Pulling Strings

Morning, Central Square of Wutan City.

Although this recruitment team was stationed in Wutan City, the area under its jurisdiction also included several nearby cities. Thus, when Xiao Yan and Xun Er arrived at the square and saw the vast sea of people stretching seemingly without end, they could not help frowning.

A wave of clamor rose into the sky over the enormous square. Countless young people desperately pushed toward the center, and if not for the troops dispatched by the City Lord Mansion to maintain order around the edge of the square, these excited crowds would likely have rushed in without restraint long ago.

Xiao Yan held Xun Er's small hand, wrapping Dou Qi around both of them as he forced his way through the surrounding people and passed through the bustling crowd.

A high platform had been erected in the center of the square. A middle-aged man sat upon it, apparently a mentor from Jia Nan Academy. Beneath the platform was a long line of young cultivators who had come to register.

"There are so many people." Xun Er stood on tiptoe to look around, but her view was blocked by the dense mass of heads. She said, "Brother Xiao Yan, shall we find somewhere with a better view?"

Xiao Yan nodded. Just as he was about to lead Xun Er toward the front of the crowd, he suddenly heard two familiar calls from behind him. "Third Brother! Little Yan!"

The voices were deep and powerful. Xiao Yan abruptly turned around and saw two young men striding toward them.

The man on the left wore white robes and had a tall, slender build, with a face as gentle as jade. The man on the right stood straight and tall, with a trace of severity between his brows.

They were none other than his eldest brother, Xiao Ding, and second brother, Xiao Li, who had been away training for over half a year!

"Big Brother! Second Brother!"

Xiao Yan happily released Xun Er's hand and hurried over in three quick strides.

Xiao Li pulled Xiao Yan into a hug and firmly patted his back. "Good lad, you've grown taller again!"

Xiao Ding reached out and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder. "I heard you've already advanced to the Dou Zhe realm? As expected of the number one genius of our Xiao Family!"

Xiao Yan scratched his head embarrassedly, then pulled Xun Er to his side and said with a smile, "This is Xun Er."

Xun Er obediently nodded and said with a smile, "Hello, Big Brother Xiao Ding. Hello, Second Brother Xiao Li."

Xiao Li smiled and nodded. Xiao Ding's eyes also held a gentle smile as he said, "Little Sister Xun Er has become even more beautiful."

"Third Brother, are you here to take part in Jia Nan Academy's recruitment as well?"

Xiao Li patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and asked.

Xiao Yan shook his head. "I just came with Xun Er to see the excitement. Besides, I thought Big Brother and Second Brother would return for the recruitment as well, so I wanted to see if I could run into you. I didn't expect to meet you as soon as we arrived."

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged a glance. "We encountered some opportunities during these past six months outside and have both broken through to the Dou Zhe realm. Since Jia Nan Academy happened to be recruiting, we returned to take a look."

As they spoke, the middle-aged mentor on the high platform stood up, his voice ringing out loud and clear.

"Silence! Jia Nan Academy's recruitment examination begins now! Everyone, line up and enter the testing channels in an orderly manner!"

The so-called testing channels were merely several simple tents, open at both ends. Some Jia Nan Academy students stood within them, guarding the Test Crystals placed atop stone pillars and maintaining order during the examinations.

The Test Crystal's mechanism was simple. As long as the person touching it had reached Eighth-Stage Dou Qi, it would automatically light up, signifying that they had passed the preliminary test.

Those who passed the preliminary test would then proceed to the potential assessment stage.

At the command, the crowd immediately stirred, and the lines began moving forward.

"Let's go. We can head straight in."

With a sweep of his hand, Xiao Ding led his three younger siblings past the queue and directly toward a cluster of tents at the rear of the square.

"That kind of testing wastes too much time. Big Brother has some connection with a Jia Nan Academy student, so we can use the back door."

Xiao Li explained to Xiao Yan and Xun Er, his expression somewhat strange.

"What's going on, Second Brother? Tell me all about it!"

As brothers who had grown up playing together, Xiao Yan understood Xiao Li all too well. That expression clearly meant something was going on with Big Brother!

Before Xiao Li could speak, a voice as gentle as water rang out from not far ahead. "Xiao Ding? You found your younger brothers so quickly? Come over!"

Xiao Yan looked up in surprise and saw a woman in green walking toward them with a smile. Her lovely face bore a gentle expression, and as her gaze shifted, a soft smile flowed from her eyes like a clear spring.

"Ahem, her name is Ruo Lin. She's a student of Jia Nan Academy. When we were training at Ghost Suppression Pass on the empire's border, Big Brother saved her life and took care of her for a while. She may be three years older than Big Brother, but she's genuinely a wonderful person. I think she's definitely going to be our sister-in-law."

Xiao Li coughed lightly and quietly explained to Xiao Yan and Xun Er.

However, the moment he finished speaking, Xiao Ding elbowed him. Xiao Ding looked a little embarrassed. "Don't talk nonsense. Ruo Lin and I are just friends."

"Ah, yes, yes! A girlfriend!"

Xiao Li grinned and teased him.

Ruo Lin?

Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brows. If he remembered correctly, Ruo Lin was supposed to become a mentor at Jia Nan Academy later on, wasn't she?

What was going on here? She had actually caught Big Brother's eye?

As he pondered, Xiao Ding had already gone up to meet Ruo Lin and introduced Xiao Yan and Xun Er to her.

"Hello, Sister-in-Law!"

Xiao Li was much friendlier with his own family and even cracked a few jokes.

Ruo Lin's lovely face flushed red at his words, but she did not deny it. Although she had not spent much time with Xiao Ding, she truly did have a favorable impression of him, and it was not merely because he had saved her life.

To her, although Xiao Ding was three years younger, his mind was more intelligent and mature than hers. He exuded the charm of a mature man, and that was indeed deeply attractive to her.

Although neither of them had yet made their relationship clear, they were already in an ambiguous stage. Such teasing did not offend her.

Xiao Ding would not reprimand his own younger brother in front of outsiders over something so minor, but neither did he want Ruo Lin to be affected. He promptly changed the subject.

"This is the genius third brother I told you about, Xiao Yan. He's only ten and a half this year, yet he's already a Dou Zhe. The one beside him is Xun Er. She just turned ten and should be at Ninth-Stage Dou Qi, right?"

Although Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had gone home to look for Xiao Yan early that morning and failed to meet him, they had still learned about his circumstances. However, the information they received was already half a year old.

"A ten-year-old Dou Zhe and Ninth-Stage Dou Qi?"

Ruo Lin was also astonished. If talents of this caliber could enter Jia Nan Academy for training, they would likely be able to become Inner Academy elders directly within the academy!

"Come with me. I'll take you to meet the mentor. If she can take in two little geniuses like you, she'll definitely be thrilled!"

Ruo Lin did not doubt Xiao Ding's words in the slightest. If he said it, she believed it.

She then led the four of them toward the place where Jia Nan Academy assessed potential.