"A Genius Who Reached Eight Stages in Three Months"

"Our Xiao Clan's young master, even if he made a mistake, should be dealt with by our own family. Besides, Xiao Yuan did nothing wrong today! You, a mere Dou Shi, dare spout nonsense about teaching Xiao Yuan a lesson on behalf of the Xiao Clan's elders? Today, I'd like to see just where you got the nerve!"

Though the Great Elder usually had his own selfish motives, the clan still came first in his heart.

In the past, Xiao Yuan merely needed to bring greater profits to the Xiao Clan to earn the Great Elder's respect. Now that he had displayed such terrifying potential, the Great Elder could not possibly let this genius be disheartened, even for the sake of the clan.

Besides, Xiao Yuan had not provoked anyone they could not afford to offend. Huang Jing laying a hand on him alone was enough to make the Great Elder want him dead.

There was another reason as well. Before leaving, his granddaughter Xiao Yu had asked him to look after Xiao Yuan.

Though he had not been able to tell exactly how strong Xiao Yuan was in that rushed moment, Xiao Yuan had certainly not advanced to the Dou Zhe realm. Yet, with strength below that of a Dou Zhe, he had escaped a move from a Dou Shi. That alone showed just how terrifying Xiao Yuan's potential was.

After all, less than half a year had passed since the last test. Xiao Yuan had gone from having no Dou Qi at all to his current level. If he kept this up, the Xiao Clan might produce a genius even greater than Xiao Yan had been back then!

Therefore, even to demonstrate Xiao Yuan's importance to the Xiao Clan, Huang Jing had to die today.

Though the Great Elder's talent was ordinary, he was still a Da Dou Shi. Dealing with a Dou Shi was naturally effortless. Huang Jing, who had been spouting such arrogant words earlier, could not even catch his breath now, let alone speak.

Moments later, Huang Jing died beneath the Great Elder's palm.

"Hmph. We've developed too peacefully these past years. It seems some fools have forgotten the iron-blooded methods the Xiao Clan used when we first established ourselves in Wutan City!"

After killing Huang Jing, the Great Elder removed the Storage Ring from his hand and put it away. Then he walked over to Xiao Yuan and said,

"Let's go. Earlier, Xiao Ning mentioned that you went to the Dou Techniques Hall, but I did not pay it much attention. Now, it seems your strength is close to that of a Dou Zhe. In just a few short months, you went from having no Dou Qi to becoming a Dou Zhe. If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it!"

Seeing the Great Elder's kindly smile, as though he were looking at his own grandson, Xiao Yuan smiled faintly as well.

That was the advantage of being in a small clan. As long as one was talented enough, these elders would treat him like treasure.

After all, the revival of the Xiao Clan required a true genius to shoulder the burden.

"Enough. Come back with me. We need to discuss your situation properly with the Clan Leader, the Second Elder, and the Third Elder."

The Great Elder affectionately patted Xiao Yuan on the shoulder, his face full of kindness.

"Alright. Please wait a moment, Great Elder."

Xiao Yuan nodded, then turned toward Jax with a smile.

"Uncle Jax, I'll sort out a list of compensation and my requirements for the weapons later, then have someone deliver it to you. The weapons I want must be forged from the finest materials. It is enough that you are working for free. Once they pass inspection, I'll make up the cost of the materials."

A friendly smile immediately appeared on Jax's face. He hurriedly said, "No need, no need. There's no need to pay for the materials. Consider it my way of making a friend of the Third Young Master!"

"Hehe, alright then."

Xiao Yuan smiled, then turned and followed the Great Elder. The members of the Xiao Clan's guard unit followed close behind.

Watching the group depart, Jax's smile gradually faded, and he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Having lived in Wutan City for so many years, he naturally knew the Xiao Clan's methods.

Huang Jing was a complete idiot. On the way here, he had even wanted to join forces with Jax to play the Xiao Clan.

Wasn't that courting death? Glancing at Huang Jing's lifeless body on the ground, Jax curled his lip in disdain before leaving Central Square as well.

He decided that, after returning, he would give his subordinates a proper warning.

They just needed to behave themselves, forge weapons, and run their business. They should not fucking meddle in the affairs of these big shots.

Xiao Clan, Council Hall.

Xiao Zhan sat at the head of the room. The three elders sat to his left, while Xiao Yuan sat to his right.

At that moment, all four of them had their eyes fixed on Xiao Yuan.

No matter how calm Xiao Yuan was, he could not withstand the gazes of these four people, who seemed determined to see straight through him inside and out. He could not help but say,

"Father, three Elders, I'm only at Five Stages Dou Qi right now. I merely cultivated that family Dou Technique nobody else practices, Wind Eagle Leg. If nothing else, I'm pretty good at running away, so please stop staring at me like that!"

"Only Five Stages? Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"

The Great Elder slammed his palm onto the table and glared at Xiao Yuan.

Was he joking? Could someone with Five Stages Dou Qi and that level of physical strength cultivate a Yellow Rank High Level Dou Technique?

"I saw it with my own eyes. With your movement technique, even an ordinary Dou Zhe could not possibly possess that kind of speed. The aura released when your Dou Qi erupted was at least at the level of Eight Stages!"

Hearing the Great Elder's words, the Second Elder, Third Elder, and Xiao Zhan all turned to look at him.

The meaning in their eyes was clear: Do you hear yourself? In three months, from no Dou Qi to Eight Stages Dou Qi? Are you making this up? The Great Elder felt awful too. Though he did not want to believe it either, he had asked around on the way back. Xiao Yuan had genuinely defeated two opponents at Nine Stages Dou Qi by himself. He might have had the advantage of striking first, but it had truly been one against two.

"Then if you say Eight Stages, Eight Stages it is."

Xiao Yuan sighed helplessly and said.

?

The Great Elder had once thought Xiao Yuan was a fine child in every way except that he could not cultivate.

But now, why did he find Xiao Yuan so irritating? What did he mean by, "If you say so, then so be it"? "Eight Stages in three months, Great Elder, isn't that a little too impossible?"

Even Xiao Zhan, his father, thought it sounded absurd.

"Yes, Great Elder. Even if Xiao Yuan had begun cultivating Dou Qi since childhood, having Eight Stages Dou Qi by now would already be impressive. Could there be something wrong with the Testing Magic Stone Tablet?"

The Third Elder could not help asking as well.

"You mean the Testing Magic Stone Tablet has tested everyone without issue year after year, but when it came to Xiao Yuan, it suddenly malfunctioned and could not measure him?"

The Great Elder looked at the Third Elder as though he were an idiot.

"Uh..."

The Third Elder's old face reddened, and he fell silent.

Compared to that, his suggestion sounded even more ridiculous. Instead, the possibility of Xiao Yuan reaching Eight Stages in three months seemed more believable.

"Father, three Elders, there's no need to worry. Next year will be the Coming-of-Age Ceremony. Once the Magic Stone Tablet tests me then, you'll know exactly how strong I am. For now, isn't it enough that you know my talent is excellent?"

Xiao Yuan smiled and tried to smooth things over. His cultivation method was unusual, so it was normal for his progress to be faster, but he certainly could not say that outright.

"Very well. Yuan'er, you have always known your limits. If you need anything, tell the clan. Perhaps our Xiao Clan may truly nurture a Dou Emperor powerhouse someday!"

Xiao Zhan nodded and spoke gently to Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan smiled.

A Dou Emperor? Probably not just that.