Dou Qi, ninth stage

The summons rang out from the raised platform, immediately drawing the attention of most of the spectators in the square.

The name Xiao Yan was shrouded in mystery and legend in Wutan City.

He kept a low profile, yet his reputation was illustrious.

Rumor had it that he had begun cultivating Dou Qi at four and reached ninth-stage Dou Qi at nine.

After that, he had rarely appeared in public. No one knew when he had broken through to Dou Zhe, but rumors suggested that he might already have reached Dou Shi.

There was another story circulating through the streets.

The mysterious Alchemist backing the Xiao Clan was Xiao Yan's teacher, which meant that he, too, was a highly esteemed Alchemist.

In the VIP seats below the platform.

Xiao Zhan sat in the center, with the Xiao Clan Grand Elder and the Third Elder to his left, and two distinguished guests, Ya Fei and Master Gu Ni, to his right.

Besides them, many other prominent figures from Wutan City had been invited to watch the Xiao Clan's Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

Among them were Wutan City's largest weapons merchant and medicinal herb merchant. As the Xiao Clan grew increasingly powerful, their ties with the clan had also become closer.

Of course, their main reason for coming was to seize this opportunity to curry favor with the mysterious Alchemist behind the Xiao Clan.

Failing that, they had to at least get into the Xiao Clan's good graces!

As leaders of their own factions, they were all too eager to climb higher.

Beyond them, the truly jaw-dropping guest was Oba Pa, patriarch of the Ao Ba Family.

That short, plump old fellow had actually accepted an invitation to watch the Xiao Clan's Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

Wasn't the Ao Ba Family an enemy of the Xiao Clan?

Moreover, Oba Pa had come, yet no one from the Jia Lie Family was anywhere to be seen. That spoke volumes.

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that once the Ao Ba Family switched sides, the Xiao Clan's position as Wutan City's overlord would be beyond dispute.

Elsewhere, Xiao Yan opened his eyes the moment his name was called.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian teased him with a bright smile. "Xiao Yan, you really don't have a romantic bone in your body. With Xun'er and me keeping you company, you could still ignore us and cultivate. Aren't we pretty? Or... do you not like women?"

Listening to Xiao Yi Xian's shockingly bold words, Xiao Xun'er's delicate face flushed slightly. Even so, she could not help looking curiously at Xiao Yan, and a closer look revealed a trace of worry in her eyes.

She believed it. She had actually started to believe it!

Catching the look Xiao Xun'er cast his way, Xiao Yan's face darkened at once. He shot Xiao Yi Xian an exasperated glance and snorted.

"Xun'er, don't listen to Xiao Yi Xian's nonsense. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal.

Besides, if I didn't like women, would I have brought her home?"

Now it was Xiao Yi Xian's turn to blush. She glanced at Xiao Yan, her gaze turning slightly evasive.

What did he mean by that?

Could he really be interested in me?

As her thoughts wandered, Xiao Yi Xian inexplicably felt much happier, and the corners of her lips curled upward of their own accord.

Watching this, Xiao Xun'er breathed an inward sigh of relief, but her lips puffed into a small pout.

So I'm just a little sister?

Xiao Xun'er gave Xiao Yan a reproachful look. Though she was only fifteen, she somehow reminded him of a neglected wife languishing in her secluded chambers.

The corner of Xiao Yan's mouth twitched.

Honestly, where did all this inner drama come from?

"All right, all right. The Second Elder is still waiting on the platform. I'll head up first."

Xiao Yan hastily said this to the two girls and stood.

The spectators blocking his way immediately stepped to either side, clearing a path for him.

But what Xiao Yan did next left their jaws hanging open.

Before their very eyes, Xiao Yan lightly tapped his toes against the ground and rose into the air, a pair of Purple Wings sprouting from his back.

In mere moments, he swept onto the raised platform.

"Holy shit, what was that!"

"Dou... Dou Qi Wings!"

"He's a Dou Wang!"

"Young Master Xiao Yan is actually a legendary Dou Wang expert!"

"Truly terrifying!"

Countless shocked gazes turned toward Xiao Yan in unison, while the VIP seats erupted into an uproar.

Xiao Zhan's body trembled, and a burst of force surged uncontrollably from his palm.

In an instant, the teacup in his hand crumbled into powder.

Ah, having a son like Xiao Yan was wonderful, but it did tend to cost him teacups and tables.

The boy dropped an enormous surprise on him at every turn.

Tea splashed over the long table, but no one paid it any attention.

The Xiao Clan Grand Elder's aged body shook violently with excitement, as though he had gone mad.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni likewise stared unblinkingly at the young man standing on the platform, their faces filled with shock.

After all, Dou Wangs already ranked among the Jia Ma Empire's top fighting forces. Even the current patriarch of the Mittel Family was only a Dou Wang expert.

"The Xiao Clan... really has opened our eyes!"

"If I remember correctly, Young Master Xiao Yan has only just turned sixteen, hasn't he?"

"Hiss... a sixteen-year-old Dou Wang expert! Talent like that is unheard of even in the history of the Jia Ma Empire!"

Ya Fei turned to glance at Gu Ni, shock still lingering on her alluring face.

"Master Gu Ni, do you think... little brother Xiao Yan really is a Dou Wang expert?"

Coming back to his senses, Gu Ni drew a deep breath. After pondering for a moment, he shook his head slightly.

"That display by Young Master Xiao Yan gave even me quite a fright. But thinking it over carefully, he probably isn't a Dou Wang yet. Otherwise, it would be far too earth-shattering.

As for those wings on his back, I'm more inclined to think they're some special Dou Technique."

Master Gu Ni was, after all, a Second-Rank Alchemist with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

The others considered his words and found that they did indeed make sense.

After all, a sixteen-year-old Dou Wang expert was rather too outrageous.

"I wonder just how strong Xiao Yan really is. Even if he isn't a Dou Wang, he certainly can't be weak."

"He must at least be a Dou Shi. Even Da Dou Shi isn't out of the question."

"With Young Master Xiao Yan's talent, reaching Dou Emperor in the future is probably as certain as a nail driven into a board."

"The Xiao Clan has produced a dragon!"

"Clan Leader Xiao, congratulations! Congratulations!"

Representatives of the various factions whispered among themselves in the VIP seats. After witnessing the talent Xiao Yan had displayed, they congratulated Xiao Zhan one after another.

Some even sounded Xiao Zhan out about whether Xiao Yan needed any maids or the like, hoping to send their daughters into the Xiao Clan.

After all, young men were hot-blooded, and their little heads could all too easily take command of their big ones.

If their daughters could share some delightful developments with a genius like Xiao Yan, nothing could be better.

Sitting there, Xiao Zhan watched the representatives openly or subtly peddling their daughters. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he declined them all with a smile.

How could he not know what these fellows were scheming?

Seeing Xiao Zhan's firm attitude, they could only lament the missed opportunity inwardly.

By then, Xiao Yan had completed the cumbersome ceremony under the Second Elder's guidance and turned toward the pitch-black testing tablet.

Everyone below the platform watched intently, eager to see exactly how far Xiao Yan's strength had progressed.

Only a few Xiao Clan youths recalled Xiao Yan's results on the Magic Testing Magic Stone Tablet over the past few years and thought, It's already the Coming-of-Age Ceremony. Surely Cousin Xiao Yan won't keep hiding his strength now?

Xiao Ning also stared fixedly at Xiao Yan on the platform, the person he had once regarded as his lifelong rival.

This time... surely I'll finally learn his true strength?

Under the eyes of the entire crowd, Xiao Yan placed his hand on the stone tablet.

In an instant, the Magic Testing Magic Stone Tablet blazed with light, and a line of large golden characters appeared on its surface, their strokes sweeping like soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes.

"Dou Qi: ninth stage!"