Xiao Xian

"Dou Qi, Three Stages!"

Xiao Yan walked down the steps with his head hanging low, his expression desolate. Mocking voices filled the surroundings, but it was as though he did not hear them. He simply walked through the crowd with a blank face.

"Xiao Yan: Three Stages Dou Qi, rank: low." The middle-aged man beside the Testing Magic Stone Tablet expressionlessly announced Xiao Yan's result.

"Brother Xiao Yan, are you all right?" Xiao Xun'er looked at Xiao Yan with heartache and asked worriedly.

Xiao Yan glanced at Xiao Xun'er. A forced smile appeared on his face, but he did not say a word. Instead, he turned and walked out the door.

"Next, Xiao Xun'er."

Xiao Xun'er had been about to stop Xiao Yan, but upon hearing the elder in charge of testing cultivation call her name, she could only hold herself back for now. She would comfort Xiao Yan after finishing the test.

Xiao Xun'er parted the crowd and walked gracefully to the Testing Magic Stone. She pressed one palm against it, then circulated the Dou Qi within her body.

Then everyone saw the Testing Magic Stone blaze with light, its dazzling radiance so bright that they could barely keep their eyes open.

"Xiao Xun'er: Nine Stages Dou Qi, rank: high." The middle-aged elder announced it loudly in disbelief.

"Unbelievable. Xiao Xun'er is only fourteen this year, yet she has already reached Nine Stages Dou Qi. When I was her age, I had only reached Three Stages Dou Qi. Comparing people really makes one furious," someone said enviously.

"Tch, with your useless self, you dare compare yourself to Miss Xiao Xun'er? She's a genius, so of course she cultivates quickly. The world of geniuses is beyond ordinary people like us." Someone spoke sourly, wishing he could trade places with Xiao Xun'er.

"Remarkable. Young people these days are more impressive than the last. In at most half a year, you will likely challenge Ten Stages Dou Qi and begin condensing a Dou Qi Cyclone. It seems our Xiao Clan will have another genius Dou Zhe." The middle-aged elder looked at Xiao Xun'er with great satisfaction, his face full of kindness.

"You flatter me, Elder."

Xiao Xun'er did not become complacent because of this. Instead, she remained very humble.

"Sister Xun'er, are you free today? A restaurant opened in Wutan City some time ago, and its food is quite delicious. How about we go try it together?"

"Get lost. What's so good about food? Sister Xun'er, don't listen to this fool's nonsense. I obtained a rare ore some time ago and had planned to forge it into a weapon. I see that Sister Xun'er does not have a suitable weapon yet. If you don't mind, why not come to my room with me to get it?"

"Get lost yourself. That chunk of ore is worthless trash. Only a poor wretch like you would treat it like treasure. Do you really think a genius like Sister Xun'er is someone a pauper like you can aspire to? Why don't you piss and take a look at yourself?"

"Bastard, what did you say?"

"I was talking about you. Not convinced? One-on-one."

"Fine, let's fight. Who's afraid of whom?"

"Crack! Bang!"

Several boys just beginning to understand romance had wanted to shower Xiao Xun'er with attention in hopes of winning the goddess's favor, but others kept ruining their efforts. The two sides began trading barbs and fiercely tearing down their rivals, until it finally escalated into an all-out brawl.

Xiao Xun'er looked speechlessly at these fools. She no longer paid attention to these peacocks showing off their feathers and headed straight out to find Xiao Yan.

Having lived with Xiao Yan for ten years, Xiao Xun'er understood his every habit. She knew that whenever he was in a bad mood, he would always go to the Back Mountain. This time would presumably be no exception.

With a sigh, Xiao Xun'er turned and headed toward the Back Mountain.

"Stop it! What the hell are you still fighting for? She's already gone! Aren't you ashamed? You've thrown away all the Xiao Clan's dignity!" An elder of the Xiao Clan darkened his face as he separated the people in the brawl and berated them angrily.

When they looked, the goddess was indeed nowhere to be seen. They exchanged awkward glances and no longer had any desire to continue fighting, each one backing down.

What nonsense—why keep fighting when the goddess had already left? They had wanted to display their courage before her and win her heart with it, but they had never expected that she did not care about them at all. A deep sense of frustration rose in the hearts of these men who had fought so desperately for the goddess.

They looked at each other, then retreated with embarrassed expressions.

"Next, Xiao Zuo." After this farce ended, the middle-aged elder called out loudly once more.

"Yo! Isn't this Little Yanzi? What's with that dejected look? Your result in today's clan test must not have been very good, huh?" As Xiao Yan trudged toward the Back Mountain with his head lowered, a lazy, teasing voice sounded beside his ear.

"Uncle Xiao Xian, even you're making fun of me." Xiao Yan plopped down beside him and replied irritably.

Following Xiao Yan's gaze, one could see a young man lying on a wicker recliner. Beside him stood a nanmu table holding a jug of wine and several plates of pastries. The young man was pouring wine into his mouth with one hand while casually grabbing pastries with the other and stuffing them into his mouth, eating and drinking with absolutely no regard for appearances.

Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. His stomach immediately began rumbling as well, and seeing how eagerly the young man was eating, he actually began to feel hungry too.

Damn it!

Xiao Yan cursed inwardly, then unceremoniously reached his claws into the plate of pastries. He grabbed several pieces and stuffed them into his mouth, deciding to turn his grief and indignation into an appetite.

"That's more like it. What's the big deal? Your cultivation only regressed temporarily. I've always believed you're a genius. A temporary fall is only for the sake of a better eruption later. You have to believe in yourself." Xiao Xian patted Xiao Yan's shoulder with his greasy hand, then casually wiped that hand on him.

"Uncle, you have no manners at all." Xiao Yan was on the verge of collapse.

"Ahem, don't mind such trivial details." Xiao Xian coughed awkwardly, and his carefree expression returned.

Although Xiao Yan was furious inside, the man before him was his uncle. He had no choice but to endure it. Could he really beat the other man up?

Xiao Yan carefully observed Xiao Xian and discovered that he did not look like a man in his thirties at all. Ever since Xiao Yan had first met Xiao Xian on the Back Mountain three years ago, three years had passed, yet his appearance had not changed in the slightest. He was still so young, as though time itself had abandoned him.

"What? Are you stunned by your uncle's handsome face? Don't fall for your uncle. Your uncle is a man you'll never have." Xiao Xian tossed his flowing hair and spoke smugly.

Xiao Yan was nearly disgusted to death. He had seen narcissistic people before, but never anyone this narcissistic. Didn't he have any idea what he looked like?

"Uncle!"

"What?"

"You really are shameless."

"..."