As Xiao Yan put it, it was called "killing chickens to scare the monkeys." Everyone else thought they were the monkeys—but Hai Bodong knew he was the monkey.

All of this, of course, was kept hidden from Qing Lin. In her eyes, Xiao Sect was more like a mercenary guild than a ruthless force. Even Hai Bodong found himself wondering how Xiao Yan managed to be a cold-blooded killer in one breath and a warm, caring big brother in the next.

This kind of dual personality… isn't this just full-on schizophrenia?

(End of Chapter)

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