Lost Xiao Yan

In the blink of an eye, fourteen years had passed.

After breaking through to Dou Di, Xiao Xian did not remain idle. Instead, he began traveling across the entire Dou Qi Continent, leaving his footprints everywhere. Countless Ancient Sects feared him like a tiger and gnashed their teeth in secret. Some particularly extreme ones even erected stone tablets outside their gates bearing the words: Xiao Xian and dogs prohibited from entering.

Clearly, every one of those Ancient Sects had suffered at Xiao Xian's hands, which was why they hated him to the bone.

It was not as though no one had resisted, but it had been utterly useless. No matter what kind of experts they sent, Xiao Xian would slap them half to death with a single blow. After being beaten down enough times, those people finally behaved themselves and stopped making such pointless attempts at resistance.

Some speculated that Xiao Xian had successfully broken through to the realm no one had reached in tens of thousands of years. Even Nine Star Dou Sheng Peak experts had been slapped half to death in one strike—apart from a Dou Di, who else could possess such strength?

But upon further thought, they felt that was impossible. The commotion caused by breaking through to Dou Di was simply too great. Once someone did so, the entire Dou Qi Continent would sense it; there was no way to conceal it.

Yet those experts could say with certainty that no one had broken through to Dou Di in the past thousand years. It seemed as if heaven and earth rejected Cultivators breaking through to Dou Di. They always felt that something was missing from the world, and so, ever since Tou She Ancient God, no one had broken through to the Dou Di realm for tens of thousands of years, because something had disappeared.

But they did not know what exactly heaven and earth lacked, so even if they wanted to search for it, they had no idea where to begin.

Thus, many experts guessed that Xiao Xian was merely infinitely close to the Dou Di realm. He was already half a step ahead of everyone else and possessed a portion of a Dou Di's power. He could be called a Half-Step Dou Di, which was why none of those Nine Star Dou Shengs could stand against him.

After wreaking havoc across the entire Dou Qi Continent for a full five years, Xiao Xian had nearly filled his Small World. Only then did he stop plundering, returning to Wutan City in satisfaction and retiring to the Back Mountain.

Yes, during one daily check-in, Xiao Xian had obtained a Small World hundreds of li in diameter. Though it could not compare to those worlds spanning hundreds of millions of li, it was enough for him at present.

Upon learning that Xiao Xian had retired, countless people celebrated with great joy. Many even held lavish banquets to celebrate the departure of that scourge. The festivities were practically livelier than the New Year.

This showed just how badly Xiao Xian had tormented them over the years, to the point that they lost all composure upon hearing the news.

Time was a magical force. It could smooth over all wounds in the world.

After Xiao Xian retired, the major Ancient Sects gradually emerged from the shadow cast by that great demon, and the Dou Qi Continent regained its former vitality.

Ever since retiring, Xiao Xian had lived like a pig every day, completely losing any motivation to strive. He either ate and drank or lay asleep in a recliner.

Other than his necessary daily check-ins, nothing else could arouse his interest.

Until one day, Xiao Yan, who had fallen from the altar of genius, accidentally came to the Back Mountain and learned that he had a Clan Uncle.

This Clan Uncle was extremely improper. Not only was he narcissistic to the point of death, but he lived like a salted fish every day. Xiao Yan had never once seen him cultivate and did not know whether he simply had no need to cultivate or lacked the talent for it.

At first, Xiao Yan had thought this Clan Uncle of his was an expert, because many novels said that experts liked to live in seclusion in remote places where hardly anyone disturbed them. Only that could highlight the lofty air of a hidden master.

But as time passed, Xiao Yan gradually abandoned that thought. One day, he saw this Clan Uncle being chased around in a panic by a Zero Order Magical Beast, scrambling and rolling on the ground, his clothes torn into several pieces. If Xiao Yan had not intervened in time, the man might well have become a freshly produced pile of dung.

Well, Zero Order Magical Beasts were Magical Beasts that had just condensed Dou Qi. They could not even truly be considered Magical Beasts, since the lowest-ranked Magical Beasts were First Order, equivalent to Cultivators in the Dou Zhe realm. Only domesticated livestock were at this level.

For example, the herbivorous Magical Beast, the Jumping Rabbit.

From then on, Xiao Yan no longer entertained the fantasy that this somewhat neurotic, extremely narcissistic, and even lazier-than-a-pig Clan Uncle was an expert.

But perhaps because they shared the same plight—both being worthless—Xiao Yan got along quite well with this Clan Uncle. Though they were technically elder and junior, they were more often like friends who could talk about anything.

So after today's test was finished, the first person Xiao Yan thought of was this Clan Uncle rather than his own father.

It was fantastical, but that was simply what Xiao Yan thought.

"Brother Xiao Yan, Uncle Xiao Xian!" Xiao Xun'er's soft, beautiful voice drifted over.

The two glanced sideways and saw Xiao Xun'er approaching with graceful steps. Dressed in a purple palace gown, she looked like a fairy beneath the lingering glow of the setting sun.

"Oh, so it's Xun'er. Here to see your Brother Xiao Yan again? I'd say I'm quite handsome too, so why has no girl taken a liking to me? Is my handsomeness not obvious enough?" Xiao Xian sighed theatrically.

"Hehe!"

Seeing Xiao Xian deliberately clowning around, Xiao Xun'er covered her mouth and giggled.

"Uncle Xiao Xian is always so improper. What girl would dare like someone like you?" Xiao Xun'er said with a smile.

Xiao Xian was good in every way except that he loved to talk slick. Having known him for more than ten years, Xiao Xun'er had long since grown used to it.

Xiao Xun'er gazed at Xiao Yan with her large eyes, openly exchanging affectionate looks with him. Xiao Xian immediately felt as though his fragile heart had suffered ten thousand points of critical damage.

Hmph! Being single has left me unrecognizable.

"Forget it. This old man won't stay here and make myself an eyesore." Having been force-fed a wave of lovey-dovey affection, Xiao Xian could no longer bear it and could only pat his backside and leave.

"Brother Xiao Yan, are you all right?" Xiao Xun'er's face always bore a gentle smile, one that seemed capable of soothing every wound.

Xiao Yan's agitated heart gradually calmed beneath Xiao Xun'er's smile. "I'm fine. I'm used to it already."

Ever since falling from the altar of genius, countless clan members had mocked and ridiculed him. Those who had once followed behind him and flattered him to the utmost were now the ones kicking him while he was down most viciously.

They were probably taking revenge because they had once boasted about Xiao Yan. Now that the genius was gone, they felt embarrassed, so they wanted to reclaim their pride through Xiao Yan.

After all, Xiao Yan possessed an adult soul. How could the petty thoughts of these young people escape him? It was only that, although they mocked him relentlessly, what they said was true, leaving him with no way to refute them.

"Brother Xiao Yan, don't care about what they say. Xun'er has always believed that Brother Xiao Yan is a genius. One day, Brother Xiao Yan will stand up again and use the facts to refute them." Xiao Xun'er looked at Xiao Yan with adoring eyes and spoke with a face full of determination.