Yao Lao on the Verge of Awakening

Xiao Yan had been full of vigor these past few days. Based on the sudden rise in his Dou Qi fluctuations on the road, Zhang Tian knew that Xiao Yan had broken through to the fifth stage of Dou Qi.

In just one week, Xiao Yan had increased his Dou Qi by one stage. That was several times more terrifying than his previous pace of advancing one or two stages in a month.

Xiao Yan's talent was getting better and better, and the Xiao Family disciples and elders treated him with increasing respect. He could truly be said to be high-spirited now, sweeping away his frustrations in a single day and holding his head high for all the world to see.

However, having suffered setbacks before, Xiao Yan did not become arrogant because of his talent. Instead, he got along even more harmoniously with the family's younger generation. This secretly ashamed everyone in the Xiao Family. Why had they never noticed before that Young Master Xiao Yan had such a good temperament?

It had to be said that Xiao Yan had his ways. With only a few small favors, he had won over the Xiao Family completely. Although Xiao Mei's cultivation was slightly higher than Xiao Yan's, her actual strength was still far inferior. Moreover, Xiao Yan was now at the fifth stage of Dou Qi. He would probably surpass her within a month or two.

The question everyone in the Xiao Family cared about was this: how long would it take Xiao Yan to return to the Dou Zhe realm?

Because of what had happened to Xiao Yan before, Xiao Zhan guarded the secret tightly. To the outside world, he merely said that Xiao Yan had cultivated bitterly for two years and had finally returned to the fifth stage of Dou Qi.

Although Wu Tan City was not small, it was not particularly large either. The group wandered through the marketplace at a leisurely pace, then strolled through several streets belonging to the Xiao Family. Everyone bought one thing or another.

Just as they were preparing to head home, they ran into a group from the Jia Lie Family. There was a richly dressed young man at the head, accompanied by two black-clad guards in fitted outfits. The lead youth looked over Xiao Yan's group, and when he saw the distinctive clothing of the Xiao Family, his brows furrowed slightly.

Seeing no powerful guards around them, malicious thoughts immediately arose in his heart, and he quickly followed after them.

"Everyone ahead, stop right there!" Ga Lie Mi shouted sharply. The two guards beside him seemed to understand their young master's intentions and immediately stepped forward, vaguely surrounding Xiao Yan's group.

"Xiao Yan? It's actually you?" Ga Lie Mi stepped forward and got a clear look at everyone, but his gaze stopped on Xiao Yan's face, revealing a surprised expression.

Wasn't Xiao Yan a cripple? How did he still dare wander around outside?

"Xiao Yan is nothing but a cripple who lost his Dou Qi, yet you all seem to treat him as your leader?" Ga Lie Mi sneered mockingly in a strange, affected tone.

He had just been wondering what excuse he could use to cause trouble for the Xiao Family disciples. Unexpectedly, an excuse had delivered itself to him. As long as Xiao Yan dared talk back, he would start a "verbal dispute" with him, then secretly strike hard.

The Three Great Families were roughly equal in strength, with all their patriarchs being Great Dou Shi. However, as outsiders, the Xiao Family was naturally unwelcome. On top of that, they occupied eight street intersections, one more than either the Jia Lie Family or the Ao Tuo Family. Naturally, the other two families deliberately targeted the Xiao Family.

Secretly tripping up the other families and teaching the Xiao Family people a lesson would not only avoid reprimand from their patriarch, but would earn his support.

That was why Ga Lie Mi always brought two guards with him. It was also to prevent others from targeting him and making him lose face.

The Xiao Family appeared somewhat weak because they were outsiders. If they took the initiative to teach others a lesson, they would instead face resistance from the other two families. Thus, Xiao Yan and the others had only been shopping in their own market.

Seeing Ga Lie Mi's aggressive manner, Xiao Yan inwardly cried out in alarm. His two guards were both Dou Zhe. Though they could only guard the gates in the Xiao Family, they were not opponents a group of half-grown children could handle.

Little did he know that Ga Lie Mi was even more puzzled. Xiao Yan had lost his talent, yet he still faintly carried the bearing of a leader, as though surrounded by stars circling the moon.

He could not help but wonder, Could being handsome really be this charming?

Although Xiao Yan was not exceptionally handsome, his resolute face, calmness in the face of trouble, and composed, dignified bearing added greatly to his appeal. He completely overshadowed immature half-grown children like Ga Lie Mi.

Ga Lie Mi revealed a trace of ill intent, his heart filled with jealousy.

"You two, seize Xiao Yan for me!"

Upon hearing the order, the two guards immediately prepared to act. They were members of the Jia Lie Family and had no fear of Xiao Zhan at all. If Xiao Zhan had possessed the strength to crush the other two families, they naturally would not dare act carelessly. Unfortunately, Xiao Zhan was only evenly matched with the others. None of them could do anything to the other.

As the two guards slowly closed in, the pressure of Dou Zhe grew heavier and heavier. Every step they took brought immense pressure upon the group.

Xiao Yan was furious, but he did not know what to do. If he simply ran away, the prestige he had built among the Xiao Family members would collapse. But if he did not run, he would undoubtedly suffer unbearable humiliation.

He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deeply into his flesh without him even noticing. Just as he was about to say a few harsh words, take a beating, and settle the score another day—

I, Xiao Yan, may flee in a miserable state, but I cannot leave out a single harsh word that needs to be said.

"What are you doing? Are you afraid of hurting them or something? Hurry up and seize them!" Ga Lie Mi sensed that something was wrong and immediately roared.

He was no fool. This place was not far from Xiao Family territory. If people arrived, he would be finished. He only wanted to teach them a lesson, say a few harsh words to insult the Xiao Family, then quickly flee back to the Jia Lie Family.

How could someone without even Dou Zhe strength possibly face Xiao Zhan, a Five-Star Great Dou Shi? Wouldn't Furious Lion Vajra roar him to death?

"Seize them already! Strip that girl's clothes off—don't even leave her undergarments!" Ga Lie Mi shouted, pointing at Xiao Mei with delight in his eyes. The thought of a Xiao Family girl's chest being completely exposed in the street was already the greatest humiliation he could inflict upon the Xiao Family.

He absolutely did not dare make someone at the scene lose the ability to have descendants, but exposing a little flesh was something Xiao Zhan could do nothing about.

Besides, Xiao Zhan might not even make a big issue out of it over a few girls. He might not even take it to heart. The Dou Qi Continent valued men over women; exceptions only existed when the woman was exceptionally strong.

Xiao Mei, whom Ga Lie Mi had pointed at, turned pale with fright. Her legs had already begun trembling as she cast a pleading look toward Xiao Yan.

Seeing the Xiao Family members in such a wretched state and Xiao Yan powerless to help, Ga Lie Mi was nearly beside himself with excitement.

"So what if it's Xiao Zhan? Trash! He can't provoke my Jia Lie Family at all!" Ga Lie Mi was almost delirious with pride, but then his expression froze when he saw Zhang Tian watching the show while eating Liang Pi.

"What are you staring at, you bastard? Believe it or not, I'll gouge your eyes out."

"..."

Zhang Tian was stunned. Although he had already been prepared to intervene, why had Ga Lie Mi dragged him into this? Couldn't he see the Yun Lan Sect attire and the four little suns?

All Zhang Tian wanted to say to Ga Lie Mi was that if he did not need his eyes, he could donate them.

He set down the bowl of Liang Pi in his hand and slowly rose to his feet under the trembling gaze of the stall owner's wife, deliberately moving a little farther away from her.

Strangely, the instant Zhang Tian stood up, the oppressive atmosphere in the air vanished completely, as if the rain had passed and the sky had cleared in an instant. Even Xiao Yan could not help taking a deep breath.

He slowly walked up to the two guards. They tried to attack, but in Xiao Yan and the others' eyes, it was as though the two Dou Zhe guards launched their attacks only to circle around the man, not touching his luxurious clothes in the slightest.

Then the man struck. With only a single slap, the two Dou Zhe seemed as though they had offered their faces to him themselves. One slap flowed seamlessly into the next; one Dou Zhe was struck, and the next actually pressed his face forward as well.

The two Dou Zhe were sent flying by Zhang Tian in this bizarre manner.

Yet to the onlookers, everything seemed so harmonious, as though it had happened exactly as it should.

"Manipulating people's emotions... What realm is this?" Xiao Yan was deeply shocked. He had heard that once one's strength reached a profound realm, every movement could stir the grand force of heaven and earth. This person looked so young, yet his cultivation was unfathomably deep.

"Boy from the Xiao Family, let me see your strength."

After dealing with the two weakling guards, Zhang Tian lost interest. More than three Great Dou Shi had already died by his hand these past few days. Even killing a Dou Wang would not be as interesting as raising Xiao Yan.

Without realizing it, he had developed a slight fondness for nurturing others. Terrifying indeed.

"Senior..." Xiao Yan was startled and did not understand what Zhang Tian meant, but he still gritted his teeth and charged toward Ga Lie Mi.

After all, Ga Lie Mi was the only enemy left around them. This unknown young man could not possibly be asking him to fight him, could he?

Seeing Xiao Yan rush at him, Ga Lie Mi had no choice but to fight back. After exchanging blows awkwardly for a while, Xiao Yan discovered that Ga Lie Mi was unbelievably weak.

Although he possessed the strength of the sixth stage of Dou Qi, Ga Lie Mi spent his days living in luxury and frequenting places of wine and smoke. Xiao Yan suppressed him completely, gripping his limp fist tightly in his hand.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan poured all his strength into his arm. Dou Qi formed a faint yellow film over his hand as he drove a punch into Ga Lie Mi's chest.

Ga Lie Mi let out a muffled groan and staggered back several steps, a trace of blood spilling from his mouth.

Although only Dou Zhe could unleash the true power of Dou Skills, Xiao Yan had used all his Dou Qi to strike Ga Lie Mi's chest with Burning Wood Fist.

Ga Lie Mi felt piercing pain in his chest. His flesh rolled back as though he had been splashed with boiling water, covered in burns and blisters that made him bare his teeth in agony.

At that moment, Zhang Tian sensed an extremely obscure spiritual force emerging from Xiao Yan's body. It belonged to Yao Lao's consciousness. Venerable Yao Chen was about to awaken.