[Improved Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid: accelerates Dou Qi cultivation, nourishes the meridians, and assists with breakthroughs] [Improvements: no longer only effective for those at the Dou Qi level, though its effects will still gradually diminish with long-term use] [Recommended to use together with Marrow Cleansing Powder.]
"Next, Xiao Yuan!"
Xiao Yuan had only glanced at the description of the Improved Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid when the tester onstage called his name.
But when he came up onto the stage, he saw that Xun'er hadn't gone down. Instead, she'd left him room beside her, standing there with quiet grace.
What is this girl up to now?
"Go ahead."
The tester's urging brought Xiao Yuan back to his senses.
As he stepped forward, Xun'er clenched her little fist and playfully cheered him on.
"Do your best, Brother Xiao Yuan. Xun'er will wait for you here."
This girl...
Honestly, Xun'er was remarkably good at making people feel better.
At the very least, standing here now, he was already filled with a certain emotion and drive.
So Xiao Yuan raised his hand and slapped it straight against the Magic Stone Stele.
Bang!
With a faint muffled thud, the Magic Stone Stele suddenly blazed with light.
"Dou Shi: Nine-Star! Grade: High!"
The whole crowd was stunned into silence. Not even a gasp escaped them.
This sort of talent was beyond their comprehension. It was on an entirely different plane, in a completely different world.
A fourteen-year-old Nine-Star Dou Shi—one step further and he'd be a Da Dou Shi. What heights would he reach in the future?
They couldn't even imagine.
The strongest people they'd ever seen—
The three elders and the clan chief were only Da Dou Shi. Their knowledge of what was possible was completely limited by that.
When the elders and clan chief learned the result, they nearly yanked their own beards out, their faces flushed red.
"Excellent, excellent, excellent!"
They said "excellent" again and again, unable to hide their joy.
One Nine-Star Dou Zhe, one Nine-Star Dou Shi.
Even if Xiao Xun'er wasn't a member of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yuan alone was enough to herald the clan's complete rise!
"My Yuan'er has the makings of a Dou Emperor!"
But Xiao Yuan, standing onstage and staring at the words on the Magic Stone Stele, only pursed his lips in disappointment.
So that's all there is to it.
Other transmigrators cultivate a little and become emperors or join the sects just like that. I work myself to the bone, with pills to help me, and all I manage is a measly Dou Shi. I haven't even broken through to Da Dou Shi. I really am too useless.
If only I had a Heaven-Rank cultivation technique. I could probably be a Dou Ling by now, right?
Hearing Xiao Yuan's thoughts, Xun'er looked helpless and walked over to gently take his hand.
She hadn't realized that Xiao Yuan still didn't have even a single cultivation technique.
A fragrant breeze drifted over, and Xiao Yuan turned his head in confusion to look at the girl beside him. She smiled and spoke softly.
"Brother Xiao Yuan, don't be discouraged. Look, all the Xiao Clan disciples below are full of admiration for you."
"Xun'er doesn't know what you're carrying on your shoulders, Brother Xiao Yuan, but right now, you're as dazzling as a star in the heavens. Xun'er... truly admires you."
As she finished speaking, the girl's fair, pretty face showed the faintest blush for the first time.
It felt... like he'd been comforted.
Xiao Yuan didn't know what expression to make.
Come to think of it, I've gotten to enjoy the protagonist treatment for a little while, haven't I?
But if I were the protagonist, what should I do now?
Oh, I remember.
Right in front of Xun'er, Xiao Yuan first shrugged and rubbed his nose, then gave a wry smile.
Yeah, that's the stuff.
"Brother Xiao Yuan, you're always so peculiar."
Seeing Xiao Yuan's strange way of expressing himself, Xun'er's clear eyes curved into crescents with laughter.
But she didn't mind. She even liked it.
Just as Xiao Yuan was now enjoying the astonished and envious gazes of everyone, she found that more satisfying than receiving those looks herself.
And what she'd just said hadn't been mere comfort.
A fourteen-year-old Nine-Star Dou Shi, despite having such a thin trace of Xiao Clan blood in his veins.
With talent like that, had he been born into an ancient clan and given enough cultivation resources, becoming a Nine-Revolution Dou Zun by the age of thirty would have been all but certain.
What a pity.
There were no ifs.
Only regret.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan had already returned to the crowd below, but he hadn't left right away. He stood at the very edge, gazing up at Xiao Yuan and Xiao Xun'er onstage.
The two of them looked like a perfect match.
Xiao Yan couldn't help envying them, and a wave of bitterness rose in his heart.
If his cultivation hadn't regressed...
He should have been standing there with them, shouldn't he?
At the thought, Xiao Yan slowly clenched his fists, a nameless anger springing up in his heart for no reason.
Strength!
Heh, strength...
Xiao Yan murmured to himself. The anger in his heart quickly turned to bitter self-mockery.
Even now, he couldn't understand it. His talent clearly wasn't bad, so why had his cultivation regressed so far?
Ten years of hard work, gone in a single day...
Once the center of attention, a genius admired by thousands, he had become a good-for-nothing anyone could mock.
But just as Xiao Yan was wallowing in self-pity, a hand gently came to rest on his shoulder.
"Who?!"
Xiao Yan jumped in fright, then turned and saw two familiar faces.
They were the very pair who'd just been basking in admiring gazes onstage: Xiao Yuan and Xiao Xun'er.
"What, are you here to laugh at me too?"
Xiao Yan's voice was low, his words edged with barbs. He was like a hedgehog curled up to defend itself.
Xiao Yuan furrowed his brow and spoke in displeasure.
"Cousin Xiao Yan, is that really the kind of person you think I am, Little Yuan?"
Little Yuan...
Hearing that familiar nickname, Xiao Yan froze.
He remembered that his older brother, Xiao Li, had always liked calling Xiao Yuan that. Xiao Yan himself had called him that for years, too.
But now...
"Am I still worthy of calling you that?"
One was the most dazzling treasure in the clan, the other a mud-caked stone lying by the roadside.
The thought left a bitter taste in Xiao Yan's mouth.
"Why wouldn't you be? It's just a name."
Xiao Yuan raised his brows and wrapped his arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders.
"Cousin Xiao Yan, so what if you're a stone by the roadside? Even a stone can become a priceless work of art after careful polishing. And besides, you aren't a stone, Cousin Xiao Yan. You're just temporarily covered in dust."
"Covered in dust... But right now, I'm just a useless three-stage Dou Qi nobody."
"Believe me, it's only temporary. Before long, you'll recover your talent—and even surpass what you had before!"
Xiao Yuan said with absolute conviction.
It's okay, brother. We just have to wait for that old guy Yao Chen to wake up.
[System notification: Congratulations, you have received one Joyous Union Powder.] [Joyous Union Powder: Anyone below Dou Zong who consumes it will lose all cultivation for one hour and can enjoy the pleasures of the flesh.]
Seeing the reward from the system, Xiao Yuan was completely stunned.
Wait, what? What did you give me? Joyous Union Powder?!