How Did My Strength Break Through Again?

Before Xiao Ze had even stepped through the doors of the Xiao Family hall, he could hear a heated argument raging inside, though he could not make out what they were bickering about.

However, the moment Xiao Ze entered, the clamor of the intense argument within the hall vanished instantly, leaving the room in a deathly silence.

At this moment, Xiao Ze had no idea what had transpired.

He heard Xiao Zhan, looking at him with an expression of intense excitement, say, "Ze'er, you've returned! Come, come before your father! Let your father take a good look at you!"

Xiao Zhan was incredibly agitated. The reason was that he had learned that the Mittel Auction House had caused a sensation throughout the entire Gama Empire today by selling a sixth-tier medicinal pill called the Imperial Extreme Pill. It was rumored to help a Dou Huang expert increase their strength by one star, with a chance to even boost it by two.

Such a precious pill had shaken and captured the attention of many experts across the Gama Empire, drawing them from thousands of miles away to the small Wutan City.

In a scene like that, the Xiao Family, along with the Jia Lie and Aoba families, had no standing to participate, so they had not gone to join the fray.

But afterward, he learned that the person who had sold this Imperial Extreme Pill was none other than his own son, Xiao Ze.

Upon receiving this news, Xiao Zhan was overwhelmed with excitement—and it was more than just a father's hope for his son to become a dragon among men.

More importantly, he saw that the hope of the Xiao Family had finally emerged!

The reason he had been arguing intensely with the elders in the family just moments ago was not because they were truly fighting.

Rather, the several elders were feeling self-reproach and regret for their previous disdain toward Xiao Ze!

They had been thinking that once Xiao Ze arrived, they would apologize to him no matter what, admit their faults, and beg for his forgiveness!

Xiao Zhan was naturally pleased to see this attitude from the elders, but he couldn't very well let them actually bow and apologize; after all, they were all of advanced age.

Yet they had been insistent, leading to the heated debate that was not, in fact, a quarrel.

After entering, Xiao Ze strode directly up to his father, Xiao Zhan. Looking at the excited man before him, Xiao Ze smiled slightly, feeling deeply satisfied in his heart!

Every father hopes for his son to succeed and make something of himself!

Xiao Zhan was no exception, especially since he was a father who fiercely protected his own.

Xiao Ze's reaction was very calm; he felt it was no big deal. However, if Xiao Zhan knew that his current strength had already reached the level of a four-star Grand Dou Shi, he wondered how his father would react next.

Xiao Zhan said with immense excitement, "Ze'er, the elders and I were not actually arguing just now!"

"Rest assured, you have no need to worry!" Xiao Zhan waved his hand, fearing that Xiao Ze might misunderstand, and hurriedly explained.

Then, Xiao Ze's gaze and attention fell upon the several family elders standing to the side.

He saw them stand up from their seats and speak, "Xiao Ze! In the past, we old fellows were blind to a true talent, short-sighted, and showed you much disdain!"

"On that day, we even wanted to strip you and Xiao Yan of your future cultivation resources within the family!"

"Looking back now, our vision was truly shallow indeed!"

After the elders finished speaking, they prepared to bow in apology, but Xiao Zhan immediately interjected, "I say, elders, didn't we just discuss this? We are all one family. Any previous arguments or differing opinions were merely matters of perspective! When it comes down to it, we all bear the name Xiao!"

"Now that Xiao Ze is so highly regarded by the experts of the Gama Empire—even Jia Xingtian, the guardian of the Gama Empire's royal family, wants to invite Xiao Ze to visit the palace—this is a major event for our Xiao Family! Our family will only grow stronger, and our status in the Gama Empire will continue to rise! From now on, we must stand united against the outside world!"

"You are all of advanced age; to bow and apologize like this, wouldn't that be making things difficult for Xiao Ze?" Xiao Zhan replied.

"That is true; we were perhaps a bit inconsiderate in our thinking!" the elders replied.

Seeing their attitude of repentance and apology, it was clear they were sincere and exceptionally stirred.

In the past, they had looked down on Xiao Ze and Xiao Yan, mainly because they felt they were wasting the family's cultivation resources while remaining at the first or third stage of Dou Zhi Qi.

They believed that continuing like that was a waste, and it would be better to give those limited resources to other disciples in the family!

Perhaps they could have cultivated a few young Dou Zhe!

As it turned out, they had been truly short-sighted! Xiao Ze's current strength was rumored to have reached the level of a Grand Dou Shi.

"Xiao Ze, what star level of Grand Dou Shi are you at now?" the elders asked curiously.

Xiao Ze subconsciously rubbed his nose, not giving a clear or detailed answer.

Just then, a series of characters randomly appeared on his system panel! A new mission had been released!

[Current Mission: Reveal your strength as a four-star Grand Dou Shi and shock the elders of the Xiao Family! Make them look at you with newfound respect.]

[Mission Reward: Three Red Treasure Chests!]

[Do you accept the mission? Please choose.]

Xiao Ze had originally not wanted to show off; he wanted to keep a low profile. But with the system mission placed right before his eyes, the system clearly would not allow him to stay low-key!

If one has the chance to show off and doesn't take it, when else would one do it?

Before Xiao Ze could speak, Xiao Zhan, standing to the side, laughed heartily. When it came to Xiao Ze's strength, he, as a father, was even more excited and thrilled than anyone else!

Unable to wait to boast, he said, "Regarding Xiao Ze's strength, the elders might not believe it when I say it!"

"He has already advanced to the strength of a two-star Grand Dou Shi!"

"What? Two-star Grand Dou Shi?" Upon hearing Xiao Zhan's words, the elders were stunned, their expressions frozen in utter shock!

Clearly, they were caught off guard; they had never imagined that Xiao Ze's strength had actually advanced to a two-star Grand Dou Shi!

Hadn't he been at the strength of an eight-star Dou Shi just before?

In such a short time, he had improved again, and to the level of a two-star Grand Dou Shi?

"Xiao Ze, release your Dou Qi. As a Grand Dou Shi, you are capable of externalizing your Dou Qi and manifesting Dou Qi armor! Would you demonstrate that for us?" the elders said from the side.

"No problem!" Xiao Ze replied, immediately releasing his Dou Qi, and then the Dou Qi armor emerged upon the surface of his body!

The power and profound intensity of the Dou Qi he had just released already far surpassed that of a two-star Grand Dou Shi.

It even rivaled Xiao Zhan, who was a five-star Grand Dou Shi at the time!

"A four-star Grand Dou Shi?" Xiao Zhan's expression was shocked on the spot!

How had Xiao Ze's strength broken through again?