Fighting, Drinking, Sneaking...

"Broke through to Dou Zhe, and now your confidence is bursting at the seams?"

Xiao Qian stopped and slowly turned, his gaze blazing like a torch, as though it could pierce everything before him.

His eyes swept over the square, which had erupted with excitement again in an instant, before settling on the high-spirited boy on the platform.

The boy stood tall and straight, like a proud green pine, his eyes brimming with confidence and pride.

A faint warmth stirred in Xiao Qian's heart. His eagerness for battle surged through his blood like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

"Ah, these two are going to fight again..."

Xiao Xun'er sighed plaintively, her voice like a gentle breeze brushing across everyone's hearts.

Her slender fingers gently released Xiao Qian's hand, yielding in helpless resignation.

Xiao Qian pushed through the crowd, moving with the agility of a hunting leopard.

He pushed off hard and leaped straight onto the arena like an arrow loosed from its bow. His movements were crisp and clean, without the slightest hesitation, tracing a graceful arc through the air that drew gasps from the crowd.

Everyone stared curiously at his back, their eyes filled with confusion and surprise, wondering where he had found the courage to fight Xiao Yan.

To them, Xiao Yan was already a Dou Zhe, while Xiao Qian only had three-stage dou qi. The gap was like the distance between heaven and earth.

"Hmph. He thinks beating me with brute strength makes him invincible. His arrogance knows no bounds. Just wait until he gets a taste of suffering!"

Xiao Ning glared viciously at Xiao Qian's back, fury and resentment burning in his eyes.

He felt as though the wound on his chest from a year ago still ached faintly. That pain was like a thorn lodged deep in his memories, a humiliation he could never erase.

"Cousin Xiao Ning, you only had fifth-stage dou qi last time. Give it another two years, and he definitely won't be your match," Xiao Mei murmured beside him, her voice like a flowing stream. She watched the platform expectantly, her eyes sparkling. "As for Cousin Xiao Yan, no one can defeat him!"

Her eyes were full of adoration for Xiao Yan, a blind reverence, as though he were the god enshrined in her heart.

Xiao Ning glanced back at the utterly genuine adoration on her face. His cheek twitched, and bitterness welled up inside him.

When he turned back to the two on the platform, the sight felt unbearably glaring, like a sharp dagger stabbing his heart and leaving him in agony.

"Last time, my ninth-stage dou qi was already enough to force you to use dou qi." Xiao Yan's gaze brimmed with fighting spirit, his eyes like burning flames, fierce and scorching.

As he clenched his fists, the dou qi vortex in his dantian spun rapidly, flooding his meridians with dou qi.

It was like a surging river, rolling and roaring, brimming with strength and vitality as it coursed endlessly through his body.

"We've sparred so many times. No one knows better than I do how deeply you hide your strength. Even now, despite breaking through to Dou Zhe, I still can't sense what stage your dou qi actually is..."

Not a single person below the platform understood his words, not even the clan chief and elders watching from the shadows.

They lacked Xiao Yan's formidable soul perception, his unique gift that let him discern subtleties others could hardly detect.

The middle-aged examiner retreated to a corner of the arena, his steps slow and steady as he made room for the coming battle.

Although this fight was not part of the proceedings, since Xiao Yan had proposed it, he was happy to give them some time.

In his view, geniuses always enjoyed special privileges. Their growth required a few unusual trials.

"But that doesn't matter. Today, I'll force you to use your full strength!"

Xiao Yan stamped his foot and shot forward, driving a palm fiercely toward Xiao Qian's chest.

His movement was swift as lightning, unstoppable as a blade splitting bamboo. His palm stirred a rush of wind as it whistled toward Xiao Qian.

Smack!

With a crisp crack, Xiao Qian's fist collided with his palm, like a sudden thunderclap that shook everyone's hearts.

The sound echoed through the square, making every heart beat faster despite itself.

"Hiss."

The next instant, Xiao Yan sucked in a breath and nearly burst out cursing.

Instead of meeting my palm with his own, he smashed his fist into it. Is that fair?!

"He didn't even take a single step back!"

As the two exchanged vicious blows with fists, legs, elbows, and knees, the youngsters below stared with wide eyes and slightly open mouths, utterly shocked. They had thought Xiao Yan would defeat Xiao Qian easily, never expecting him to put up such stubborn resistance.

"How is that possible? One's a Dou Zhe, and the other only has three-stage dou qi..." Xiao Mei's expression turned ghastly, dark and despondent as a sky blanketed in storm clouds.

This was a tremendous blow to her adoration. She refused to believe anyone their age could rival Xiao Yan, yet the scene before her had begun to shake that conviction.

Clack, clack.

Just then, after Xiao Yan delivered a whipping kick, those below could see dou qi surging through the right palm hidden behind his back, producing a sound like iron striking stone.

"It's the Yellow Tier Mid-Grade Dou Technique, Crushing Stone Palm!" someone cried.

"Xiao Yan has already learned a Dou Technique! Now this is going to be worth watching!"

Everyone grew excited, their eyes fixed on the two figures without blinking, afraid to miss even a single thrilling instant.

A feint. He's aiming for my abdomen.

Xiao Qian saw through Xiao Yan's immature fighting technique at a glance, but instead of avoiding the feint, he deliberately fell for it.

A glint of cunning flashed through his eyes, like a crafty old fox.

Got him!

Xiao Yan drove his left knee into Xiao Qian's defending hands, knocking them aside, then poured every bit of dou qi into his right palm. Under everyone's expectant gaze, it suddenly broke through and slammed into Xiao Qian's abdomen, decisive and fierce, as though victory were already within reach.

"Your defense is weakest here! Let's see you block this! Crushing Stone Palm!"

He could almost see Xiao Qian stumbling back and coughing blood. Remembering his repeated crushing defeats over the past six years, Xiao Yan filled with excitement and anticipation. This was the moment of victory he had awaited for so long.

Thud.

The palm landed solidly with a muffled impact, as though it had struck everyone's hearts. They all held their breath, waiting for the result.

Cheers rose from below: "Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan!"

Their voices were like surging waves, each higher than the last, brimming with support and hope for Xiao Yan.

But the scene Xiao Yan expected never came. There was no blood, no body flying backward. All he saw was a proud smile appearing at the corner of Xiao Qian's mouth.

An ominous premonition welled up in Xiao Yan's heart.

Oh no!

He knew Xiao Qian too well. One look at that expression told him something was terribly wrong, and he prepared to withdraw his palm and retreat.

But it was already too late. He could feel a tremendous surge of dou qi pushing back beneath his Crushing Stone Palm. Its quality fell short of a Dou Zhe's, but its sheer intensity was twice his own!

The dou qi rolled back in an instant like a raging tide.

Seizing the instant Xiao Yan exposed an opening, Xiao Qian blasted dou qi through his right leg, cracking the ground to launch himself forward. His left knee struck precisely against the vulnerable spot at Xiao Yan's waist, pinning him to the ground like a hunting leopard pouncing on prey. Then... he climbed straight on top, swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

"S-stop! We're not little kids fighting anymore! Ah, you can't use that move! Aah, aah..."

Xiao Yan's screams abruptly rang across the entire square.

His cries shattered the cheering, plunging the whole square into silence.

The youngsters' cheers cut off dead. They stood gaping, dumbstruck.

What had they just witnessed? The clan's most dazzling genius being straddled and beaten senseless by Xiao Qian?

Did that make sense?

It made no sense!

Could someone tell them what on earth had happened?!

"Do you yield?" Xiao Qian asked, hammering down his fists.

Every time he straddled Xiao Yan like this, he felt a strange thrill. Although he had read few novels, he had still heard of the Flame Emperor.

Who else could straddle the Flame Emperor and beat him senseless?

An unusual excitement stirred inside him, his fists raining down.

Bang, bang, bang...

The more Xiao Qian thought about it, the more excited he became. His fists battered Xiao Yan like a wild storm, making him howl.

"I yield! I yield! Ow! You brute! Stop already!"

Xiao Yan begged loudly for mercy, feeling as though a mountain were crushing him, leaving him utterly powerless to resist.

Only then did Xiao Qian stop, his face full of regret. He stood and brushed the dust off himself, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

Below the platform, silence reigned.

Everyone was still immersed in that astonishing scene, unable to recover their senses.

Xiao Yan took the opportunity to shove him away, panting heavily. He clutched his swollen cheek and hissed through his teeth like a wounded beast, pained and helpless.

Today should have been the day he flaunted his prowess and made his name throughout Wutan City. But after this, it was easy to imagine what people would soon be saying in every street and alley.

"Xiao Yan, son of the Xiao Clan Chief, broke through to one-star Dou Zhe at eleven! But he lost to someone with three-stage dou qi."

"Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan broke Wutan City's century-old record! He's already a one-star Dou Zhe! But he lost to someone with three-stage dou qi."

A chill swept through Xiao Yan's entire body. He wanted to cry but had no tears, as though his whole world had collapsed in that instant.

The glory he had worked so painstakingly to earn had been smashed to pieces.

Everyone watched him silently straighten his clothes, limp down from the arena, and walk toward the edge of the square with a numb expression.

His retreating figure looked so desolate, like a wounded lone wolf.

"Cousin Xiao Yan..."

Xiao Mei sounded timid, not daring to approach. Her voice was faint and trembling, like a startled little bird.

She did not know how to face Xiao Yan. The invincible image she had held in her heart had shattered.

Xiao Yan suddenly stopped.

"Cousin Xiao Yan?" Delight lit Xiao Mei's face, and she hurried over. "Let me walk with you. One win or loss doesn't decide anything. Don't take it to heart."

But Xiao Yan ignored her. Instead, he looked at Xiao Qian, who had just come down from the platform, his eyes fierce. "Come with me! We're having a second round!"

Fury and resentment burned in his eyes, as though another battle were about to begin.

At the murderous look in his eyes, Xiao Mei fell silent as a cicada in winter.

She had never seen such a fierce look in Xiao Yan's eyes. Fear filled her heart, and she dared not speak again.

"As if I'm afraid of you!" Xiao Qian's eyes lit up. He strode over in a few quick steps and hooked an arm around Xiao Yan's neck. "Let's go!"

"You two, stop right there!"

The others exchanged bewildered looks, but Xiao Xun'er grew angry and came running after them, her expression cold as snowflakes, enough to send a chill down anyone's spine.

"Xiao Yan, if you dare lure him to that sort of place again, you-you'll be dead!" Her voice was like a biting winter wind, full of authority.

The two exchanged a glance, then suddenly chuckled together. They gave each other a shove and shot off in opposite directions, swift and nimble as two wild horses freed from their reins.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Xun'er decisively chased after Xiao Qian.

But how could she match Xiao Qian's physical prowess? Before long, he had left her completely behind, leaving the girl alone in an alley, stamping her feet.

"That bastard Xiao Yan! He's led him completely astray!"

"Bastard, bastard..."

In the shadows of a corner, a young man watched their retreating figures, a cold, twisted smile appearing on his face. The script for the fall of the Xiao Clan's twin stars was about to begin.