Redoubled Training

The next morning, while Xiao Tian was training, he saw Xiao Yan undergoing arduous cultivation in the back hills. Xiao Yan trained for an entire day, and Xiao Tian silently watched for the entire day as well.

After Xiao Yan left, Xiao Tian mocked himself. "If I keep focusing only on winning over the female leads, I'll really be getting too full of myself. Xiao Yan was able to become the Flame Emperor because he endured far too much suffering—suffering that others simply couldn't bear. Starting tomorrow, I'll train twice as hard as he does!"

The next day, Xiao Tian found Xun'er in the morning and said, "Sister Xun'er, I need to cultivate. The coming-of-age ceremony is almost here, so I need to work harder. I've been happy spending time with you these past few days, but I've gotten a little carried away. If I can't keep growing stronger, then no matter how talented I am, I'll still be nothing but trash someday. Do you understand?"

"Mm, Brother Tian, I understand. Work hard. I'm going back to cultivate too!" Xiao Xun'er said. After spending the past few days together, their feelings for each other had risen rapidly.

Xiao Tian embraced her. Xiao Xun'er blushed slightly, and Xiao Tian wanted to see how well his pursuit had gone, so he lowered his head and kissed her soft lips.

After kissing for a while, Xiao Xun'er pushed Xiao Tian away. "You can't, Brother Tian. We can't do this." Xiao Tian gave a self-mocking smile. "So I'm still not as important to you as Xiao Yan." Then he turned and left.

Xiao Xun'er didn't know what to do. When Xiao Tian had kissed her just now, she hadn't rejected him. They had kissed for a while before she pushed him away... He must be very angry.

Xiao Tian thought, You, Xiao Xun'er, the proud daughter of heaven, look down on me now. Sooner or later, I'll make you submit completely. Provoked by Xiao Yan, Xiao Tian began his doubled arduous training. He also started learning the Earth Tier Battle Skill Ya Fei had helped him purchase, the Blazing Flame Palm.

"A gigantic palm formed of flames. Once mastered, it can incinerate the attacks of all low-level battle skills!"

Every day, Xiao Tian trained from dawn until midnight, then soaked in medicinal baths to heal the wounds on his body. Eight months later, Xiao Tian advanced to an Eight-Star Dou Practitioner.

The arduous training he persisted with every day made Xiao Tian look sturdier, with a very well-proportioned body. Xiao Tian was quite satisfied with his appearance. At least he hadn't turned himself into a lump of charcoal like Xiao Yan.

Today was the day of the coming-of-age ceremony. A group of young clan members gathered in the square. Xiao Tian merely sat off to one side, quietly resting with his eyes closed.

At this moment, Xiao Xun'er walked over and said to Xiao Tian, "Congratulations, Brother Xiao Tian. You've improved so quickly." Xiao Tian replied calmly, "Thank you. You're not bad yourself." After that, there was nothing more to say. The two simply stood there.

Then, seeing the long-absent Xiao Yan, Xiao Tian said, "Aren't you going to greet your Brother Xiao Yan?"

Hearing Xiao Tian's indifferent tone, Xiao Xun'er said, "No. I'm afraid someone might get jealous again!"

Xiao Tian snorted. "Tch, who would get jealous? Not me. You're overthinking it!"

Xun'er said, "Oh~ Is that so? Hehe."

The moment Xiao Yan appeared, murmurs spread through the crowd. "Look, that trash is going to be sent out of the clan today." "Yeah, yeah. He wasted so many of the Xiao Family's resources and is still trash!" "Sigh, isn't it just because he was born lucky? He's the clan leader's son, after all!"

From the clan leader's seat, Xiao Zhan saw his son. Seeing the confidence in Xiao Yan's eyes, he smiled happily. The Second Elder beside him sneered. "Clan Leader, don't lose heart. If he really can't make it, just arrange a decent job for the Third Young Master!"

Xiao Zhan did not get angry. Instead, he said calmly, "Second Elder, don't jump to conclusions too early. Otherwise, you'll be the one getting slapped in the face in the end."

The Second Elder snorted. "Hmph, I hope so!" Then the First Elder said, "The time has come. Begin."

Afterward, Xiao Zhan explained the rules—what would happen to those above the seventh stage and what would happen to those below it.

"Xiao Mei!" the tester called. The girl ran out cheerfully and underwent the familiar test.

"Dou Qi: Eighth Stage."

"Xiao Xun'er!"

Dou Practitioner: One Star.

"Xiao Yan!"

Dou Qi... Seventh Stage!!

"Gasp! Four stages in one year? How is that possible?!" The crowd began chattering again. Xiao Tian merely smiled at this. What a bunch of idiots.

Then he looked at Xiao Xun'er beside him. She ignored everyone else and looked back at him. The two stared at each other until Xiao Tian's name was called from above.

Xiao Tian walked up. He pressed his hand against the magic stone, and a flash of light passed through it. The tester was stunned!

"Xiao Tian! Eight-Star Dou Practitioner!!"

Gasp! If Xiao Yan was a genius, then wasn't Xiao Tian a monstrous genius?!

Below the stage, Xiao Mei looked at Xiao Tian with a face full of admiration. What an amazing man. I like him so much!

Xiao Xun'er frowned slightly. Hmph! What incredible talent. I'll catch up to you!

Old Yao said to Xiao Yan, "Your Xiao Family truly produces geniuses one after another." Xiao Yan was also shocked. "How is that possible? How could he be so strong?"

Yao Chen said, "There's nothing impossible about it. You're not the only one improving!"

Xiao Yan was not discouraged. Instead, he said, "I'll work hard. I'll surpass him!"

Yao Chen said, "Work hard, Little Yan."

"Yes, Teacher! I'll work hard. Train me twice as hard from now on!" Xiao Tian looked at the people on the stage and said to Old Yao.

Afterward, Xiao Ning challenged Xiao Yan, only to be knocked off the stage by a single Eight Extremes Collapse. Everyone truly believed it now. Xiao Yan's cultivation had really returned. As for Xiao Tian, no one dared challenge him at all!

They weren't stupid. Why would they do something so foolish? Afterward, Xiao Tian returned to his room, and Xiao Xun'er followed him inside. Xiao Tian said, "What's this? It doesn't seem like you went to congratulate your Brother Xiao Yan today."

Xiao Xun'er said, "He isn't mine! You are!"

Xiao Tian said, "I'm not yours. You're overthinking it." Xiao Xun'er understood that Xiao Tian was still angry and said softly, "Hmph~ You stole my first kiss. Don't you want to take responsibility?"

Xiao Tian said, "I won't."

"Hmph~ Then I'm sticking to you. Hehe." Xun'er stuck out her tongue.

Xiao Tian said nothing more. Instead, he asked, "Where are you planning to go? Jia Nan Academy?"

Xun'er shook her head. "I don't know. What about you?"

Xiao Tian said, "I'm going out to gain experience! There are too many powerful people in this world, and plenty of geniuses too. In a tiny place like Wutan City, this little achievement amounts to nothing on the entire continent!"

Xiao Xun'er said, "I want to tell you something. Don't be angry, okay?"

Xiao Tian had already roughly guessed what it was, but he still said, "Go on." Xiao Tian figured she was going to tell him about her identity.

Xiao Xun'er said timidly, "I'm the daughter of the Gu Clan's leader. I came to the Xiao Family for a piece of Ancient Jade."

Xiao Xun'er said, "Don't be angry. I didn't want this either, so I got close to Xiao Yan. When we were children, Xiao Yan even helped nourish my meridians, so I've always treated him like an older brother."

"Did you really only treat him like an older brother?" Xiao Tian asked with a wicked grin.

Xiao Xun'er said, "At first, I did somewhat see him as a future partner. But then he gradually became a genius and stopped playing with me much. Then he became trash and ignored me even more. I went looking for him several times, but he ignored me every time."

Xiao Tian said, "So then you came looking for me? Were you really planning to use me as his replacement?"

"It was you who kept me company. I never treated you as some replacement or backup, like you said!" Xiao Xun'er said helplessly.

Xiao Tian said, "Kiss me, and I'll believe you. Otherwise, I won't."

Xiao Xun'er said, "You're awful. You're bullying me!"

Xiao Tian said, "Oh? So are you going to kiss me or not?"

Xiao Xun'er quickly kissed Xiao Tian on the cheek, then ran away with a red face. Xiao Tian smiled. Watching Xiao Xun'er run off, he thought, Silly girl. I never expected Xiao Yan to push you into my arms like this.

This is quite interesting. Forget it, I'll go back and rest today. Tomorrow, I'll go shopping. Work and rest should be balanced! That's how life should be. Then I'll set off to gain experience and search for Heavenly Flames to strengthen myself.

I need to develop quietly and not get reckless! Right, I need to grow slowly and cautiously. "System, Er Gou Zi!!"

"Host, are you dying?!"

Ignoring the system's complaints, Xiao Tian muttered, "Where are the missions? You, Er Gou Zi, are completely irresponsible!"

System: "There are currently no missions!"

"Then show me my attributes," Xiao Tian said.

Name: Xiao Tian

Level: Eight-Star Dou Practitioner

Cultivation Method: Flame Mantra

Talent: High

Bloodline: Intermediate

Battle Skills: Blazing Flame Palm, Sucking Palm, Instant Cloud Ladder

Items: High-grade Storage Ring, three Gold Coin Cards, one Alchemy Furnace

Pet: Impossible to have

Storage Space: Completely empty

Points: 60

It looked so pitiful! "Yes, Host, it's complete garbage!" Damn it, believe it or not, I'll beat you up!! "System has gone offline!"