Dou Zhe: Two Stars

"Dou Qi: Eighth Stage!"

A brilliant light burst from the black stone tablet, and large, neatly formed characters floated across its surface.

"She improved by one stage of Dou Qi in a year. Barely acceptable..."

After glancing at Xiao Mei's result, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and gave a faint appraisal.

"Mm."

Xun'er played with her dark hair, casually sweeping her gaze over Xiao Mei, who was surrounded by the crowd like a princess.

Xiao Yuan could not be bothered to offer any comment.

Among the dozen or so people after her, only one reached the Seventh Stage Dou Qi. The rest failed to meet the standard and walked to the side with ashen faces.

"Xiao Xun'er!"

As the examiner's cold voice rang out, the eyes of the entire crowd gathered in the direction of the three of them, eventually settling on the flawlessly beautiful young girl.

"Xiao Yan-gege, don't be too surprised later!"

Xun'er gave Xiao Yan a playful smile before walking toward the Testing Magic Stone Tablet.

"Could Xun'er have already advanced to Dou Zhe?"

Xiao Yan raised a brow, staring curiously at the girl's beautiful, alluring back as he muttered to himself.

"It's been a year. With Xun'er's talent, wouldn't advancing to Dou Zhe be effortless?"

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Yan, Xiao Yuan smiled as he spoke.

Even Xiao Zhan and the elders turned their attention toward Xun'er, the genius girl.

Under the gaze of everyone present, the girl walked unhurriedly to the black stone tablet. She extended her small hand, and her sleeve slipped down, revealing a slender, snow-white wrist.

Her jade-like hand lightly touched the cold black stone tablet. Xun'er slowly closed her eyes as the Dou Qi within her surged rapidly.

As Dou Qi flowed into it, the black stone tablet remained still for an instant before suddenly bursting with brilliant light...

Dou Zhe: One Star! As they stared at the four glittering golden words on the black stone tablet, the training ground fell briefly silent. Then sharp intakes of breath rose one after another, and everyone's expressions froze.

"Miss Xun'er, One Star Dou Zhe!"

Stunned by the four dazzling golden words, the examiner cried out in amazement.

Just as expected!

Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan nodded at the same time. Neither was surprised. With Xun'er's talent, advancing to Dou Zhe within a year was only normal.

Beneath the magic stone tablet, Xun'er seemed to dislike being watched so closely. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly before she turned and walked back, playfully blinking at Xiao Yan.

"Don't get too proud. With your talent, this result isn't surprising at all. If you hadn't reached Dou Zhe within a year, then I would have been truly shocked."

Xiao Yan shrugged and teased her.

At those words, Xun'er's pretty little face immediately fell, and she shot him a somewhat resentful glare.

As Xiao Yuan listened to Xiao Yan's blunt words, the corner of his eye twitched slightly.

The girl only wanted to hear a word of praise from the man she liked, yet this brat went and poured cold water all over her!

This was hard to watch.

Fortunately, Xun'er's affection for Xiao Yan was high enough that such a minor issue could not affect her feelings for him.

The following time was rather dull. Neither Xiao Yuan nor Xiao Yan was called up. Among the tests of over a hundred people, only one or two others, like Xiao Mei, reached the Eighth Stage Dou Qi. As for the Ninth Stage, there was not a single one!

In the end, only the brothers Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan remained.

After all, everyone knew their previous results had been truly terrible. These final dozen or so people were the bottom of the family! Unless something unexpected happened, they were practically certain to be eliminated.

"Xiao Yan!"

Beneath the Testing Magic Stone Tablet, the examiner called out the second-to-last name with a complicated look in his eyes.

"Xiao Yan-gege, it's your turn..."

The girl's soft little hand gently covered Xiao Yan's palm as she spoke quietly.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan swept his gaze around the training ground. Looking at all the gleeful, mocking eyes, he could not help but sneer softly.

"Go on. From today onward, the family's future rests upon you and me!"

Xiao Yuan patted Xiao Yan on the back and said with a smile.

"Mm!"

Xiao Yan nodded at Xun'er and Xiao Yuan, then finally looked at Xiao Zhan and smiled faintly. He turned around and strode toward the Testing Magic Stone Tablet. The confidence radiating from his brows made some clansmen who had wanted to mock him awkwardly shut their mouths.

Seeing the smile his younger son sent him, Xiao Zhan nodded in gratification. He lifted his teacup in one hand and leaned lightly against the back of his chair.

Amid the tightly focused and complicated gazes of the crowd, Xiao Yan's chest rose and fell slowly. He extended his palm and pressed it lightly against the cold black stone tablet.

The tablet remained quiet for a moment, then brilliant light suddenly erupted!

The huge golden characters on the tablet made everyone's hearts stop beating for an instant.

"Dou Qi: Eighth Stage!"

The entire arena fell silent—deathly silent!

Crack!

On the high platform, the teacup in Xiao Zhan's hand was crushed into powder with a single squeeze. Tea mixed with the powder and dripped from his palm.

"Eighth Stage! He's actually reached the Eighth Stage!"

Both of his sons were geniuses!

Xiao Zhan stared excitedly at the youth on the platform, the joy in his heart beyond compare.

The three elders seated beside Xiao Zhan were equally incredulous. Xiao Yan's talent had recovered too? And although he did not seem to measure up to Xiao Yuan, he was still stronger than Xiao Yan had been back then! Beside the magic stone tablet, the examiner stared blankly at the large words on the tablet. The coldness on his face had long since been replaced by shock.

"Xiao Yan: Eighth Stage Dou Qi, grade: High!"

Though the examiner tried his best to remain calm, his voice still trembled uncontrollably.

Hearing the announcement, many clansmen who thought they had been hallucinating finally came back to their senses, their eyes filled with shock.

Looking at the stunned expressions around him, Xiao Yan shrugged calmly, then walked straight back and smiled at Xiao Yuan. "Brother, it's your turn!"

"Hehe, then make sure you're standing steady."

"The last one, Xiao Yuan."

Xiao Yuan nodded with a smile upon hearing this. Then, accompanied by the examiner calling his name, he walked toward the magic stone tablet.

Seeing the White Robe figure standing beneath the magic stone tablet, Xiao Zhan and the three elders' gazes immediately turned fervent.

They desperately wanted to know whether Xiao Yuan had broken through to Dou Zhe.

Many clansmen also looked at Xiao Yuan with varied expressions—some doubtful, some inquisitive. Rumors of Xiao Yuan's restored talent had become wildly exaggerated these past days, making them truly reluctant to believe them.

Xiao Yuan stepped onto the platform with a faint smile. He extended his hand and began circulating his Dou Qi.

The examiner beside him had yet to recover from the shock of Xiao Yan's restored talent when he sensed a trace of chill spreading from Xiao Yuan's body.

Before he could realize the seriousness of the situation, the magic stone tablet, after a brief silence, suddenly erupted with dazzling, blinding radiance.

Quite a few people standing near the magic stone tablet felt pain in their eyes from the sudden flash.

Soon, the light receded, and huge golden characters emerged.

Dou Zhe: Two Stars!

???

As they stared at the four glittering, dreamlike golden words, four words surfaced in everyone's minds at the same time: How was that possible?