Yoriichi gave a single, firm nod of approval. It was time.
Walking out of his courtyard, his footsteps were completely silent—a passive, effortless application of his new Dou Zhe realm. His path toward the Grand Assembly Hall took him past the sprawling eastern training grounds.
Even from a distance, the sharp, cracking sound of a whip echoed through the air, accompanied by the exhausted groans of dozens of youths.
Xiao Yu was standing in the center of the dirt field, fiercely drilling a group of thirty junior branch disciples. Her whip snapped dangerously close to their ankles, forcing them to maintain their grueling horse-stances under the punishing afternoon sun.
"Your footing is weak!" Xiao Yu barked, her hands on her hips. "If a magical beast charges, you are dead! Hold the stance!"
Yoriichi walked calmly onto the edge of the training grounds.
Xiao Yu turned to wipe the sweat from her brow and caught sight of him. She paused, her eyes widening slightly as she took in his immaculate light cyan robes and the profound, settled aura surrounding him.
"Ning'er?" Xiao Yu asked, lowering her whip. "Why are you dressed in the official robes? I thought you were training at the springs."
Yoriichi stopped a few paces away. "I was," he replied, his voice calm and steady. "I am heading to the Grand Assembly Hall now. I have broken through to the 1-Star Dou Zhe realm."
The words were spoken quietly, but they hit the training grounds like a thunderclap.
The silence that followed was absolute. The thirty exhausted disciples froze in their stances, their eyes bulging as they stared at the stoic young master.
Xiao Yu's jaw literally dropped. She blinked once, twice, as her mind struggled to process the timeline. Then, a massive, radiant smile broke across her face, completely shattering her strict instructor persona.
"You did it! Already?!" she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in pure, unadulterated joy. She spun around to face the shocked disciples, waving her hand dismissively. "Training is over for today! Dismissed! Get out of here!"
The disciples immediately broke their agonizing stances and bowed deeply, their faces serious and respectful. But internally? Internally, they were weeping tears of immense joy, sending a barrage of silent, fervent prayers of thanks to Xiao Ning for saving their burning thighs from another hour of torture.
"I am coming with you," Xiao Yu declared, rushing to his side, practically vibrating with excitement.
Yoriichi simply nodded, and the two siblings began the walk toward the heart of the estate.
The journey took several minutes, revealing the sheer, overwhelming scale of the Xiao Clan—a true behemoth of Wu Tan City. As they approached the inner sanctum, the architecture transformed from utilitarian living quarters to breathtaking grandeur, heavily resembling the aesthetic of ancient, legendary sects.
They reached the towering inner gates, flanked by massive stone lion-dogs. Four elite clan guards, clad in heavy iron armor, stood at absolute attention. Seeing the light cyan robes and instantly recognizing the First Elder's grandchildren, the guards snapped their boots together, striking their fists against their breastplates in a crisp, sharp salute.
Passing through the heavy gates, they entered a sprawling, meticulously manicured central garden.
The area was beautiful and serene. Ancient, towering pine trees provided a cool canopy over pristine white stone pathways. To their right, water trickled musically from a grand, multi-tiered marble fountain. To their left stood imposing stone statues of past Xiao Clan ancestors, their carved eyes watching over the current generation.
But the most striking feature of the courtyard lay dead center.
It was a colossal, pitch-black obelisk—the Black Magic Stone Monument.
This was the monolith used to measure the Dou Qi of the clan's children. It was a stone of absolute truth, a monument that had brought immense glory to geniuses and soul-crushing humiliation to others.
Yoriichi paused for a second, his dark eyes looking up at the cold, smooth surface of the stone. He felt no fear of it. Instead, he felt a quiet anticipation. This stone would soon bear witness to the dawn of a new era for his vessel.
Xiao Yu noticed his gaze and smiled softly, bumping her shoulder against his. "Don't stare at it too hard. You'll light that stone up like a sun at the next clan assessment."
He offered a faint "Hmm" and continued walking.
Finally, they reached the apex of the estate: the Xiao Clan Grand Assembly Hall. It was a towering, majestic building with sweeping, azure-tiled eaves and red pillars thick enough to require three men to encircle them.
Even from outside the heavy ironwood doors, Yoriichi could hear the muffled, echoing voices of the clan's highest authority figures engaging in a serious discussion.
Yoriichi stepped forward and placed his hands flat against the heavy doors. With a smooth, effortless push fueled by his Dou Cyclone, the doors groaned open, spilling the bright afternoon sunlight into the dim, incense-filled chamber.
Instantly, the discussion inside came to a dead halt.
Sitting on the raised central polished armchair was Clan Leader Xiao Zhan. Flanking him on slightly lower seats were the First Elder, Xiao Lu, and the Second Elder.
The moment the doors opened, Xiao Zhan's sharp, tiger-like eyes snapped toward the entrance. Displeased by the unannounced interruption, the Patriarch released a pulse of his spiritual perception. It was a deliberate test—a heavy, oppressive aura of a Da Dou Shi meant to physically weigh down anyone who dared enter the council uninvited.
The pressure descended upon Yoriichi like an invisible boulder dropping from the ceiling.
Xiao Yu, standing slightly behind him, paled instantly, her breathing hitching under the terrifying weight of the Clan Leader's aura.
But Yoriichi?
The milky-white cyclone in his Dantian spun steadily. He adjusted his breathing, circulating his true Dou Qi through his meridians to reinforce his physical frame. He felt the Da Dou Shi pressure, but to a man who had stared down the Progenitor of Demons, it was merely a strong gust of wind.
Yoriichi simply shrugged his shoulders, casually adjusting the collar of his cyan robe under the crushing weight, his stoic expression completely unchanged. He stepped over the threshold and walked into the hall with smooth, unbothered strides.
Xiao Zhan's eyes widened, a flicker of profound shock breaking his stern facade. He shrugged it off? A youth shrugged off my aura?
Xiao Yu didn't wait for formalities. Using her brother's advance as cover, she practically sprinted up the side steps toward their grandfather.
First Elder Xiao Lu frowned slightly at her running, but Xiao Yu leaned in quickly and whispered the news directly into the old man's ear.
Xiao Lu's normally fierce, perpetually grumpy expression froze solid.
For three seconds, the First Elder didn't blink. Then, his chest began to physically swell. A massive, booming laugh threatened to escape his lips, his face turning red with immense, uncontainable pride. He looked down at his grandson standing in the center of the hall, his eyes shining with absolute triumph.
The Second Elder and Clan Leader Xiao Zhan shook their heads slightly at Xiao Yu's highly informal behavior. She had always been the First Elder's spoiled jewel, so it was a common, tolerated sight.
But their attention immediately snapped back to the center of the room. Why was the First Elder looking like he had just single-handedly conquered a rival city?
They directed their surprised, scrutinizing gazes fully onto Yoriichi.
Yoriichi stepped onto the intricately carved jade insignia of the Xiao Clan in the exact center of the hall. He stood perfectly straight, the light cyan official robes giving him an air of profound maturity and untouchable calm.
With the flawless, disciplined grace of a seasoned warrior, Yoriichi brought his hands together and bowed formally to the Patriarch.
When he rose, his voice was calm, steady, and echoed with undeniable clarity off the high vaulted ceilings, carrying the weight of absolute truth.
"Patriarch," Yoriichi declared, his dark eyes meeting Xiao Zhan's directly. "I have broken through to Dou Zhe, 1-Star, and came to report."
He paused, letting the impossible reality of his words sink into the dead-silent room, before adding respectfully,
"May the Xiao Clan live longer and prosper."