Dou Qi, Third Stage!

Several months later.

Smack!

The newly born Xiao Yan was given a solid slap.

Xiao Yan was somewhat dazed from the blow. To avoid being hit again, he helplessly cried a few times.

"Young Madam, he's born—it's a boy!"

After cleaning Xiao Yan up, the midwife placed him beside Qin Yueyao.

Seeing her child, although Qin Yueyao was exhausted from childbirth, a smile still spread across her face. "This little fellow is so adorable, so bright-eyed and lively. He's much better-looking than his two older brothers."

The two maids beside her chimed in, "The young master is so chubby and adorable. Once he grows up, he'll surely become another genius of the Xiao Clan."

A genius? Xiao Yan nearly laughed. You wouldn't dare believe just how much of a genius I am.

Yao Lao, who had remained silent for several months, finally released his soul power to examine him. What he sensed gave him quite a fright.

Third-stage Dou Qi!

In merely a few months, a fetus who had never even encountered a Dou Qi cultivation method had actually cultivated to the third stage of Dou Qi.

Even a gifted child, after mastering a Dou Qi cultivation method, would need at least around a year to reach such a level.

It was hard to imagine what terrifying cultivation talent this child would display if he could learn a Dou Qi cultivation method early on.

After all, while still in the womb, he had not mastered any techniques and had relied solely on his constitution.

Yao Lao felt that, nourished by this Dou Qi genius, his soul power was highly likely to recover to its peak.

By then, they master and disciple could swagger through this remote region without fear.

Filled with ambitions for the future, Yao Lao fell asleep once more. He would next awaken when his future disciple condensed a Dou Qi cyclone.

Only after the room had been tidied did Xiao Lin and Xiao Zhan enter.

Both men were delighted when they saw the fair, plump child.

Just as everyone was brimming with joy, Steward Mo hurried over.

"Patriarch, there is a middle-aged man outside who insists on seeing the child the Young Madam has just given birth to. He is no weakling—the guards at the manor gate could not even touch the hem of his robe."

Xiao Zhan said angrily, "Who has such nerve, causing trouble at the Xiao Clan's doorstep?"

Xiao Lin frowned. He was much steadier than the hot-blooded Xiao Zhan. "The child was only just born. Only a few people in the Xiao Clan know about it. How did an outsider learn of this?"

Xiao Zhan calmed down as well. Yes, how had an outsider found out?

Xiao Lin said in a deep voice, "Invite him in."

"There's no need. I'm already here."

An abrupt voice came from outside the room. The instant it fell silent, a middle-aged man appeared within the room.

The man looked to be around forty. He appeared utterly ordinary, dressed in simple hemp clothes, with a faint smile on his face that gave others a slight sense of reassurance. Yet his peaceful gaze seemed capable of seeing through the human heart.

Seeing this unremarkable middle-aged man, Xiao Lin, already a Dou King, broke out in a cold sweat. For some reason, he felt fear.

He had not sensed this man's arrival at all.

"May I ask your name, sir, and what connection you have with my Xiao Clan?" Xiao Lin asked respectfully.

Gu Yuan glanced at Xiao Lin. A Dou King—in the Xiao Clan's current state, that was fairly decent.

Gu Yuan said calmly, "There is no need to mention my name. Knowing it would do you no good. I have old ties with the Xiao Clan. I heard that the Xiao Clan's patriarch gained a grandson today, so I came to take a look."

Old ties with the Xiao Clan? Xiao Lin had been with the Xiao Clan for many years, yet he had no impression of this man whatsoever.

However, Xiao Lin did not dwell on it. He looked toward a maid nearby and had her carry the child over for Gu Yuan to see.

Taking the child, Gu Yuan could not help letting out a soft sound of surprise. "He already possesses third-stage Dou Qi cultivation? Could it be..."

"Third-stage Dou Qi cultivation!" Hearing Gu Yuan's words, everyone in the room stared at the newly born young master in astonishment.

What shocked Xiao Zhan and the others was the child's unusual constitution. He had achieved at birth what others would need half a year or even a year to obtain through hard work.

Xiao Lin's thoughts, however, ran deeper.

At the initial stages of Dou Qi, its fluctuations were obscure and weak, making them difficult for others to detect.

Thus, without using Dou Qi or a testing stone to examine it, it was generally difficult to determine exactly which stage someone had reached.

For this man to see at a glance that the child possessed third-stage Dou Qi cultivation, his strength was indeed unfathomable.

His pitch-black eyes stared at this future father-in-law who had delivered him a wife, and Xiao Yan suddenly frowned, his little face scrunching up miserably.

"What? You're unhappy to see me?" Gu Yuan was also about to become a father. Seeing how adorable the child in his arms was, he raised a hand and pinched his chubby cheek.

Oh no, I can't hold it in anymore!

Xiao Yan's brow relaxed, and the floodgates instantly opened.

Sensing a scorching torrent wash over him, even Gu Yuan, who had lived for so many years, was briefly stunned.

Only when the sound of dripping water filled the room did Xiao Lin realize what had happened. He hurriedly called for a maid to take the young master away and apologetically said, "Children do not know any better. I hope you will not take offense, sir."

Gu Yuan glanced at the large wet patch on his hemp robe and could not help giving a bitter smile. As a nine-star Dou Saint, he naturally would not vent his anger on a newborn child.

Giving the child a profound look, Gu Yuan thought, As expected of that man's descendant. He will surely make a name for himself across the continent in the future.

With a slight wave of his hand, Gu Yuan finally got to the point. "I have some matters to attend to in the coming days. I fear that no one will be able to care for my child after she is born, so I hope to leave her in the Xiao Clan's care for a time."

Xiao Lin found this rather strange.

This was already the second time the middle-aged man had referred to the Xiao Clan as the Xiao Clan.

Though everyone in the Xiao Clan bore the surname Xiao, the term Xiao Clan seemed far too grand, and hardly matched their current family in Wutan City.

The second strange point was this: with the middle-aged man's strength, was he truly worried that no one could care for his child?

His earlier words were probably just an excuse. His true purpose was to leave his child with the Xiao Clan.

Qin Yueyao slowly sat up and looked at the middle-aged man. "Please rest assured, sir. So long as the Xiao Clan remains, your child will never suffer the slightest grievance."

As the wife of the Xiao Clan's young patriarch, Qin Yueyao was no narrow-minded woman.

This man was exceptionally strong, yet he had come to the Xiao Clan merely to leave his child in their care...

Whatever his purpose was, fulfilling this request might not bring them any benefit, but it certainly would not bring them harm.

Caring for an infant was nothing at all to the Xiao Clan.

Gu Yuan looked at the woman whose face was pale from childbirth, and his eyes narrowed slightly.