Seven Days! Seven Days! Do You Know How I Spent These Seven Days?!

At dusk, Xiao Zhan led all the Xiao Family higher-ups and stood outside the main gates.

They stared eagerly into the distance, waiting for the person Xiao Ze had mentioned to arrive!

The Xiao Family higher-ups standing behind him still found it rather unbelievable!

A Jia Nan Academy instructor, who had always maintained such an exalted status, was actually going to stay at the Xiao Family?

If those words had not come from Xiao Ze, they probably would not have believed them!

However, Xiao Ze now held an extremely high degree of influence within the Xiao Family!

During this period, Xiao Zhan had not been idle either.

By relying on the Nine Star Dou Practitioner strength Xiao Ze had initially displayed!

And, during his conflict with the Great Elder, painting a glorious future for the Xiao Family disciples as if dangling a pie before them.

Xiao Zhan had successfully secured his position as Patriarch!

He had greatly weakened the power of the other elders and the Xiao Family higher-ups!

Having witnessed Xiao Ze break through major realms twice, Xiao Zhan had also become determined to pass the position of Patriarch to Xiao Ze!

Within the Xiao Family, Xiao Zhan had secretly been building Xiao Ze's reputation!

Even Xiao Ze himself probably would not have imagined that his influence had surpassed that of every elder!

Amid everyone's anticipation, Xiao Yu returned to the Xiao Family with Instructor Ruo Lin and a large group of female classmates.

Xiao Zhan's tense mood finally eased. With a delighted smile on his face, he stepped forward to greet them.

"You must be Instructor Ruo Lin. I am Xiao Zhan, Patriarch of the Xiao Family."

"So you are Patriarch Xiao. It is a pleasure to meet you. Your son's talent truly inspires envy."

Ruolin revealed a gentle smile and spoke politely. This was Xiao Ze's father, after all.

"I've brought such a large group of students with me. We won't be disturbing the Xiao Family, will we?"

"Of course not. It is the Xiao Family's great fortune to host Jia Nan's talented students and powerful instructors. You have truly brought honor to our humble home!"

Xiao Zhan warmly led them toward the guest rooms.

After Xiao Ze had brought back the news earlier, he had already ordered the guest rooms cleaned up.

They were ready for occupancy at any time.

This considerate reception left Ruolin quite satisfied.

Early the next morning, Xiao Ze stood atop the mountain and noticed many carriages parked outside the Xiao Family gates.

The emblems on those carriages represented many of Wu Tan City's foremost powers!

"This round of benefit exchanges should be enough to let the Xiao Family develop rapidly for a while."

"Once we leave for Jia Nan Academy, the most important thing will be improving our strength!"

After setting this short-term goal, Xiao Ze became even more reclusive than before.

It was as though he had already left the Xiao Family and headed for Jia Nan Academy.

Unfortunately, Jia Nan Academy had to remain in Wu Tan City for seven days.

Only after the recruitment ceremony had been completely concluded would they take the newly recruited students back to Jia Nan Academy.

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

Xiao Ze sat cross-legged on a stone platform, his body radiating an ocean-blue glow as vast as the sea.

"Whew, Three Star Da Dou Shi. Not bad progress!"

Xiao Ze sensed that the crystal within his Dou Zhi Qi Cyclone had grown a little larger and nodded in satisfaction.

In seven days, he had risen two stars in a row!

At the Da Dou Shi realm, unless one used medicinal pills, it was exceedingly difficult to achieve through ordinary cultivation.

Xiao Ze occasionally borrowed Xiao Yi Xian's poison energy and used the Calamity Poison Body to raise his Dou Qi cultivation.

"Brother Xiao Ze, are you ready? Today is the day we leave."

Xiao Xun'er brought Xiao Yi Xian to the mountaintop. Sensing the aura Xiao Ze had yet to disperse, she could not help but sigh inwardly.

His talent and aptitude had already been exceptional, and now he also had the Calamity Poison Body, which cultivated incredibly quickly in its early stages!

A single day of cultivation was enough to rival several years of others' training!

"I'm ready. I don't have much to bring from the Xiao Family, and I've already said my goodbyes. Showing up again now would only seem a little pretentious."

Xiao Ze stretched his limbs and fully withdrew his aura, becoming just like an ordinary youth.

"Let's go. We'll meet up with Instructor Ruo Lin!"

When the three arrived at the gates, they found Xiao Yu already waiting there.

Upon seeing Xiao Ze and the others, she hurried over on her long legs.

"I can finally see you three! These past seven days, it was like you vanished completely. I couldn't find you anywhere!"

Xiao Yu said with exaggerated frustration. In truth, if she had wanted to find them, all she needed to do was head to the back mountain.

But Xiao Yu was not so idle that she would go looking for Xiao Ze and the others for no reason.

"Haha, we were immersed in cultivation. Please don't hold it against us, Cousin Xiao Yu."

"You three had it good, hiding away together for some peace and quiet. I got drafted by Instructor Ruo Lin and spent these past three days busy registering new students... sigh~"

The group of four headed toward the square as Xiao Yu complained to Xiao Ze and the others.

Xiao Ze wore a smile as he silently listened to Xiao Yu air her grievances.

As they neared the square, Xiao Yu sensibly shut her mouth.

"I thought you were planning to complain all the way to the square, Cousin Xiao Yu."

Xiao Xun'er chuckled. Xiao Yu rolled her eyes and replied irritably.

"Instructor Ruo Lin may be gentle, but I can't complain in front of her. Otherwise, my backside will be in trouble!"

The four arrived at the square and saw Jia Nan Academy's recruitment party wrapping up its final tasks.

When Ruolin saw that the three had finally appeared, she let out a sigh of relief.

"You three finally showed up. If you hadn't come, I would have thought you were going to stand me up!"

"Sorry, sorry, Instructor Ruolin. We've actually been staying at the Xiao Family's back mountain the whole time. Jia Nan Academy is a sacred place of learning—how could we possibly stand you up?"

Only after hearing Xiao Ze's words did Ruolin's expression soften somewhat.

Only then did Ruolin understand just how quiet the "peace and quiet" Xiao Ze had mentioned truly was!

Hopefully, he would not skip classes after arriving at the academy...

Ruolin had them help with the final wrap-up work.

Xiao Ze arrived at an area where he was preparing to help when someone with dark skin and an academy uniform suddenly sprang out and called his name.

"Xiao Ze!"

Xiao Ze asked in confusion, "Senior, do we know each other?"

Xiao Ze looked at this pitch-black fellow. Could he be a student recruited from the Tagor Desert?

At those words, visible anger appeared on the dark-skinned man's face!

"Seven days! Seven days! Do you know how I spent these seven days?!"

Seven days... coupled with that somewhat familiar voice, Xiao Ze recalled who he was.

Wasn't this Senior Rod?

Xiao Ze looked Rod up and down. His skin was dark all over; compared to Rod seven days ago, he had practically become a different person.

No wonder Xiao Ze had failed to recognize him at first.

He could not help nodding and said, "I can tell. You must have spent all seven days getting sunburned, right?"

Hearing Xiao Ze's words, Rod clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

"So you do know what kind of days I've had these past seven days!"

"Oh! So what if I can tell? You want to settle the score with me?"

Xiao Ze spoke indifferently.

With Rod's inability to accept defeat, even trying to strike lethally during a spar.

Xiao Ze felt that he had gone too easy on him before.

Hearing Xiao Ze's indifferent words, Rod could not help raising his fist.

"Hey! Senior Rod, you should consider the consequences before acting. If you're seriously injured this time, the long journey will make it much harder for your wounds to heal quickly."

Rod heard this and his body stiffened. He swallowed.

Xiao Ze's words seemed to awaken his injuries.

His chest began to burn with pain again. It had obviously healed long ago, so why did it still hurt?!

"Senior Rod, I'll say it again: a person should know their own limits."

Rod let out a dejected sigh, turned around, and left.

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