Talent Returned for One, While Another Wanted to Live Off a Rich Woman

[Dou Qi: Eighth Stage]

Dou Qi Continent, southwestern corner of the Northwest Continent, Xiao Clan of Wutan City, Jia Ma Empire.

On the stone platform at the center of the enormous training ground in the Outer Academy, a black stone monument several zhang tall suddenly shone. Golden characters danced across its surface, plunging the entire venue into silence.

From the guest seating beside the plaza came the repeated sound of teacups falling and shattering. The high-ranking representatives of Wutan City's various factions were all dumbfounded, their faces full of disbelief.

They had come merely to verify whether Xiao Yan, the third young master of the Xiao Clan, had truly raised his Dou Qi cultivation by four stages within a year, as the rumors claimed.

Yet the truth far exceeded their expectations.

It was not four stages of Dou Qi in a year?

It was... five stages of Dou Qi in a year!

"Truly terrifying!"

"With such cultivation speed, the Xiao Clan has struck it rich this time."

"Indeed. Perhaps a Dou Emperor powerhouse will emerge a few decades from now?"

"The Xiao Clan's third young master was already exceptionally gifted. Who would have thought that after being a waste for three years, he would become even more monstrous?"

"Yes. Leaping five stages of Dou Qi in a single year—so long as he does not die midway, he will surely restore the Xiao Clan's former glory."

"..."

After rubbing their eyes or pinching their arms, confirming that the numbers on the Spirit Testing Stone were correct, the high-ranking guests exchanged horrified looks.

"Brother Xiao Ting, it seems Cousin Xiao Yan recovering his talent has shocked you quite a bit?"

At the side of the plaza, a young girl's smiling voice rang beside him, bringing the dazed youth back to his senses.

"Yes." The youth named Xiao Ting tilted his head slightly and looked at the girl beside him.

She wore an exquisitely made azure dress. Her temperament was ethereal, like a lone blue lotus blooming in an empty valley, untouched by the world.

Her brows and eyes were picturesque, her skin fair, her figure slender, and her features exquisite. She seemed like a fairy stepping out of a painting and into reality.

"Isn't Xun'er surprised?" A smile appeared at the corner of Xiao Ting's lips.

How could he have been shocked by Xiao Yan recovering his talent and becoming even more monstrous than before?

Now, he knew full well that Xiao Yan would one day become a Dou Di. This was hardly worth mentioning.

At most, as Xiao Yan's close cousin, he was happy that Xiao Yan had once again proven himself.

What truly shocked him was that Xiao Yan's high-spirited appearance had awakened his memories from a past life, making him realize that he was a transmigrator.

In his previous life, he had been born in a poor rural village along the coast. He was the second of three sons and one daughter. As everyone knew, the second child was never favored.

Growing up in an unloved environment, he had quietly and ordinarily reached adulthood. After graduating high school with decent grades, his parents had demanded that he work and earn money to support his siblings' education.

After being bled dry for several years, the age of short videos arrived, and massive amounts of information reshaped his worldview. He chose to sever ties with his family unilaterally and headed to the Demon Capital to "ascend the throne," donning the yellow robe.

After saving up some money, he decided to reward himself by custom-ordering ten life-sized 3D anime figures at once.

On his way back to his rented apartment after picking up the delivery, he was considering which anime wife to favor first.

Then, as expected, an accident occurred. He ran into a truck driver rushing to meet year-end quotas.

"The ten figures I bought back then were Yan Lingji, Yun Xiao, Xun'er, Medusa, Xiao Yi Xian, Cao Ying, Qing Lin, Ling Qingzhu, Raiden Shogun, and Tifa."

"Five of them were from Battle Through the Heavens. Could that be related to my transmigration into this world?"

A sudden thought came to Xiao Ting as his gaze unconsciously swept over Xun'er's flawless face.

She was far more beautiful than any anime or figure, perfectly matching the image of a possessor of the Gu Clan's perfect Dou Di bloodline.

"Of course Xun'er is surprised as well." Xun'er lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, the corners of her lips curling up. "But I am even happier. From now on, Cousin Xiao Yan will not need Brother Xiao Ting's protection anymore. Brother Xiao Ting can spend more time with Xun'er, right?"

"Of course." Xiao Ting nodded with a smile and reached out to take Xun'er's small hand. "Tomorrow, I will accompany you to the back mountain to enjoy the scenery. How does that sound?"

After transmigrating into the world of Battle Through the Heavens, his memories had not awakened immediately.

Xiao Yan had initially retained memories of his past life, but they gradually faded with time, leaving only the influence of compulsory education and a proper set of values.

He was precisely the opposite. At first, he had no memories of his past life, only the impressions those past experiences had carved into his soul, making him cautious in his actions and willing to give for his family.

Fortunately, his relatives in this life were all quite good. His birth mother was the younger sister of Clan Chief Xiao Zhan, while his father was an ordinary-looking independent cultivator with a handsome appearance and diligent cultivation habits who had married into the Xiao Clan.

Ten years ago, the old clan chief Xiao Lin had led many core members to explore a Dou Emperor tomb, only for the entire group to perish. The Xiao Clan had no choice but to strategically retreat from Jia Ma Holy City to Wutan City. Along the way, they were ambushed by many black-clothed men of uncertain identity. His parents died separately while protecting Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan.

From then on, Xiao Zhan treated him as his own son. Before Xiao Yan became a waste, he had been spoiled and often looked down on others, yet he had always cared for Xiao Ting attentively.

Not long after the Xiao Clan returned to Wutan City, Xun'er was sent to the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Yan possessed an adult's mind and was very curious about this "younger sister," whose origins were obviously mysterious.

Partly probing her and partly pitying Xun'er for suffering from some kind of cold energy—though it was actually the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame improving her meridians and bloodline, removing impurities, and forging the strongest foundation—he brought along Xiao Ting, the little follower he could never shake off, and sneaked into Xun'er's room in the middle of the night.

Perhaps because they thought the two children posed no threat, Xun'er's hidden guards did not stop them at first.

It was only when Xiao Yan prepared to make a move that a mysterious expert appeared, knocked him unconscious, and threw him outside.

From then on, Xiao Yan kept a respectful distance from Xun'er and remained wary of her.

Xiao Ting had been young and ignorant then. He only knew that his cousin "disliked" Xun'er, so he followed suit.

After Xun'er came to the Xiao Clan, everyone their age liked her, took the initiative to get close to her, and played with her.

Xiao Ting alone "hostilized" Xun'er because of Xiao Yan, using childish little tricks to target her.

No one knew where things had gone wrong, but over time, the two became a pair of bickering enemies, somewhat like a toned-down version of Yang Guo and Guo Fu.

Xun'er was gentle, polite, and aloof toward everyone, but only around Xiao Ting did she display the straightforwardness a young girl should have.

The change came after Xiao Yan became a waste. Xun'er was one of the very few who neither mocked him nor gave him disdainful looks.

Furthermore, Xiao Ting had grown up and begun to understand attraction between men and women. Perhaps influenced by the gradually awakening memories of his past life, he had started to grow closer to Xun'er.

However, before today, he had regarded Xun'er more as a younger sister.

But from this moment on, he declared, "My rich little sister, your brother is hungry and wants food."

As the son of Xiao Yan's biological aunt, and with such a close relationship between them,

he only needed to wait for Xiao Yan to become an emperor, and his future would naturally be secure.

As for Xun'er, she was naturally worthy of him as well.

Living off a rich woman for a while in the early stages was completely fine for a transmigrator.

At that moment, feeling the warmth from his hand, Xun'er, who had never imagined he would hold her hand under such circumstances, froze briefly before her face instantly flushed crimson.

"Brother Xiao Ting, you, you..."

The nearby youths secretly watching Xun'er:!

Xun'er's guards protecting her in the shadows:!!

The sky had fallen!

Just then, Xiao Ting suddenly felt dazed.

His consciousness entered a unique space, where he saw an ancient book.