Great Dou Master!

A long howl suddenly rang out from the Xiao Clan's back mountain!

The howl pierced the clouds and split stone, startling the birds across the mountain into scattering.

Xiao Chen, who was in the courtyard, abruptly looked up and saw a figure shoot into the sky from the cultivation chamber. Dou Qi surged around him, faintly condensing into tangible form!

The figure flipped through the air and landed steadily, kicking up a ring of dust.

Dou Qi churned around him, making his robes snap in the wind. Even his every gesture carried a sharp, imposing aura!

"That commotion... was that Young Master Xiao Yan?!"

"Young Master broke through to Great Dou Master? How old is he?!"

"Hiss—how long has it even been? Young Master has already stepped into the Great Dou Master realm! Terrifying!"

The Xiao Clan disciples near the back mountain all stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with shock.

"He broke through..."

Xiao Chen's pupils narrowed slightly.

"A Great Dou Master... this kid really is a martial arts prodigy."

"No wonder he's Xiao Yan, the Flame Emperor..."

A moment later, Xiao Yan strode over.

The young man's aura was now deep and powerful. Confidence filled his every movement, and his eyes shone brightly, as if he had become an entirely different person!

He walked up to Xiao Chen, solemnly clasped his fists, and bowed deeply.

"Grand Elder! I broke through to Great Dou Master!"

"Good lad!"

Xiao Chen patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Great Dou Master... your progress is several months faster than even I expected!"

"It's all thanks to Grand Elder Xiao's Body-Tempering Pill!"

Xiao Yan raised his head, his eyes full of gratitude.

"After taking that pill, it felt as though every meridian in my body had been nourished. My Dou Qi circulates more than twice as smoothly now! Grand Elder Xiao, I will definitely win the Three-Year Agreement! When I achieve success in the future, I will surely repay your great kindness!"

"The Three-Year Agreement?"

Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "Little Yan, do you know what cultivation Nalan Yanran has reached now?"

Xiao Yan froze, then scratched his head. "Well... I heard she's at the peak of Dou Shi, about to break through to Great Dou Master?"

"Early Great Dou Master."

Xiao Chen said calmly, "You are a Great Dou Master now as well. Though there is still some gap between you, that gap is shrinking at a visible pace."

"There are still over two years until the Three-Year Agreement. More than two years is enough for you to leave her ten streets behind."

Xiao Yan's blood surged as he clasped his fists heavily. "Rest assured, Grand Elder Xiao! Yan'er will never disgrace you!"

"Alright, cut the empty talk."

Xiao Chen waved his hand with a smile. "Train well. That will be the greatest repayment you can give me."

Xiao Yan nodded firmly and returned to his cultivation.

Just then, the system's notification suddenly sounded in Xiao Chen's mind.

"Ding! Key milestone: The recipient, Xiao Yan, has successfully broken through to Great Dou Master!"

"Key milestone reward triggered: [Dou Qi Cultivation Insights: Great Dou Master Chapter] ×1!"

"Reward description: These insights contain the essential principles of Great Dou Master-level cultivation and can help the host break through to the Great Dou Master realm with twice the result for half the effort!"

Xiao Chen's pupils narrowed slightly, then the corner of his lips rose in a satisfied curve.

"These insights came at exactly the right time... it's time to make a push against my Dou Zhe Peak bottleneck as well."

That night.

Xiao Chen sat cross-legged beneath the candlelight and slowly circulated his Dou Qi according to the insights. Strands of worldly energy poured into his body like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, battering against that faint, elusive bottleneck...

"Good! At this rate, the bottleneck will break before long!"

The next morning, Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes and felt the Dou Qi within him had grown several degrees more powerful. Though he had not yet broken through, at this pace, he would soon be able to charge toward Great Dou Master!

"Good! At this rate, it won't be long before I, Xiao Chen, step into the Great Dou Master realm too!"

He shook his head with a laugh, carefully tucked the insights into his robes, then went to the courtyard to practice a round of fist techniques. His entire body felt invigorated, and he was indescribably refreshed.

"The Xiao Clan is ready in every respect now. All we lack is the right wind."

As he was thinking this, Xiao Zhan came looking for him, his face brimming with delight. "Elder Xiao, have you heard? My son Yan'er has broken through to Great Dou Master! Our Xiao Clan has gained another powerful warrior!"

"I heard."

Xiao Chen smiled. "That kid has done us proud."

"The Three-Year Agreement..."

Xiao Zhan rubbed his hands together, expectation in his eyes.

"Elder Xiao, do you think Yan'er can win?"

"He can."

Xiao Chen said decisively, "As long as he follows the path I've laid out for him, he will definitely win the Three-Year Agreement."

"Good! Good!"

Xiao Zhan repeatedly cried out in excitement, then sighed with emotion. "Over the past half year, the Xiao Clan has reached its current state entirely because of Elder Xiao!"

"We're family. No need for such formalities."

Xiao Chen waved his hand with a smile.

"Clan Chief, just guard the Xiao Clan's home base well. Leave everything outside to me."

"With Elder Xiao's word, I can finally set my mind at ease!"

Xiao Zhan laughed heartily and turned to leave.

"A Great Dou Master... in Wutan City, that already counts as a top expert."

"But in the Misty Cloud Sect, a Great Dou Master is merely among the lowest-ranking disciples. The true opponent in the Three-Year Agreement was never Nalan Yanran, but the Misty Cloud Sect behind her."

"So be it. One bite at a time, one step at a time."

"First, feed Xiao Yan up to Dou Ling. We can talk about the rest later."

For several days in a row, Xiao Chen had felt that something was off.

"Elder, look at those two men sitting in the tea stall..."

His attendant spoke in a low voice. "They've been sitting there since early morning. They've changed pots of tea three times, yet they haven't taken a single sip."

"Mm."

Xiao Chen swept them a glance without changing expression.

"Don't turn around. Keep doing what you were doing."

The two men had calluses on the webbing between their thumbs and forefingers, and they sat ramrod straight. At a glance, they were clearly trained martial artists.

Such people were not common in Wutan City.

"Mr. Xiao, there have been quite a few unfamiliar faces in the city recently."

Ya Fei came to see him.

"I had people watch them for two days. Those people came from the direction of the Jia Ma Empire."

"The Jia Ma Empire..."

Xiao Chen's brow slowly furrowed.

The Misty Cloud Sect!

His heart suddenly sank.

The Xiao Clan's trade routes and reputation had risen sharply, and the Misty Cloud Sect's outer sect had already changed its attitude toward the Xiao Clan.

They had sent people to watch Wutan City ahead of time!

"Heh, the grand Misty Cloud Sect has learned to do such sneaky, underhanded things too." Xiao Chen sneered.

"Mr. Xiao, should I have someone drive those unfamiliar faces out of the city?" Ya Fei asked.

"No need."

Xiao Chen shook his head and said slowly, "Startling the snake would be counterproductive. Let them watch. If they want to see the Xiao Clan's foundations, let them see them."

"See them?"

"Do they really think my foundations, Xiao Chen's foundations, are so easy to see through?"

Xiao Chen sneered. "The more they see an 'ordinary' Xiao Clan, the less they will dare act rashly."

"But what if they develop ill intentions..."

"Don't worry."

Xiao Chen lifted his teacup and slowly took a sip.

"They're only 'looking' for now, which means the Misty Cloud Sect hasn't made up its mind yet. As long as the Xiao Clan behaves itself, they won't be in a hurry to make a move."

"What we truly need to guard against is the day they make their move."