Duel

Countless clan members had gathered around the training grounds, all watching this battle. Of course, they were mainly here to laugh at Xiao Yan. 😡💚

"How dare that trash, who only has three stages of Dou Qi, challenge Cousin Xiao Ning to a duel? Where did he get the nerve?" someone in the crowd asked in confusion.

"Who knows? Maybe he's just making a desperate last stand!"

"I heard Xiao Yan touched something he shouldn't have and angered Xiao Ning, which was why they ended up dueling here."

"Something he shouldn't have touched? You mean... Miss Xun'er."

"That makes sense. That trash is always dreaming of a toad eating swan meat. Does he deserve her? It'd be best if Xiao Ning beat him to death!"

In the clan meeting hall, Xiao Zhan was discussing matters with the three elders. Suddenly, a servant rushed in and informed Xiao Zhan about Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning's duel.

"What? You said Yan'er and Xiao Ning are dueling at the training grounds?" Xiao Zhan abruptly rose from his chair.

"Yes. The young master and Young Master Xiao Ning are currently at the training grounds," the servant replied respectfully.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhan's expression darkened. He muttered softly, "Yan'er... what would it hurt to endure it for a while?" As Xiao Yan's father, how could he not know that Xiao Yan must have suffered humiliation and mockery, and could no longer bear it?

With a deep sigh, he hurried toward the training grounds. Behind him, the three elders watched Xiao Zhan leave, smiles of success appearing on their faces. They had known about Xiao Ning and Xiao Yan's duel long ago. In order to deal a severe blow to Xiao Zhan's prestige, they had spread the news throughout the clan and summoned everyone to watch this unfair duel.

"First Elder, aren't we going too far?" the Second Elder asked with a frown.

"Heh, what's so excessive about this? This is a perfect opportunity to drive Xiao Yan out. For the past three years, Xiao Zhan has constantly been wasting resources on that trash. Xiao Yan still has two years before his coming-of-age ceremony. How many more clan resources will that trash waste during those two years? Wouldn't it be better to give those resources to the gifted younger generation? I'm doing this for the sake of the clan," the First Elder said blandly.

"Exactly! The First Elder is acting for the clan's sake, so Second Elder, don't overthink it. We should head to the training grounds now. Once Xiao Yan loses, where will the patriarch be able to show his face?" the Third Elder chimed in.

The three quickly caught up to Xiao Zhan and headed with him toward the clan training grounds.

The four arrived at the raised platform on the left side of the training grounds and saw the dense crowd below. Xiao Zhan's face immediately darkened. He turned to the three elders behind him, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Why are there so many people here? Don't they need to train?"

"Heh, I'm not too sure about that either," the First Elder said with a smile in response to Xiao Zhan's questioning tone.

"Wow! Look, even the patriarch and the three elders have been drawn here by this duel!" Seeing the patriarch and the three elders arrive, the crowd instantly stirred.

Hearing the sudden commotion, Xiao Yan, who had been standing with his eyes half-closed, slowly opened them and looked toward the left platform. He found that his father and the three elders had arrived. Seeing Xiao Zhan standing on the platform and looking at him with worry, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a confident smile. He gave his father a faint smile, signaling for him not to worry.

Seeing Xiao Yan's confident smile, Xiao Zhan's heart suddenly settled. No matter what Xiao Yan was relying on, at that moment, he chose to believe in his son. He slowly walked to his seat, smiled at the three elders, and sat down amid their puzzled gazes, quietly awaiting the start of the duel.

"Can we begin?" Seeing that nearly everyone had arrived, even his father and the three elders, Xiao Yan looked at the delighted Xiao Ning and asked calmly. When he had first arrived at the training grounds, Xiao Yan had wanted to begin immediately and end this boring battle as soon as possible. Yet Xiao Ning had delayed the duel with all sorts of excuses. Xiao Yan knew what he was thinking and could not be bothered to indulge him. Since Xiao Ning wanted to make a fool of himself before even more people, Xiao Yan had no interest in stopping him.

Seeing Xiao Yan's calm and composed expression, Xiao Ning was rather disdainful.

"I'll make you lose all reputation and crawl out of the clan soon enough, yet you're still putting on this profound act."

Still, Xiao Ning smiled and said, "There's still one person who hasn't arrived."

"Who else?" Xiao Yan was somewhat puzzled. But then he saw the dense crowd suddenly part as a young girl in a light purple dress, radiating a noble aura, slowly walked toward them with graceful steps.

"Heh, you really went to great lengths. You want to defeat me in front of Xun'er, make her think you're better than me, and then have her fall for you?" Xiao Yan shook his head speechlessly.

"Hmph! I only want Xun'er to know that you're a complete and utter piece of trash. You don't deserve her at all!" Xiao Ning snorted and said flatly.

"Sigh! Can we start now?" Xiao Yan stretched his somewhat sore body and asked Xiao Ning.

"Hmph!" Xiao Ning snorted, clenched both fists, and rapidly circulated the Dou Qi within his body. After a brief pause, he stamped the ground fiercely and charged straight at the nearby Xiao Yan. As he rushed forward, Dou Qi quickly gathered around his fist.

Iron Mountain Fist!

With a loud shout, Xiao Ning raised his fist. Carrying a sharp gust of wind, it smashed fiercely toward Xiao Yan's shoulder.

Iron Mountain Fist was a high-grade Yellow-tier Dou Technique. Only those who had reached the seventh stage of Dou Qi were qualified to learn it. This was the Dou Technique Xiao Ning had mastered recently, and it was also the strongest technique he possessed so far. He intended to settle the duel in one strike.

Facing the incoming fist and its fierce wind pressure, Xiao Yan neither dodged nor evaded. He simply stood there.

As soon as the duel began, the crowd immediately fell silent, all eyes fixed on the two fighting in the arena.

"Has he given up struggling?" The people below saw Xiao Yan standing motionless on the platform, neither defending nor counterattacking.

On the left platform, Xiao Zhan saw that his son was not resisting at all, and his heart immediately rose to his throat. He stood up, intending to stop the battle, but the three elders blocked him.

Xiao Zhan clenched his fists and closed his eyes slightly. He sighed inwardly, After this, I'll send Yan'er away. I'll send him to his eldest and second brothers. It may be dangerous there, but at least no one will bully him.

Just then, the entire training ground suddenly fell silent. Even the three elders behind him abruptly stood up, their eyes widened in disbelief.

In the arena, after taking Xiao Ning's Iron Mountain Fist, Xiao Yan's body only tilted slightly. Xiao Ning, on the other hand, was sent stumbling back several steps.

"Impossible! Xiao Yan must have cheated!" the First Elder roared, pointing at Xiao Yan.

At the First Elder's furious shout, sounds of contempt rose endlessly from the crowd. Losing a normal duel was nothing much, but cheating would earn the deep scorn of everyone.

Hearing his grandfather's reminder, Xiao Ning finally came to his senses. His fist had felt as though it had struck a slab of iron, leaving his right hand aching from the shock. So he had cheated! Xiao Ning stared at Xiao Yan with disdain and mocked, "I didn't think you would stoop so low as to cheat. You've completely disgraced the Xiao Clan."

"You say I cheated, so I cheated? Do you have any proof?" Xiao Yan picked his nose, flicked the booger at Xiao Ning, and said indifferently.

Xiao Ning hurriedly dodged the disgusting thing. With a single step, he appeared before Xiao Yan, grabbed Xiao Yan's clothes with both hands, and tore hard. Xiao Yan's shirt was instantly ripped in two.

Xiao Yan's body was covered in evenly proportioned, well-defined muscles. There was also a red fist mark on his left shoulder, clearly left by Xiao Ning's earlier strike. Whether Xiao Yan was trash or not was another matter, but his physique was beyond reproach.

Xun'er hurriedly covered her eyes, her face flushed red, yet she secretly peeked at Xiao Yan in the arena through the gaps between her fingers. Looking around, she discovered that many girls were thinking the same thing. Some did not even bother covering their eyes and simply stared openly with wide eyes. Pouting, she moved her hand, and a set of clothes appeared in it. She quickly ran onto the platform, handed them to Xiao Yan, and said, "Brother Xiao Yan, put these on quickly! You have no shame at all!"

Xiao Yan smiled and accepted the clothes. Without asking where Xun'er had gotten them, he put them on immediately.

Once Xiao Yan had dressed, Xun'er hurried back down from the platform with a red face.

Seeing this, Xiao Ning's anger flared up again. Not only did Xun'er cook for Xiao Yan, she even made clothes for him. She was practically serving him like a maid. Yet Xiao Ning had pursued her so bitterly, while Xun'er had always treated him with indifference. When he greeted her, she merely gave a simple response. Holding a proper conversation with her was nearly impossible.