"Mm..."
"Let's put that aside for now. I came today to give you some money, Second Uncle."
Hastily changing the subject, Xiao Yu took out the Crystal Card containing twenty thousand gold coins that he had prepared earlier and handed it to Xiao Zhan.
"Give me money?"
Xiao Zhan paused, then took the Crystal Card. On closer inspection, wasn't this the very same twenty thousand gold coins he had given Xiao Yu before?
Puzzled, he asked, "You didn't use it?"
After all, Xiao Yu had come to borrow money back then. He knew his nephew would never come asking for a loan unless he needed it, so he was baffled now. If Xiao Yu had needed the money, why had he left all twenty thousand gold coins untouched and brought them back?
Xiao Yu shook his head. "No. I originally borrowed it to start a little business. After all, I have to make some plans for my own future."
"I just haven't started yet. But I think you need this money more right now, Second Uncle."
Xiao Zhan was about to refuse and hand the card back, but Xiao Yu cut him off.
"Just take it, Second Uncle. When I went out shopping yesterday, I heard people talking about the auction too. You need money urgently right now. Twenty thousand gold coins might not be enough, but every little bit helps."
"At worst, you can give it back to me next time you have some money to spare. I'm in no hurry anyway. I still have a year, right?"
Hearing Xiao Yu's words, Xiao Zhan did not know what to say for a moment. His nephew was as thoughtful as ever, and now he could even help shoulder his burdens.
The more he thought about it, the more emotion welled up in him. A faint glimmer of tears appeared in his eyes, but quickly vanished.
"All right, then I'll take it. By the day of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, I'll make sure to give you the money back."
Seeing Xiao Zhan accept it, Xiao Yu smiled, then said to Xiao Yan, "Little Cousin Yan, come visit my place sometime if you're free. Second Uncle knows where it is."
"I won't interrupt your father-and-son chat any longer. Second Uncle, I'll visit you again when I have time."
Seeing that Xiao Yu was about to leave, Xiao Zhan naturally objected. It was rare for him to have any free time. "Yu, stay for a meal. It's been so long since you last ate with me."
"Next time. I still have some things of my own to do."
Xiao Zhan knew he wanted to give him and Xiao Yan some space to talk as father and son, so he did not press him to stay.
"Yan, see your cousin out."
Xiao Yan nodded and escorted Xiao Yu outside.
"Little Cousin Yan, we haven't seen each other in so many years that we hardly feel like cousins anymore. Come over to my place sometime. We can catch up and have a meal."
Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and smiled. "Sure. I'll definitely come bother you when I get the chance, Cousin."
"I'll be off, then."
"Goodbye, Cousin."
After seeing Xiao Yu off, Xiao Yan stood in a daze for a moment and sighed.
"Time really flies. After all these years apart, who would've thought that little brat of a cousin would grow up so handsome?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. That guy really had no loyalty when we were kids."
Then he returned to Xiao Zhan's room.
For quite some time afterward, Xiao Yu devoted himself to cultivating, and the results were gratifying. With the help of the Spirit Ascension Pills, he broke through to Da Dou Shi in less than ten days.
He did not stop to relax afterward, either, and continued his monotonous cultivation.
During this period, Xiao Yan visited several times. The two cousins chatted about this and that, gradually growing closer, as though they had returned to their childhood.
Xiao Yu felt no awkwardness around Xiao Yan. On the contrary, he felt quite at ease. They had things in common, so they naturally could become friends, not to mention that they were cousins.
Xiao Yan had not expected that, after so many years apart, his cousin would still suit his tastes just as he had in childhood. Compared with the other clansmen, he was far more comfortable to be around. His gentle personality, along with the mischievous streak he occasionally revealed, made their time together feel like basking in a spring breeze.
This place became the perfect spot for Xiao Yan to unwind amid the strain of cultivation. After all, Cousin Xiao Yu's cooking was no joke; it was much better than that of the chefs in the Xiao Clan's kitchen.
Xiao Yu welcomed this too. Although he liked peace and quiet, he was still human, and being alone was too boring. Having someone he could talk to added a little color to his dull, monotonous life. Besides, with only Xiao Yan around, he did not find it noisy.
Just like that, more than half a year passed before they knew it.
The mountain behind the Xiao Clan.
A secluded little courtyard.
Xiao Yu was cultivating, drawing countless wisps of Dou Qi drifting between heaven and earth into his body at a furious pace.
Inside him, they circulated throughout his body along a particular route through his meridians, finally transforming into lightning and fire Dou Qi before entering his dantian.
"Whew."
He exhaled a breath of stale air, which shot several meters like a sharp sword before dissipating.
He checked his dantian. Inside was a diamond-shaped crystal gleaming with golden-red light. This was the hallmark of a Da Dou Shi: a Dou Crystal.
Only with a Dou Crystal could one project Dou Qi outside the body. It was also the secret behind forming Dou Qi Armor.
Xiao Yu's golden-red Dou Crystal was clear throughout and shimmered with light. In both size and Dou Qi capacity, it had already reached the standard of a six-star Da Dou Shi.
"Already a six-star Da Dou Shi. That's not slow at all. Heh heh."
With the aid of the Spirit Ascension Pills, Xiao Yu had advanced from Peak Dou Master to six-star Da Dou Shi in just over half a year. His cultivation speed could truly be called a rocket ride.
However, he had already used up his Spirit Ascension Pills. Until he gathered new pill formulas and medicinal ingredients, Xiao Yu would have to rely on his own cultivation, and his progress would slow. Besides, the Spirit Ascension Pill was only a bottom-tier third-grade pill. For Xiao Yu, now a six-star Da Dou Shi, it was no longer very effective.
After all, he was no ordinary Da Dou Shi. He could sense that even his second uncle, Xiao Zhan, a five-star Da Dou Shi, barely possessed half his Dou Qi, whether in quantity or purity.
Perhaps this was because the divine lightning and source fire tempered his Dou Qi.
With such an earth-shaking body, if he could not surpass an ordinary Da Dou Shi, could he even call himself a cheat?
To be fair, he could now completely trounce every top expert in Wutan City-except, of course, Ling Ying and Yao Lao.
"Judging by the time, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony should be soon. Once it's over, I should head out and see the world. Staying in Wutan City isn't a long-term solution. It's too small, with few opportunities and not many resources. It'll probably be hard to sustain my cultivation here going forward."
"Before I leave, I could stop by Mittel and see whether they have any third-grade pill formulas that can improve cultivation. But there isn't much hope. Even in the Imperial Capital, third-grade pill formulas would probably be hard to buy without paying a hefty price, let alone formulas for pills that improve cultivation."
"I can only try my luck. If they don't have any, I'll have to wait until I leave Wutan City and look elsewhere."
"Luckily, I still have over eight hundred thousand gold coins. That should be enough."
After planning his upcoming travels, Xiao Yu went over to the lounge chair in the courtyard and lay down. He did not intend to cultivate for the next few days. He would relax a little; once the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was over, he would have plenty to keep him busy.
With the Coming-of-Age Ceremony approaching, the Xiao Clan grew lively as well. Many of the younger generation began rubbing their hands in anticipation, eager for the test to arrive.
It was a fine opportunity to make a name for themselves within the Xiao Clan. Imagining how glorious they would look standing onstage with every eye upon them, these youngsters who had already displayed impressive cultivation speed were naturally excited.
As for those youngsters who had yet to reach the seventh stage of Dou Qi, they wore gloomy faces all day. Some even cursed their peers with higher Dou Qi stages. Why could those people reach the seventh stage of Dou Qi while they could not?
In short, some rejoiced while others worried. The most worried of all was naturally Xiao Zhan. After all, his youngest son was currently a good-for-nothing with only three-stage Dou Qi, and his nephew could not cultivate at all.
How could he not worry?
Is nobody reading this book? It's so quiet here.
Before you continue