Ignoring the old men whose smiles bloomed like chrysanthemums, Xiao Ming quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Clan Leader, three Elders!"
"Ah, no need for such formalities. Sit down and talk, sit down and talk." Just as Xiao Zhan was about to speak, the Great Elder hurriedly cut him off.
That old fox!
Having his words stolen, Xiao Zhan felt somewhat displeased. He knew what these Elders were thinking—they merely wanted to win over a genius like Xiao Ming.
For a family like the Xiao Family, which could only remain holed up in Wu Tan City, a genius of Xiao Ming's caliber held considerable influence within the family.
Moreover, Xiao Ming had no enemies. It was perfectly normal for everyone in the Xiao Family to greet him with smiling faces.
As he looked at the already seated Xiao Ming, whose bearing was mature and steady, Xiao Zhan somehow thought of his own son, Xiao Yan.
Ever since Xiao Ming had burst onto the scene, Xiao Yan had lost his usual carefree manner and begun cultivating desperately. The blow must have hit him hard.
After sitting down, Xiao Ming first exchanged a few pleasantries with the Elders. However, their age gap was rather large, and there seemed to be a generation gap between them. After a few awkward exchanges, Xiao Ming raised his question.
"Clan Leader, Elders, may I ask why you summoned Xiao Ming here?"
Xiao Zhan was jolted out of his thoughts by Xiao Ming's question.
"It's nothing much. We simply wanted to ask about your plans for the future."
"My plans for the future?"
"That's right. Before that, could you tell us your current cultivation?"
Xiao Ming was a little puzzled. "What does my future planning have to do with my current cultivation?"
"There isn't much of a connection, really. I was just curious." Xiao Zhan awkwardly rubbed his nose.
The other Elders also cast curious looks his way.
After Xiao Ming had displayed the strength of a Dou Zhe, he had stopped going to the Magic Stone Tablet for testing. Every time he went, a crowd of children would gather around him, chattering endlessly until he was thoroughly annoyed.
Yet Xiao Ming could not exactly dislike or scold his fellow clansmen for being friendly, so he simply stopped testing his Dou Qi. No one said anything about it. After all, geniuses always had privileges, didn't they?
Seeing Xiao Zhan and the others staring at him eagerly, Xiao Ming did not hide it. He calmly said, "I've already reached Three-star Dou Zhe."
"Hiss—" Xiao Zhan and the Elders sucked in sharp breaths. A six-year-old Three-Star Dou Zhe—truly terrifying!
Seeing their shocked expressions, as if their eyes were about to fall out, Xiao Ming was somewhat speechless. Was that really necessary?
The cultivation speed during the Dou Zhe stage was naturally faster than during the Dou Qi Power stage. Judging from his previous progress, this rate was perfectly normal. If he had not been concerned about building a solid foundation, he could have cultivated even faster.
He coughed lightly to remind them to come back to their senses. "Elders, can we discuss the real matter now?"
"Yes, yes. The reason we called you here is indeed to discuss your future plans. You more or less know the family's situation. The Xiao Family is not some great family."
Xiao Ming nodded. The Xiao Family's annual income was only a little over a hundred thousand gold coins, while Xiao Zhan, their strongest member, was merely a Three-Star Great Dou Shi. He might have been a towering figure to ordinary people, but within the Jia Ma Empire, he did not even rank among the third-rate. It truly was a small family.
"So?"
"For a genius like you, staying in the family would be far too wasteful. Your talent would be buried, and the family cannot afford to support you. It would affect your cultivation speed. Jia Nan Academy happens to be coming to Wu Tan City tomorrow to recruit students, so we wanted to ask whether you wished to go.
"If you have no interest in Jia Nan Academy, the Misty Cloud Sect will hold a ceremony to recruit disciples in a month. You can participate in the selection ceremony. With your talent, you will surely pass with ease. You might even be accepted by the Sect Master as a personal disciple."
The Great Elder said with a smile.
Xiao Ming understood why Xiao Zhan and the Elders had summoned him. So it was for this.
Xiao Ming had also planned to leave the Xiao Family and join a faction. His original target had been Jia Nan Academy.
Now, the Elders had offered him another choice: the Misty Cloud Sect.
To be honest, if they had not mentioned it, Xiao Ming truly would not have known when the Misty Cloud Sect recruited disciples.
Should I join the Misty Cloud Sect? The Misty Cloud Sect has a Dou Emperor Sect Master and several Dou Wang Elders. With my talent, I would certainly receive great attention after joining, and there's a high chance Yun Yun would accept me as her disciple. My safety would also be guaranteed. As a student at Jia Nan Academy, I definitely wouldn't receive as many resources as I would by joining a sect. I'd have to fight for everything else myself...
After pondering for a while, he ultimately shook his head. "I had already decided to enter Jia Nan Academy to study."
"Why? We actually recommend that you join the Misty Cloud Sect. If I remember correctly, the Cultivation Method you practice should be the Yellow Tier High Grade Cultivation Technique, Flame Refining Burning. The Misty Cloud Sect definitely has better ones. With your talent, changing Cultivation Methods after joining would be effortless."
"Jia Nan Academy certainly has higher-grade Cultivation Methods as well. But an academy is not the same as a sect. Although its restrictions are weaker, you will receive fewer resources in return. You will also have to compete with others, which will surely affect your cultivation. Besides, the Misty Cloud Sect is still within the Jia Ma Empire. If anything happens, the family can look after you." Hearing Xiao Ming's choice, Xiao Zhan frowned deeply, seemingly unable to understand it at all.
In truth, there was one thing Xiao Zhan did not say: if Xiao Ming successfully became a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect Master, it would also benefit the Xiao Family.
Of course I know joining a sect would provide better resources than Jia Nan Academy, but the Misty Cloud Sect has a Hall of Souls Protector!
Xiao Ming inwardly rolled his eyes. He knew that Yun Shan, the old Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, would collude with the Hall of Souls. Going there as a member of the Xiao Family would be like walking straight into a trap. If his surname were not Xiao, he would have gone already!
Naturally, he could not reveal that the Misty Cloud Sect would have a Hall of Souls Protector—at least, not yet. So Xiao Ming could only explain it this way.
"Jia Nan Academy has excellent teachers. I don't think being a student there would be any worse than being a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect. Besides, with my talent, perhaps some Dou Huang Expert might take me as a disciple."
By the end, Xiao Ming had even made a rare joke.
"This... forget it. Do as you wish!"
Xiao Zhan and the Elders exchanged glances, then sighed.
If someone did not want to go, could they really tie him up and force him? Besides, Xiao Ming's words were not without reason. What if someone really did take him as a disciple?
"It's fine if you go to Jia Nan Academy. It saves the Second Elder the trouble of escorting you. Still, money is always inconveniently scarce when you are away from home. Here, this is thirty thousand gold coins to support you."
Xiao Zhan took out a Black Card from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Ming.
Seeing this, Xiao Ming hesitated for a moment and glanced at the other three Elders. Thirty thousand gold coins might not seem like much, but it was already a considerable sum for the Xiao Family. Was it really appropriate for Xiao Zhan to give him so much?
Seeing Xiao Ming's questioning gaze, the Great Elder stroked his grizzled beard and smiled. "Accept it. Don't worry, this was discussed with the other clansmen."
The implication was that the thirty thousand gold coins came from the family, not Xiao Zhan personally.
Only then did Xiao Ming step forward and accept the card.
"Thank you, Clan Leader and three Elders."
"Don't be in such a hurry to thank us. There's still something else for you to take."
"That's right, this is..."
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