"Boyuan, being able to become a guard at the family's front gate shows that you've worked hard on your cultivation these past few years." Zhang Yuan's face broke into a warm, refreshing smile.
On the Dou Qi Continent, the strong were revered. The status and strength required of a family estate guard were by no means low. Since they represented the family's image and might need to handle special situations, they had to be elites instead.
Wutan City might rank near the bottom of the Jia Ma Empire, but it was still a major city. As one of the great clans in the city with a Da Dou Shi overseeing it, the Xiao Clan required its gatekeepers to possess at least late-stage Dou Zhe cultivation.
Xiao Boyuan was only in his twenties. With decent merits and enough resources, becoming a Dou Master was within reach. Given an opportunity, he might even aspire to become a Da Dou Shi.
"This subordinate has never dared forget Young Master's teachings. Only by breaking through myself can I avoid being mediocre." Xiao Boyuan puffed out his chest as though he had received tremendous encouragement.
When he was younger, he had served as Zhang Yuan's personal guard. Only after the latter surpassed him and left to gain experience did he return to the family guard ranks and voluntarily request the position of gatekeeper.
"Not bad. This is your reward!" Zhang Yuan casually took out a porcelain bottle and tossed it to Xiao Boyuan.
"First and Second Squads, come in with me. Third Squad, guard the Silver-Horned Black Rhinoceros Horses at the entrance."
After leaving those words behind, Zhang Yuan strode through the gates of Xiao Manor with the bearing of a dragon and tiger.
The guards who recognized him naturally did not stop him. Instead, all of them became even more alert.
Only after Zhang Yuan's group disappeared ahead did someone ask Xiao Boyuan, "Brother Boyuan, what pill did Young Master Zhang Yuan give you?"
"Anything Young Master Zhang Yuan gives naturally won't be bad. Even if it were merely a First-grade Blood-Healing Pill, it would still be a great kindness." Xiao Boyuan lightly rebuked him, but he still opened the bottle and took a sniff.
The next moment, his eyes widened in shock. It's actually a Second-grade Thunder-Pattern Pill!
On the Dou Qi Continent, medicinal pills were divided into nine grades. First-grade pills were mostly used to treat external injuries, while second-grade pills corresponded to Dou Zhes and Dou Masters. Only third-grade pills could truly be considered proper medicinal pills.
Slightly more advanced were fourth-grade pills, such as the Qi Gathering Powder, which could guarantee that someone with Nine-stage Dou Qi would break through to Dou Zhe, and the Three-pattern Green Spirit Pill, which could allow a peak Dou Master to break through to Da Dou Shi.
Above those were Dou Ling Pills, Huang Ji Pills, Sect Breaking Pills, and more.
The Thunder-Pattern Pill was hailed as the strongest second-grade pill because it could increase a peak Dou Zhe's chance of breaking through by thirty percent.
Its effects were not especially remarkable, while its refinement was extremely difficult and its ingredients were rare and peculiar. Few alchemists were willing to refine it, but that did not change the fact that its value rivaled that of a third-grade pill.
"Th-this..."
If he had not been on gate duty, Xiao Boyuan would have wanted to kowtow toward the gate several times.
That pill from Zhang Yuan might change the course of his entire life.
At that moment, a wave of discussion rose from the street.
"Those horses are so huge. Could they be magical beasts?"
"They're Silver-Horned Black Rhinoceros Horses, the offspring of second-tier magical beast Silver-Horned Rhinoceroses and first-tier magical beast Black Cloud Horses. They're worth a fortune."
"Gasp, there are dozens of them. Who are these people?"
"You don't even know that? They're the Black Armored Guard, one of the empire's ten great legions—the elite among elites. There have always been only ten thousand of them, and they are directly commanded by one of the Dou Wang lords from the three great fortresses on the empire's southern border. They have earned countless merits."
"Why would the Black Armored Guard come to the Xiao Clan in Wutan City?"
"Have you been living under a rock? The man leading them is called Zhang Yuan."
"Zhang Yuan? That name sounds familiar."
"One of the Twin Pride of the Xiao Family—the relative young master who became a Dou Zhe at twelve!"
"It's him? I heard Zhang Yuan had long died on the battlefield."
"That was obviously just a rumor. Not only is he alive, he has even joined the Black Armored Guard, which requires at least Seven-star Dou Zhe cultivation to enter."
"A sixteen-year-old Seven-star Dou Zhe? Gasp!"
Upon hearing these remarks, both the Black Armored Guard responsible for watching the horses and Xiao Boyuan at the gate flashed mocking looks in their eyes.
Seven-star Dou Zhe?
Even they were no match for him. How could anyone possibly stand shoulder to shoulder with Zhang Yuan?
Meanwhile, inside the Xiao Clan's main hall, the people from the Misty Cloud Sect exchanged pleasantries with the Xiao Clan's upper echelon before revealing the purpose of their visit.
It turned out that when the Xiao Clan had still been a Dou Wang clan in the Imperial Capital, it had enjoyed good relations with the Nalan Family, another Dou Wang clan. They had even arranged a childhood betrothal, with Xiao Yan as the intended groom.
Now, however, Nalan Yanran—the girl betrothed to Xiao Yan—had been accepted as a disciple by the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master due to her impressive talent, and she had come to annul the engagement.
"Annul the engagement?"
As Xiao Yan's father and the head of the clan, Xiao Zhan clenched his fist. The jade cup in his hand instantly exploded into dust.
The entire hall fell silent. The gazes directed at Xiao Yan filled with sympathy, along with resentment toward Nalan Yanran and the Misty Cloud Sect.
You could annul the engagement if you wanted, but gathering the entire clan leadership and elite disciples to witness it so publicly—wasn't that openly humiliating them?
The expressions of the three Xiao Clan elders beside Xiao Zhan were equally unpleasant.
Though they had their own internal disagreements and competition, they had to stand united against outsiders.
"Is this the Nalan family's decision, or yours?" Xiao Zhan looked at Nalan Yanran.
Her heart jolted. She did not dare raise her head and only lowered it further. The answer was obvious.
"Clan Head Xiao, this old man knows that this request is somewhat unreasonable, but for the sake of our sect master, please dissolve the engagement." Ge Ye, the Misty Cloud Sect elder accompanying Nalan Yanran, spoke with a hint of sympathy.
In a world where strength was revered, how could the personal disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master be matched with a mere country chicken?
"Roar!"
Xiao Zhan said nothing. His fists tightened as faint green Dou Qi enveloped his body, and an illusory lion's head gradually formed over his face.
The Xiao Clan's top cultivation art: Mysterious Tier Mid-grade, Raging Lion's Fury!
Ge Ye's expression changed slightly. Blue-purple Dou Qi gathered around his body as the phantom of an eagle claw condensed over his hand, emitting fine yet razor-sharp sword qi.
A profound cultivation art of the Misty Cloud Sect: Mysterious Tier Low-grade, Azure Wood Sword Art!
As the two Da Dou Shis faced off, the powerful shockwaves turned the faces of everyone weaker in the hall pale. It felt as though a massive boulder were pressing down on their chests.
"Clan Head!"
Seeing Xiao Zhan's aura grow increasingly fierce, the Xiao Clan's Great Elder called out.
The matter was certainly infuriating, but the Xiao Clan did not have the strength to confront the Misty Cloud Sect.
Xiao Zhan also knew that he was not only Xiao Yan's father, but also the Xiao Clan's head.
Over the years, he had often used his authority to give Xiao Yan special treatment. At a time like this, he could not disregard the clan.
He withdrew his Dou Qi and seemed to age many years in an instant. No longer looking at Nalan Yanran, he said blandly, "Niece Nalan, what courage. Nalan Su truly raised a fine daughter!"
Nalan Yanran's delicate body trembled. For an instant, she felt that she might have been wrong.
But when she thought of being forced to marry someone she had never met, she felt that she was not wrong. She wanted control over her own life.
"Thank you for your understanding, Clan Head Xiao."
Seeing that Xiao Zhan had tacitly accepted it, Ge Ye smiled in satisfaction. "The sect master also knows this request was somewhat discourteous, so he instructed me to bring something as an apology for young friend Xiao Yan."
As he spoke, Ge Ye took a jade box with a green sheen from his Storage Ring.
When he opened the box, a strange fragrance rapidly spread through the hall, drawing countless gazes.
Inside lay an emerald-green pill the size of a longan.
The Xiao Clan's Third Elder's pupils contracted. "Qi Gathering Powder!"
On the Dou Qi Continent, one had to first condense a Dou Qi Vortex within the body in order to become a Dou Zhe. This was the first step separating mortals from cultivators, and it trapped half the people in the world.
At Nine-stage Dou Qi, one could condense a Dou Qi Vortex, but there was still a chance of failure. Failure would cause one to fall back to the eighth stage. If one lacked talent and foundation, or simply had poor luck, one might fail repeatedly more than ten times. Not only would they lose their best years for cultivation, they might remain that way for the rest of their life.
The Qi Gathering Powder, however, could guarantee that someone with Nine-stage Dou Qi would condense a Dou Qi Vortex. Truly wealthy clans and powerful sects would prepare such an item for their elite disciples.
With the Xiao Clan's foundation, they could naturally afford it. But compared to the number of ordinary disciples in the clan, or even the number of elite disciples, it was far from enough.
The Xiao Clan's three elders thought of their own direct descendants and felt tempted by the pill. Yet the annulment was already an injury to Xiao Yan. It was one thing that they could not help him, but they would not go so far as to rub salt into his wound.
No one spoke, but Xiao Zhan's expression grew increasingly livid.
Xiao Yan, who had long been suppressing his anger in the corner, could no longer endure it. He rose to his feet, ready to erupt.
At that moment, a thunderous boom suddenly rang out from the entrance.
A purple flash flickered, and a figure had already appeared in the center of the hall.
Other than Xiao Zhan, Ge Ye, and Xun Er, no one could clearly see the newcomer's movements.
"On this Dou Qi Continent, any respectable clan or sect knows to offer courtesy before resorting to force."
"Your Misty Cloud Sect is certainly impressive. First, you force my Xiao Clan to annul the engagement, then you bring out this so-called compensation. How is that any different from dismissing a beggar?"
"The Misty Cloud Sect truly has such imposing prestige!"
"Anyone unaware of the truth might think this Jia Ma Empire already bears the surname Yun!"
The man who had suddenly appeared spoke slowly, his voice crashing like thunder in everyone's ears.
Every member of the Xiao Clan looked even more grim, for they realized that the newcomer was right.
Ge Ye's smile froze, because the accusation was far too severe.
His expression shifted slightly as he said, "Who are you? I am discussing matters with the Xiao Clan's head. What right do you have to interrupt?"
Xiao Zhan looked at the newcomer. His hands trembled, and his tiger-like eyes glistened faintly. "Yuan'er, y-you're back!"
"Uncle, it has been a long time. You seem to have aged somewhat." Zhang Yuan smiled faintly at Xiao Zhan and cupped his hands.
At that moment, everyone present recognized Zhang Yuan.
"Cousin!" Xiao Yan revealed a delighted expression, even forgetting his anger.
Xun Er, who had been immersed in her own world all along, had raised her head at some unknown point. A smile touched her lips, and her eyes were filled with joy.
The Xiao Clan's young people were even more excited.
"It's Cousin Zhang Yuan!"
"Cousin Zhang Yuan is back."
"What disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master? In Cousin Zhang Yuan's eyes, she's nothing but a worthless chicken and dog."
"Cousin Zhang Yuan's talent is exceptionally rare throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire."
"Cousin Zhang Yuan has become even more handsome. I wonder how he has been these past few years."
"I wonder how many stars Cousin Zhang Yuan has reached as a Dou Zhe. Has he already broken through to Dou Master?"
The young people were like fanatical fans seeing their idol in person, ecstatic beyond measure.
At that moment, after carefully examining Zhang Yuan, Nalan Yanran also cried out in surprise, "Brother Zhang!"
Ge Ye:?
Xiao Zhan and the others:?
Zhang Yuan:"
(End of Chapter)
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