Are You Kidding Me?

"Eh~~~ The first one is Cousin Xiao Yan?"

Watching Xiao Yan, who had already stepped onto the stage, Xiao Ning muttered softly.

Although Xiao Xun'er was undoubtedly the highest-ranked among the Xiao Family Disciples participating in today's Coming-of-Age Ceremony, when it came to actual combat, Xiao Yan was unquestionably the real number one.

After all, when Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had been unable to advance, he had focused solely on training his physique. Now that his Dou Qi had recovered as well, even Xiao Xun'er was no longer his match.

"I wonder which unlucky bastard will draw the same group as Cousin Xiao Yan~"

Xiao Ning said with malicious glee as he drew his lot.

Yet the moment he opened it, his expression twisted instantly.

Number one—the same number Xiao Yan had drawn.

Damn! Is my luck really this bad???

Holding the lot in his hand, Xiao Ning glanced at Xiao Yan on the stage before turning to the other Xiao Family Disciples.

"So, um... does anyone want to trade with me?"

The moment they heard Xiao Ning, the Xiao Family Disciples shook their heads wildly in perfect unison.

What a joke! Those three months of training on the Back Mountain had multiplied everyone's fear of Xiao Yan severalfold! They had only just escaped that living hell—who would want to experience it again?

"Whatever you draw is what you get! Are you even a man?!"

With her hands on her hips, Xiao Mei cursed at him irritably. Xiao Ning paused, then casually handed the lot to her.

"Then how about you take my place?"

"Uh..."

Xiao Mei choked up abruptly. Then, as if angered by embarrassment, she kicked Xiao Ning onto the stage.

"Get up there already! Stop dragging your feet! There are more matches after this! Don't waste everyone's time!"

Having been kicked onto the fighting stage, Xiao Ning looked at Xiao Yan standing opposite him, his heart filled with particular sorrow.

He truly did not want to fight Xiao Yan. Or rather, not a single Xiao Family Disciple wanted to fight Xiao Yan.

Being inferior in raw strength was a Small Problem. The key was that Xiao Yan had long served as the chief instructor of the Xiao Family Disciples. That bone-deep fear was not something that could be easily erased—it had already become psychological trauma.

"Whew..."

Xiao Ning took deep breaths, trying his hardest to calm his pounding heart.

Since he could not avoid it, then he would fight.

Xiao Ning clenched his fists, determination appearing in his eyes.

Perfect. I also want to see just how effective these three months of intensive training on the Back Mountain have been!

Although Xiao Ning no longer wanted to run away, he still asked Xiao Yan a question to be safe.

"Cousin Xiao Yan, we agreed beforehand that Eight Extremes Collapse can't be used, right?"

Eight Extremes Collapse was taught to the Xiao Family Disciples by Xiao Yan near the end of their three-month intensive training. Thus, everyone had learned this Dou Technique and had also come to deeply understand through practice just how terrifying it was.

This move was absolutely not a Dou Technique that could be used in a spar. Once unleashed, an opponent of the same level would either die or be crippled. Therefore, Xiao Yan had made arrangements with the Xiao Family Disciples beforehand: this move was forbidden during matches.

"That's right, it can't be used."

Xiao Yan nodded in confirmation. Xiao Ning's expression turned serious as he stared intently at Xiao Yan before him. Xiao Yan also lowered his body slightly, assuming a combat stance.

Seeing that both were ready, the examiner standing in the middle raised his hand high.

"First match! Prepare!"

In the stands, Xiao Zhan stood with his hands behind his back, staring gravely at the first battle about to begin on the fighting stage.

The practical combat training Xiao Yan had conducted with the Xiao Family Disciples Three Months Ago remained deeply etched in Xiao Zhan's mind even now.

Only after that had Xiao Zhan gradually realized that, under Xiao Yan's training, the practical combat abilities of the Xiao Family Disciples seemed to have grown far beyond his expectations.

And now, Xiao Yan had taken the Xiao Family Disciples to the Back Mountain for an entire three months of training before returning.

Thus, Xiao Zhan was very curious. To what extent had their practical combat ability improved now?

Just as Xiao Zhan was thinking this, the examiner suddenly swung his hand down and shouted.

"Begin!!!"

Boom!!!

The instant the examiner's Words Fell, Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning vanished from where they stood at the same time. When they reappeared, they were already before the examiner, their fists colliding and unleashing a powerful gust and a deafening boom!

"Uwah!!!"

The blow gave the examiner quite a fright. He dropped onto the ground on his backside, then scrambled down from the fighting stage in a panic, staring fearfully at the confronting Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning. All the stone tiles beneath their feet had shattered.

What is going on with these two brats?

Is that the kind of commotion two Dou Zhes can make by trading punches???

The examiner was not the only one dumbfounded. Those watching the match also stared blankly at the scene.

However, most of the spectators were not cultivators, so they merely found the sight before them extremely shocking and had no further thoughts about it. Ya Fei was the same.

But Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders of the Xiao Family were different. All four stared blankly at Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning on the stage, who were continuously striking each other at speeds so fast they nearly left afterimages. The explosive blasts of their bodies colliding were even more unending!

Th-These are the juniors of our Xiao Family???

The Three Elders stood with their mouths agape, the astonishment on their faces beyond measure.

Like Xiao Zhan, the Clan Leader, they had mostly stopped involving themselves in the Xiao Family Disciples' training after Xiao Yan took over, because they trusted him greatly.

Yet they had never expected that trust to bring them such a startling surprise!

"Go, Cousin Xiao Yan! Beat the crap out of him! Smash his face into a pig's head!!!"

Xiao Mei shouted encouragement from beneath the stage. Xiao Yu, meanwhile, watched the battle above with slight surprise as a thought immediately surfaced in her heart.

I need to increase the intensity of my training from now on.

Before going to Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yu had naturally trained under Xiao Yan alongside the other Xiao Family Disciples. Even after arriving at Jia Nan Academy, she had not stopped the brutally intense training that was practically life-threatening. That was why Xiao Yu, despite being only a Three-star Dou Shi, could still fight a High-level Great Dou Shi.

Yet now, it seemed that the previous level of training intensity was no longer enough.

"It seems the three months you spent on the Back Mountain were even harsher than I imagined."

Xiao Yu Looked Towards Xiao Xun'er and sighed. Xiao Xun'er's expression became slightly unsightly as she raised her Jade Hand to cover her entire face.

"Don't bring it up. I don't even know how we survived it..."

The three months of training Xiao Yan had put them through on the Back Mountain were simply unbearable to recall.

To put it bluntly, Xiao Yan had not treated them like people at all during that time!

Still, gains were proportional to effort. Xiao Xun'er was absolutely certain that among those peers in her own Clan who relied on their bloodline, even without using Heavenly Flames, she could casually beat down a high-level Dou Master!

Said This, Xiao Xun'er could not help but feel admiration for these peers from the Xiao Family. Without the power of a bloodline, they had still endured Xiao Yan's training head-on.

If it had been those people from her own Clan, let alone three months, Xiao Xun'er would have thought highly of them if they could last three days.

Among the watching crowd, there was another person staring at the battle onstage in shock.

That person was Nalan Yanran.

No, that was not right.

The look in Nalan Yanran's eyes could no longer be called shock. It was terror!

At this moment, Nalan Yanran's mind was filled with question marks.

These are Dou Zhes???

Are you kidding me???