Binding Xiao Xun'er, Tenfold Return!

At the Xiao Family's routine Assessment Assembly.

"Xiao Yan... Dou... Dou Qi?"

"...Stage Four!?"

Even the middle-aged man overseeing the test was stunned, staring at Xiao Yan in shock.

His words were like a stone dropped into a lake, stirring up waves.

The Xiao Family disciples waiting nearby for their tests also revealed astonishment, their eyes filled with confusion, shock, and disbelief.

They reacted this way because Xiao Yan had been a once-in-a-century genius of the Xiao Family.

A year ago, when Xiao Yan had taken the test here, four dazzling golden words had shone upon the Testing Magic Stone: One Star Dou Practitioner!

It had shaken the entire Xiao Family and made him famous even throughout Wu Tan City.

An eleven-year-old One Star Dou Practitioner was an absolute genius, with limitless potential for the future!

Everyone in the Xiao Family had even imagined the day Xiao Yan would mature and lead the family to glory!

And over the past year, Xiao Yan had not disappointed them. He had devoted himself even more diligently to cultivation, almost cutting off contact with outsiders.

Whenever the Xiao Family disciples saw Xiao Yan, he was usually in a hurry.

Sometimes, they would not see him for ten days or half a month, as he remained holed up in his room cultivating.

The only person who had frequent contact with Xiao Yan was probably his younger brother, the Xiao Family's Fourth Young Master, Xiao Ze.

Xiao Yan's diligence had pleased the vast majority of the Xiao Family elders, who had even used Xiao Yan to spur on their own children.

"Look at Xiao Yan. He is so talented, yet he still works so hard. Why can't you put in more effort cultivating?"

This had been the phrase the younger generation of the Xiao Family heard most often over the past year.

Even the Xiao Family's Great Elder, who did not get along with the Patriarch, had personally said this to his grandson, Xiao Ning.

He had told him to learn from Xiao Yan's diligence and stop idling around all day.

Yet Xiao Yan, the greatest genius the Xiao Family had seen in a century, had cultivated diligently for an entire year.

Instead of advancing, his cultivation had regressed. He had fallen below the Dou Zhe realm, even dropping to Dou Qi Stage Four.

That was what had shocked the surrounding Xiao Family disciples the most. Once their shock faded, discussion erupted everywhere.

"What is going on? Wasn't Young Master Xiao Yan a One Star Dou Practitioner? Is the Testing Magic Stone broken?"

"How could it be broken? I tested just before him, and it was completely accurate—Dou Qi Stage Five!"

"Then what happened to Young Master Xiao Yan?"

"What else could it be? His strength regressed!"

On the testing platform, Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly.

The disbelieving stares and suspicious discussions from the crowd below pierced deeply into his heart.

Ever since he had fallen from the Dou Zhe realm, he had mentally prepared himself for this possibility and made his peace with it.

But when it truly happened, it still hurt so much.

Without saying a word, Xiao Yan walked down from the platform. Ignoring the crowd's discussions, he left directly.

On a small hill outside the square, Xiao Ze leaned against a tree, his hands behind his head and his expression relaxed.

At last, it was three years before the plot began. My third brother was about to endure three years of ridicule and mockery.

Xiao Ze was also a transmigrator. When he had begun cultivating at the age of four, he had discovered that he possessed the Binding Feedback System.

When the person he bound grew stronger, he would receive a Tenfold Return in tandem.

Two choices had once stood before Xiao Ze. One was Xiao Yan, the Child of the World, who would eventually attain the title of Flame Emperor.

The other was the favored daughter of heaven, Xiao Xun'er, whose talent was terrifying and whose background was profound.

After careful consideration, Xiao Ze had decided to choose Xiao Xun'er as his binding target.

Xiao Yan's future was promising, but his fate was fraught with hardship.

It could be said that his success was almost impossible to replicate.

One careless misstep—even a slight lack of willpower—and he could die in an instant.

Especially when Xiao Yan later accepted the Ancient Emperor's inheritance, his body had been blown apart countless times. He had survived entirely because his will was as unshakable as stone.

Xiao Yan's early path of growth had also been exceptionally difficult. Absorbing Heavenly Flames in particular carried immense risks.

Compared to Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun'er's path of growth was far smoother.

With top-tier talent and an astonishing background, Xiao Xun'er's cultivation was often no weaker than Xiao Yan's, and her combat strength sometimes even surpassed his!

Xiao Xun'er's personal guard was a high-level Dou Emperor. In the Jia Ma Empire, virtually no one could threaten her life.

And even if someone truly could threaten her life, would her father, a Peak Dou Saint, not have left behind some means of protection?

Coupled with Xiao Xun'er's status as the Ancient Clan's young lady, she was practically guaranteed to reach Peak Dou Saint!

Two broad paths lay before Xiao Ze, waiting for him to choose.

In the end, Xiao Ze still chose Xiao Xun'er because she was the safer option.

After all, Xiao Yan could encounter an accident at any time. Xiao Ze had no idea how much his own appearance would affect Xiao Yan.

Nor did he know whether Xiao Yan could continue to carry the fortune of a protagonist.

With his cheat ability, plus Xiao Xun'er's guaranteed path to Peak Dou Saint, becoming a Dou Emperor himself should not be a problem.

Thus, Xiao Ze decisively chose Xiao Xun'er as his binding target.

Ding! Xiao Xun'er's strength has increased, reaching Dou Zhi Qi Stage Nine! The host has received a Tenfold Return!

Congratulations, host! Your strength has increased to Nine Star Dou Practitioner!

Xiao Ze looked at the notification that had appeared that morning, a smile in his eyes. Once he claimed the reward, he would break through from Eight Star to Nine Star Dou Practitioner.

"Big Brother Xiao Ze seems very happy being here alone!"

A young girl's delicate, gentle voice suddenly rang out.

With her hands behind her back and her upper body leaning slightly forward, Xiao Xun'er playfully poked her head out from behind Xiao Ze and looked down at him.

Looking at the beautiful young girl who had suddenly appeared before him, Xiao Ze saw her lovely face upside down from his angle.

But that did nothing to diminish the breathtaking beauty she had already begun to possess!

Xiao Ze and Xiao Xun'er were the same age, with him being a few months older than her and both of them a year younger than Xiao Yan.

They had begun cultivating during the same period. Because Xiao Ze had bound Xiao Xun'er and received Tenfold Return, his cultivation speed was astonishing.

He often guided Xiao Xun'er and even helped nourish her meridians.

Of course, due to the system, his strength had risen sharply, and his control over Dou Qi was exceptionally refined.

Thus, merely placing their hands together allowed him to help Xiao Xun'er nourish the meridians throughout her body.

Though it was not particularly useful.

Xiao Ze's help had nonetheless made the Xiao Xun'er of that time feel warmth.

Their relationship had also become extremely close, and they had remained childhood sweethearts ever since.

"Of course I'm happy. I was lying here, thinking about someone~"

The smile on Xiao Xun'er's face immediately stiffened, and a trace of barely perceptible displeasure entered her voice.

"Big Brother Xiao Ze... were you thinking about some beauty?"

"Yes! I was thinking about a beauty named Xiao Xun'er."

"Smooth talker!" Xiao Xun'er softly laughed and scolded him.

Yet the displeasure in her tone vanished without a trace, and her smile returned.

"Something seems to have happened to Cousin Xiao Yan..."

Xiao Xun'er sat down and looked toward the towering Testing Stele in the distance, speaking thoughtfully to Xiao Ze.

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