It was early morning. The sky had barely begun to brighten when the master of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yunhai, was woken from his deep sleep by the sound of urgent knocking on his door. “Clan master! Clan master, are you awake?”
Xiao Yunhai opened his eyes, took a glance at the light outside and then asked, with a frown: “This early in the morning, what happened?”
“It’s… it’s the Xiao… Xiao Sect! A letter from the Xiao Sect!” From outside the door came this excited, trembling voice.
“What? The Xiao Sect?!”
This master of the Xiao Clan, one of the most powerful people in Floating Cloud City, sprung up from his bed as if stabbed by a dagger on the butt. He haphazardly threw on his clothes and, not even bothering to straighten his hair, threw open the door hastily, grabbing the Xiao Clan disciple that was outside. He bellowed with wide eyes: “You said the Xiao Sect? The Xiao Sect?!”
“Yes! It’s definitely the Xiao Sect!” That Xiao Clan disciple swallowed with great difficulty, nodded with all his strength, and then presented the letter in his hand to Xiao Yunhai. “This letter has the eagle seal of the Xiao Sect! In this Blue Wind Empire, no one would dare to forge the Xiao Sect’s insignia.”
As soon as he saw the sky hawk seal on the letter, Xiao Yunhai’s entire body shook. He fiercely grabbed the letter, then, with violently shaking hands, quickly but carefully tore it open to reveal the paper within.