Danger Filter

Xiao Yu's idea was confirmed by the system. If that was the case, couldn't he get ahead of Xiao Yan and devour all the Heavenly Flames he knew about, turning them into his own cultivation?

And when the time came, Xiao Yan would have an easier time subduing Heavenly Flames as well. Moreover, he could use them for cultivation.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yu seemed to understand why he was called a supporting character. Even his physique was basically a danger filter for Xiao Yan. Just thinking about it made him feel miserable.

He stopped dwelling on his identity as a filter. Xiao Yan was an upright person, after all. Once he unified the Dou Qi Continent in the future, wouldn't Xiao Yu, as his senior brother, be free to roam wherever he pleased? With that thought, Xiao Yu finally felt a little better and continued looking through the other rewards.

Shadowless Mask: Formless and traceless, invisible and shadowless. Once worn, it could effectively conceal one's identity and strength.

Thousand Flame Spear: Swift as a rainbow, firm as a rock. It could increase the user's fire-element damage by ten percent.

After reading the descriptions of the two items.

Xiao Yu had already planned out his future adventures. As long as he wore the mask, who could recognize him?

Having finished examining the system rewards, Xiao Yu began considering what he should do next.

The system's meaning was obvious: it wanted him to leave Xiao Yan early and strike out on his own. But he had already acknowledged Medicine Elder as his master, and he had not even formally begun learning alchemy yet. If he left now, how was he supposed to learn... As he thought this.

"Century Egg, can you help me become an alchemist?"

"The system exists to make the host the strongest supporting character in all the heavens. Becoming a mere alchemist presents no challenge at all."

Only then did Xiao Yu realize it. The system's presence was usually so weak that he had practically forgotten he even possessed such a cheat.

Only now did he realize that the system was the greatest aid to his growth.

With the system's help, he could completely prepare the way for Xiao Yan in advance. He refused to believe he could not help Xiao Yan unify the Dou Qi Continent early. And if that still did not work, then once he became a Dou Emperor, he could wipe out the Soul Hall and put Xiao Yan in the position of alliance leader. That would count as helping Xiao Yan unify the Dou Qi Continent, right...

Since he could rely on the system to become an alchemist, and the cultivation methods and Dou techniques he practiced were all system-produced, he could certainly leave Xiao Yan early to gain experience elsewhere. He just needed to think of a better excuse.

Right, tomorrow was the Xiao Clan's test for sixteen-year-old disciples. After the test, he could use that as an excuse to go out and train. Thinking of what would happen during tomorrow's test, Xiao Yan entered cultivation with a smile.

The Xiao Clan's coming-of-age ceremony was so tedious that it gave people a headache.

Sitting below the stage, Xiao Yu watched the disciples onstage being moved about at the clan elders' whim like puppets on strings and could not help rubbing his temples.

Such a complicated process was just like listening to leaders give speeches in his previous life—long-winded and full of nonsense.

Xiao Yu sat beside Xiao Yan, with Xun'er nearby as well. After a year of getting along, Xiao Yu had discovered that Xun'er was quite easy to talk to, provided one did not provoke Xiao Yan.

Not far from the three of them, Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu were watching them. Perhaps because Xiao Yu often trained with Xiao Yan, the person who had provoked Xiao Yu this time now included Xiao Yu as well.

"Idiots."

Xiao Yan cast Xiao Yu and Xiao Ning a cold glance and spat out those two words. Without paying any attention to their ugly expressions, he turned and resumed chatting with Xun'er and the others.

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xun'er could not help raising a hand to rub her forehead.

Whenever he saw Xiao Yu, Xiao Yan shed his usual calmness and became reckless and willful. He really deserved a beating.

Xiao Yu could not understand it either. Xiao Yu had clearly come to cause trouble for Xiao Yan this time, yet in the end, Xiao Yan had stood off to the side clapping and cheering while Xiao Yu went up and fought Xiao Yu. As a result, Xiao Yu's greatest hatred had now completely shifted onto him.

Amid the trio's laughter and chatter, more than half of the coming-of-age ceremony onstage had already passed. At last, it was Xiao Yan's turn.

"Next, Xiao Yan!"

Beneath the Black Stone Stele, the testing deacon looked at Xiao Yan with a complicated expression and called out his name.

Although nearly everyone in the Xiao Clan had learned over the past year that two youths often went to the back mountain to train together, returning battered and bruised every time, no one believed they could have made much progress.

Leaving aside whether Xiao Yan had regained his former talent, even if he had, improving by four stages of Dou Qi in a single year was something no one believed he could achieve, not even when he had once been Wutan City's greatest genius.

Xiao Yan slowly raised his head, his cold gaze sweeping across the training ground. Seeing those gleeful expressions, he could not help letting out a sneer.

He turned and gave Xiao Yu and Xun'er a slight nod before striding onto the stage. With his master and senior brother behind him, what was there that he could not accomplish?

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xiao Yan's chest slowly rose and fell. He spread out his palm, extended it, and gently placed it on the cold Black Stone Stele.

Everyone stared fixedly at the stele. They all knew very well that this test might send the former genius of the Xiao Clan to some remote place to serve as a deacon for the rest of his life. Perhaps this would be his last day in the main clan.

The stele remained silent for a moment. Then, light suddenly burst forth!

The striking golden words on the stele made everyone's hearts stop for an instant.

"Dou Qi... Seventh Stage!"

Not a sound could be heard. The silence was deathly!

Everyone present was shocked by the strength the youth had displayed.

Crack!

Xiao Zhan, seated in the place of honor, was so excited that he crushed the teacup in his hand. Scalding tea flowed over his fingers, yet he did not notice at all.

"Dou Qi, Seventh Stage... Yan'er, you really did it!" Staring at the youth onstage, Xiao Zhan's eyes reddened slightly.

"Hehe... It seems the Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid the clan head bought... is quite effective after all." The Second Elder looked at Xiao Yan onstage and gave an awkward laugh.

However, no one paid any attention to him. Although Xiao Zhan had bought nearly all of the Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid that had suddenly appeared in Wutan City over the past year and given it to Xiao Yan, no one else was a fool. They could clearly see how effective that thing was.

If it were truly that effective, Wutan City would have been turned upside down long ago.

The people below the stage who had been waiting to laugh at Xiao Yan were also deeply shocked by the result of this test.

A trace of complicated emotion flickered in her eyes as Xiao Mei frowned slightly and looked at the youth onstage. A hint of regret passed through her heart: His once astonishing cultivation talent seemed to have returned.

Xiao Ning, who stood at the edge of the training ground intending to watch Xiao Yan make a fool of himself, could not accept the result either. He stared dumbfounded at the golden words on the stele and murmured absentmindedly, "How could this be..."

Facing the gazes of the crowd onstage, Xiao Yan slowly exhaled. Three years ago, he would have become smug because of their admiration, but three years later, he would no longer be affected by them.

Just as his master had said, three years of tempering had made his temperament steadier. And when it came to talent, his senior brother was even more monstrous than he was! Xiao Yan took one deep look at the stele that had repeatedly decided his fate, then looked at Xiao Yu with a bright smile before walking down from the stage and returning to his seat.

"Brother Xiao Yan, congratulations! Those people who used to look down on you have all been deeply shaken by you!" Xun'er said to Xiao Yan with a radiant smile.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan gave a faint smile. "Compared to Senior Brother, this little achievement is nothing!"

Over the course of the year, Xiao Yan had accidentally let slip the truth about their identities as fellow disciples while alone with Xun'er.