First Arrival

"Teacher, when will today's training end? My legs are going numb." A three-year-old child sat cross-legged, looking up at the transparent, aged figure floating beside him with a bitter, milky-voiced complaint.

"Heh, Xiao Yan, don't you try to act cute with me. Speak properly. Do you think I don't know you, you little rascal? If I hadn't checked that your soul fluctuations were as smooth and integrated as one, I would have thought some old monster had possessed you." The aged figure seemed unimpressed by the child's act and spoke sternly.

"Heh heh, Teacher, look at what you're saying. No teacher talks to their student like that; it makes this student quite embarrassed." Seeing that his act wasn't working, Xiao Yan's dark eyes darted around, and he abandoned the baby voice for a crisp, clear tone.

"Hmph, Xiao Yan, do you really have the nerve to say that? I've been teaching you to practice Qi since you were two, and a year later, you're only at the third stage of Dou Power. At your current rate of cultivation, you won't be able to inherit my mantle even in your next life."

"Keep circulating your energy. If you don't complete thirty-six cycles today, you aren't getting any dinner." The aged figure flicked his left hand, sending a puff of energy to tap Xiao Yan's knee, correcting his posture.

"Aiya, I know, you mean teacher." Seeing that acting innocent was useless, Xiao Yan had no choice but to close his eyes and continue circulating his cultivation technique.

Tch, if it weren't for the energy I brought over when I transmigrated, you wouldn't have woken up for another thirteen years. Sigh, such a bitter life!

Xiao Yan then gathered his focus and began to circulate his technique.

As Xiao Yan's breathing gradually steadied, the room grew quiet, and a sliver of afternoon sunlight refracted through the window into the room.

As the air grew still, the aged figure looked at the handsome, fair-skinned child before him and fell into memories.

"Teacher, please, just die for your disciple!" A long blade shimmering with a cold, eerie light pierced through his chest, and Han Feng, with a ferocious expression, held Yao Lao in a death grip.

In the distance, several cold, rolling black auras flashed and vanished.

"Feng'er, you..." Yao Lao looked at the blood-stained blade in his chest, unable to believe it.

Until his dying breath, Yao Lao never imagined that his disciple, Han Feng, would collude with the Soul Hall to ambush him. Caught off guard and with his physical body destroyed, he had no choice but to use a secret technique to escape and hide within a ring. Later, the ring passed through many hands until it was obtained by Xiao Yan's mother. When she was dying in childbirth, Xiao Yan's body erupted with a shocking wave of energy that saved her, which also allowed Yao Lao to awaken.

It was thanks to Xiao Yan's companionship over these past three years that Yao Lao was able to emerge from the state of mind caused by his most trusted disciple's betrayal, and he eventually agreed to take Xiao Yan as his disciple.

"Knock, knock, knock." A series of knocks interrupted Yao Lao's memories, while Xiao Yan, who had long since finished his exercises, was planning to play a prank on him.

"Is Yan'er in?" A deep, resonant voice drifted in.

"People really do love to reminisce as they get old," Yao Lao chuckled bitterly.

"Heh heh, Teacher, it's Father. I'll go open the door." Caught in his mischief, Xiao Yan quickly hopped off the bed to open the door.

"Father, you're here." Xiao Yan opened the door to find a powerful, tall figure standing with his hands behind his back. The aura on his body was restrained, yet he was clearly a Dou Ling expert.

"Yan'er, it's been a long time since you visited your mother. Oh, Yao Lao, you are here as well." Xiao Zhan entered the room and bowed respectfully to the aged figure.

"Looking at the residual energy fluctuations on you, it seems you've had another breakthrough. Not bad, already a five-star Dou Ling. It seems that Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill didn't go to waste." Yao Lao looked at Xiao Zhan, his eyes narrowing with interest.

"Heh heh, it is all thanks to the rank four medicinal pill gifted by Yao Lao." Xiao Zhan, usually imposing and domineering in front of Xiao Yan, was clearly docile and submissive before Yao Lao.

"What are you laughing at?" Feeling he had lost face in front of Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan glared at the boy who was snickering on the side.

"Heh heh, this child is just happy for Father's breakthrough," Xiao Yan said crisply.

"Forget it, forget it. Yan'er, find some time to visit your mother; she misses you. Yao Lao, I shall take my leave." Xiao Zhan left the room, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Heh, you're getting itchy for a beating, aren't you? Daring to prank both your teacher and your father. You must reach the fifth stage of Dou Power this month," Yao Lao said, his face turning stern as he looked at Xiao Yan.

"No, Teacher!" Xiao Yan wailed.

Having finished his daily cultivation, Xiao Yan left the room, intending to head to the Martial Arts Arena to see his eldest brother, Xiao Ding, and his second brother, Xiao Li.

"Greetings, Young Master Yan." Outside the courtyard, two fierce-looking guards in black stood at attention and saluted Xiao Yan. As Xiao Yan nodded, he asked Yao Lao in the ring with surprise, "Heh, Teacher, just how many pills have you fed the clan members over these three years? The two guards at my door are already at the Dou Practitioner level."

"Since when did Dou Practitioners in Wutan City become so cheap that they're used as door guards? I know our Xiao Clan's strength has been growing these past few years, but not this fast, right? Teacher, how many Dou Practitioners does the Xiao Clan have now?" Xiao Yan asked, clearly taken aback.

"Heh heh, not many, not many. Counting the peak Dou Ling hidden in the Dou Qi Pavilion, plus your father, the First Elder, Second Elder, and Third Elder, the Xiao Clan now has five Dou Ling, twelve Da Dou Shi, and fifty-five Dou Practitioners. There are too many Dou Practitioners, so I haven't bothered to count them." Yao Lao seemed very satisfied with Xiao Yan's question and spoke with reserved pride.

"Hiss! The Xiao Clan is truly producing experts now. It'll take me a long time to reach the Dou Ling level," Xiao Yan said with envy.

"Heh, look at your lack of ambition. Back then, a peak Dou King begged to guard my gate and offered a low-tier Earth-grade technique just so I would refine a Dou Ling Pill for him. If he hadn't been so annoying, I certainly wouldn't have accepted that technique," Yao Lao said dismissively.

"Hmph, as an eighth-rank alchemist and a peak Dou Zun, of course you wouldn't care for a mere Dou Ling," Xiao Yan complained, feeling a headache coming on.

"Heh heh." Seeing Xiao Yan deflated, Yao Lao laughed. Seeing they were approaching the Martial Arts Arena, he withdrew his consciousness back into the ring and fell silent.

"Heh-ha!" "Heh-ha!"

As Xiao Yan drew closer, the sounds of the Xiao Clan disciples in the Martial Arts Arena became clearer.

The arena was filled with young boys, ranging from six or seven to eleven or twelve years old, undergoing training. The clan member in charge of the training today was the chief instructor of the Martial Arts Hall, the peak Da Dou Shi, Xiao Zhen. Xiao Zhen stood on a high platform with his hands behind his back, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Xiao Yan's six-year-old eldest brother, Xiao Ding, and five-year-old second brother, Xiao Li, were mixed in among them, standing straight and practicing their basic fist techniques with focus.

"Third Brother! Ha, look, Third Brother is here!" The young boys, whose minds were not yet settled, lacked focus; as soon as the two saw Xiao Yan approaching, they started calling out. The other boys nearby turned their heads at the commotion, their movements faltering.

"Keep your focus! Continue training!" Xiao Zhen frowned and shouted, and the boys in the arena immediately straightened up again.

"Yes, Chief Instructor!"

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