Three months had passed in the blink of an eye, and the adult ceremony for Xiao Yan was just a month away. In the neat little house, Xiao Yan stared dumbly at the green liquid in the wooden basin. This was the last Foundation-building Spirit Liquid. The more advanced the Dou Qi, the harder it became to cultivate. Since his last breakthrough to the seventh segment, Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi had been dormant for nearly two months. No matter how he trained, that feeling of a breakthrough never appeared.
Staring like a fool at the wooden basin for a long while, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly and muttered, “I wonder if this last drop of Foundation-building Spirit Liquid can break through to the eighth segment of Dou Qi?”
Slowly straightening his somewhat numb body, Xiao Yan unexpectedly did not continue his Dou Qi training. Instead, he took out a set of decent black clothes from the wardrobe…
A month before the adult ceremony, everyone had to participate in a prediction test. The purpose of the test was naturally to eliminate those whose Dou Qi was below the passing mark. Clan members with Dou Qi above the seventh segment would be granted the right to enter the Dou Qi Pavilion to find cultivation techniques after the adult ceremony. Those below the seventh segment, however, would lose this right and be assigned to various family businesses. Unless they performed exceptionally well or caught up in cultivation speed with other outstanding clan members, it would be difficult for them to re-enter the inner family.
Just as he changed into his clothes, a gentle knock came from the door.
“Brother Xiao Yan, are you in there?”
Hearing the clear voice of the girl, Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows, fastened his clothes, grabbed the wooden basin, and hid it in a secluded corner. Then, he slowly walked to the door and opened it.
The door opened, and warm sunlight flooded in, illuminating the black-clad youth, making him look particularly spirited.
Outside the door, the girl stood gracefully. Her light green attire perfectly complemented her budding figure. Her slightly immature chest, though still developing, proudly exuded the allure of youth. A purple sash loosely tied around her tiny waist fluttered in the breeze…
Xiao Yan stared at the beautiful girl outside the door for a moment before coming back to his senses. He looked her up and down and exclaimed, “Early in the morning, I thought a goddess had descended. But upon closer inspection, it turns out to be my Xuner.”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s slightly teasing praise, Xuner blinked her big, bright eyes and smiled shyly, revealing her joy with her crescent-shaped brows.
With a delighted gaze, Xuner tilted her delicate chin and looked at the boy who had just opened the door. After almost a year of arduous training, Xiao Yan had shed some of his childishness. His clear, handsome face now carried a mysterious charm. Long hours of physical training had made his body strong and robust. Dressed in a black shirt, he cut quite a striking figure.
Stepping out of the room, he closed the door behind him. Looking at Xuner, who was still staring at him, Xiao Yan examined himself in surprise and asked, “Is something wrong?”
Her pretty face turning slightly red, Xuner quickly averted her gaze and smiled, “Let’s go, Brother Xiao Yan. Today is the day of the prediction. Are you ready?”
Narrowing his eyes, Xiao Yan shrugged and a hint of defiance appeared on his lips. He slowly clenched his fist and said with a faint smile, “From today, I will return the name of a waste to those who bestowed it upon me!”
Looking at the confident Xiao Yan, Xuner tilted her head and smiled, “I believe in Brother Xiao Yan!”
“Of course, you believe in me. You’ve probably already seen through my strength again, haven’t you?” Xiao Yan rolled his eyes and said with a wry smile.
Seeing the slightly frustrated Xiao Yan, Xuner chuckled and nodded, adorably shrugging her shoulders. “Going from the third to the seventh segment of Dou Qi in less than a year—Brother Xiao Yan’s cultivation talent is beyond even Xuner’s reach…”
“Let’s go, girl!” Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, affectionately patted Xuner’s head, and then strode towards the family training ground, waving his hand.
Looking at the boy’s silhouette, so different from his former dejected state, Xuner smiled with satisfaction and whispered, “Brother Xiao Yan, Xuner has always believed that you would reclaim your dignity and glory…”
…
In the massive green stone training ground, over a hundred boys and girls stood in formation, their voices creating a noisy atmosphere. In the center of the training ground stood a giant testing stone, which only powerful families could afford. Beside the stone, the same cold-faced tester from a year ago stood. On the high platform to the left, some internal family members were seated, with the patriarch Xiao Zhan and three elders in the central area.
The young boys and girls, about to be judged, stood nervously. Some, who usually performed well, did not seem very tense, while others, with average or low talent, looked lost and anxious.
Xiao Zhan watched his clan members with varied expressions, sighing softly. Can you pass this test, Yan’er?
“Clan leader, the time is almost up. Why isn’t Xiao Yan here yet?” The second elder, beside Xiao Zhan, frowned and asked.
Glancing at him, Xiao Zhan replied indifferently, “It’s not time yet. What’s the rush? Does the second elder lack even this much patience?”
Choked by Xiao Zhan’s words, the second elder’s face turned slightly dark. He sneered, “Even if you provided him with Foundation-building Spirit Liquids, it’s impossible for him to reach the seventh segment of Dou Qi in a year! Don’t expect any miracles.”
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan’s face grew angry. Just as he was about to retort, a slight commotion arose in the training ground.
Turning his gaze, he saw two figures walking calmly down the path at the end of the square, their steps unhurried despite the importance of the day.
Xiao Zhan, looking at the calm smile on the black-clad youth’s face, somehow felt relieved…
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