Entering the Dou Qi Pavilion

Xiao Yan nodded along as well.

"Right, it really was strange. And what he used seemed to be Eight-Level Collapse. It was clearly the same move as mine, but the core of his cultivation technique seemed different."

Xiao Mo nodded and told him about the gray figure he had just seen.

"I suspect someone slipped into your clan and took the opportunity to help Xiao Ning in secret. Why don't you tell your father and have him investigate what's going on?"

Xiao Yan's gaze immediately grew grave at those words. He nodded, turned at once, and headed straight for Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Xun'er hurried after him.

Knowing there was nothing more for him to do, Xiao Mo turned and made his way toward the Back Mountain.

He reached the summit of the Back Mountain, and as he quietly mulled things over, a figure soon appeared beside him.

"Xiao Mo, you both performed very well today."

Xiao Mo nodded. Xiao Yan had worn the ring today, so Yao Lao must have seen their performance too.

"Yao Lao, there's something I want to ask you."

Xiao Mo turned to look at the elderly figure beside him.

"Did you see the gray figure helping Xiao Ning in the arena today?"

At those words, Yao Lao's expression grew a shade graver, and he nodded slightly.

"I sensed a trace of an unusual aura, but I was inside the ring, after all. I couldn't show myself directly, so I wasn't able to pinpoint that fellow's location."

Xiao Mo nodded. So no one had noticed that person's arrival.

It seemed he could only bury the matter in his heart for now and leave it a mystery.

He sighed and stared blankly at the wooded slopes ahead.

Before long, Xiao Yan leaped over in a flash and sat beside him.

"My father sensed that strange Dou Qi too, and he's started investigating whether there really was someone like that."

Xiao Mo nodded, inwardly lamenting that they probably would not find the fellow. That person must have gone into hiding long ago.

Seeing how quiet he was, Xiao Yan could not help turning to him and speaking to lighten the mood.

"In two more days, we'll be entering the Dou Qi Pavilion. Since we both passed the coming-of-age ceremony, have you thought about what cultivation technique you want to find in there?"

Xiao Mo froze, then slapped his forehead.

How did I forget such an important day?

Still, the Xiao Clan's strength was limited, and the Dou Qi Pavilion might not have a cultivation technique suited to him.

But he had nothing to lose by going. He would never pass up a chance to shear a little wool for himself.

He set aside his frustration and doubts for the moment, then smiled and bumped Xiao Yan's shoulder with his own.

"Of course I'll have to pick a superior cultivation technique. But I'll wait until we're there in two days before deciding."

The two laughed and started roughhousing. In an instant, fists were thudding into flesh as they traded blows.

Soon, they began fighting in earnest. Xiao Mo had been wanting to try out his Ice Sword, so a flash flickered in his palm, and a blade shimmering with points of deep blue light appeared in his hand.

The instant the longsword appeared, Xiao Yan's gaze involuntarily fell on its blade, his eyes brimming with shock.

"Senior Brother, this..."

They practically ate, drank, and lived together. How had he never known Xiao Mo possessed such a treasure?

But he soon swallowed the rest of his words. He knew Xiao Mo had plenty of secrets that he did not want to reveal to others.

Xiao Mo was his senior brother, after all, and had done him a tremendous kindness. If Xiao Mo did not want to talk about it, he certainly would not force him to answer.

Xiao Yan swallowed the rest of his words and smiled, giving his hand a shake. A fireball then appeared in his palm.

"Ice and fire. I'd like to spar with you too and see which of us is stronger."

Xiao Mo's eyes flickered. He could clearly see that Xiao Yan had deliberately suppressed his doubts instead of pressing him for answers.

Grateful for his respect, Xiao Mo swiftly clashed with him again.

When Xiao Xun'er arrived at the Back Mountain, she saw two figures, one blue and one red, locked in combat.

Their Dou Qi collided, sending out wave after wave of residual force that made the surrounding trees shudder.

She did not step forward to interrupt them. She simply floated quietly in the air, watching the two spar.

Three days later, the day to enter the Dou Qi Pavilion finally arrived. Everyone in the sect was exceptionally excited; they had long been waiting for this thrilling day.

Xiao Mo stood at the foot of the Dou Qi Pavilion with Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er. His gaze settled on the towering pavilion, the awe in his eyes impossible to conceal.

"Damn, this place is even more majestic and steeped in ancient grandeur than the Tengwang Pavilion I saw before."

The other disciples standing beneath the pavilion were also especially excited. They gathered around it, marveling one after another, while Xiao Mo noticed several gazes falling on them.

Following that sensation, he looked toward several shadowed corners of the pavilion. These must have been the Dou Qi Pavilion's hidden guards.

Just then, Xiao Zhan passed through the crowd and stood on the raised platform, gazing down at everyone with an imposing expression.

"You are all disciples who qualified and advanced at the coming-of-age ceremony. I expect you to follow the rules here. Remember, each person may take only one Dou Qi cultivation technique."

"As for anyone who gets greedy, I don't need to repeat the consequences, do I?"

Only after the disciples all nodded their agreement did he take half a step back in satisfaction, then point at the transparent glass sphere behind him.

"You may now begin testing your Dou Qi attributes. Remember to enter the corresponding passage according to your test results."

After saying his piece, Xiao Zhan stepped aside. Someone immediately approached and swiftly pressed a hand against the glass sphere to test their Dou Qi attribute.

Xiao Mo knew that even the superior cultivation techniques here would, at most, be Yellow Tier-the lowest of the Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow tiers. They were truly of no use to him.

Even if he went inside, he would not find any cultivation technique that suited him.

Thus, he only hoped that advancing his progress would trigger a system reward, giving him a chance to gain something from this.

Xiao Yan's reaction to everything here was subdued. After all, he had already obtained the Flame Mantra. Although it currently seemed to be only a Yellow Tier Cultivation Technique, Yao Lao had said it could be upgraded.

He planned to devote all his energy to cultivating the Flame Mantra, so he was not particularly enthusiastic about anything here.

Each occupied with his own thoughts, the two reached the entrance and placed their hands on the glass sphere one after the other.

"Fire attribute, ice attribute."

Xiao Zhan knew the two were close, so his expression remained unchanged as he watched them approach side by side. But when he saw Xiao Xun'er pouting behind them, left in their wake, he could not help frowning.