Xiao Xian's Gift

Xiao Xun'er's gaze put immense pressure on Xiao Yan. Over the years, he had worked hard too. While others ate, he cultivated; while others slept, he cultivated. But it was utterly useless. Every bit of Dou Qi he cultivated quickly vanished without a trace, and his realm kept falling.

At first, the Xiao family had still struggled to save him. They had tried all kinds of rare treasures, spiritual pills, and miraculous medicines, spending no small amount of money, yet they never saw any results.

Gradually, the Xiao family gave up on treating Xiao Yan, because he was a bottomless pit. No matter how much money they poured into him, there was no return. If this continued, the Xiao family would sooner or later be ruined.

The Xiao family did not belong to Xiao Yan alone. It was one of Wutan City's three great families, with several hundred direct descendants. Aside from the main branch Xiao Yan belonged to, there were also the side branches headed by several elders. The family was exceptionally prosperous.

With so many people in the family, there were countless expenses every day. Although the Xiao family had its own businesses and brought in vast sums daily, it could not possibly devote all its resources to one person. That simply was not realistic.

"I'm no longer a genius. Will Xun'er still treat me as she did before?" Xiao Yan asked uncertainly as he looked at the girl he liked.

He was a complete and utter good-for-nothing, while Xiao Xun'er was a true genius. Though she was a year younger than him, she had already cultivated to the ninth stage of Dou Qi and could step into the tenth stage at any time, then form a Dou Qi Cyclone.

Geniuses should be friends with geniuses. A good-for-nothing would never be qualified to become a genius's friend, because they belonged to different worlds.

Although Xiao Yan felt that Xiao Xun'er was different from everyone else, he did not dare be certain that she would never change her heart.

"Brother Xiao Yan, no matter what you become, Xun'er will never leave or abandon you. You must pull yourself together too. Don't give up. I believe a miracle will come sooner or later," Xiao Xun'er said firmly, holding Xiao Yan's hand.

The girl could sense the inferiority in the boy's heart, so she used her actions to tell him that no matter what he became, he would always be her Brother Xiao Yan.

"Mm!"

Feeling the girl's affection, Xiao Yan was instantly filled with fighting spirit.

"It's getting dark. We should go home. If we stay out too late, Uncle Xiao will worry," Xiao Xun'er said with a smile.

Xiao Yan nodded. "All right, then. Let's let Uncle Xiao Xian know."

"No need. I already know." Xiao Xian appeared before them as silently and mysteriously as a ghost.

"Here! I picked this up on the mountain earlier. I don't know what it is, but it feels like it should be valuable. I hope it'll be useful to you." Xiao Xian casually tossed something about the same color as a stone into Xiao Yan's arms, then shooed the two of them away as though chasing flies.

Xiao Yan picked it up and examined it. Sure enough, it was a stone. Though its shape was rather unique, that did not change the fact that it was still a stone.

It was fortunate that Xiao Xian treated this stone like a treasure. If it had been Xiao Yan, forget picking it up—even sparing it a glance would have been too much trouble.

Still, it was Xiao Xian's good intention. Though it was useless, Xiao Yan decided to accept it.

He casually tucked the stone into his clothes, then went down the mountain hand in hand with Xiao Xun'er.

"Kid, I hope you won't be too shocked once you learn what that thing is." Watching the direction in which the two departed, Xiao Xian wore a strange smile.

Although the stone appeared no different in essence from an ordinary one, there was something else hidden within. As long as its stone shell was crushed, the object wrapped inside would be revealed.

Naturally, this item was a reward from the System. It was simply of no use to him anymore, so Xiao Xian had given it to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan did not know that while he and Xiao Xun'er were on their way home, something that would affect his entire life had also arrived.

The night was hazy. Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on his bed, circulating his family's inherited Dou Qi cultivation method. Strands of visible energy from heaven and earth entered his body, then were swiftly refined into Dou Qi and traveled through his meridians.

Just as Xiao Yan was about to send this strand of Dou Qi into his Dantian, something that left him dumbfounded happened once again.

"I... damn it, again?" Xiao Yan said frantically.

How many times had this happened? Over countless days and nights in the past three years, whenever he painstakingly refined a strand of Dou Qi, before he could even send it into his Dantian, it would inexplicably disappear. Not once had there been an exception in three years.

Even though Xiao Yan possessed the mentality of an adult, and though endless mockery and ridicule had made his temperament especially resilient, he could not help feeling a trace of despair at this moment.

Anyone who cultivated countless times without advancing even the slightest bit, only to have their realm constantly fall instead, would inevitably feel like giving up.

After ending this tedious cultivation session, Xiao Yan rose from the bed and rubbed his numb legs. Then an aged voice came from outside the door. "Third Young Master, the master requests your presence in the Reception Hall. Guests have arrived."

Xiao Yan ranked third in the family. He was the third son of Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Family Clan Leader, and had two older brothers. However, both had gone out to gain experience years ago, leaving Xiao Yan as the only one still in the Xiao family.

Xiao Yan got up and opened the door, seeing an elderly man in a long robe, his aged face bent low as he waited outside.

"What sort of guest requires me to be present?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.

"Third Young Master need not ask. You'll know once you get there," Butler Mo said with a smile.

"All right. Let's go, Butler Mo." Though curious, Xiao Yan did not press the matter and stepped out of the room.

The old man known as Butler Mo watched Xiao Yan's retreating back and sighed for no apparent reason, his eyes filled with pity.

The former genius had fallen from his pedestal. Whether it was the young members of the family or petty outsiders, all of them mocked and ridiculed him. Butler Mo saw it all, and it pained his heart.

But he was only a butler. As a servant, he had no right to interfere in his master's affairs, so it was not his place to stand up for him.

The old butler sighed again, then took several quick steps to catch up with Xiao Yan and led him toward the Reception Hall.

After arriving at the Reception Hall, the old butler first knocked on the door and reported that Xiao Yan had arrived. Upon receiving permission, he pushed open the door.

Xiao Yan stepped into the hall and found that, aside from the Xiao family's key figures, there were three unfamiliar people in the spacious room. These three were presumably the guests Butler Mo had mentioned.

Xiao Yan looked over in confusion. His gaze first fell on an old man dressed in a moon-white robe, staring directly at the man's chest, where an exquisite pattern had been embroidered with fine silk thread.

A crescent moon, with seven golden stars arranged neatly around it.

Seven Star Great Dou Master!

This old man was actually a Seven Star Great Dou Master. No wonder the Xiao family treated him so courteously. Before a Seven Star Great Dou Master, no one could hold their head high.