In the Xiao Clan Courtyard, it was the same old testing square.
Now it teemed with people, bustling with activity.
The annual Coming-of-Age Ceremony had arrived once again.
Xiao Yan stood calmly below the platform, still in an inconspicuous spot at the back of the crowd.
Unfortunately, moments later, that inconspicuous spot began drawing everyone's attention.
Because Xiao Xun'er had walked over.
Looking at Xiao Xun'er, whose eyes were fixed unblinkingly on him, and the clansmen whispering around them, Xiao Yan gave a somewhat helpless smile.
"Little Sister Xun'er, did you need something?"
Xiao Xun'er looked at Xiao Yan with bright eyes, a thousand emotions stirring in her heart.
Brother Xiao Yan was truly becoming harder and harder to fathom!
Reaching six-star Dou Shi at fifteen had already been astonishing enough!
Yet who could have imagined that, in just one year, Brother Xiao Yan would secretly break through to six-star Da Dou Shi!
Going from six-star Dou Shi to six-star Da Dou Shi was far harder than going from six-star Dou Zhe to six-star Dou Shi!
And Brother Xiao Yan had actually made that breakthrough in even less time!
She wouldn't believe he hadn't awakened his Dou Di Bloodline even if someone beat her to death!
Brother Xiao Yan must have already grasped the secret of the Tou She Ancient God Jade!
Yao Lao had only concealed Xiao Yan's Alchemist rank, not his cultivation rank.
He had done so deliberately.
This disciple spent all his time cultivating. He was far too dull!
He had deliberately left Xiao Yan exposed to Dou Emperor Ling Ying's scrutiny because he wanted to see what interesting sparks might fly between him and this prodigy of the Ancient Eight Clans.
"Brother Xiao Yan, you're even more talented than Xun'er imagined!
"But Xun'er isn't doing badly either!
"Brother Xiao Yan, in another two years, once Xun'er has fully awakened her bloodline too, perhaps we can have an open and honest talk."
Xiao Xun'er's words sent a surge of wariness through Xiao Yan!
That Dou Emperor Bodyguard had always been a heavy stone weighing on his heart.
He had never truly been able to relax in the Xiao Clan.
Now it seemed Xiao Xun'er had learned about his cultivation progress again through that Dou Emperor Bodyguard!
This damned oppressive feeling!
No, he really couldn't stay in the Xiao Clan any longer!
He had to run!
The Coming-of-Age Ceremony and Jia Nan Academy's enrollment-only those two things remained!
Once those were done, he absolutely had to get out of here!
But!
What had Xiao Xun'er meant just now?
What did she mean, once she had fully awakened her bloodline too?
Why had she said "too"?
Did he have some kind of bloodline?
"Teacher, what did Xiao Xun'er mean? Do I have some kind of bloodline?"
Yao Lao chuckled within his sea of consciousness.
"Your talent comes entirely from your soul, which far surpasses an ordinary person's. What bloodline could you possibly have?
"That little girl probably mistakenly thinks you're...
"Wait!"
Yao Lao's voice suddenly changed!
As a member of the Yao Clan, one of the Ancient Eight Clans, he naturally knew there was a Xiao Clan among them.
But given the Xiao Clan's current state, Yao Lao had never connected it with the Xiao Clan of the Ancient Eight Clans.
When Xiao Xun'er appeared, Yao Lao had merely assumed she was an ordinary descendant of an Emperor Clan who had ended up away from home, and had thought little of it.
But looking back now, something was decidedly wrong!
As Xiao Xun'er's Dou Di Bloodline gradually awakened, the excellence of her bloodline had astonished even him!
And she even had a Dou Emperor as a bodyguard!
She was certainly no ordinary Emperor Clan descendant who had merely ended up away from home!
If this was no coincidence, and the Gu Clan had specifically sought them out, could this little Xiao Clan of Wutan City truly be descended from the Xiao Clan of the Ancient Eight Clans?
He had also heard the legends about the Xiao Clan Bloodline being severed.
Everyone in this Wutan City Xiao Clan had ordinary aptitude, which did rather suggest their bloodline had been severed.
With the Gu Clan's presence now lending further weight to it, could it really be true?
After a moment's hesitation, however, Yao Lao smiled.
Who cared!
He had already taken Yan'er as his disciple. If any karmic entanglements arose in the future, he would have to shoulder some of them for his disciple anyway.
Still, that little girl Xiao Xun'er remained inexperienced in both cultivation and discernment!
She could not tell that, although Xiao Yan's cultivation was advancing by leaps and bounds, he was not relying on any Emperor Clan bloodline.
Everything he had achieved in cultivation thus far had come from his own powerful talent!
The Coming-of-Age Ceremony was about to begin.
First came tedious speeches and ancestral rites, which took more than two hours.
Only then did they move on to testing Dou Power again.
After the testing, every young clan member would also have to face a challenge from someone else in a sparring match.
Soon, it was Xiao Yan's turn.
Xiao Yan walked calmly onto the platform and placed his hand on the Testing Magic Stone Tablet.
Naturally, he still had to conceal his six-star Da Dou Shi strength.
But this time, he intended to reveal a slightly higher cultivation level.
Dou Power, ninth stage!
He had originally only wanted to be invisible within the clan, but the broken engagement had unexpectedly thrust him into the eye of the storm.
He had thought his status as an Alchemist would be enough to shut plenty of mouths.
Yet lately, he had noticed a new current of opinion. Someone was trying to stir up trouble!
Someone was spreading the notion within the clan that an Alchemist did not necessarily have to become Clan Leader.
The Clan Leader should ideally be whoever had the highest cultivation rank.
An Alchemist was best suited to serving as chief First Elder, supporting the entire clan.
These views were clearly being spread by the elders who still refused to give up on the position of Clan Leader.
To spare himself and his father the trouble, he had better reveal a higher cultivation level and make those people abandon their hopes.
"Xiao Yan, Dou Power, ninth stage! Grade: advanced!"
As the testing elder announced the result loudly, an uproar swept through the crowd below!
"Could Young Master Xiao Yan be a genius whose accumulated efforts are finally bearing fruit? Why does he cultivate faster the older he gets?"
Below the platform, the Third Elder stood beside Xiao Mei.
Upon hearing Xiao Yan's level, the Third Elder muttered an angry curse.
"That brat! How has he improved again? Wasn't his cultivation aptitude supposed to be poor?"
Beside him, Xiao Mei asked hesitantly, "Grandfather, Brother Xiao Yan has reached ninth-stage Dou Power too. Should I still go up and challenge him?"
The Third Elder said, "Go! Why wouldn't you?
"You might not win, but you should at least get up there and show everyone that your talent is no worse than his."
After a brief silence, Xiao Mei said, "Grandfather, Brother Xiao Yan now has both his Alchemist status and cultivation talent. I don't think we can compete for the position of Clan Leader anymore.
"Grandfather, why don't we just let it go?"
The Third Elder said angrily, "You little girl! Who do you think I'm going to all this trouble for?
"I haven't even said I'm giving up, yet you're already backing down!
"Ah, you're still young. You don't understand how to survive within a clan.
"In a clan, you must fight for what ought to be fought for!
"Even if you can't win the position of Clan Leader, performing well will let you rank higher among the elders in the future.
"Don't worry. As long as you harbor no malicious intentions, this sort of competition is permitted within the clan.
"Your First Grandfather, Second Grandfather, and I competed just like this back in our day."
Hearing this, Xiao Mei gritted her teeth.
She had done particularly well this year, breaking through from seventh-stage Dou Power to the ninth stage in one push.
She had thought she could firmly outstrip Xiao Yan, only to discover that he had also broken through to ninth-stage Dou Power!
That had crushed her spirit in an instant, leaving her utterly despairing!
But with her grandfather's encouragement, Xiao Mei mustered her confidence once more!
In the end, she still could not accept it!
She had been the clan's foremost genius for so many years. Admitting defeat without even fighting back would be far too stifling!
She would fight for it!
Even if she lost, she would accept the result wholeheartedly!
The testing elder was already calling out, asking whether anyone wished to challenge him to a sparring match.
Xiao Mei took a deep breath and leaped onto the arena.
"I'd like to challenge him to a sparring match."
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow.
This girl still wasn't convinced?
Fine. He had recently gained some insights into his new Dou Techniques, so he might as well practice on her.
His new Dou Techniques were two Profound Tier Low Grade techniques: Fire-Blowing Palm and Suction Palm.
One could generate suction with a sweep of the palm, while the other could generate a repelling force.
He had found them quite interesting and made a point of practicing them.
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