Xiao Xun'er's Thoughts, Ling Ying's Shock!

"Yes, Miss."

Ling Ying acknowledged the order, then frowned slightly as he glanced once more at the room where Xiao Yan resided. Finding nothing truly amiss, he flickered and vanished into the shadows.

It must have been my imagination.

Soon after, Ling Ying appeared inside Xiao Xun'er's room and bowed respectfully to her.

"I wonder, Miss, what business you have with your subordinate?"

As Xiao Xun'er's bodyguard, he was well aware of the Ancient Clan's purpose in sending her to the Xiao Family.

Yet, for some reason, Xiao Xun'er had seemed indifferent to the instructions given by the clan leader, Gu Yuan, over these years, making no serious effort to locate that item.

Having long since come to view Xiao Xun'er as family, he had simply turned a blind eye to her lack of initiative.

Even when reporting back to the clan, he would always reply: "The Miss is searching with all her might, but the Xiao Family has hidden it too well, and there have been no results."

Inside Xiao Xun'er's room.

The young girl stood quietly by the window, the moonlight filtering through the lattice to cast a hazy silver glow upon her.

She wore a long purple dress that swayed slightly, tracing the exquisite curves of her figure.

Her dark hair cascaded like a waterfall to her waist, with a few stray locks resting playfully against her forehead, making her stunning face appear all the more ethereal and refined.

Her brows were like distant mountains veiled in mist, and her eyes were like the rippling waters of an autumn lake.

Those eyes were clear yet profound, as if hiding a bottomless spring that drew anyone who looked into them into an involuntary trance.

She stood there in silence, surrounded by a faint, cold aura, like a fairy from a moon palace untouched by the dust of the mortal world.

Yet, at this moment, a trace of unconcealable confusion and gravity marred the brow of this otherworldly girl.

"Elder Ling."

Xiao Xun'er turned around, her gaze falling upon the gray-robed elder standing respectfully before her, her delicate brows knitted together.

"Are you aware that Brother Xiao Yan..."

She paused, her tone laced with complexity.

"...already possesses the cultivation of a Dou Wang during today's assessment?"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Ling Ying was completely stunned.

He widened his eyes, staring at Xiao Xun'er in disbelief, his expression as if he had just heard the most absurd joke in the world.

"Xiao Yan?"

"That Xiao Yan who has been stuck at the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi because his cultivation regressed?"

Ling Ying's composure faltered, losing the steady demeanor he usually maintained.

"He is only fifteen! How could he possibly be a Dou Wang?!"

"Miss, you haven't made a mistake, have you?"

Ling Ying was truly shaken to his core.

As Xiao Xun'er's bodyguard, although he was not a member of the Xiao Family, he had kept an eye on the boy from time to time over the years, both because of the Miss's favorable attitude toward him and because of Xiao Yan's previously exceptional talent.

It could be said that in the entire Xiao Family, aside from Xiao Zhan and Xiao Xun'er, almost no one knew Xiao Yan's background better than he did.

Precisely because of this, he found it even harder to believe!

That kid hadn't even practiced a proper cultivation technique—how could he possibly have become a Dou Wang?

It was completely illogical!

Seeing Ling Ying's reaction, Xiao Xun'er was not surprised.

She sighed softly, a complex look flashing through her eyes.

In truth, if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes today, she would have found it hard to believe that Brother Xiao Yan, who had always been regarded as a waste, possessed the cultivation of a Dou Wang.

One had to remember that she was a prodigy of the Ancient Clan, bearing the clan's purest bloodline and practicing its most supreme techniques.

Yet, even so, her true cultivation level was only that of a Dou Ling!

And Brother Xiao Yan?

Fifteen years old, a Dou Wang!

What kind of concept was that?

Even with her talent, bloodline, and constitution, she was currently nowhere near that level!

It was truly inconceivable!

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Xun'er spoke again with unprecedented seriousness:

"Elder Ling, I am not lying to you."

"Brother Xiao Yan truly displayed the strength of a Dou Wang during the test today, achieving the feat of condensing Dou Qi into wings."

"Everyone in the Xiao Family was present and witnessed it with their own eyes."

"What? It's actually true?"

Ling Ying was once again dumbfounded, his pupils filled with shock.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat dry and could not utter a single word.

That kid...

What other secrets is he hiding?

How on earth did he manage it?

A storm of disbelief raged within Ling Ying's heart.

Although he was extremely unwilling to accept this fact, he knew very well that the young mistress had no reason to lie to him.

Furthermore—

Condensing Dou Qi into wings is the hallmark of a Dou Wang; it cannot be faked!

"Damn it..."

Ling Ying felt a pang of regret.

If he had known, he shouldn't have gone out wandering today.

Although he was Xiao Xun'er's bodyguard, he didn't have to be by her side every single second; he would occasionally stroll through the markets to find some amusement.

Today was the day of the Xiao Family's talent test, and since the young mistress would basically not be going out and thus face no danger, he had gone for a walk.

Who would have thought—

Such a monumental event would happen today!

That silly kid, Xiao Yan, had actually become a Dou Wang?

What kind of absurd thing is this?

Even within the Ancient Clan, a fifteen-year-old Dou Wang is a monstrous genius worthy of exhausting every resource to cultivate!

He could rack his brains all he wanted and still couldn't fathom how Xiao Yan had achieved it!

Suddenly—

Ling Ying seemed to associate it with something.

His expression shifted repeatedly, his eyes flashing with uncertainty as he looked at Xiao Xun'er in utter shock, whispering his guess:

"Yo... Young Mistress..."

"Could it be that Xiao Yan became a Dou Wang without anyone noticing..."

"Because of that item the Clan Head entrusted you to find?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

Xiao Xun'er's pretty face changed slightly.

She naturally knew what that item Ling Lao was referring to—

The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade.

The legendary treasure left behind by a Dou Di!

If Brother Xiao Yan had truly unlocked the secrets within and obtained the Dou Di's inheritance...

It might actually be possible for him to reach the Dou Wang realm at such an age!

But...

If the people of the Ancient Clan found out, wouldn't Brother Xiao Yan's situation...

Become incredibly dangerous?

Xiao Xun'er couldn't help but clench the corner of her clothes, her eyes flashing with deep worry.

She looked at Ling Ying before her, took a deep breath, and murmured:

"Ling Lao, this matter..."

"Could you please keep it hidden for now?"

"Do not report it to the clan."

"Young Mistress, this..."

Ling Lao's face showed a hint of hesitation.

Concealing such a major matter—if the Ancient Clan were to find out, the consequences would be unimaginable.

That is a clue to the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade!

It is a mission personally assigned by Clan Head Gu Yuan!

If he were to hide it and not report it...

However—

When he saw the trace of worry in Xiao Xun'er's gaze and the earnestness flowing within those clear eyes, his heart could not help but soften.

Over these years, he had watched the young miss grow up in the Xiao Family with his own eyes, and had witnessed the deepening of her feelings for that young man day by day.

Although the young miss had never explicitly stated it, how could he fail to see her intentions?

Forget it, forget it.

Ling Ying sighed inwardly, and in the end, he nodded, speaking with determination:

"Rest assured, young miss!"

"This old servant's life belongs to the Ancient Clan, but this old servant's heart belongs to you."

"Only—"

He paused, his tone turning grave.

"This matter will not be able to be kept under wraps forever; I hope the young miss will ponder this carefully and make plans early."

Xiao Xun'er nodded, a flicker of gratitude flashing through her eyes.

"Thank you, Elder Ling."

Ling Ying waved his hand, about to take his leave.

Yet, the moment he turned, he seemed to recall something else, and his footsteps faltered.

"By the way, young miss."

Ling Ying looked back, his expression somewhat strange.

"Just now, while I was patrolling outside, I passed by the vicinity of Xiao Yan's courtyard and vaguely sensed a trace of a Dou Huang's fluctuation."