"...Cousin Xiao Yuan, are you serious?"
It seemed Xiao Yuan's words had struck a chord in Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan raised his head and looked at Xiao Yuan with a firm gaze, his eyes brimming with gratitude.
Three years.
Aside from his father, only Xiao Yuan—whom he had once considered a rival—had always believed in him so firmly!
Looking back now, the childish competitiveness of their youth seemed utterly ridiculous...
But no matter what, he couldn't let this trust go unrewarded!
What Xiao Yan didn't know was that such an intense gaze was no good sign in Xiao Yuan's eyes. His muscles clenched nervously.
He instinctively let go of Xiao Yan's shoulder and put some distance between them.
[What was that look just now supposed to mean?]
[H-he-he-he couldn't have fallen for me, could he?]
[Dammit, I'm not from Chengdu! And I sure as hell have no intention of cultivating the Second Son Path!]
Thinking of the reward the system had just given him, Xiao Yuan felt even more horrified.
Who was he supposed to use this thing on?
Take it himself?
Or feed it to Xiao Yan?
He didn't dare think any further. The image was far too beautiful.
But Xiao Yan had no idea what was going on. He only knew that his cousin Xiao Yuan had suddenly changed expression, as if he'd seen something terrifying.
"Cousin Xiao Yuan, what's wrong?"
"Don't! Don't come any closer!"
Xiao Yan stepped forward twice, trying to show his concern. Xiao Yuan immediately leaped even farther away, growing more agitated.
"Th-that, Cousin Xiao Yan, I just remembered I haven't folded the quilt in my room. I-I'll head back first!"
With that, Xiao Yuan fled in a flash.
He even used Dou Qi.
He was moving faster than if he'd used a Dou Technique, as if some flood or ferocious beast were chasing him.
Xiao Yan was left standing there, utterly bewildered, staring at the gradually disappearing figure with a face full of confusion.
Not far away, Xun'er was laughing so hard she was practically doubling over.
Others might not have known, but she'd heard every word in Xiao Yuan's heart.
Xiao Yan had fallen for him... No, wait!
It really was possible!
Kindhearted Brother Xiao Yuan had spent the past three years caring for and encouraging Xiao Yan. Even if they were both boys, how could Xiao Yan not be moved?
If Xiao Yan really had fallen for him, wouldn't Brother Xiao Yuan be in danger?
At that thought, the smile froze on Xun'er's face. Her gaze toward Xiao Yan turned wary and hostile, with a hint of scrutiny.
No, she absolutely couldn't let Xiao Yan succeed!
The next time she saw Xiao Yan with Brother Xiao Yuan, she'd have to keep an eye on them!
At that moment, Xiao Yan had no idea Xun'er had already added him to her list of romantic rivals.
Xiao Yuan knew even less.
He had already fled back to his courtyard and shut the door tight, afraid someone might burst in at any moment.
Only after a long while passed without a sound from the courtyard did he finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Damn, that was terrifying. If I really made Xiao Yan fall for me, I'd be the first transmigrator ever to pull that off, wouldn't I?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiao Yuan slapped his thigh and cursed himself, telling himself to stop letting his imagination run wild.
To distract himself from the revolting thought, Xiao Yuan took out the rewards he'd received from the system and prepared to start cultivating.
But when he sat cross-legged on the bed and took out the three rewards, his expression turned complicated once more.
Foundation Building Spirit Liquid nourished the meridians and could be applied externally.
Marrow Cleansing Powder improved one's aptitude and constitution, and could be taken internally.
But Joyous Union Powder???
What the hell was he supposed to do with this stuff?
Was this Dog System really expecting him to use it to win Xiao Yan over?
Whenever he imagined that scene, Xiao Yuan shuddered.
It was way too damn terrifying.
Xiao Yuan quickly put the stuff away in his Storage Ring.
It might be indecent, but he had to admit, this was a weapon powerful enough to subdue even a Dou Zong.
If he could somehow toss it into an opponent's mouth during a fight, wouldn't that instantly turn the tide?
It would make a perfect hidden weapon.
Then Xiao Yuan brought over a wooden basin filled with clean water and poured the Foundation Building Spirit Liquid into it.
In an instant, the basin of clear water turned emerald green.
Like jade, it filled the whole room with a rich medicinal fragrance.
He took off his clothes and stepped into the basin of medicinal liquid. Feeling wisps of medicinal energy seep in through his pores, Xiao Yuan hurriedly sat cross-legged and tossed the Marrow Cleansing Powder into his mouth.
Another stream of pure medicinal energy immediately spread through his body, reaching every limb and bone.
Bolstered by the two different kinds of medicinal energy, Xiao Yuan formed a peculiar hand seal and soon entered a state of cultivation.
Before he knew it, the energy filling the air had formed a vortex. It mingled with the medicinal liquid, turning into pale green streams of energy that surged madly into his body.
After an unknown amount of time, as the medicinal liquid in the basin began to fade, the bottleneck that had held him at Nine-Star Dou Shi began to loosen.
The pool of liquid Dou Qi within him gradually solidified, forming an irregular diamond-shaped crystal.
That was the sign that he had stepped into the ranks of Great Dou Shi—the Dou Crystal!
Xiao Yuan's aura continued to climb.
Peak Nine-Star Dou Shi
One-Star Great Dou Master
Two-Star Great Dou Master
Three-Star Great Dou Shi
He finally stopped at the peak of Three-Star Great Dou Shi.
The emerald-green Foundation Building Spirit Liquid in the basin had turned clear and transparent once again.
Clearly, Xiao Yuan had absorbed every last bit of its medicinal energy.
By the time he opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.
The scorching sunlight had lit up the room.
He stretched lazily, and his bones cracked loudly all over.
Feeling a vigor and fullness throughout his body that he couldn't describe, Xiao Yuan couldn't help blurting out:
"That feels amazing!"
Then he sensed the state of the Dou Qi within him, and his face lit up with joy.
"Damn, this is incredible! I'm already a Three-Star Great Dou Shi! The Dog System didn't lie to me!"
Unfortunately, even now, he still didn't have a suitable cultivation technique.
The Xiao Clan's rule was that members could only receive a suitable technique at their coming-of-age ceremony.
Not even Xiao Zhan, the clan leader, or the elders could make an exception.
As for the Mittal Auction House, he could forget about it.
In a tiny place like Wutan City, even a low-level Profound Tier cultivation technique would make people fight until their brains were splattered.
There was no point in getting a lower-level Yellow Tier Cultivation Technique.
Still, he'd managed to cultivate to Great Dou Shi using only the most basic breathing technique. He was probably the only one on the entire Dou Qi Continent who could claim that.
Just then, someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Brother Xiao Yuan, are you up? Uncle Xiao said some guests have come to the Xiao Clan today and asked us to go over."
Hearing that slightly childish yet gentle voice, Xiao Yuan jolted.
[Oh, it's Xun'er? Why did she come so early?]
[And what guests?! Could they be from the Misty Cloud Sect?]
[Considering the timing, who else could it be?]
[But please don't come in right now!]
Outside the door, hearing Xiao Yuan's somewhat agitated thoughts, Xun'er smiled mischievously and said:
"Brother Xiao Yuan, you lazybones! Are you secretly sleeping in again? Xun'er's coming in~"
"Wait, don't!"
As soon as he spoke, the door creaked open.
Xiao Yuan had just climbed out of the wooden basin and hastily dried himself off. He was about to pull on his clothes, but froze in place, his heart suddenly sinking.
He muttered:
"I'm doomed."
The next moment came a piercing scream.
"B-B-B-Brother Xiao Yuan, why aren't you wearing any clothes?!"
Xun'er hurriedly turned around, her back to Xiao Yuan.
She didn't dare think about what she'd just seen, though the image had already been clearly seared into her mind.
At that moment, she could feel her cheeks burning.
Xiao Yuan could only sigh helplessly.
[I told you not to come in. How's that my fault?]