Xiao Yan vs Xiao Ning

Soon, the results of the first round of cultivation testing were out.

Xiao Wu and Xiao Yu were tied for first place, without a doubt.

Dou Power, eighth stage.

The ceiling for the younger generation of the Xiao Clan.

This was the result of Xiao Yu concealing her true cultivation.

Of course, this excluded Xiao Ling, that walking cheat code!

However, where there is a positive, there is a negative; very unfortunately, Xiao Yan earned the title of the floor tile.

At this moment, the Third Elder looked toward the rostrum, and seeing the Clan Head and Xiao Ling nod at him, he announced.

"Next is the Arena Elimination Tournament. All disciples participating, come up and draw your lots."

Hearing this, the Xiao Clan disciples stepped forward one after another to draw their corresponding numbers. Many of them wore expressions of fighting spirit upon seeing their opponents.

They basically knew everything about each other, and there was no such thing as the deep-seated hatred seen in the original story.

Even if there was friction, it was resolved during the quarterly or Year-End Assessment.

This was the rule set by Xiao Ling.

After four years of evolution, it had basically taken root in everyone's hearts.

At this moment, Xiao Yan looked at his bamboo slip and saw a red number one written on it. He then looked to the side and saw a seven-year-old boy in green robes looking at him with a mischievous smirk.

"The old rules: those who drew the first ten lots, get on the arena according to your numbers. The rest, take a short rest."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan and the others stepped onto their respective arenas.

Xiao Ning glanced at his restless older sister and said cautiously.

"Sis, I'm going up now?"

"Go." Xiao Yu withdrew her gaze, looked at her younger brother, and warned: "Wait, I know you're full of hostility toward little Xiao Yan because of my relationship with brother Xiao Ling. But you listen to me: brother Xiao Ling's goals are not in the Xiao Clan, so don't cause trouble for him, you hear me?"

"Sis, don't worry, I won't cause trouble for my brother-in-law."

Xiao Ning said solemnly.

"You... asking for a beating..."

Xiao Yu's pretty face flushed red, and she lifted her leg, making a gesture to kick him.

Seeing this, Xiao Ning scurried away, turning his head to say.

"Sis, good luck, I believe you can do it..."

Xiao Yu retracted those long legs—already beginning to take shape and enough to make any man unable to resist—and tilted her head slightly to glance at Xiao Ling on the rostrum. Seeing him looking back at her, she couldn't help but blush, hurriedly lowering her head as her little heart pounded.

Did... did he hear that? Ah! What if he heard me? Should I... offer myself to him?

On the rostrum, Xiao Ling was a bit confused by her evasive gaze.

He didn't know what Xiao Yu was thinking, but looking at the girl's complexion, he knew for certain she was daydreaming about him.

To be honest, saying he didn't like Xiao Yu would be complete nonsense... but right now, he wanted to become stronger more than anything.

After all, the Dou Qi Continent was extremely cruel. If his "physique" issue were to be exposed one day and his fists weren't big enough, the consequences would be dire...

Down below, on Arena Number One, Xiao Ning leaped onto the stage and looked at the young boy in black robes before him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, cousin Xiao Yan. As a return, I will show you respect and hold nothing back."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan cupped his hands slightly and said: "Cousin Xiao Ning is too polite, this is just right."

"Enough, you two stop with the pleasantries. Hurry up, we're all waiting for you." The Third Elder waved his hand, interrupting them.

If it weren't for the sake of Xiao Ling and Xiao Zhan, he would have dealt with these two little brats long ago.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning looked around, gave a sheepish smile, and cupped their hands toward the Third Elder.

"Cousin Xiao Yan, you better be careful."

Xiao Ning stepped into the Wind Shadow Steps, arriving before Xiao Yan like a phantom, and slapped his palm toward the boy's chest.

"Crushing Stone Palm!"

The moment the palm struck out, Xiao Ning's face was full of smugness.

You must know, this was personally guided by his brother-in-law. It was completely different from the original version of the Crushing Stone Palm in the clan; its power had increased by at least thirty percent, truly living up to the name of shattering stone with a single palm.

The surrounding Xiao Clan disciples nodded and cheered. They didn't feel any resentment toward Xiao Ning for using a Huang-tier intermediate Dou Technique against Xiao Yan's third stage of Dou Power.

After all, big brother Xiao Ling had told them that history is written by the victors.

In the crowd, Xiao Yu saw this scene, and her expression turned very ugly. Daring to show such an expression before the opponent had fallen—in brother Xiao Ling's words, that was simply looking for death.

Facts proved her right. When Xiao Yan saw Xiao Ning's smug expression, he reacted quickly, immediately crouching down and letting Xiao Ling's palm graze right over his scalp.

At the same time, Xiao Yan also used the Crushing Stone Palm to strike at Xiao Ning's chest. Caught off guard, Xiao Ning was sent flying backward by the blow...

However, Xiao Ning's reaction was also swift. In mid-air, he struck the ground with his palm, using the recoil to perform a backflip and land steadily on the edge of the arena.

The crowd, who had been ready to watch the show, were all stunned for a moment before a wave of discussion erupted.

"Holy crap... Xiao Ning is actually pretty good..."

"Yeah, I was ready to watch him get countered, who knew he was hiding a trick like that."

"Could it be that Xiao Ling gave him some private coaching? After all..."

As he spoke, a younger member of the Xiao Clan glanced in the direction of Xiao Yu.

"Smack!"

"Are you looking to die? You dare gossip about that tigress."

Watching this scene, Xiao Yu's expression improved quite a bit, and she paid no mind to the surrounding chatter.

On the arena, Xiao Yan saw that even this hadn't taken Xiao Ning down, so he decisively raised his hand.

"I concede."

After saying this, he ignored the ugly look on Xiao Ning's face and immediately jumped off the arena, heading toward the spectator stands.

Hearing this, Third Elder nodded with a smile, very satisfied with Xiao Yan's sense of propriety.

"Very good, Xiao Ning wins this match."

This made Xiao Ning grit his teeth fiercely. He took one look at Xiao Yan's retreating back, forced to keep it in his heart for now; he would definitely find a chance to get his revenge later.

He silently returned to Xiao Yu's side and snuck a glance at her expression. Seeing that his sister had no intention of attacking him, Xiao Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart—mostly because he had been beaten into submission by her since he was a child.

If he knew that the reason his sister beat him was actually because she had been frustrated by Xiao Ling, who knows what he would think?!

"Second round, numbers eleven through twenty, please take the stage."

Hearing this, Xiao Yu paid no mind to her younger brother's petty thoughts. She glanced toward the main platform, and when she saw Xiao Ling nod slightly at her, a touch of sweetness bloomed in her heart.

She then leaped lightly, like a butterfly fluttering through a field of flowers, landing softly on the arena and drawing a chorus of gasps from all around.

"This... the movement technique Cousin Xiao Yu just displayed seems to be our Xiao Clan's Yellow-tier high-grade Dou Technique, Butterfly Steps, right?"

"It really does look like Butterfly Steps. I saw it before, but it was too hard to practice so I didn't choose it. I didn't expect Cousin Xiao Yu to have successfully mastered it."

A female disciple of fourteen or fifteen years old sighed with emotion.

On the arena, a girl in green clothes, around seven or eight years old, took one look at Xiao Yu, suppressed the trepidation in her heart, and said calmly.

"Please enlighten me, Cousin Xiao Yu!"

"Very well!"