On the path to the back mountain, Xiao Yao ran into Xiao Ning and his companions. He also noticed that Xiao Ning's expression was rather unpleasant.
But he didn't care. He hadn't suddenly awakened memories of a past life; he had known he was a transmigrator from the very beginning.
So when he began cultivating Dou Qi at four years old and realized how fast he progressed, he didn't openly tell everyone.
Only a few people close to him and the Xiao Clan's upper echelon knew how fast he cultivated.
In the eyes of ordinary Xiao Clan members, Xiao Yao was a rather unusual person.
He cultivated Dou Qi, yet he had never taken part in the clan's collective tests, which made him seem extremely mysterious.
Xiao Ning might have been the first elder's grandson, but the first elder wasn't some fool. He knew what should and shouldn't be said.
The Xiao Clan's upper echelon was actually quite good at keeping secrets.
In the original story, the Xiao Clan elders only revealed the importance of the clan's Ancient Jade to Xiao Yan and the others after the Soul Hall attacked the clan.
And Xiao Yao's talent was already enough to change the Xiao Clan's future.
Naturally, the Xiao Clan's upper echelon kept its lips sealed about Xiao Yao.
Even with his own grandson, the first elder had only warned Xiao Ning not to provoke Xiao Yao, without explaining why.
Xiao Ning hadn't wanted to provoke Xiao Yao in the first place. Xiao Yao really was a complete mystery, and his grandfather's warning had also had an effect.
But when he saw Xiao Xun'er, whom he had never even been able to get close to, obediently following at Xiao Yao's side, a flame of jealousy flared in his heart.
He often heard that Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yao were close, but he had never seen it with his own eyes.
Hearing about it and seeing it firsthand had entirely different impacts.
Xiao Ning forced out a faint smile.
"Cousin Xiao Yao, Cousin Xun'er, what a coincidence. Are you two...?"
When Xiao Xun'er saw Xiao Ning and the others, she had already put away her smile, her expression turning entirely calm.
Hearing Xiao Ning's question, she merely smiled faintly.
"Cousin Xiao Ning, Brother Xiao Yao and I went to the back mountain to cultivate."
Xiao Ning's breathing quickened. A boy of seventeen or eighteen had plenty of thoughts about men and women in his head.
Hearing that Xiao Yao and Xiao Xun'er had been cultivating alone together on the back mountain, he couldn't help letting his thoughts drift in that direction.
Xiao Ning fell silent for a moment, struggling to maintain his smile as he spoke in a strained voice.
"You went to the back mountain to cultivate, just the two of you?"
Xiao Xun'er frowned slightly, her expression displeased.
"Cousin Xiao Ning, are you interrogating us?"
Xiao Ning hurriedly shook his head. He wanted to ask, but he simply couldn't bring himself to say the words.
Xiao Yao raised an eyebrow. Seeing Xiao Ning look as though he wanted to ask but didn't dare, he couldn't help taking another look at him.
This guy isn't thinking something improper, is he?
"Since you don't have anything else, Cousin Xiao Ning, we'll be going."
Xiao Yao spoke up, intending to leave with Xiao Xun'er.
He still planned to visit the Mittel Auction House and ask Ya Fei to lend him some books. He had no time to waste here.
Seeing that the two were about to leave, Xiao Ning involuntarily reached out to stop Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao paused. This guy was being a little too persistent.
Xiao Yao turned his pale golden eyes toward Xiao Ning.
Although he hadn't released the presence of a Dou Shi, Xiao Yao had analyzed the sun and obtained its power. Both his body and spirit carried some measure of the sun's majesty and overbearing might.
Even without releasing a Dou Shi's presence, the pressure contained in his eyes was not to be underestimated.
The moment Xiao Ning met Xiao Yao's pale golden eyes, he felt as though he were facing two blazing suns.
His eyes felt as though they were truly staring straight at the sun, filled with an indescribable, searing heat.
Xiao Ning's body trembled. He withdrew his hand involuntarily and even took a large step back, wanting to get away from Xiao Yao.
To Xiao Ning, it felt as though he had just faced a blazing sun, with that terrifying pressure that promised to burn him into nothingness if he didn't move aside. He didn't dare approach again.
Xiao Yao saw that Xiao Ning, who had been about to reach out and stop him a moment ago, had turned into a quail the next, as though he had received some tremendous fright. He smiled inwardly.
He hadn't expected his presence to pressure others into not daring to oppose him.
Seeing that Xiao Ning had settled down, Xiao Yao paid him no further attention and walked straight away with Xiao Xun'er.
Only after Xiao Yao had gone far away did the Xiao Clan members beside Xiao Ning come closer, only to find his body trembling slightly.
They were astonished. They had never seen Xiao Ning act like this, as though he had been scared out of his wits.
But Xiao Yao had only glanced at him just now, hadn't he?
They exchanged glances, grumbling inwardly. Could Xiao Ning be a soft persimmon? One look and he went soft.
Though that was what they thought, Xiao Ning was stronger than they were and the first elder's grandson besides. They couldn't afford to provoke him and even had to do their utmost to curry favor with him.
With that in mind, they hurried to offer Xiao Ning some words of comfort.
Xiao Ning took a deep breath and looked in the direction Xiao Yao had gone, speaking with lingering fear.
"That guy's presence is terrifying. I don't know whether it's because of his special attribute or something else."
The Xiao Clan members exchanged looks.
They didn't know whether Xiao Ning was trying to make up for his shameful display or whether it was really true.
They didn't dare ask, much less contradict him, and could only keep flattering him.
Xiao Ning could tell from their expressions that they certainly didn't believe him.
But Xiao Ning wouldn't have believed it either if he hadn't faced Xiao Yao's presence himself, so he said nothing more.
"If you run into Xiao Yao in the future, don't provoke him."
Xiao Ning thought for a moment before speaking.
One of the Xiao Clan members gave a wry smile and spoke helplessly.
"Young Master Xiao Ning, he's the clan leader's son, and the upper echelon holds him in high regard. We wouldn't dare provoke him."
"Exactly. Speaking of which, the clan leader's two children who are still with the clan really are unusual."
"One is a complete mystery, and the other... it's hard to know where to begin."
Once the other son of the clan leader came up, everyone had more to say.
After all, that was Xiao Yan, once the Xiao Clan's genius. There was a certain pleasure in mocking a genius who had once stood high above them.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yao escorted Xiao Xun'er back to her room, then stretched as he left the Xiao Clan grounds and headed toward the center of Wutan City.
The lamps had just been lit, and the streets of Wutan City were already bustling.
The center of Wutan City in particular was lined with shops and ablaze with lights, while the cries of vendors rang out without end.
At the most conspicuous spot in the central district stood a magnificent auction house. It was also the liveliest place around, with people streaming in and out.
The reason for such a grand showing was, of course, that the auction house had been established by the Mittel Family, one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great families.
With its powerful backing, connections, and resources, the Mittel Auction House had practically pinned Wutan City's other auction houses to the ground and rubbed their faces in it, leaving itself almost without a rival.
And in recent years, the Xiao Clan had actually contributed somewhat to the great prominence of Wutan City's Mittel Auction House.
Because the Xiao Clan supplied this Mittel branch auction house with a large quantity of fire-attribute medicinal herbs, it had a strong presence even at Mittel headquarters.