Da Dou Shi

[Target: A well-known Da Dou Shi.]

[Strength: Five-Star Da Dou Shi.]

[Technique: Mad Lion Furious Aura, mid-tier Xuan Rank.]

[Constitution: None.]

[Copy time: One hour!]

[Copy?]

"Copy!" Xiao Lei hurriedly said in his mind.

"One hour! I hope that's enough!"

If it had been the opening ceremony at Xiao Lei's old school, he would have been supremely confident. All he'd need to do was arrange for two people to give speeches, and he could stretch the event out until the time was up.

"Keep going. Next!"

The Coming-of-Age Ceremony had to continue. No matter how excited Xiao Zhan and the others were, they could only wait until it was over before seeking out Xiao Lei.

Xiao Lei looked as if he didn't care about the rest of the people being tested. He simply stared fixedly at Xiao Zhan and the others.

The testing wasn't quick. Whenever someone's cultivation was measured, the examiner had to announce it, and all sorts of other things slowed things down as well.

After a long while, the examiner finally called the last name.

"Xiao Yan."

A youth quickly stepped out of the crowd and walked up to the Magic Stele.

"Dou Strength: Eighth Stage."

It surprised everyone present, too. But after the nuclear-bomb-like shock Xiao Lei had caused earlier, this little surprise was nothing much.

"Xiao Yan: Eighth Stage Dou Qi, advanced level!"

"How is this not quite what I imagined?" Xiao Yan scratched his head, at a loss.

Shouldn't everyone have been stunned, staring at him in disbelief? Then he'd lift his head proudly, wash away the humiliation he'd endured these past few years, and prove he was still a genius.

Why did it feel like nobody cared?

Xiao Yan was dumbfounded. He'd had a golden chance to show off, but he hadn't managed it.

Everyone's attention had gone to Xiao Lei.

Xiao Lei had simply shocked them far more. He'd jumped straight to Four-Star Dou Zhe in one go. This kind of talent was just...

"Why has Xiao Lei been staring at the elders on the platform this whole time? He hasn't paid the slightest attention to anyone else's test."

After watching Xiao Lei for so long, the crowd had noticed something odd. His head hadn't turned once from beginning to end.

At that moment, in front of Xiao Lei:

[Copy progress: Six minutes remaining.]

"Almost there!" Xiao Lei's heart surged. He hurriedly fought down the grin trying to creep onto his face.

He absolutely couldn't laugh right now!

At the same time, Xiao Zhan, on the platform, felt a sudden itch all over.

"Didn't I take a bath yesterday? Why am I so itchy?" Xiao Zhan shifted his body slightly, and only then did he feel a little better.

But then a surging force suddenly ran wild inside him, rushing straight toward a certain place below.

"Gah... whoa!"

Xiao Zhan hurriedly clenched his lower body, forcing it back.

"What's going on? Didn't I use the bathroom before the ceremony?" Xiao Zhan wondered suspiciously. He clenched both hands, putting all his strength into keeping a certain place tightly shut.

This was the Xiao Clan's Coming-of-Age Ceremony. If he lost control now, word would probably spread to the neighboring empire. Xiao Zhan would never live it down.

"Oh! Here it comes again! Why does it keep coming and going?"

Xiao Zhan was in the thick of it, feeling as if each day were a year. Xiao Lei wasn't doing much better.

"Come on, come on!"

Xiao Lei screamed in his heart. His strength had leaped so far that someone might arrange for a person to challenge him. If the copy succeeded first, it wouldn't matter—he could teach the other guy a lesson with two punches. But if someone challenged him right now, he'd have spent an hour staring for nothing, and it'd be hard to get another chance like this.

"Now we'll begin the challenge round. Those who failed may choose an opponent to challenge. If they win, they'll pass as well!"

At this point, the Second Elder had taken over as host. That way, he could ensure nobody got killed at a critical moment.

Though in the original story, it hadn't done a damn bit of good...

Hearing this, Xiao Ning gestured urgently to someone standing in the area for those who had failed.

The man saw Xiao Ning looking at him. After a struggle, he finally had no choice but to step out.

Xiao Ning had approached him before the test and asked him to deal with Xiao Lei. In return, Xiao Ning had promised that his grandfather would arrange a better position for him.

"I, Xiao Shan, challenge Xiao Lei!"

His voice trembled with nerves.

Everyone in the square was startled. Six-Stage Dou Qi challenging a Four-Star Dou Zhe?

What the hell was going on?

But moments later, everyone understood. Xiao Shan had clearly been pushed out to test Xiao Lei.

After all, this was the only chance for someone who had failed to turn things around. Using it to challenge a Four-Star Dou Zhe meant that as long as the other guy was normal, the fight would be over with a single punch.

Xiao Mei watched with taut nerves, afraid she'd miss even the smallest detail. Part of her hoped Xiao Lei was bluffing. At least then she wouldn't look so blind.

But another part of her hoped he wasn't faking it. Otherwise, where could she find someone with such great talent whom she could also get close to?

"What's Xiao Shan doing? Little pervert, beat him up!"

Below the platform, Xiao Yu waved her little fists, wishing she could go up there and punch Xiao Shan twice herself.

Xiao Zhan and the others on the platform said nothing. They had their doubts, too. Xiao Lei's strength had appeared too suddenly, and it saved them the trouble if someone else tested him for them.

Once again, everyone turned their attention to Xiao Lei.

"Come on! Damn it, hurry up!" Xiao Lei stared at the system panel before him, with only half a minute remaining, and cursed Xiao Shan ten thousand times in his heart.

The last time Xiao Lei had been in such a rush was probably during the English essay portion of his college entrance exam.

Except these two situations weren't quite the same.

Xiao Lei didn't say a word. Xiao Shan immediately grew uneasy. The guy wasn't even acknowledging him. Wasn't that contempt?

"Xiao Lei! Stop playing mysterious and come fight me!"

[ Ding! Copy successful.]

[Target: A well-known Da Dou Shi.]

[Strength: Five-Star Da Dou Shi.]

...

"Enough nonsense! Give me the strength!" Xiao Lei roared in his mind.

[Ding! Copy successful. The host has obtained the cultivation of a Five-Star Da Dou Shi.]

As the system's voice faded, boundless Dou Qi surged out of nowhere within Xiao Lei, far more vast than the Dou Qi he'd obtained before. His body rapidly grew stronger, his muscles swelling beneath layer upon layer of clothing.

Feeling all of this, Xiao Lei turned toward Xiao Shan, who had just been shouting at him, and gave him a wicked grin.

"I accept your challenge!"

On the viewing platform, a relaxed smile spread across Xiao Zhan's face.

Ah! That felt so good!

The confident smile on Xiao Lei's face was worlds apart from the miserable, shit-eating expression he'd had while staring at Xiao Zhan earlier. Even Xiao Shan couldn't help but freeze for a moment before his expression darkened again.

"Stop playing mysterious!"

"Keep the fight within bounds!" the Second Elder reminded them before quickly stepping aside.

"Take this, Mountain Opening Palm!"

Xiao Shan hurried forward and struck at Xiao Lei with a palm. Xiao Lei didn't give ground at all. He didn't even activate his Dou Qi; he simply clenched his fist and punched straight toward the oncoming Xiao Shan.

Boom!

In an instant, the victor was decided. Xiao Shan was sent flying off the platform by Xiao Lei's punch, crashing beside the audience stands.

One punch, instant defeat!

"He took him out with one punch without even using a Dou Technique. If that's not a Four-Star Dou Zhe, what is?"

"Forget Four-Star Dou Zhe. You could tell me he's a Dou Shi, and I'd believe you!"