The bell marking the start of the coming-of-age ceremony had just rung when Xiao Ze, Xiao Xun'er, and Ya Fei made their dazzling entrance.
It was as if they were the true stars of the ceremony, drawing the eyes of nearly everyone present.
With a smile on his face, Xiao Ze hurriedly led Xiao Xun'er to the area where the Xiao Clan's underage disciples were gathered.
Ya Fei, meanwhile, returned to the VIP seats without batting an eye.
She had seen scenes that drew everyone's attention plenty of times over the years.
On the stage, Xiao Zhan coughed, drawing everyone's attention back to him.
"Thank you all for honoring us with your presence at the Xiao Clan's coming-of-age ceremony."
As Xiao Ze heard Xiao Zhan launch into a long speech, the smile on his face stiffened slightly.
It seemed that no matter where you went, long-winded speeches were unavoidable.
The Xiao Clan's core members stood on the high platform, including the clan head and the elders.
As a member of the main branch, Xiao Ze was actually entitled to stand up there as well.
But he wanted to keep Xiao Xun'er company, so he went to the area where the Xiao Clan's underage disciples were gathered.
The stars of today's ceremony—the Xiao Clan disciples who were coming of age this year—were in another area, ready to take their tests.
Xiao Ze looked around and spotted someone in a corner waving at him.
Leading Xiao Xun'er over, he saw Xiao Yan watching him with a smile.
"Fourth Brother, you really saved my life!"
"Huh?" Xiao Ze asked in confusion. "Third Brother, no one's around here threatening your life. What do you mean?"
"You have no idea. Before you arrived, practically everyone was sizing me up."
"Especially those people in the VIP seats. Their gazes felt like they were trying to see right through me!"
Xiao Yan said with lingering fear, "Luckily, you showed up, Fourth Brother. You drew all their attention away in an instant."
"Haha, Third Brother, it wasn't that bad. Even if I hadn't come, once the ceremony officially started, they wouldn't have kept their eyes on you."
Xiao Ze laughed and reassured him, while Xiao Xun'er stood quietly to the side.
Around Xiao Ze, she could be lively, like a girl next door and a childhood sweetheart.
But in front of outsiders, Xiao Xun'er was usually cool and aloof, hard to approach.
Even those who tried to get close to her were defeated by her seemingly polite smile, which in truth kept everyone at arm's length.
Xiao Ze chatted with Xiao Yan as they watched the coming-of-age ceremony.
This year's ceremony was utterly unremarkable. There were no unexpected dark horses, nor any prodigies with extraordinary talent.
Everything about the tests seemed ordinary.
Some passed the Dou Qi test and were overjoyed, earning the right to continue cultivating within the Xiao Clan.
Others fell just short and walked off the stage looking utterly dejected, preparing to accept the Xiao Clan's arrangements and become stewards of an outer branch.
As the Grand Elder's grandson, Xiao Ning had decent talent and barely passed the test.
After Xiao Ze had beaten him into a pig's head, he'd spent every day cooped up in his room, no longer going out to cause trouble. He seemed to have improved quite a bit.
"Fourth Brother, speaking of which, have the Grand Elder and the others come to apologize to you?"
"Huh? Where did that come from? Has the Grand Elder offended me?"
Hearing Xiao Yan suddenly bring up the subject, Xiao Ze couldn't help asking.
"Xiao Ning came to apologize to me earlier, and we made peace."
Xiao Yan thought it over, then decided to tell the whole story honestly.
"But in the end, he asked me to put in a good word for him with you. I refused and told him to come apologize to you himself."
"Then I wouldn't know. I've been staying in the back mountains lately and hardly ever go home."
"Ah, I see. Xiao Ning probably couldn't find you. He'll likely come looking for you after the ceremony."
Xiao Yan had just finished speaking when an elderly figure approached them.
"Xiao Ze, do you have a moment? This old man would like to talk to you."
"Grand Elder?"
Seeing the figure appear out of nowhere, Xiao Yan couldn't help saying.
"Heh. I'm no longer the so-called Grand Elder."
"Sure. Let's find somewhere secluded."
Xiao Ze was unafraid. He could now hold his own against the Grand Elder, so he wasn't worried about any tricks.
When they reached a quiet place, they found someone already waiting there.
Xiao Ze's expression turned a little odd. It was none other than Xiao Ning!
"Xiao Ze, my grandson had a clash with you earlier, and I also lost my temper and attacked you. Please forgive us."
The Grand Elder spoke with heartfelt sincerity, his face full of remorse.
Xiao Ning was the same, bowing repeatedly to Xiao Ze.
"Heh, Grand Elder, there's no need to say that. Although you've temporarily been stripped of your position as an elder, your contributions to the Xiao Clan can't be erased."
Xiao Ze had expected something like this before coming, but he hadn't expected the Grand Elder to be so straightforward.
A palanquin was borne by many hands; he wasn't about to begrudge him a few kind words.
They were all members of the same clan. Surely even the greatest conflict could be talked out.
"My conflict with Xiao Ning started because Third Brother was humiliated. Since Third Brother has no objections now, I won't keep holding this against you."
"Excellent, excellent! Xiao Ze, you truly are magnanimous! A qilin destined to lead the Xiao Clan to glory!"
The Grand Elder spoke with delight, showering him with one extravagant compliment after another.
Xiao Ze was almost embarrassed to hear them. The Grand Elder usually seemed so stern; who knew he had such a gift for flattery?
"All right, Grand Elder. Now that we've cleared this up, I have other things to do, so I'll be going."
In the end, Xiao Ze couldn't take any more of this old fox's flattery.
He couldn't compete. Not even close.
The Grand Elder could always find some unexpected angle from which to praise Xiao Ze.
If he hadn't been the Grand Elder, Xiao Ze wouldn't have known he had so many good qualities!
Only after watching Xiao Ze leave did the Grand Elder let out a long breath. Xiao Ning, too, gazed at his grandfather with admiration.
"Grandpa, I never knew you were so good at praising people. Why have you never praised me?"
At his grandson's question, a flicker of anger crossed the Grand Elder's face. He smacked Xiao Ning on the head.
"If you had even a tenth of Xiao Ze's diligence and achievements, you could ask Grandpa to praise you however you liked!"
"But you can't do it! I gave you the chance, and you were useless!"
"Ow, Grandpa, stop hitting me! I wasn't a genius to begin with. If you keep hitting me, I'll end up a mediocrity!"
Xiao Ning covered his head and hurriedly pleaded.
Only then did the Grand Elder stop.
He really couldn't bear to beat his grandson into a mediocrity.
"Xiao Ning, you have to work hard and make something of yourself!"
The farcical scene between the grandfather and grandson in that secluded corner finally came to an end.
When Xiao Ze returned, he found that the ceremony had moved on to the next stage.
The newly adult clan members were accepting challenges from the others.
"Where's Third Brother?"
Xiao Ze returned to the corner where they had been earlier, only to find Xiao Xun'er waiting there alone.
"Cousin Xiao Yan probably couldn't stand everyone staring at him, so he left first."
Xiao Ze looked around. No one was paying attention to this corner.
"Xun'er, after I left, did you not say a word?"
"That's right. I'm not close to Cousin Xiao Yan, and we had nothing to talk about."
Xun'er answered as if it were only natural.
"All right, now I understand why Third Brother left."
While Xiao Ze was there, he could chat with Xiao Yan, so things weren't too cold or awkward.
But when Xiao Yan was alone with Xiao Xun'er, her icy demeanor had driven him away.
Xiao Xun'er wore a beaming smile. Of course she knew why Xiao Yan had left; that was exactly the outcome she wanted.
Earlier, Brother Xiao Ze kept chatting with Cousin Xiao Yan. I didn't get a chance to say a word!
Thinking this, Xiao Xun'er moved closer to Xiao Ze and took his hand.
"Brother Xiao Ze, do you have anything else planned for today?"
"After the ceremony, I plan to find Xiao Yu and ask her when Jia Nan Academy's enrollment will begin."
"Then, when it's over, shall we go out for another meal?"
Xiao Xun'er took the opportunity to suggest.
"Sure. But this time, I'll treat you."
They chatted as they watched the Xiao Clan disciples fight onstage.
To be honest, the fights were boring not only to Xiao Ze but to Xiao Xun'er as well.
The two of them often sparred with Dou Techniques, and their combat skills were both quite advanced.
In their eyes, the Xiao Clan disciples' battles were no better than chickens pecking at each other when it came to technique.
Xiao Ze even took the opportunity to quiz Xiao Xun'er, asking her to point out the flaws in their fighting.
Drawing on her understanding of combat, Xiao Xun'er quickly analyzed the flaws in their techniques and their sense of timing.
Luckily, they were in a corner. Otherwise, anyone who overheard them would have gaped in shock.
Those two youngsters' understanding of combat might have surpassed that of some seasoned mercenaries!
"Ah, it's finally over. If Brother Xiao Ze hadn't asked me to analyze the fights halfway through, I might have been so bored I'd have left."
Only when Xiao Zhan announced the official end of the coming-of-age ceremony did Xiao Xun'er speak. She stretched her limbs as she did.
Just then, a graceful figure walked over.
Seeing Xiao Ze, Ya Fei broke into a radiant smile.
There was no one around in this corner, so Ya Fei felt free to speak openly.
"Thank you for saving me earlier, Young Master Xiao Ze."
"This is a VIP Card from the Mittel Family. You'll get a discount when you buy things at the Mittal Auction House!"
Ya Fei took a crystal card from the lining of her clothing. The card was engraved with the Mittel Family's exquisite crest.
Xiao Ze took the card. It still carried a faint warmth.
"If I need anything, I'll visit the Mittal Auction House."
"Then I'll look forward to your visit, Young Master Xiao Ze. I'll be going now and won't disturb the two of you any longer."
Ya Fei smiled as she waved goodbye to them.
Xiao Ze watched Ya Fei leave, then prepared to take Xiao Xun'er to find Xiao Yu.
"Let's go see Cousin Xiao Yu."
"Not yet, Brother Xiao Ze. Give me that card first."
Xiao Xun'er suddenly spoke. Xiao Ze didn't think much of it and placed the card in her fair hand.
"Tsk, Miss Ya Fei certainly understands men. The card's still warm."
Xiao Xun'er looked at Xiao Ze with a knowing smile. He shrugged.
"Why are you looking at me? I don't care. It's just a card that's still warm. It's not like it's going to make me start imagining things."
Xiao Ze rolled his eyes and said to Xiao Xun'er, "Come on. I still have things to do after we ask about the date."
"What are you going to do?"
"I plan to take a trip far away!"
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