Xiao Cang Returns, Reunited with Xun'er!

"Next, Xiao Xun'er!"

The aged voice rang out as Xiao Xun'er stepped onto the high platform amid fervent gazes.

"Xun'er."

Xiao Cang watched Xiao Xun'er's cool, graceful figure from afar, a trace of nostalgia flashing through his eyes.

Seven years apart—back then, she had only been a little girl. Now she had truly grown up.

Whether in figure or looks, she had already begun to possess the makings of a beauty capable of toppling nations.

Yet Xun'er now seemed cool and aloof. He wondered whether she would still call him Brother Xiao Cang as she had before.

"Dou Qi, Ninth Stage!"

"Grade: Advanced!"

As Xun'er pressed her fair hand against the Spirit Testing Stone Tablet, several dazzling characters appeared upon it, accompanied by the steward's aged voice.

"Ninth Stage Dou Qi! Two stages higher than Xiao Mei!"

"Miss Xun'er is not only beautiful, but her talent is equally astonishing!"

"Though such talent pales greatly beside Cousin Xiao Cang's, to people like us, she is already an extraordinary prodigy!"

"What a pity. Everyone in the Xiao Family knows that Miss Xun'er has eyes only for Cousin Xiao Cang. She would never give us a second glance."

"..."

A wave of amazed discussion rose from the surrounding crowd.

Yet a hint of disappointment appeared on Xiao Xun'er's cool, lovely face.

"Ninth Stage Dou Qi... too weak."

"At this cultivation speed, when would she ever catch up to Brother Xiao Cang?"

Whenever Xun'er thought of how Xiao Cang had already been a One-star Fighter at eleven, while she had only barely reached Ninth Stage Dou Qi now, she could not help feeling discouraged.

She came from an Ancient Family, so she naturally knew how vast the Dou Qi Continent was, filled with countless breathtakingly gifted prodigies.

Among those prodigies were no shortage of Proud Daughters of Heaven with lovely faces and exquisite figures.

She truly feared that if she cultivated too slowly, some vixen would steal Xiao Cang away in the future while she could do nothing about it.

Yun Yun was one such example!

"Miss Xun'er possesses extraordinary talent. Her future is boundless," said the steward, who had worn an expressionless face until then, with a smile.

"Thank you for your praise, Senior."

Xun'er replied absentmindedly, her tone cool.

Just as she was about to step down from the high platform, the corner of her eye suddenly caught sight of a tall, handsome figure beyond the crowd.

That handsome figure resembled the one she had longed for day and night over the past seven years by seventy or eighty percent—only he was even more handsome.

Could it be...

Xun'er's beautiful eyes suddenly trembled.

Then she saw that figure give her a bright smile.

Her heart jolted violently.

"Brother Xiao Cang!"

An overwhelming joy instantly surged within Xun'er, and her cool, beautiful eyes were immediately filled with delight.

Without nearly any thought, she ran down from the platform, pushed through the crowd, and threw herself into Xiao Cang's arms.

"Brother Xiao Cang, you're finally back!"

Those words carried the intense longing of seven years, trembling and choked with emotion.

As Xiao Cang held Xun'er's delicate, soft body, a faint fragrance drifted into his nose, stirring a wave of tender feelings in his heart.

He smiled as well, holding Xun'er with one arm while gently stroking her silky black hair with the other. "After all these years, our Xun'er has grown into such a lovely young beauty."

Hearing Xiao Cang's voice, Xun'er's delicate body could not help trembling.

Seven years of longing instantly turned into scalding tears that fell from her eyes.

"Brother Xiao Cang, why did you take so long to come back? Seven years... didn't you miss Xun'er at all? Xun'er missed you so much!"

With her head buried in Xiao Cang's chest, Xun'er sobbed out her grievances.

Xiao Cang's nose suddenly stung as well. He lifted Xun'er's little face and wiped away her tears.

"Silly girl, of course I missed you. But if I wanted to grow strong enough in the future to ask the force behind you for your hand, I could only cultivate tirelessly. That was why I had no time to come see you. Our Xun'er is so understanding; surely you can understand me."

"Mhm, mhm. I don't blame you, Brother Xiao Cang. You must have suffered a great deal these past years."

Xun'er nodded her exquisite little chin, her eyes brimming with heartache.

Without the support of a great family's resources, Xiao Cang had reached the Dou Wang realm at eighteen. She could not imagine the hardships he must have endured.

"For you, it was all worth it," Xiao Cang said with a warm smile.

As the two poured out their feelings to one another, the Xiao Family Compound had already erupted into an uproar.

"Cousin Xiao Cang is back!"

"That is actually Cousin Xiao Cang? He is so handsome!"

"I knew it! Once Cousin Xiao Cang entered the Dou Wang realm, he would surely return to lead our Xiao Family toward growth and prosperity!"

"Look at Miss Xun'er's reaction! This is the first time in all these years that I've seen her so excited!"

"Damn, is this still the ice-cold Miss Xun'er? So she isn't truly an iceberg; we simply aren't worthy of seeing her tender side."

"In the entire Xiao Family, only Cousin Xiao Cang can make Xun'er look at someone differently."

"..."

On the distant high platform, Clan Leader Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders instantly rose to their feet, their faces filled with delighted excitement.

"Has nephew Xiao Cang returned?"

"It is him, no mistake! Though we have not seen each other in seven years, this old man remembers the heroic spirit between his brows clearly!"

"Excellent! With Xiao Cang back, our Xiao Family's development will be much easier!"

"What are you standing around for? Hurry and welcome him!"

Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders hurried down from the high platform and enthusiastically went to greet Xiao Cang.

Soon, the four of them arrived before Xiao Cang.

"Nephew Xiao Cang, after seven years apart, you have become a true man who stands tall beneath the heavens."

Xiao Zhan walked up to Xiao Cang and patted his strong arms with both hands, pride shining in his eyes.

"Worthy of being the Xiao Family's prodigy. You have grown ever more valiant and heroic!"

"You have finally returned. My granddaughter Xiao Yu has missed you terribly. Before leaving the family for Jia Nan Academy, she kept wanting to visit you at the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Now that you have returned, you must stay for a while. Many of the younger generation in the clan have missed you dearly."

The Three Elders also showered him with praise.

"Thank you for your praise, Uncle Xiao Zhan and Three Elders. Since I have returned to the Xiao Family this time, I will certainly stay for some time and help the Xiao Family grow stronger," Xiao Cang said with a warm smile.

"Very good, very good!" Xiao Zhan laughed heartily.

At that moment, Xiao Mei and a group of younger clan members squeezed their way over.

"Brother Xiao Cang."

Xiao Mei revealed a brilliant smile. Her pretty face, possessing both youthful innocence and budding maturity, was at once tender and alluring.

"Cousin Mei'er."

"After all these years, you've grown so much."

Xiao Cang reached out and patted Xiao Mei's head.

As Xiao Mei had her head patted by Xiao Cang, an expression of enjoyment and delight immediately appeared on her face.

If Xun'er had not been in Xiao Cang's arms, she would have thrown herself into his embrace long ago.

Xiao Yan stood nearby, watching Xiao Cang and Xun'er in his arms with a complicated expression. He felt terribly bitter inside, as though he had suffered a heavy blow.

Suddenly, Xiao Zhan grabbed him and hauled him before Xiao Cang.

"Yan'er, come quickly and greet your Cousin Xiao Cang."

Xiao Yan's expression immediately turned panicked. For a moment, he did not know how to face this prodigy whom he had once often followed around, but who now shone like the blazing sun.

More importantly, deep in his heart, he had already regarded Xiao Cang as a romantic rival.

Yet even he found that thought laughable.

A romantic rival who was an eighteen-year-old Dou Wang and Fifth-grade Alchemist...

What did he have to compete with him?

His Third Stage Dou Qi?