Ninth Stage Dou Qi!

(The early stages might be a bit boring, since the focus is on building up. Xiao Yan would probably appear around the middle of the story. As for the male lead, he wanted to lie flat, only to discover that he couldn't.

As for sucking up to Xiao Yan? The male lead's surname was Xiao too, and they were within five degrees of kinship. Once Xiao Yan became a Dou God, he'd become a Dou Sheng on the spot. Why struggle? Just lie flat!

Eh? That seemed to correspond to something. Still, he wouldn't really lie flat. The male lead had his own opportunities, and Xiao Yan wouldn't surpass him in cultivation. The only possible exception would be when Xiao Yan became a Dou God, but the male lead would catch up soon enough.

Anyway, read it if you like. If not, you can leave now.)

Dou Qi Continent, Northwest Continent,

Jia Ma Empire, Imperial Capital, Xiao Clan

[Dou Qi, Ninth Stage]

Five large characters shone brilliantly upon an ancient Magic Stone Tablet.

"Xiao Li, Ninth Stage Dou Qi! Grade: High!"

Beside the Magic Stone Tablet, a middle-aged man stared at the information displayed upon it and announced it in an excited voice.

As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, the Xiao Clan disciples in the square erupted into commotion.

"Oh my god, am I seeing this right? Young Master Li is way too ridiculous! Am I dreaming?"

"You're not dreaming! It's real. Young Master Li really is a genius. He's only nine years old and already at the Dou Qi Ninth Stage! I'm sixteen and only at the Seventh Stage Dou Qi. I can't compare to Young Master Li at all."

"Yeah, comparing people really makes you furious. Young Master Li's talent is truly astonishing. He's a genuine genius! Luckily, Young Master Li belongs to our Xiao Clan. With him here, why worry that our Xiao Clan won't rise to greatness?"

"Hehe, I like hearing that. Not only do I like hearing it, the Elders and Patriarch like hearing it too. With Young Master Xiao Lin setting such a fine example before him, who would have thought that Young Master Li would surpass even Young Master Xiao Lin?

In the future, our Xiao Clan might produce two Dou Wangs, perhaps even two Dou Emperors. Becoming the number one clan in the Jia Ma Empire is just around the corner!"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

At that moment, a nine-year-old boy standing before the Magic Stone Tablet looked at the words on it with a smile. It would have been a lie to say he was not pleased with himself.

The boy's name was Xiao Li. He was a direct descendant of the main branch of the Imperial Capital Xiao Clan and the current pride of the Xiao Clan.

Nine years. I began cultivating Qi at four, and now I'm nine with Ninth Stage Dou Qi. I'm not too bad, am I? I haven't disgraced transmigrators, have I?

That was right. This Xiao Li was a Transmigrator who had arrived in this Dou Qi Continent through an accident.

In this Dou Qi Continent, this was a world that belonged to Dou Qi. There was no flashy, dazzling magic. There was only Dou Qi, developed to its peak!

In the Xiao Clan square stood a row of chairs occupied by the Xiao Clan's Patriarch and Elders.

"Patriarch, Li'er's talent is truly astonishing. With him here, why worry that our Xiao Clan won't rise to greatness? Ahahaha!"

A white-haired old man spoke to the old man seated in the place of honor.

"Hehe, my grandson is extraordinarily gifted. The Xiao Clan has successors. This old man can be considered worthy of the Xiao Clan's ancestors."

The old man had an aged yet exceptionally kindly face. His eyes were deep, his hair and beard white, and he wore a beautiful beard two feet long. He possessed quite the immortal bearing.

The old man was named Xiao Ting. He was the current Patriarch of the Xiao Clan, the clan's stabilizing pillar, one of the Jia Ma Empire's Top Ten Experts, and a Seven-Star Dou Wang! He was also Xiao Li's grandfather.

The current Xiao Clan might differ somewhat from the Xiao Clan everyone imagined.

The Xiao Clan was one of the Four Great Clans of the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Capital. The clan possessed one Dou Wang, several Dou Lings, and countless Da Dou Shis.

Great Elder: "Patriarch, shouldn't we prepare a Gathering Qi Powder for Li'er? At Li'er's current pace, he'll be able to condense a Qi Cyclone and become a Dou Zhe in less than a year.

"A Dou Zhe at ten years old? I'm at a loss for words. I don't even know how to describe it. In any case, we must use the finest resources to nurture him."

Second Elder: "That's right. Why don't we send Li'er to the Misty Cloud Sect for cultivation? Perhaps Li'er could receive better training there."

Third Elder: "Would that work? It's not that I look down on the Misty Cloud Sect, but their main focus seems to be Wind Attribute Dou Qi and swordsmanship. That doesn't suit Li'er's Fire Attribute Dou Qi."

Xiao Ting coughed. "Ahem, there's no need to rush this matter. Li'er is only nine years old. Let's first focus on helping him break through to Dou Zhe. We can discuss the rest later.

"Prepare some gifts. Tomorrow, I'll visit the Alchemist Guild and ask President Wang to refine a Gathering Qi Powder."

"Alright."

Xiao Clan Back Mountain,

A boy had a washbasin-sized stone strapped to his back as he used its weight to do push-ups.

"Sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four..."

"Little brother! I knew you'd be here. Not bad, secretly training again. If the little ones in the clan find out, they'll definitely start complaining again!"

A young man who looked around twenty-seven or twenty-eight slowly approached. He was rather tall, with a resolute face, thick brows, and a white sleeveless shirt.

"Big brother, you're here. What is it? Go ahead and tell me. Sixty-five." Xiao Li glanced over and saw that his eldest brother had arrived. This man was the Xiao Clan's other outstanding talent, Xiao Lin!

The two brothers had quite a large age gap. After all, having children late in life was extremely common in this world.

Xiao Lin was twenty-three years older than Xiao Li, yet they truly belonged to the same generation. Xiao Lin was simply the eldest of that generation, while Xiao Li was the youngest.

Thinking about it was rather amusing. Xiao Lin's son, Xiao Li's eldest grandnephew Xiao Zhan, was the future Yan Emperor's father. He was only two years younger than Xiao Li.

About seven years ago, the brothers' father had died in battle after being plotted against by Poison Masters while defending the border against the Chu Yun Empire's Poison Masters.

Upon hearing the news, Patriarch Xiao Ting had gone to the border and forcefully slain one Dou Wang Poison Master and over a dozen Chu Yun Poison Masters, but even that could not change the fact that his son was gone.

The brothers' mother had also died of grief after her husband's death, leaving behind the still-young Xiao Li.

As the elder brother, Xiao Lin could not possibly watch his little brother go uncared for. Thus, he personally raised Xiao Li. It could be said that Xiao Li had been brought up by Xiao Lin. The phrase "an elder brother is like a father" became reality in that moment.

Xiao Li deeply respected his eldest brother.

Xiao Lin looked at his cultivation-mad little brother and smiled. "If you keep training like this, I'm afraid even the Jia Ma Empire's Top Ten Experts won't be able to beat you someday."

"What does the Jia Ma Empire amount to? My future stage won't be this tiny Jia Ma Empire. It doesn't even have a single Dou Zong. What kind of place is that? Sixty-six, sixty-seven."

Xiao Li snorted. It was no wonder he said such things. After all, Xiao Li understood the Dou Qi Continent extremely well. The Jia Ma Empire was merely a backward nation on the Northwest Continent.

Excluding the God Clans, the true experts of the Dou Qi Continent were all in the Central Continent. The Central Continent was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Dou Zuns were everywhere, and Dou Zongs were as common as dogs.

Xiao Lin chuckled. "Hehe, you've got ambition, kid. Keep it up. Your big brother believes in you. Oh, right, I came to tell you that I'm planning to head to the Magical Beast Mountain Range for a few years of training."

Xiao Li stopped moving. "The Magical Beast Mountain Range? What are you going there for? Forget it, big brother has his own plans. Just be careful, big brother. Watch out for poisonous Magical Beasts. Don't get ambushed."

Xiao Lin said, "Hey, you brat, you dare lecture your big brother now? Come on, let your big brother increase the intensity for you!"

Xiao Lin plopped down on the stone atop Xiao Li's back, making Xiao Li's face flush red. Of course, roughhousing was one thing; Xiao Lin would never truly put all his weight on Xiao Li.

After fooling around for a while, the two brothers got to their feet.

Xiao Li dusted himself off. "Big brother, spar with me for a bit. I want to test the Battle Skill I just learned."

Xiao Lin said, "Oh? You learned that move?"

Xiao Li assumed a fighting stance. "Big brother, you'll find out if you try it. Fiery Cloud Palm!"

Profound Rank Low-Level Dou Technique, Fiery Cloud Palm.

Xiao Li gathered Dou Qi in his right palm, causing it to take the form of blazing flames. He then used his palm as a weapon to attack Xiao Lin. The palm wind carried scorching fire and possessed considerable destructive power.

Boom—

A formidable ball of flame shot toward Xiao Lin.

"Whoa! You actually learned it. You learned a Profound Rank Battle Skill while still at the Dou Qi stage, you little brat."

Xiao Lin was also rather surprised. Then, he clenched his right hand into a fist and dispersed the flames with a single punch.

Although Xiao Li had displayed a Profound Rank Low-Level Dou Technique, something far from ordinary, Xiao Lin was a Dou Ling expert. The difference in strength between them was simply too vast for comparison.

Xiao Lin smiled. "Little brother, help me look after Zhan'er. You've always been sensible since you were young, so I'm at ease. It's just that Zhan'er is still too mischievous. Remember to urge him to cultivate."

Xiao Li nodded. "Got it, big brother."

In the distance, beneath a tree, Xiao Ting watched his two grandsons. Stroking his long beard, he smiled. "The younger generation is formidable. How wonderful."