Looking at the information on the Magical Testing Monument, the middle-aged examiner standing beside it, who had been indifferent, also revealed a rare hint of a smile. He spoke respectfully to the girl, "Miss Xun Er, I believe you will reach the Dou Master realm soon."
"Thank you." The young lady nodded slightly, her plain face not showing any joy in response to his praise. She turned quietly and, amidst the admiring and passionate gazes of countless men, walked slowly to the genius youth at the very end of the crowd.
The young lady stopped in her tracks and bowed slightly toward Xiao Yan with a gentle tilt of her head. With a smile that curved her eyes and brows, she said, "Xiao Yan ge-ge."
Her pretty face broke into an elegant smile, one that made the surrounding girls envious.
"Xun Er, I almost got surpassed by you again."
Looking at the girl who had grown to be the most dazzling jewel in the clan, no matter how much Xiao Yan's strength had increased over the years or how mature he had become, the girl in front of him who had been with him since childhood remained the softest spot in his heart.
It was true that he often liked to boast and show off his strength, and revel in the cries of adoration and the worship he received from little fans like Xiao Mei.
However, his feelings for Xun Er had never changed.
"The accomplished lead the way; it looks like I'll have to call you 'Senior Sister Xun Er' in the future."
"Xiao Yan ge-ge, you're teasing Xun Er again," Xiao Xun Er's small face puffed up slightly. Her slightly immature voice was warm and endearing.
Xiao Mei watched them flirt. She laughed self-deprecatingly and thought with a hint of resignation, 'I can never compare to her. No matter how hard I try, I just can't surpass her.'
The fairy is willing, but King Xiang doesn't dream. The falling flowers are yearning for love, but the heartless brook ripples on.
TL/N: Both were idioms to refer to the unrequited love of a woman.
"The Little Clan Leader and Miss Xun Er truly seem like a match made in heaven."
"Indeed, they've been childhood sweethearts, and both of them have such strong strength and are so immensely talented."
"Why does everyone like the Little Clan Leader so much? Leave some for us too..."
Amidst the envious howls from behind, Xiao Yan and Xun Er walked side by side away from the square. Waiting in line for the results? It was just an excuse; waiting for the beautiful lady was the real purpose.
Along the way, Xun Er was constantly amused by Xiao Yan's jokes and smiled beautifully. Only in front of her did Xiao Yan behave like a carefree, humorous fifteen-year-old boy.
The Clan Elders and Clan Head Xiao Zhan watched them intently on the high platform.
The Grand Elder stroked his beard, finding the pair more and more agreeable, "I think this Xiao Yan boy and Xun Er are quite well-matched."
The Second Elder nodded slowly and said, "If those two were to marry, given time, our Xiao Clan would undoubtedly become the most powerful clan in Wu Tan City."
The Third Elder also nodded in approval.
Only Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan's father and the Clan Head, wore a worried expression. "Xun Er is not from our Xiao Clan after all. It's difficult to make decisions about such matters."
Only he knew that even though he had only met Xun Er's father once, he understood that the man's strength was undoubtedly superior to his own, and possibly even far beyond. If things were to escalate and take a turn for the worse, the entire Xiao Clan could potentially face a catastrophic disaster...
…
The moon hung in the sky like a silver platter, with stars scattered across it.
At the top of a mountain cliff, Xiao Yan stood bare-chested. He was repeatedly practicing his Dou Techniques on the hard rocks. Punch after punch, kick after kick, he relentlessly attacked the sturdy boulders until his Dou Qi was depleted. His strength was not gained without reason; apart from cultivation, he understood the importance of Dou Techniques.
Strength without technique was nothing more than brute force.
"It's hard to believe that fifteen years have already passed," Xiao Yan exhaled, looking up at the bright moon as he murmured to himself.
Xiao Yan was just an ordinary person among many in his previous life. Wealth, beauty… Such things were like parallel lines that never intersected with his life. Thus, having learned from his past, he resolved to cultivate diligently upon arriving in the Dou Qi Continent.
Moreover, the combination of his two lives made his soul surprisingly stronger than an ordinary person's, which was another important reason why he could achieve twice the results with half the effort in his cultivation.
The soul was innate on the Dou Qi Continent. Perhaps it could become a little stronger with age, but it seemed that there was no longer any technique to specifically cultivate the soul.
Xiao Yan had grown with the reputation of being a genius, yet he had always remained strict with himself and never dared to slack off. After all, this Xun Er girl wasn't a reincarnator, yet her cultivation speed astonishingly kept pace with his.
This made Xiao Yan feel twice the pressure. He naturally understood the principle of observing the sky from the bottom of a well.
Not to mention that Wu Tan City was just a small border city of the Jia Ma Empire, there were much more powerful factions in the imperial capital.
Xiao Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened as he quickly turned his head. However, his guard dropped upon seeing the figure behind him. He warmly smiled towards the dark forest and said, "Father, you've come?"
His Spiritual Perception was much sharper than that of a Dou Master or even a Dou Grandmaster. Xiao Zhan hadn't even approached closely when he already sensed the slight rustling in the forest.
In the forest, after a moment of silence, Xiao Zhan's voice came with a touch of helplessness, "Yan Er, you… Do you not know how to take care of your own body? Every day you practice until late at night, and in the morning, you get up early to continue your cultivation. Do you think you are made of iron?
The branches swayed for a moment as a middle-aged man emerged. Although he was scolding Xiao Yan, an unconcealable smile of satisfaction appeared at the corners of his mouth as he looked at his son standing in the moonlight. The more he looked, the more pleased he became.
Giving up halfway or becoming arrogant and self-satisfied was the worst thing to do in cultivation. As a loving father, he was naturally happy to see that his son did not become conceited with his genius status and continued to cultivate with diligence.
The man was dressed in luxurious gray clothing. He had an imposing presence as he walked. His thick eyebrows added a touch of boldness to his face. He was the current Clan Head of the Xiao Clan, as well as Xiao Yan's father, a 5-star Dou Grandmaster, Xiao Zhan!
"Father, aren't you also up late without rest?"
Xiao Yan's mature demeanor disappeared instantly as he looked at the middle-aged man. His smile on his face became even more pronounced. Although he had memories from his previous life, this father before him had showered him with endless affection since his birth. Such actions made Xiao Yan wholeheartedly address him as "father."
"You're already fifteen, right? In another year, we can hold your coming-of-age ceremony, and then you'll officially become the Little Clan Leader."
Although Xiao Yan was already referred to as the Little Clan Leader by the members of the clan, the official announcement would have to wait until his coming-of-age ceremony.
"It's not really a big deal, is it? After all, everybody is already calling me that."
"This is different. Once you become a Little Clan Leader, you'll have access to the more powerful Xuan Class Dou Techniques. Our clan's highest Dou Techniques are of Xuan Class. Yan Er, if you want to become stronger, having access to more powerful Dou Techniques and Qi Methods is essential. It's better for you to start training with more advanced Dou Skills as soon as possible."
Xiao Yan just smiled and didn't say much. He touched the ring on his right hand. In truth, he didn't lack powerful Dou Techniques and Qi Methods.
"Alright, enough with the smiling. I'm just here to make sure you go back to rest soon. We have an important guest arriving tomorrow."
"Hehe, I'll practice a little more..."
"You little rascal, get back to your room and sleep right now!"
…
The next morning, Xiao Yan was stretching his body in his room when an aged voice called from outside, "Third Young Master, the Clan Head requests your presence in the hall!"
Xiao Yan was the youngest in the family, with two older brothers above him. However, they had long since gone out to gain experience and would occasionally return home, usually at the end of the year. In general, his two older brothers were quite good to Xiao Yan, this youngest brother of theirs.
"Understood," Xiao Yan replied casually and changed into fresh clothes. He then walked out of the room and smiled at an elderly man in a green robe waiting outside, "Let's go, Steward Mo."
Xiao Yan felt a surge of curiosity stirring within him. What kind of important guest could cause his father to make such meticulous preparations?