Preliminary Assessment

Xiao Clan Training Ground

Hundreds of boys and girls stood on the broad bluestone training ground, packing it to the brim.

At its center stood a raised bluestone platform, upon which towered a massive Black Stone Stele. A Dou Shi-level member of the Xiao Clan stood beside it.

This was the stele used to measure Dou Qi, and the man beside it was the Testing Officer.

The Xiao Clan's senior members had all gathered in the center of the spectator stands around the grounds, while members of the inner clan filled the remaining seats.

There was still a little time before the preliminary assessment began. Everyone was waiting, the boys and girls nervous, uncertain, or excited.

Before long, the gazes on the grounds converged on a newly arrived boy in black and a girl in green.

The newcomers were none other than Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er.

"That trash. Let's see how he has the nerve to stay beside Xun'er after today."

"After today, this son of our clan leader will probably have to leave the Xiao Clan Inner Clan."

"Tsk, tsk. It's been four years. Surely he isn't still at the third stage of Dou Qi?"

The moment Xiao Yan arrived, countless mocking gazes shot toward him, accompanied by an endless stream of belittling remarks.

But Xiao Yan paid them no mind. These past four years had not been spent in vain; mere rumors and slander could no longer disturb his state of mind.

Ignoring the others, Xiao Yan led Xiao Xun'er to a somewhat secluded spot and waited for the assessment to begin.

"Brother Xiao Yan, are you all right?"

Xiao Yan shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be? I've heard far too much of this over the past four years. I'm used to it by now."

Seeing his indifferent expression, Xiao Xun'er knew that he truly did not care. She smiled. "I wonder what expressions they'll have when Brother Xiao Yan takes his test. It'll certainly be interesting."

Xiao Yan casually slipped a blade of grass between his lips and calmly watched the grounds. "I don't care what they do afterward. Some things, once lost, are lost for good. They can never go back to the way they were."

"There aren't many people in this clan worth caring about. Just a handful."

"Does Xun'er count as one?"

"Of course."

At his words, an undisguised smile blossomed across the girl's face, like an orchid in full bloom.

"Well, well. I was wondering why I couldn't find you. So you were here on a date with your little girlfriend."

Just then, a gentle voice sounded, carrying a hint of teasing amusement.

A handsome boy in white walked slowly up to them with a smile on his face.

Hearing the white-clad boy's words, Xiao Yan grew a little embarrassed and protested, "Brother Yu, what nonsense are you talking about? This is my little sister, Xun'er."

Looking at Xiao Xun'er, who had grown bashful at the words "little girlfriend," Xiao Yu said,

"Little sister? I've never heard of Second Uncle having a daughter. I'd say she's not your little sister, but your little sweetheart."

Xiao Yan blushed and hurriedly said, "Brother Yu, stop teasing. Let me introduce you. This is our younger cousin, Xun'er."

"Xun'er, this is my older cousin, Xiao Yu."

Xiao Yu cut in. "Just introduce me. There's no need to introduce Cousin Xun'er. She's a famous genius of the Xiao Clan, with enough suitors to circle Wutan City several times. How could I not know her?"

Then he slung an arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders and whispered, "Little Brother Yan, winning Cousin Xun'er over won't be easy."

"Brother Yu..."

Xiao Yan looked helplessly at his older cousin.

His cousin was good in every other respect, but he had one bad habit: he absolutely loved gossip.

"All right, all right, I'll stop, okay? You brat, I only said a couple of things, and you're already getting worked up."

Xiao Yu also knew he had teased them enough. Hadn't he seen how Xun'er's face beside them was so red it looked ready to drip blood?

Ah, to be young.

He sighed inwardly with an air of old age, though he was not actually much older himself.

Glancing at the restless crowd, Xiao Yu asked, "Little Brother Yan, are you confident about today's preliminary assessment?"

Xiao Yan's face brimmed with confidence. "After today, I'll make everyone shut their mouths in front of me!"

Xiao Yu looked at him in surprise. "Well now, you're that confident?"

"Of course. Why don't you guess what stage my Dou Qi is at now, Cousin?"

Xiao Yu studied Xiao Yan carefully. Seeing the proud, cocky demeanor he never showed in front of others, he smiled. "Since you're so confident, I'd guess you've reached Seventh Stage Dou Qi."

"..."

Xiao Yan was not the sort who liked showing off, but around this older cousin, he always unwittingly acted like a swaggering adolescent.

Seeing Xiao Yu guess his strength so easily, Xiao Yan felt a little disappointed. He had been hoping to show off in front of his cousin.

"You really have reached the seventh stage? Not bad, not bad. As expected of Second Uncle's son-a young genius. Four stages of Dou Qi in one year! Second Uncle will probably be beside himself with joy today."

Xiao Yan nodded. "I've burdened Father with far too much. Today, I'll make him proud and give him something to be happy about. I hope he won't have to wear himself out over me anymore."

Xiao Yu patted Xiao Yan's shoulder approvingly. "Good. That's my cousin."

"Don't be like me and cause Second Uncle so much trouble. He even has to worry about how I'll live in the future."

"Sigh..."

The white-clad boy turned to look at Xiao Zhan on the platform, his back looking somewhat desolate.

Xiao Yan trembled. Looking at the lonely boy, he felt an ache in his heart.

Beside them, Xun'er was somewhat bewildered. Everything had been fine just a moment ago. Why had things suddenly turned so emotional?

What they did not know was that the boy facing away from them had his lips twitching wildly, caught between wanting to laugh and forcing himself to hold it in.

"Teacher, is there really no pill that can let Cousin Xiao Yu cultivate?"

Xiao Yan used his soul power to speak to the old man inside the ring on his hand.

"It's not as though none exist. A seventh-tier Great Nirvana Pill can remake someone down to their very bones and grant them tremendous cultivation talent. But that's far beyond your reach."

"By the time you can refine seventh-tier pills, I'm afraid it will be too late."

A voice sounded in Xiao Yan's mind.

Hearing that even Yao Lao had no solution, Xiao Yan clenched his fists, unwilling to accept it.

He truly wanted to help this older cousin, not merely because they were close, but for other reasons as well.

After Xiao Yu left that day, Xiao Yan had asked Xiao Zhan about him.

More than a decade ago, Xiao Lin had been ambushed while away from home. Though he killed his attacker, he himself suffered grievous injuries and died not long afterward. Later, the son of the man who had attacked Xiao Lin came to the Xiao Clan seeking revenge.

With Xiao Lin gone, the Xiao Clan no longer had a powerful expert to hold the fort. On top of that, numerous unidentified masked men had plundered the clan's accumulated reserves. Protecting the Xiao Clan had cost nearly all its mainstay fighters their lives or left them wounded, leaving only a few small fry. With no other choice, the Xiao Clan moved out of the Imperial Capital and headed for Wutan City.

The enemy's son followed them as well, attacking the Xiao Clan's convoy on its way to Wutan City.

Caught completely unprepared, the Xiao Clan descended into a boiling mess. Xiao Zhan charged forward, but their opponent was a One-Star Great Dou Master. Against the Xiao Clan, which no longer had a powerful expert to hold the fort and consisted mostly of Dou Zhe and Dou Shi, he was a wolf among sheep. Xiao Zhan could only face him head-on.

But Xiao Zhan was only an eight-star Dou Shi, so he was soon beaten and severely injured. Xiao Yan's mother was also injured in that attack. Those injuries left her frail and sickly, eventually causing her death when Xiao Yan was four.

At that moment of life and death, Xiao Ping, a nine-star Peak Dou Master who had been at the front of the convoy, finally arrived. He saved Xiao Zhan and engaged the man in battle.

Because of the gap in their strength, Xiao Ping had no choice but to trade wound for wound. In the end, he wore the Da Dou Shi down to death, but he too breathed his last.

After that battle, the Xiao Clan settled in Wutan City, and Xiao Zhan formally became its clan leader.

Xiao Yu had lost his father, so Xiao Zhan raised him as his own son.

Only later, because Xiao Yu could not cultivate, was he moved to a secluded spot on the mountain behind the Xiao Clan.

It could be said that without Xiao Ping staking his life on that battle, Xiao Zhan would have died on the spot.

Over the past decade and more, Xiao Zhan had done his best to repay his debt to Xiao Ping by making it up to Xiao Yu.

This was not merely one cousin helping another. It was also helping his father lay to rest the anguish that had haunted him for more than a decade!