System: After the fortune telling, my cultivation level skyrocketed.

Seeing Qing Tian Xiao Lou's gloomy face and hearing that his mortal enemy had arrived, Chen Xuan was taken aback at first, and then immediately remembered something.

Chen Xuan immediately understood the puzzling words the fox fairy had said in front of Wanbaoshan.

So it turns out that the conversation between Qingtian Xiaolou and the fox fairy was about this Qingtian Yulou.

When Qing Tian Yu Lou arrives, Qing Tian Xiao Lou will avoid him, not wanting to encounter him directly.

"No, Brother Xiaolou, my brain is suddenly not working properly." Chen Xuan looked at Qingtian Xiaolou with a puzzled expression. "In this vast territory of Qingtian County, is there any younger generation who can definitely outshine you? Isn't your father the Marquis of Qingtian?"

At this point, Chen Xuan couldn't help but get gossipy. He lowered his voice and whispered in Qing Tian Xiao Lou's ear, "You're not your father's illegitimate son, are you? That's why..."

Hearing Chen Xuan's unrealistic gossip, Qing Tian Xiao Lou's eyes twitched as he said, "My father? Daring to keep an illegitimate child outside, do you think my mother is someone to be trifled with?"

"What, not?" Chen Xuan was even more puzzled. "Then this Qing Tian Yu Lou is just a direct descendant of another branch of your Qing Tian Clan? In that case, how dare he treat your Qing Tian Clan's heir like this?"

If Chen Xuan hadn't relied on Qing Tian Yu'er's connection, and if he hadn't gained his father's favor, Qing Tian Xiao Lou would never have told him about the power structure within the Qing Tian Clan.

“Alas, you’re overthinking it.” Qing Tian Xiao Lou shook his head and said, “On the surface, my father is indeed the Marquis of Qing Tian, ​​and in your eyes, he must be the one who has the final say in Qing Tian County.”

"Is there another explanation?" Chen Xuan's eyes fell into deep thought, having already guessed the general idea.

"Brother Chen Xuan, what I'm telling you is all a secret of the Qing Tian Clan. Please don't reveal it to anyone," Qing Tian Xiao Lou said to Chen Xuan.

"Absolutely, I'm very tight-lipped." Chen Xuantai, who wanted to know about the power division among these large tribes, nodded in agreement.

“In fact, the Qingtian Marquis of each generation has not been succeeded by the direct line, but rather selected from the major direct branches of the clan,” Qingtian Xiaolou said. “For example, if my father had transcended the tribulation and become a Celestial Ancestor, he would certainly no longer manage worldly affairs, but would instead live in seclusion behind the scenes to oversee the clan.”

Chen Xuan nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

"In this way, the next Marquis of Qingtian will inevitably be selected from among my sister, my eldest uncle, my second uncle, and my third uncle's children."

Hearing this, Chen Xuan was even more puzzled. In truth, the adult world wasn't like that. Based on Chen Xuan's understanding of how this world operated, even if there were ancestral rules, if a direct descendant lacked the power and influence to compete for the position of Azure Heaven Marquis, they wouldn't be qualified.

“Of course, the rules established when the clan chief took root are no longer the same after hundreds of thousands of years of evolution,” Qing Tian Xiao Lou said. “Now, among the direct descendants of the branch, the only one who can compete with me for the position of Qing Tian Marquis is my eldest uncle’s son, Qing Tian Yu Lou, my eldest cousin.”

"When Qingtian Marquis was in power, the army of cultivators under the command of the king was controlled and dispatched by Qingtian Marquis." At this point, Qingtian Xiaolou began to transmit his voice to Chen Xuan, clearly indicating that what followed was the most secret of secrets.

“However, which of the three thousand kings in the Xuanxiao World doesn’t have a private army behind the scenes? They all do, and this isn’t some top-secret information,” Qing Tian Xiao Lou said, looking at Chen Xuan.

"So, the reason why this Young Master Yulou dares to openly challenge and suppress you is because your uncle is in charge of the private army of the King? His status and power in the Qingtian Clan are not much lower than your father, Marquis Qingtian?" Chen Xuan was naturally very politically savvy, and he could roughly guess what was going on just from what Young Master Yulou said.

“You get it right away. That’s pretty much it.” Qing Tian Xiao Lou shook his head and said, “This private army is not much smaller than the cultivator army that my tribe has on the surface. Moreover, the order to Qing Tian Hou is that they obey orders but not summons. Only the tribe’s Supreme Elders can directly mobilize them to protect the interests of the Qing Tian clan and do some things that my father cannot do on the surface.”

Chen Xuan nodded, completely understanding.

"In other words, your father is the face of the Qingtian clan, while the army commanded by your uncle is the substance of the Qingtian clan, but not your father's substance, is that right?"

"You're the most insightful friend I've ever had when it comes to these things, that's pretty much it," Qing Tian Xiao Lou nodded.

"So, how did your fathers and elders react to you cousins ​​suppressing each other like this?" Chen Xuan naturally wanted to know Qing Tianchen's attitude towards this matter.

Hearing Chen Xuan's question, Qing Tian Xiao Lou also shook his head: "The older generation doesn't really care much about the younger generation's jealousy and rivalry. After all, from their perspective, it's a good thing for the younger generation to get used to competition from a young age, as long as they don't cross the line."

Chen Xuan nodded and smiled, then patted Qing Tian Xiao Lou on the shoulder and said, "If that's the case, then it's easy to handle."

“What’s easy to handle?” Qing Tian Xiao Lou said. “It’s difficult. Not only has this kid come, but he’s also brought two of his friends from the Nine Heavens Profound Purity Palace. I’m afraid I’m going to be suppressed by him again this time.”

"You mean, the contest between the retainers after the treasure hunt?"

Chen Xuan analyzed the situation by combining their conversation before setting off with his previous conversation with the fox fairy.

"Hmm." Qing Tian Xiao Lou nodded. "As candidates for the next term, we naturally cannot participate in the competition ourselves. Instead, we will rely on our powerful retainers to determine the winner through a duel."

"I see."

"His father often traveled to various secluded little worlds to train his troops, so he naturally encountered many formidable talents. Therefore, in the battles and fights among his retainers, I won more often than I lost."

Chen Xuan nodded slightly, now fully understanding how the struggle between the princes came about.

"Hmph, since we can't avoid it, let's face it head-on." With that, Qing Tian Xiao Lou waved his hand towards the empty space in the private room.

wow——

The three men and one woman were immediately released from the storage magic treasure by Qing Tian Xiao Lou.

The three men were two middle-aged men, one boy, and the other a cold and stern female cultivator.

After the four were released, upon seeing Qing Tian Xiao Lou, they immediately knelt respectfully on one knee and said, "Greetings, Master."

Chen Xuan quickly discerned the cultivation levels of the four individuals from their auras; they were all at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm, with the cold and stern female cultivator being at the Foundation Establishment Realm of the Divine Demon Body Refinement Realm.

Seeing the four people kneeling on one knee with utmost respect, Qing Tian Xiao Lou waved his hand, and four cups appeared on the jade table, which were then filled with the spirit wine specially supplied by Wanbao Mountain.

Then Qing Tian Xiao Lou waved his hand again, and four wine cups filled with wine flew in front of the four of them. "Drink this cup of wine, and you will surely win a great victory in the competition later."

The four men drank the spirit wine offered by their master.

“You are of lowly birth. I don’t care how you became my father’s prisoners, but from the moment you signed the slave contract, your life and death were no longer in your own hands.”

Qing Tian Xiao Lou looked at the four people with an indifferent expression and said, "I, Qing Tian Xiao Lou, do not consider myself a cruel person. If any of you can win two consecutive matches, I will terminate your slave contracts and give you the official status of guards of the Qing Tian Marquis's Mansion."

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of life returned to the previously cold and empty eyes of the four men. Having failed in their battle in the small world, none of them were willing to die by self-destruction; instead, they chose to survive as prisoners, later being chosen by this high-ranking prince to serve as his servants.

They thought they would never have any hope of regaining their freedom, but unexpectedly, their initial fear and resentment actually led to a turning point.

"We will fight with all our might!"

"We swear to serve our master to the death!"

Once a slave contract is signed, life or death is entirely in the master's hands, leaving no room for resistance.