Coming-of-Age Ceremony

The coming-of-age ceremony was a major event for the Xiao Family.

Early in the morning, Xiao Le saw the entire Xiao Family bustling about. Even the younger generation had been called over by their elders for scoldings. Fortunately, ever since Xiao Le and Xiao Yan had revealed their talent and identities as alchemists, it seemed they had shed their status as mere juniors of the family.

As he walked through the Xiao Family estate, Xiao Le saw cheerful family members everywhere, with decorations and lanterns hanging all around. Anyone unaware of the situation might have thought someone was getting married.

Front courtyard.

From early morning, visitors from Wutan City and even the surrounding areas had arrived in an endless stream.

The First Elder, who had volunteered to receive the guests, was busier than ever. Yet he was delighted from the bottom of his heart. Since the old clan leader's passing, the Xiao Family had retreated in disgrace to settle in Wutan City for decades. Today, they were finally reclaiming a fraction of their former glory.

Ya Fei swayed into the Xiao Family with her seductive figure, graceful as the bright moon, drawing everyone's attention. Even the First Elder was briefly lost in a daze.

The First Elder smiled sheepishly and stepped forward, kindly leading Ya Fei inside. Whether it was the help Mittel Auction House had provided some time ago or the rumored ambiguous relationship between her and Xiao Le, both were enough to make the First Elder treat her warmly.

Just then, Xiao Le happened to pass by and approached Ya Fei with a smile.

Ya Fei had changed from her usual daring attire. She wore a formal crimson outfit trimmed in gold, looking dignified and luxurious, with a faintly demonic allure. Since cultivating the Heavenly Demon Ancient Scripture, Ya Fei had gained an extra touch of enchantment that made her increasingly alluring.

Sensing Ya Fei's aura, Xiao Le's entire face fell.

In just over a month, she had reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi. How was Xiao Le, who prided himself on being an unmatched genius, supposed to live with that?

Noticing the change in Xiao Le's expression, Ya Fei immediately covered her mouth and laughed. "Well? Your big sister is pretty good, right?"

Xiao Le promptly pulled Ya Fei into his arms and ravaged her a while before finally letting go of her flushed face.

As he led Ya Fei through the corridor and into the rear courtyard, her suspicions deepened.

Elsewhere, Xiao Yan unhurriedly finished arranging his clothes and went with Xiao Xun'er to find Xiao Zhan.

Over this period, Xiao Zhan's complexion had become increasingly ruddy. Today, he had solemnly put on the robes he had kept in storage.

Xiao Family ancestral cemetery in the back mountains.

By the time Xiao Le arrived with Ya Fei, Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun'er, and Xiao Zhan were already there.

"Miss Ya Fei!" When Xiao Zhan saw Xiao Le leading Ya Fei in by the hand, his mood became even brighter.

Ya Fei unexpectedly grew nervous. Fortunately, Xiao Le comforted her from the side, allowing her to calm down. She hurriedly bowed and said, "Uncle, please just call me Ya Fei!"

Xiao Le raised their clasped hands, proudly showing them to Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan.

"Good. Since that is the case, I'll presume upon my seniority and call you Ya Fei. Today is Yan'er and Le'er's coming-of-age ceremony. Before the ceremony, we came to pay respects to their mother. Since he brought you here, I assume he understands what it means. I believe his mother will bless the two of you as well!" Xiao Zhan looked sorrowfully at the lonely gravestone, though his tone held comfort.

Since Xiao Le and Xiao Yan had been born, they had only heard the word "mother" from their two elder brothers.

Xiao Zhan sat down on the ground. Seeing this, Xiao Yan and Xiao Le directly knelt, while Ya Fei and Xiao Xun'er also knelt beside the two brothers.

"Mother of my children, the children have come to see you. Today is Yan'er and Le'er's coming-of-age ceremony. In the blink of an eye, they've grown up, and they've become promising as well. You don't need to worry anymore. I haven't failed your entrustment. I heard Ding'er and Li'er have also become captains of their own groups, so they no longer need this father to worry about them..."

Tears rolled down from the corners of Xiao Zhan's eyes in strings. Normally a man of few words, Xiao Zhan seemed unusually talkative at this moment.

The atmosphere diluted the festivity of the coming-of-age ceremony. Xiao Le and the others showed no impatience, nurturing the sorrow in their hearts.

Seeing that they were nearly out of time, Xiao Zhan finally ended his conversation and led Xiao Yan and the other three to the venue of the coming-of-age ceremony, Xiao Family Square.

Xiao Family Square was packed with people and extremely lively.

This grand occasion far surpassed previous years. People came and went, and many unfamiliar faces had appeared.

Once they reached Xiao Family Square, Xiao Zhan was pulled away by guests for conversation. Xiao Le and Xiao Yan had clearly become the focus of the entire gathering. Many guests took the initiative to come chat with them. Only when the ceremony began were the two brothers finally able to escape, while Ya Fei took her place in the honored guests' section as Mittel Auction House's representative.

The Second Elder stood proudly on the high platform in the square. Gazing over the sea of people below, his old face bloomed into a smile like a chrysanthemum.

"Thank you all for coming to attend our Xiao Family's coming-of-age ceremony..."

The Second Elder, old yet full of ambition, launched into a lengthy speech. He even held Xiao Le and Xiao Yan up as examples for the Xiao Family, encouraging the younger generation to work hard.

It was still that same Magical Measuring Stone Tablet, but this time, Xiao Le was no longer the target of ridicule from the entire crowd.

"First, Xiao Feng!"

A thin figure stood up. Xiao Le had some impression of him—a talented youth from a branch family. A year ago, he seemed to have tested at the fifth stage of Dou Qi.

Under the gaze of that vast crowd, the youth unexpectedly became stage-frightened. Fortunately, the ceremony continued successfully. Otherwise, the very first participant would have utterly disgraced the Xiao Family.

The youth pressed his trembling palm against the five gleaming words on the Magical Measuring Stone Tablet.

"Dou Qi, eighth stage!"

Seeing Xiao Feng's timid appearance, the Second Elder only wanted him to get off the stage quickly, so he deliberately sped up his speech.

"Level: High. Qualified! Next..."

Xiao Le and Xiao Yan, who had recently been stealing all the limelight, were saved for the finale.

Time passed as the tests continued, and soon it was Xiao Yan's turn to take the stage.

The people in the honored guests' section, who had been absentminded all along, finally gathered their focus and stared intently at the delicate, somewhat youthful figure rising to his feet.

All conversation throughout the venue vanished. Everyone held their breath, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.

The Second Elder had completely changed his former attitude and kindly gestured for Xiao Yan to begin the test.

The dazzling light drew sharp gasps from all around.

"Four-star Dou Practitioner!"

Xiao Yan's cultivation at this point far surpassed that of the original story. Though the result was astonishing, Xiao Yan remained calm. The tempering of his character over those three years should have been Xiao Yan's most precious gain.

When it was Xiao Le's turn to step forward, the entire venue grew even more solemn. After all, Xiao Le had garnered even more attention than Xiao Yan.

Under the gaze of the entire crowd, Xiao Le calmly extended his palm.

After a brief buildup, the Magical Measuring Stone Tablet erupted with brilliant light.

"Six-star Dou Practitioner!"

Although most people had already heard about it, witnessing it firsthand still made them cry out that he was a monster.

As the ceremony ended, all the guests departed with various thoughts in mind, considering how to befriend the Xiao Family while maximizing their own family's interests. The Xiao Family's rise was already unstoppable.

Three days after the ceremony ended.

A beautiful figure entered the Xiao Family, her expression filled with complexity.