A Gift from His Mother

"One-Star Dou Zhe!"

The boy pressed his palm against the Testing Stele, and dazzling light burst from the massive stone.

As the light faded, four brilliant characters appeared on its surface.

"Xiao Yan! One-Star Dou Practitioner!"

The moment the middle-aged man announced the result, cries of astonishment swept through the packed square.

"Eleven years old and already a One-Star Dou Zhe... Is he even human? He's a monster!"

"With the young clan leader leading us, the Xiao Clan is sure to rise again!"

"The young clan leader is incredible!"

"..."

In the stands, several elders grinned from ear to ear, their eyes full of envy as they looked toward Xiao Zhan.

Basking in the elders' attention and the clan's praise, Xiao Zhan felt immensely pleased. He turned to the gentle woman beside him and said with a smile, "What did I tell you? I knew that brat could do it."

The woman smiled softly and nodded. Her eyes filled with pride as she looked at Xiao Yan. "Yes. Our Yan'er really is a genius..."

Xiao Yan wore a faint smile as praise rose all around him, but he showed little sign of pride.

He drew his hand back from the stele, turned, and walked slowly down from the Testing Platform.

The crowd parted for him of its own accord, and Xiao Yan nodded and smiled at them as he passed.

"Cousin Xiao Yan, congratulations on becoming a Dou Zhe!" a slightly shy voice called out.

Xiao Yan looked toward the voice. Before him stood a girl who still had a childlike air, though a hint of allure already showed in her features.

"Thank you, Cousin Xiao Mei. I hope you become a Dou Zhe soon too." Xiao Yan smiled and nodded.

"Cousin Xiao Yan..." Xiao Mei wanted to say more, but Xiao Yan had already walked toward a girl in a purple dress.

The girl in purple stood quietly, her delicate young face unchanged by the stares around her. Cool and composed, she was like a lotus just beginning to bloom.

Young as she was, she already had the beauty to captivate a kingdom.

In the entire Xiao Clan, no one could match her looks, bearing, or talent. Who else could she be but Xun'er?

Only when Xiao Yan came close did Xun'er's calm face soften into a smile.

"Congratulations, Brother Xiao Yan." Xun'er stepped forward to meet him.

"I just got lucky." Xiao Yan scratched his head.

"Brother Xiao Yan promised to take me shopping. You haven't forgotten, have you?" A slight smile spread across Xun'er's lovely face.

"Uh... of... of course I haven't. I was just about to take you." Xiao Yan faltered, then hurried to cover his embarrassment.

He had been so caught up in cultivation lately that shopping had almost vanished from his mind.

Seeing him pretend to remember, Xun'er covered her mouth and giggled.

Then she leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I was teasing you, Brother Xiao Yan. You never promised any such thing."

With a mischievous smile, she turned and ran toward the edge of the square.

"Oh, so you've learned to trick me now? Get back here!" Realization dawned on Xiao Yan, and he chased after her, laughing.

The two left the testing square amid laughter and playful teasing.

Everyone watched the pair with envy, as if they were a match made in heaven.

Up in the stands, Xiao Zhan felt both pleased and troubled. He was delighted at the thought of having such an exceptional daughter-in-law, but Xun'er's unfathomable background worried him.

After leaving the square, Xiao Yan and Xun'er headed straight out of the Xiao Clan estate.

As they walked through the streets of Wutan City, the handsome boy and stunning girl drew plenty of eyes.

Thanks to Xiao Yan's reputation as a genius, no one was foolish enough to provoke them. At most, people could only stew in envy behind their backs.

That made their outing all the more pleasant. They strolled along, chatting and laughing.

Near the Mittel Auction House, a luxurious carriage passed them and pulled up at its entrance.

The carriage was clearly from out of town and immediately attracted the attention of nearby onlookers.

Under their watchful eyes, the door slowly opened. The first thing they saw was a long, shapely leg wrapped in black silk.

Then a beautiful woman in a qipao stepped gracefully out of the carriage.

She had striking looks and a shapely figure. Every smile and gesture carried a mature allure that was hard to resist.

The moment she appeared, passersby stared in a daze, exclamations rising one after another.

"Damn! Who's that? Since when did Wutan City have a beauty like her?"

"From the look of it, she's with the Mittel Auction House..."

"Really? I was just thinking of going in to buy something..."

"Oh, please! Buying something isn't why you want to go in, and you know it!"

"..."

Xiao Yan looked over as well and thought, So that's Ya Fei. She really is a temptress, shamelessly seductive.

"Brother Xiao Yan, is she pretty?" Xun'er's voice suddenly asked.

Xiao Yan turned and met her steady gaze.

"Not as pretty as you." Xiao Yan knew exactly how to handle that question. He answered with a smile, without a trace of panic.

"Brother Xiao Yan always knows what to say." Xun'er was still a little girl at heart. A few casual words of praise from Xiao Yan made her beam, and she promptly put the matter out of her mind.

The two continued chatting and laughing as they left the Mittel Auction House behind and wandered through the city.

Ya Fei had heard their exchange. She watched the boy and girl walk away, her gaze lingering on Xiao Yan's back for a moment longer. A captivating smile touched her lips. "So he's Xiao Yan..."

Xiao Yan and Xun'er spent the entire day out together. It was dusk by the time they returned to the Xiao Clan.

After seeing Xun'er back to her quarters, Xiao Yan meant to return to his own courtyard. Then he remembered his father's earlier instruction to visit him after the test.

So he changed direction and went to the small courtyard where Xiao Zhan and his wife lived.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw a beautiful middle-aged woman with a gentle bearing standing in the courtyard.

When Xiao Yan recognized her, his face lit up.

The gentle woman was none other than his mother, Su Wan, who should have died long ago.

"Mother, I'm here," Xiao Yan called with a smile.

Su Wan's eyes crinkled when she saw her son. She beckoned to him and said softly, "Yan'er, come in."

Xiao Yan nodded and followed Su Wan inside, where Xiao Zhan was seated.

"Father!" Xiao Yan greeted him with a smile.

"Yan'er, you're here! Come closer and let your father have a good look at you." Xiao Zhan's face lit up at the sight of him, and he drew Xiao Yan over for a thorough inspection.

"Your Dou Qi has solidified, and your cultivation is stable... Good! Excellent! My son Xiao Yan has the potential to become a Dou Emperor!" After checking him over, Xiao Zhan patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, his face full of pride.

"Ahem, Father, please don't say things like that..." Xiao Yan nearly choked at his father's words and hurriedly waved them off with a laugh.

"Congratulations on becoming a Dou Zhe, Yan'er," Su Wan said with a smile.

As she spoke, she removed the ring from her finger and placed it in Xiao Yan's hand. "You're growing up now. It's time I gave this to you. I hope it keeps you safe."

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