Xun'er's Doubts

A trace of admiration flashed through Ling Ying's eyes as he began speaking of Nalan Chenfeng.

A Dou Ling at thirteen—such a rate would rank among the very best even among the younger generation of the Gu Clan.

For such a genius to appear in the Jia Ma Empire... if he had not seen it with his own eyes, it would have been truly unimaginable.

"A Dou Ling?"

Xiao Xun'er's jade hand paused slightly as she turned the page, and a hint of surprise surfaced on her exquisite, flawless face.

A Dou Ling was nothing remarkable on the Dou Qi Continent, but Nalan Chenfeng was only two years older than she was, not yet fourteen.

Such a cultivation speed was no weaker than those people in her clan.

"Yes. It is no easy thing for such a small place as the Jia Ma Empire to produce a genius like him."

Ling Ying nodded and sighed.

"Mm."

Xiao Xun'er set down the book, lowering her pretty head slightly as she fell into thought.

The stories Sister Xiao Yu had told her had all come from Nalan Chenfeng. He was a very strange person.

For a period when they were young, he had stood outside her courtyard every day, yet he had never wished to have much contact with her.

The few times they had met had ended in haste. He was unlike the others of the Xiao Clan's generation.

"Elder Ling, what did Brother Chenfeng come to the Xiao Clan for?"

Xiao Xun'er asked softly.

"That boy went to the rear mountain to find Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan and offered him some comfort and guidance. It truly took this old man by surprise."

"That little fellow has rare character. He is unlike those people of the Xiao Clan who fawn over the powerful and trample the weak."

Ling Ying considered for a moment before recounting what he knew.

As the young lady's guard, the entire Xiao Clan and Wu Tan City lay within his surveillance. The presence of an additional Dou Ling naturally could not escape his senses.

And Nalan Chenfeng's actions had greatly surprised him as well.

On the Dou Qi Continent, strength reigned supreme. Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan had once possessed decent talent, so it was only natural for a small clan like the Nalan Clan to be willing to arrange a marriage with him.

But now, for some unknown reason, Xiao Yan had remained at the Third Stage of Dou Qi and had become crippled. Yet Nalan Chenfeng treated him better than before, which was truly rather unreasonable.

Ling Ying had not paid much attention to the squabbles between the Xiao Clan's little brats, but he still remembered how Xiao Yan had been beaten by Nalan Chenfeng under the pretext of sparring for more than a month straight.

"The Xiao Clan and the Nalan Clan have a marriage agreement. I never expected that after Xiao Yan's Dou Qi fell and he became unable to cultivate, Brother Chenfeng would not object..."

"Nalan Yanran, who joined the Misty Cloud Sect, is his own younger sister. Will he truly agree to this marriage in the future?"

A thoughtful look appeared in Xiao Xun'er's clear, crystalline eyes, and doubt could not help rising in her heart.

Brother Chenfeng used to cause Xiao Yan trouble whenever he had nothing better to do. Now, it seemed as though things had reversed.

"Perhaps he still has expectations for Xiao Yan..."

Ling Ying's aged eyes flickered as he speculated.

On the Dou Qi Continent, strength reigned supreme. He did not believe that Nalan Chenfeng would push his own younger sister into a fire pit.

The only possibility was that he had yet to express clear opposition.

"It really is strange that Xiao Yan's Dou Qi could vanish into thin air..."

Xiao Xun'er nodded deeply in agreement, her rosy lips pressed together tightly.

At this time last year, Uncle Xiao had come to see her. She had even specially asked Elder Ling to investigate, but the conclusion had been that Xiao Yan could not store Dou Qi. Every bit of Dou Qi he cultivated would somehow mysteriously leak away.

"Perhaps it is some strange constitution..."

Wu Tan City, northern city square.

Jia Nan Academy recruitment site.

"Mentor Ruolin, did you say Brother Chenfeng also returned to the Jia Ma Empire with you this time?"

Inside a spacious tent, Xiao Yu looked at the beautiful woman in a light blue dress before her, excitement dancing in her eyes.

The recruitment team would depart for Jia Nan Academy the day after tomorrow. If Brother Chenfeng had returned, they would soon meet again.

"Mm. He arrived in Wu Tan City with the recruitment team, then left on his own."

Ruolin sat upright in her chair, her soft curves outlined beneath her light blue gown. Her cheeks were dewy, and her almond-shaped eyes watched Xiao Yu with a smile.

"Nalan Chenfeng mentioned you on the road. He said you helped him before and asked this mentor to look after you as much as possible."

Xiao Yu's pretty face flushed faintly as she lowered her head, her two long, straight legs unconsciously drawing a little closer together.

"What help was that..."

Xiao Yu murmured softly, joy blooming in her heart.

Brother Chenfeng had asked her to keep an eye on Xiao Yan, but that did not count as helping him. She was the elder sister; protecting Little Sister Xun'er was only natural.

And she was very happy that Brother Chenfeng still remembered her.

Ruolin covered her mouth and laughed softly, her gaze sizing up Xiao Yu's figure, which was far taller than that of most girls her age.

"You little girl, don't tell me you like him?"

At those words, Xiao Yu's pretty face turned crimson, yet she did not deny it.

"You are not bad yourself. At fifteen, you have reached the Eight-Duan Dou Qi. In the Jia Ma Empire, that counts as outstanding."

"But in Jia Nan Academy, talent like yours can only be considered ordinary. As far as this mentor knows, many girls in the academy have their eyes on him."

"Still, it is not as though you have no chance. After all, you know him."

Ruolin studied Xiao Yu and spoke quite frankly.

"Mm."

Xiao Yu nodded, but a trace of melancholy surfaced on her face.

Whether in talent or status, Brother Chenfeng was someone she could only look up to. Naturally, many girls would like someone like him.

"Don't think too much about it. When you return tomorrow, you should be able to see him."

Ruolin stood, reached out, and patted Xiao Yu's shoulder as she comforted her.

A young girl's budding affection was nothing new at Jia Nan Academy.

But some people were not meant for ordinary girls to love. A genius of Nalan Chenfeng's caliber would probably shine brightly across the entire Dou Qi Continent.

A Da Dou Shi at twelve had the potential to become a Dou Zong or even a Dou Zun. And his strength now would only be greater; perhaps he had even reached the Dou Ling realm.

That feeling of extreme danger he gave her could not have been false.

"Enough. Go back and make your preparations. Say a proper farewell to your family."

The night was as black as ink.

A streak of purple light shot swiftly across the dark sky, so fast that it left only a faint afterimage in the night.

Nalan Chenfeng flapped the wings on his back as he sped through the high skies. The night wind rushed against his face, whipping his robes with loud flutters.

"This flying Dou Qi technique really is convenient."

Nalan Chenfeng stopped atop a mountain outside Wu Tan City, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Although using the Purple Cloud Wings consumed a great deal of Dou Qi, his strength as a Dou Ling was more than enough to sustain flight for a time.

"There are still three and a half months until the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. Next, I need to cultivate my Dou Qi properly and strive to break through to a Four-Star Dou Ling before entering the Inner Academy."

"Then I will change my cultivation technique and use the Inner Academy's Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to advance to the Dou Wang realm before I turn fifteen."

As his thoughts stirred, Nalan Chenfeng slowed down, withdrew his wings, and entered Wu Tan City by the main road.

Dou Wang was a watershed realm on the Dou Qi Continent. Only upon reaching this level would one barely qualify to venture through the Dou Qi Continent.