Xiao Yan: Do I Look Like an Idiot?

Jia Lie Ao's unfinished words caught in his throat, and his entire body froze as though he had been hit with a paralysis spell.

Qin Yu stood among the crowd, smiling at him as he even raised a hand and gave him a wave.

At the sight, Jia Lie Ao's body shuddered violently, and the scene from last year instantly surged into his mind.

This strange guy was taking the initiative to greet him. He definitely wasn't up to anything good!

He looked at Qin Yu, then at Xiao Yan, gritted his teeth, and waved his hand.

"Leave!"

Going head-to-head with Xiao Yan was a grudge between the Jia Lie Clan and the Xiao Household. It was normal for both sides to trade wins and losses.

But if Qin Yu stepped on him again, he really would not be able to show his face in Wutan City anymore.

Even if his father intervened, the people of Wutan City would forever remember that the young master of the Jia Lie Clan had once been thoroughly humiliated by an ordinary person.

Several guards hurried after him, and the group squeezed out of the crowd in disgrace.

When Xiao Yan saw Jia Lie Ao and the others retreat, the tightly wound string in his heart finally loosened.

But as he recalled what had just happened, he followed Jia Lie Ao's gaze into the crowd and found nothing unusual.

"Hmm? Xun'er, what are you looking at?"

With the matter over, Xiao Yan was about to head home when he noticed that Xun'er was still standing where she was, her gaze fixed in the same direction.

"...Nothing. Let's go home."

Xun'er withdrew her gaze, gently shook her head, and followed Xiao Yan's footsteps.

That person in the crowd just now was actually a Seven-Star Battle Master?

When Qin Yu passed through the gates of the Xiao Household, the guards did not stop him. They even took the initiative to clear a path for him.

"Mr. Qin, the young lady instructed us that you may go straight in when you arrive."

Qin Yu nodded and stepped into the Xiao Household's courtyard.

He had visited the Xiao Household's residence once last year. Xiao Ning had dragged him there, and he had spent quite some time discussing Earth-Attribute Battle Qi cultivation with the First Elder.

It was precisely that conversation that gave him new ideas about the Thick Earth Formula, leading to the later Earth Origin Formula.

Following the route he remembered, he passed through the corridors and arrived outside the First Elder's room. It was quite quiet inside.

Qin Yu raised a hand and knocked on the door. Xiao Ning was the one who answered it.

"Brother Qin Yu, you're here!"

Upon entering the room, Qin Yu saw a rather amusing sight.

Xiao Yu stood properly to one side, a trace of unconcealed pride hanging at the corners of her lips.

The First Elder sat in his chair with a cup of tea in hand, but the cup had remained suspended in midair for quite some time without reaching his mouth.

His eyes were somewhat unfocused. Clearly, he had yet to recover from a certain piece of news.

"Brother Qin Yu, is it true that my sister broke through to become a Four-Star Dou Practitioner?"

At that moment, Xiao Ning leaned closer and whispered beside Qin Yu.

"It's true. We often cultivate together at the academy."

"Really? Then you must be at least a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner, right?"

For some reason, Xiao Ning had always held an inexplicable trust in Qin Yu.

"Ahem, young friend Qin Yu, you're here."

The First Elder noticed their whispered conversation, pulling him out of his shock at his granddaughter's rapid progress.

"You..."

The First Elder was just about to stand when his movement suddenly froze.

The old man's eyes widened, his mouth opened slightly, and the teacup in his hand nearly fell to the ground. Fortunately, Xiao Ning caught it in time.

"Grandfather, what's wrong with you?"

Xiao Ning was utterly confused. What was going on with his grandfather today? Could it be that he was getting old and starting to become senile?

"First Elder, it's been a long time."

Qin Yu cupped his hands in greeting, his tone casual.

The First Elder did not reply. He continued staring at Qin Yu, his eyes growing wider and wider as his head unconsciously tilted slightly to one side.

Xiao Ning looked at his grandfather, then at Qin Yu, his face full of confusion.

"Grandfather? Say something, at least?"

He tugged at the First Elder's sleeve and asked in a lowered voice.

The First Elder took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly.

"Se... Seven-Star Battle Master?"

The air in the room seemed to freeze.

Only after Qin Yu revealed his Battle Qi Gauze did the First Elder collapse back into his chair with a thump, trembling as he lifted his teacup and took a fierce gulp.

Watching her grandfather like this, Xiao Yu could not help letting out a soft laugh.

Ever since she had told him that she had cultivated from Eighth-Stage Battle Qi to a Four-Star Dou Practitioner in a year, he had already worn that expression.

Now that he had seen Qin Yu, his reaction was indeed even more spectacular.

"Seven-Star... Battle Master? Brother Qin Yu, weren't you a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner?"

"That was only what you assumed. Did he ever admit it?"

The First Elder replied faintly, and Xiao Ning instantly fell silent.

One year, from a One-Star Dou Practitioner to a Seven-Star Battle Master.

Had he gone mad, or had the world gone mad?

The First Elder and Xiao Ning, one old and one young, both wore equally bewildered expressions.

They both remembered that when Qin Yu had been dragged to their home last year, he had only been a One-Star Dou Practitioner.

A year later, Xiao Yu had cultivated from Eighth-Stage Battle Qi to a Four-Star Dou Practitioner. That speed was already somewhat unbelievable.

And Qin Yu? From a One-Star Dou Practitioner to a Seven-Star Battle Master.

Xiao Ning silently set down the teapot and decided that he would never ask Qin Yu about his cultivation again.

"Brother Qin Yu, are you... really human?"

Qin Yu did not answer. He merely smiled and patted Xiao Ning on the shoulder.

When he walked out of the room, Xiao Ning was still lost in a daze, his mind turning over and over with only one thought.

How could the gap between people be so enormous?

Still dazed, Xiao Ning turned around a corridor and bumped straight into someone.

"Xiao Ning? What are you doing? You look completely out of it."

Xiao Ning lifted his head and found that the person before him was Xiao Yan.

Their eyes met, and the atmosphere became somewhat subtle.

Normally, Xiao Ning looked down on Xiao Yan, his cousin who had fallen from genius to trash, while Xiao Yan, after two years of living as trash, no longer wanted anything to do with Xiao Ning.

But today, Xiao Ning's worldview had taken quite a blow. After a moment of silence, he looked at Xiao Yan and spoke calmly.

"Guess what I just saw?"

"What?"

The two of them usually did not get along, but when it came to gossip... he would listen even if it got him beaten up.

Besides, judging by Xiao Ning's state, he did not seem to be looking for trouble.

"Someone cultivated from a One-Star Dou Practitioner to a Seven-Star Battle Master in one year. Just one year."

As Xiao Ning spoke, he raised one finger toward Xiao Yan and waved it back and forth.

But Xiao Yan's expression did not change in the slightest. It even carried a hint of helplessness.

"Xiao Ning, do I look like an idiot? If you want to mess with me, at least come up with something that sounds remotely believable."

One year, from a One-Star Dou Practitioner to a Seven-Star Battle Master.

Even if ten versions of himself from before his Dou Qi vanished were tied together, they still could not reach such an absurd level!

Therefore, Xiao Yan was absolutely certain that Xiao Ning was simply trying to mess with him.

He probably thought using force alone was not entertaining enough and wanted to humiliate him in a different way.

"I'm not joking with you, Xiao Yan. This matter... forget it. Believe it or not."

With that, Xiao Ning turned and left, leaving Xiao Yan standing there blankly by himself.

That guy...

Could what he said be true?