Dou Ling Expert!

Ya Fei nodded as if she understood, then took her leave.

"In the original story, the Misty Cloud Sect's suppression of the Xiao Clan was not supposed to begin for another year..."

"Yet now, it had been forced forward by half a year."

"One misstep, and everything would be lost. All previous efforts would come to nothing."

"It was time to break through this bottleneck."

Late at night, the Dou Qi within Xiao Chen's body suddenly began to churn violently!

Delighted, he quickly steadied his mind and slowly guided the surge of Dou Qi to break through the barrier.

"Break... for me!"

He shouted in a low voice, feeling as though something inside him had shattered with a thunderous crash!

A mighty current of Dou Qi surged forth from the depths of his dantian, sweeping through his limbs and bones!

"Da Dou Shi... I've broken through!"

Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing across them.

He clenched his fist, sensing the Dou Qi within him, far more powerful than before.

The Dou Qi rushed through his meridians, radiating a faint cyan glow that remained condensed instead of dispersing. With a casual wave of his hand, the wind from his palm whistled out, dimming the candle flame on the table!

"The Da Dou Shi realm truly is worlds apart from that of a Dou Zhe!"

"Good! From this day onward, I, Xiao Chen, am a Da Dou Shi as well!"

Just as he was thinking this, an extremely faint sound of wind breaking came from outside the window.

Xiao Chen's pupils contracted slightly. Without showing any reaction, he walked to the window and saw a dark figure crouched on the opposite roof, spying on his courtyard.

"Heh... they came after all."

Xiao Chen did not alert the other party. He merely extinguished the candle and pretended to go to sleep as usual. The shadow lingered for a while, and only after seeing no further movement in the courtyard did it silently retreat.

"You want to see what the Xiao Clan is made of?"

"Then I'll let you have a good look."

"Misty Cloud Sect... if you want to play, I, Xiao Chen, will see it through to the end."

The Jia Lie Family's counterattack came even more fiercely than Xiao Chen had expected.

That morning, a large sedan chair draped in blue cloth suddenly appeared before the Xiao Clan's gates.

As the curtain was lifted, a burly middle-aged man stepped out slowly. His aura was turbulent and overwhelming, and every movement carried an invisible pressure!

He wore a brocade robe, his temples bulging high. As he walked, not a speck of dust stirred beneath his feet.

That was the bearing only achieved when one's Dou Qi had reached an exceptional level of strength!

"A Dou Ling... that's a Dou Ling expert!"

"Where did the Jia Lie Family find a Dou Ling?!"

"Gasp—A Dou Ling expert came in person. The Xiao Clan is in serious trouble this time!"

The crowd erupted into commotion, their eyes filled with deep apprehension as they looked at the middle-aged man.

A few timid onlookers had even quietly retreated to the street corners.

Xiao Zhan hurried over after receiving the news, his face ashen.

He stared solemnly at the figure and asked in a deep voice, "You are...?"

"My surname is Han. At the invitation of the Jia Lie Family, I have come specifically to pay the Xiao Clan a visit."

The middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, his booming voice rolling outward.

"I have heard that the Xiao Clan Apothecary is renowned throughout Wutan City. Though Han may lack talent, I would like to witness the Xiao Clan's methods!"

"Witness our methods?"

Xiao Zhan's heart sank.

"You are a dignified Dou Ling expert. Are you bullying the Xiao Clan because we have no one to stand against you?"

"Clan Leader Xiao, you exaggerate."

Guest Elder Han sneered, sweeping his gaze over the Xiao Clan members with undisguised contempt.

"I merely heard that the Xiao Clan has a deeply hidden elder whose mastery of alchemy is extraordinary. What, does the grand Xiao Clan not have even one person who dares to accept the challenge?"

"Or perhaps... that deeply hidden elder is nothing more than a useless fraud born of rumors?"

"Or is he hiding indoors, too afraid to come out? Hahaha!"

As his words fell, the crowd stirred once more.

The expressions of everyone in the Xiao Clan changed at once.

A Dou Ling expert was a terrifying existence an entire major realm above a Da Dou Shi!

Throughout the Xiao Clan, the strongest was only Xiao Zhan, at the peak of Da Dou Shi. How could they possibly contend with a Dou Ling?!

"Clan Leader, what should we do?"

Several elders gathered around him, their expressions ugly.

"That old bastard was clearly brought here by the Jia Lie Family to wreck the place!"

"But a Dou Ling expert... who in our Xiao Clan could withstand even one of his moves?!"

Xiao Zhan's brows were tightly furrowed, and for a long time, he could not speak.

He knew that if they avoided this battle, the Xiao Clan's reputation would be utterly ruined overnight!

But if they accepted... who could they send to their death?!

"It's nothing."

At that moment, a calm voice suddenly came from within the hall.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Xiao Chen emerge with his hands behind his back, walking slowly toward Guest Elder Han.

Guest Elder Han's gaze sharpened as he looked Xiao Chen up and down. Seeing that his aura was utterly ordinary, at most that of a Dou Zhe, he immediately let out a scornful laugh.

"You are Xiao Chen?"

"I am."

Xiao Chen replied calmly.

"Since Guest Elder Han wishes to witness our abilities, then three days from now, before the Xiao Clan gates, we will have a proper spar in front of the entire city."

"A spar?"

Guest Elder Han burst into laughter.

"I am a dignified Dou Ling, and you want me to spar with a mere Dou Zhe? Wouldn't people laugh their teeth out if word got around!"

"What, Guest Elder Han? Are you afraid?"

Xiao Chen did not get angry. He merely spoke unhurriedly.

"If you do not dare, then return home while you still can, lest you make a spectacle of yourself in Wutan City."

Guest Elder Han's smile froze, and a flash of anger passed through his eyes.

"Good! What a sharp-tongued Xiao Chen! Three days from now, this old man will see whether you can still smile!"

"Good! It's a deal!"

With a sweep of his sleeve, he turned, boarded the sedan chair, and departed grandly.

"Elder Xiao!"

Xiao Zhan hurried forward, his face full of worry.

"That is a Dou Ling expert! Do you... do you truly have confidence?"

"Rest assured, Clan Leader."

Xiao Chen patted his shoulder and smiled calmly. "When have I, Xiao Chen, ever fought a battle I was not confident in winning?"

"But... a Dou Ling..." Xiao Zhan still wanted to persuade him.

"Clan Leader."

Xiao Chen interrupted him.

"You only need to trust me. Three days from now, I will open the eyes of everyone in Wutan City."

Seeing the certainty on Xiao Chen's face, Xiao Zhan somehow felt more at ease and could only nod.

"Uncle Xiao!"

Xiao Yan had somehow squeezed through the crowd as well and lowered his voice.

"I'm going to watch that battle in three days too! I want to see just how capable that Dou Ling really is!"

"You may go."

Xiao Chen glanced at him.

"But you may only watch, not interfere. Your priority now is the Three-Year Agreement, not standing up for your uncle."

"Got it!"

Xiao Yan grinned, turned around, and ran off to train.

Xiao Chen was not idle either. With tightly furrowed brows, he began to ponder.

"A Dou Ling... he is an entire major realm above me."

"But when I was at the peak of Dou Shi, I still dared to challenge a Da Dou Shi. Now that I have broken through to Da Dou Shi... what is there to fear in this battle?"

"With two Xuan Tier Dou Techniques as well, an ordinary Dou Ling may not be impossible to defeat."

"Still... even so, I should play it safe."

After pondering briefly, he took out another improved pill formula.

Recorded on that formula was a secret method capable of unleashing Dou Qi in a short burst.