One-Star Dou Zhe

Wutan City, Xiao Family.

"Dou Zhe, one star!"

As he looked at the four gleaming words on the Demon Stone Tablet of Testing, Xiao Yan's face remained utterly calm.

It had been ten years since he had transmigrated into the world of Battle Through the Heavens.

With no elders above him, no children below him, and no marriage, he had no emotional attachments to bind him. Coming to the Dou Qi Continent was no different from being reborn.

He had accepted the fact of his transmigration easily and gladly.

Knowing that the damned Soul Hall would sooner or later come knocking, and unwilling to suffer the tragedy of his teacher being captured and his father imprisoned, Xiao Yan had begun cultivating Dou Qi at the age of three. Relying on his formidable talent, he had become a Dou Zhe at only ten years old.

But in less than two years, Old Yao would awaken and begin draining his Dou Qi. The three-year gap that would follow was simply unacceptable to someone already short on time and desperate for strength!

"Xiao Yan, Dou Zhe: one star!"

Beside the Demon Stone Tablet of Testing, the middle-aged man in charge of the examination glanced at the information displayed on the tablet. His face flushed with excitement as he loudly announced the result.

As soon as his words fell, a wave of astonished cries rose from the packed plaza, just as expected.

"Heavens, a one-star Dou Zhe at ten years old? He really is the Xiao Family's genius young master!"

"That's incredible! When I was ten, I was only at the third stage of Dou Qi!"

The astonishment, praise, and flattering voices from all around fell on Xiao Yan's ears, yet they failed to stir the slightest ripple within him.

He knew that a mere one-star Dou Zhe was nowhere near enough!

Soul Hall's Protector Wu had likely already entered the Misty Cloud Sect and formed some sort of alliance with Yun Shan.

If he wanted to protect his father and Old Yao, he absolutely could not clash with the Misty Cloud Sect too soon and worsen the conflict.

He was only ten years old now.

There were still a full five years until Nalan Yanran came to break off the engagement!

Within those five years, he had to cultivate with everything he had. Even if he had to take off the Bone Flame Ring, he could not let Old Yao drain away his Dou Qi!

"Next, Xiao Xun Er!"

Amid the noisy crowd, the examiner's voice rang out once more.

As that elegant name was called, the crowd suddenly fell silent, and every gaze swiftly shifted.

At the center of everyone's attention stood a little girl in a purple dress, poised and graceful. Her calm, youthful face did not change in the slightest beneath the countless stares.

The girl's cool, tranquil temperament was like a pure lotus just beginning to bloom. Though still so young, she already possessed an otherworldly air. It was hard to imagine just how breathtaking she would become once she grew up...

With delicate steps, Xiao Xun Er walked before the stone tablet. She extended her small hand, and the gold-trimmed purple sleeve slipped down, revealing a section of fair, tender wrist before she lightly touched the tablet...

After a brief stillness, a dazzling light bloomed from the tablet once more.

"Dou Qi: eighth stage! Grade: high!"

Seeing the words on the tablet, the entire field fell into deathly silence.

"...She's already reached the eighth stage. That's terrifying! As expected of the genius second only to Young Master Xiao Yan!"

Once the silence passed, the youths around them involuntarily swallowed, their eyes filled with awe.

Within the crowd, Xiao Mei frowned slightly as she stared at the purple-clad girl before the tablet, a flash of jealousy passing over her face—she was still only at the fourth stage of Dou Qi and could not compare to Xiao Xun Er at all.

Although they both bore the surname Xiao, she and Xiao Yan were not cousins. Even tracing their lineage back to their grandfathers, they were only rather distant relatives.

She truly liked Cousin Xiao Yan. He was talented, hardworking in cultivation, somewhat handsome, and full of youthful vigor. Simply looking at him made her happy.

But apart from cultivation, Cousin Xiao Yan only spent time with Xiao Xun Er. She had no chance at all!

Looking at the information on the tablet, the middle-aged examiner beside it also smiled. He spoke to Xun Er with a hint of respect.

"Miss Xun Er, I believe that within two years, you should be able to condense a Dou Qi vortex. If you succeed, then becoming a true Dou Zhe at the age of eleven will make you the Xiao Family's second such talent in a hundred years!"

"Thank you."

Xun Er nodded faintly. Her calm little face showed no joy at his praise. She quietly turned around and stared directly at the first person in a hundred years, Xiao Yan.

"Brother Xiao Yan."

Xun Er called out brightly, a graceful smile blooming on her lovely face that made the surrounding girls jealous.

"Not bad, Xun Er. Your cultivation speed is nearly catching up to mine!"

Xiao Yan, who had not even stepped down from the platform, said with a grin.

At his words, Xun Er's eyes curved into little crescents, her face filled with delight at being praised by Xiao Yan.

"I'm still not as good as Brother Xiao Yan. A Dou Zhe at ten years old—if we look across the enti..." Xun Er nearly let something slip, hastily changing her words. "Even across the entire Jia Ma Empire, Brother Xiao Yan is the best!"

"Haha, you really know how to talk. Alright, there's nothing left for us here. Let's head back first, or people will surround us and gawk at us like monkeys again. It's just a Dou Zhe. What's there to look at?"

Hearing the Ancient Clan's young lady praise him so sincerely, Xiao Yan felt rather pleased. Then he waved his hand and led Xun Er down from the testing platform toward Xiao Zhan.

Now that he had become a Dou Zhe, it was time to find a cultivation technique.

Hearing that, Xun Er could not help wanting to roll her eyes at Xiao Yan.

A Dou Zhe might not be much to look at, but a ten-year-old Dou Zhe was incredibly rare!

After discovering that Xiao Yan's cultivation speed was astonishingly fast, she had also obtained resources from her clan to cultivate. Even so, she could only barely keep up with him.

This was truly absurd!

"Father, cultivation technique."

Xiao Yan brought Xun Er before Xiao Zhan and immediately held out his hand.

Hearing that, Xun Er also fell into thought.

The Xiao Clan had no high-grade cultivation techniques. It was completely wasting Brother Xiao Yan's talent.

But if she suddenly took out an Earth Tier high-grade cultivation technique, would she scare Brother Xiao Yan?

Maybe she should give him a Mystic Tier high-grade one first. She did not have anything lower-tiered on hand anyway. Hopefully Brother Xiao Yan would not find it lacking.

"Huh?"

Xiao Zhan had been lost in thought when Xiao Yan suddenly called out to him. He had not quite come back to his senses and froze for a moment before realizing that, as a Dou Zhe, Xiao Yan should indeed begin learning a cultivation technique.

"Ah, there's no rush regarding the cultivation technique. There will be an honored guest visiting the family later, so don't be discourteous."

"An honored guest? Who?"

Xiao Yan froze upon hearing that.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Xiao Zhan winked at Xiao Yan and broke into a broad smile.

Yet Xun Er frowned almost imperceptibly. She suddenly had an ominous feeling.

As for Xiao Yan, he felt that Xiao Zhan's lines sounded more and more familiar the longer he thought about them.

No!

Could it be... her?