Battle Through the Heavens: I Can Solidify All Talents

A tremendous shock surged through him in an instant, and countless fragments of memories from the original story erupted wildly in his mind!

Xiao Qing struggled to control his expression so that his shock would not show on his face.

Yet deep within his heart, towering waves had already risen!

This seemingly ordinary ring represented the beginning of a legendary tale!

An old man who would change the fates of countless people!

Testing Begins; Young Xiao Ding

At that moment, a booming voice, infused with powerful Dou Qi, rang out like an explosion and clearly spread to every corner of the Martial Arts Square, instantly drowning out all the clamor:

"Dou Qi testing officially begins!"

The voice came from the stern-faced middle-aged tester standing beside the Testing Magic Stone Stele.

His gaze was sharp as lightning as it swept across the entire square, announcing the beginning of this annual grand event.

Xiao Zhan withdrew his gaze from Yan Qian and turned toward the massive black stone stele at the center of the square. His expression regained the calm composure of a family head as he said to Xiao Qing in a deep voice, "The test is about to begin. Go on. Relax. No matter the result, just do your best. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Qing'er, don't be too nervous," Yan Qian gently reminded him as well, a warm, encouraging smile on her pale face.

"I will! Uncle, Auntie, I'm heading over." Xiao Qing nodded, his expression calm.

His gaze also shifted toward the noisy center of the square, while an invisible fighting spirit quietly gathered in the depths of his clear eyes.

Xiao Qing hesitated no longer. He stepped forward and followed the gradually advancing crowd toward the testing stele that would determine the short-term fate of so many of his peers.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, whose little hand was held by his mother, tilted his head up. His large black-and-white eyes sparkled with undisguised envy as they closely followed Xiao Qing's receding figure.

Xiao Yan subconsciously clenched his small fist. His knuckles turned slightly white from the force, while a voice cried out excitedly in his heart:

Dou Qi! Next year, I can officially begin cultivating!

No one knew that within this three-year-old child's body lived the adult soul of someone from another world.

More than three years had passed since he had transmigrated here. When Xiao Yan finally confirmed that this world's supernatural power was real, the ecstasy and anticipation in his heart had become impossible to describe with words.

The thrill of "my fate is mine, not Heaven's," of climbing to the peak through his own strength, had long left Xiao Yan yearning impatiently for it!

Beside the black testing stele—

The middle-aged tester, whose face was perpetually cold, held a roster in his hand and began reading out the names of the first batch of family descendants participating in the test in his utterly flat tone.

"First test, Xiao Teng!"

As soon as the words fell, a youth who looked around eleven or twelve, with fairly delicate features, visibly stiffened within the crowd.

He took a deep breath and, carrying undisguisable nervousness and unease, walked step by step onto the testing platform.

Standing before the huge black stone stele, he appeared somewhat small.

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Teng slowly extended his right hand and pressed it against the cold, smooth surface of the stele.

After a brief silence, tiny glimmers of light suddenly appeared across the pitch-black Magic Stone Stele, like stars lighting up in the night sky.

The light gradually gathered, ultimately condensing into a clear line of glowing words:

Dou Qi: Fourth Stage!

The middle-aged tester glanced at the number on the stele. His expression did not change, as though he had merely seen an insignificant pebble.

After all, the middle-aged tester examined more than a hundred family descendants every year. He had seen far too many talents of this middling-to-low caliber for them to stir any reaction in him.

Unless a truly dazzling genius appeared, his face would likely remain in this indifferent, unsurprised state.

The middle-aged tester cleared his throat and slowly spoke in a detached voice that seemed capable of passing judgment on a youth's future fate. His voice spread across the square:

"Xiao Teng, Dou Qi: Fourth Stage! Rank: Intermediate!"

With the first youth's test result announced, a buzzing wave of discussion immediately rose among the many family descendants waiting below the platform.

Some were thrilled that their turn came later, rubbing their hands eagerly; others became even more anxious, their faces pale as they feared their results would not even reach the fourth stage.

"Next..."

Without emotion, the middle-aged tester continued reading the names on the roster.

"Xiao Ding!"

The moment this name was called, a small commotion broke out below the platform.

A handsome youth around thirteen or fourteen years old stepped onto the testing platform with steady strides, surrounded by the cheers and support of his peers. He wore a confident, somewhat flamboyant smile on his face.

He clearly enjoyed being the center of attention.

Below the platform, Xiao Qing looked at this high-spirited, slightly ostentatious cousin and could not help twitching the corner of his mouth, feeling somewhat helpless.

This was Xiao Zhan's eldest son, Xiao Qing's cousin, Xiao Ding!

Who would have thought that Xiao Yan's deeply scheming, steady, and dependable eldest brother Xiao Ding in the original story would be this flamboyant in his youth?

Xiao Qing inwardly complained.

But on second thought, Xiao Ding was only thirteen right now, merely four years older than him. He was young, talented, and a little prideful—it was perfectly normal.

Not only that, Xiao Ding also had a younger brother, Xiao Li, who was ten this year.

On the platform, Xiao Ding confidently placed his right hand on the Magic Stone Stele. He did not even spare the stele another glance. Instead, he slightly raised his chin and swept his eyes across the crowd below.

The next moment, the Magic Stone Stele suddenly burst forth with light several times brighter than before!

The brilliant glow drew everyone's attention before finally condensing into several exceptionally dazzling words:

Dou Qi: Seventh Stage!

When the middle-aged tester saw this number, a trace of surprise finally flashed through his usually tranquil eyes. His pupils contracted slightly as he thought, As expected of the family head's eldest son. His Talent truly is extraordinary!

He took a deep breath. When he spoke again, even his formerly detached voice carried a faint, barely perceptible excitement and volume, as though he too had been stirred by this result:

"Xiao Ding! Dou Qi: Seventh Stage! Rank: Advanced!"

Only upon hearing the result did Xiao Ding let out a soft breath. The pride and arrogance on his face became even more obvious.

Xiao Ding withdrew his hand and waved toward the friends below who supported him like a young general returning victorious, then strode off the platform in high spirits.

At that moment, the square completely erupted!

"Seventh Stage Dou Qi! Cousin Xiao Ding is way too amazing, isn't he?" An ordinary-looking youth gaped, his face full of admiration.

"My goodness! Cousin Xiao Ding is incredible! He's only thirteen!" A pretty girl clasped her hands to her chest, her eyes brimming with adoration.

Another girl beside her stared just as fervently, as if she had seen her ideal partner. She eagerly agreed, "At this rate, with Cousin Xiao Ding's Talent, he'll probably need at most three or four years to condense a Qi vortex and become a true Dou Zhe, right?"

Cries of surprise, praise, and discussion rose one after another. Xiao Ding undoubtedly became the center of attention for the entire square, enjoying countless envious and admiring gazes.

The flamboyance and Talent of youth were displayed in full at this moment!

Xiao Qing: Dou Qi: Fourth Stage, Rank: Intermediate!

"Next, Xiao Bai!"

The middle-aged tester's cold voice rang out once more, mechanically and precisely reporting the next name.

A pale-faced, thin youth nervously swallowed and hurried onto the testing platform with his head lowered.

He placed his hand on the cold Magic Stone Stele almost tremblingly.

A glow that was not especially bright but sufficiently clear emerged, and the result appeared on the stele:

Dou Qi: Fourth Stage!

"Xiao Bai, Dou Qi: Fourth Stage! Rank: Intermediate!"

The middle-aged tester announced it without the slightest reaction, as though he were merely recording an insignificant number.

"Next, Xiao Jing!"

Another youth stepped onto the platform, and the result soon appeared.

"Xiao Jing, Dou Qi: Second Stage! Rank: Low!"

His voice remained indifferent, pronouncing yet another mediocre result.

"Next, Xiao Ran!"

This time, the light was somewhat brighter.

"Xiao Ran, Dou Qi: Fifth Stage! Rank: Intermediate!"

This result drew a small wave of hushed exclamations, but it quickly subsided.

"Next, Xiao Yuan!"

A girl stepped onto the platform.

"Xiao Yuan, Dou Qi: Third Stage! Rank: Low!"

The testing proceeded in an orderly fashion. Most descendants' results were concentrated between the second and fourth stages, while the occasional fifth stage caused a minor stir.

The middle-aged tester's face seemed frozen, never showing the slightest expression.

Until—

"Next, Xiao Li!"

When he read this name, the middle-aged tester's utterly flat tone seemed to pause almost imperceptibly, and his gaze lingered subconsciously on the roster for an extra moment.

"It's finally this young master's turn!"

The instant the middle-aged tester finished speaking, a youthful voice rang out from the crowd, clearly flamboyant and even somewhat exaggerated.

The observing Xiao Family descendants promptly made way.

A youth around ten years old emerged with his hands tucked into his pockets. There was a trace of roguishness between his brows, though it could not conceal his handsome features. He walked with an utterly swaggering gait, wearing a confident, smug grin.

Below the platform, Xiao Qing looked at this cousin who was one year older than him and subconsciously stroked his chin.

It's that kid Xiao Li... In terms of cultivation aptitude, he seems to be just a little better than his elder brother Xiao Ding.

Xiao Qing evaluated inwardly.

Although Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were both older than him, in Xiao Qing's eyes, which held an adult soul, the two were essentially still just brats.

Having lived two lives, Xiao Qing felt as though he were looking at elementary school students when he looked at a ten-year-old and a thirteen-year-old.

Xiao Li on the platform did not think so much. He casually slapped his palm onto the Magic Stone Stele, his movement carrying a hint of impatience.

Buzz—!

The light blooming from the Magic Stone Stele was exceptionally dazzling, instantly drawing everyone's attention!

Dou Qi: Fifth Stage!

"Xiao Li, Dou Qi: Fifth Stage! Rank: Intermediate!"

When the middle-aged tester saw this result, his perpetually tense expression finally loosened slightly. He softly let out a breath, and obvious surprise flashed in his eyes.

Young Master's last test only showed Third Stage Dou Qi, didn't it? In just one year, he broke through two stages in a row and directly reached the fifth stage?

Waves stirred in the middle-aged tester's heart.

And... the Second Young Master only just turned ten this year! At this terrifying pace, in a few years, might he directly become a Dou Zhe?

Fifth Stage Dou Qi at ten years old—such Talent was absolutely among the best in the history of the Xiao Family in Wutan City!

After the test was complete, Xiao Li turned around and slightly raised his chin, carrying the distinctive pride of youth.

His gaze swept across the crowd below and happened to land on Xiao Qing, who was looking at him.

Xiao Li immediately grinned broadly at Xiao Qing. He even raised his brows in an extremely showy manner, his expression clearly saying:

See that? Cousin Xiao Qing, this young master is impressive, right? Aren't I gifted beyond compare?

He really is just a brat...

Xiao Qing felt speechless at Xiao Li's somewhat childish display of showing off, but the corner of his mouth still lifted slightly.

The sincerity and pride of youth might be simple, but they had their own charm.

After Xiao Li finally walked down from the stone platform, swaying with satisfaction at every step, the middle-aged tester reined in the subtle changes on his face, returned to his usual indifference, and continued reading the next name from the roster:

"Next, Xiao Qing!"

My turn.