First Meeting Xiao Yan!

"Clan Chief Xiao, you're too polite..."

Watching Xiao Zhan's polite manner, Flowing Cloud did not mind. He wore a smile, appearing utterly unpretentious.

Soon afterward, Xiao Zhan invited Flowing Cloud onto the central platform, where he sat in a row with the Xiao Clan's senior members.

"The Xiao Clan's First Elder greets Young Master Flowing Cloud."

"Young Master Flowing Cloud..."

On the platform, the Xiao Clan's First Elder and Second Elder eagerly fawned over Flowing Cloud.

As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face. Though he held the two men in some contempt, Flowing Cloud still greeted them with a smile.

Below the platform, the Xiao Clan disciples could not help feeling envious when they saw the clan's higher-ups treating Flowing Cloud with such respect.

At the same time, they felt immense awe toward Flowing Cloud's status as the Mite'er Family's Young Master.

Seeing that the Xiao Clan disciples had more or less all arrived, Xiao Zhan rose and swept his gaze around.

As Xiao Zhan stood, the previously noisy training ground immediately fell silent.

Seeing this, Xiao Zhan nodded. Looking at the quiet training ground, he called out solemnly, "You are all the fresh blood of the clan. You should know how important today's test is to you. The rules are simple: Seventh Stage Dou Qi and above is considered qualified. Anything below is unqualified!"

"Do you understand?"

Looking at the young Xiao Clan disciples below, Xiao Zhan shouted.

"Understood!"

The Xiao Clan disciples below answered in unison, their thunderous voices soaring into the sky.

"Good. Since everyone understands, the test shall begin!" Xiao Zhan said with a nod.

As Xiao Zhan's deep shout fell, the youths on the training ground immediately grew nervous.

Beside the Black Stone Tablet, the cold-faced examiner stepped forward and took a register from his robes. His icy voice made those whose names were called shudder all over.

"Xiao Shan!"

As soon as the examiner's voice fell, a nervous-looking youth walked toward the Black Stone Tablet.

He then extended his right hand and slowly placed it against the pitch-black Black Stone Tablet before gradually closing his eyes.

Not long after the youth closed his eyes, a dazzling light emerged from the Black Stone Tablet...

"Dou Qi, Fifth Stage!"

"Xiao Shan. Dou Qi: Fifth Stage. Grade: Intermediate!"

"Unqualified!"

Hearing the examiner's words, Xiao Shan's expression immediately darkened. He then left dejectedly.

"Next, Xiao Yuan!"

The examiner paid no attention to Xiao Shan's result and continued calling the next name.

"Xiao Yuan. Dou Qi: Sixth Stage. Grade: Intermediate!"

Unqualified!

"Xiao Tao. Dou Qi: Fifth Stage. Grade: Intermediate!"

Unqualified!

A moment later, the examiner had already called the names of ten Xiao Clan disciples.

Unfortunately, none of those ten Xiao Clan disciples had qualified.

On the platform, Xiao Zhan and the other Xiao Clan elders wore rather unpleasant expressions.

Clearly, the potential displayed by those ten Xiao Clan disciples was very low, leaving the clan's higher-ups deeply disappointed.

"Young Master Flowing Cloud, please forgive our embarrassment..."

Thinking of the Mite'er Family's Young Master watching from the side, Xiao Zhan felt humiliated and said somewhat ashamedly.

"These brats must have neglected their training. Those who fail must be singled out and strictly disciplined!"

At the side, the First Elder and Second Elder also looked rather displeased.

"Next, Xiao Yan!"

Just as Xiao Zhan and the elders were fuming, the examiner called the name of another Xiao Clan disciple.

The moment the name "Xiao Yan" rang through the training ground, the expressions of Xiao Zhan and the Xiao Clan elders on the platform all turned strange.

The previous ten Xiao Clan disciples had already cost the Xiao Clan some face.

But that was only a minor embarrassment.

They knew Xiao Yan's strength all too well.

His appearance now would not simply cost the Xiao Clan a little face.

With Xiao Yan being such trash, he might very well make the Xiao Clan lose all dignity!

The First Elder and Second Elder looked at Xiao Zhan mockingly, secretly taking pleasure in his misfortune.

They had advised Xiao Zhan not to let that trash Xiao Yan participate in the test, but he had refused to listen!

Now let's see how you clean this up!

The two had already made up their minds. Once Xiao Yan exposed his cultivation, they would definitely tell Young Master Flowing Cloud that he was Clan Chief Xiao Zhan's son, then thoroughly mock Xiao Zhan in front of Young Master Flowing Cloud.

When that happened, it would be an enormous joke not only for Xiao Yan, but also for Xiao Zhan.

At that moment, Xiao Zhan's expression was also rather grim.

"Yan'er..."

On one hand, Xiao Zhan had to consider his son's feelings. On the other, he had to consider the clan's dignity.

Caught between the two, he bore immense pressure and felt miserable.

Their minds churned with countless thoughts, and none of them noticed the strange glint that flashed across Flowing Cloud's face.

"So this is Xiao Yan?"

Looking at the black-clad youth on the training ground, Flowing Cloud's eyes carried a hint of scrutiny.

After the examiner called Xiao Yan's name, nearly every Xiao Clan disciple present cast mocking looks at him.

At that moment, everyone was waiting to see Xiao Yan make a fool of himself.

Yet in the face of it all, Xiao Yan's expression did not change. With an indifferent look, he walked toward the Testing Demonic Stone Tablet.

"That kind of temperament is indeed rare."

Seeing this, Flowing Cloud silently praised him.

There were reasons Xiao Yan could become the protagonist.

This temperament alone was beyond what ordinary people could compare to.

In the original work, Old Yao's help was indispensable to Xiao Yan's eventual rise as the Flame Emperor, but Xiao Yan's temperament was also a decisive factor.

After all, every time he devoured and refined Heavenly Flames, how could he have succeeded without a powerful will?

On the training ground, Xiao Yan had already arrived beside the Testing Demonic Stone Tablet.

He extended his right hand and slowly pressed it against the Testing Demonic Stone Tablet.

A moment later, a ray of light flickered from the Testing Demonic Stone Tablet.

"Xiao Yan. Dou Qi: Third Stage. Grade: Low!"

"Unqualified!"

As the words "Dou Qi, Third Stage" rang out, the entire training ground immediately erupted into an uproar.

Everyone looked at Xiao Yan with mockery and even contempt in their eyes.

"This trash is exactly as I expected. A year has passed, and he's still stuck in the same place!"

"There are outsiders here to observe today, yet this trash Xiao Yan has truly thrown away all the clan's dignity."

"If he weren't the clan chief's son, trash like him would have been expelled from the Xiao Clan long ago!"

At that moment, Xiao Yan looked at the words "Dou Qi power, Third Stage" on the Black Stone Tablet, and a bitter smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

Hearing the ridicule and laughter around him, Xiao Yan could not help clenching his fists.

He squeezed so hard that his sharp nails pierced into his palms, bringing intense pain.

"These people are as snobbish as ever..."

Yet Xiao Yan seemed unable to feel the pain. He stood rooted to the spot like a wooden stake.

"Brother Xiao Yan..."

Not far away, an incomparably beautiful girl looked at the youth standing motionlessly beside the Black Stone Tablet, and a trace of pity flashed through her beautiful eyes.