章 99: A Declaration of War

The air hung thick with the scent of incense and the somber melodies of funereal hymns as the Xiao family gathered to bid farewell to their fallen patriarch, Xiao Mingyuan. The opulent halls of the Xiao compound were draped in black, the corridors echoing with the mournful lamentations of those who had come to pay their respects.

At the heart of the proceedings stood Xiao Mingliang, his features etched with a grim determination that seemed to defy the very laws of nature itself. His eyes, once brimming with rage and confusion, now burned with a smoldering intensity – a promise of retribution that threatened to consume all in its wake.