'He cannot identify it,' Yoriichi thought internally. 'My soul likely mutated, resonating with my previous life. Because I haven't fully unleashed my Sun Breathing style yet while waiting to forge a proper katana, my true attribute remains dormant and unreadable.'
Despite his hidden theory, Yoriichi felt a genuine thread of respect for Xiao Zhan. A lesser leader would have arrogantly ordered him to practice a specific scroll to control his development. Xiao Zhan, however, possessed the wisdom to admit his own ignorance and trust the genius of the youth.
Yoriichi bowed his head in a measured, respectful nod.
"I understand, Patriarch," Yoriichi replied, his voice calm and resolute. "I will think deeply on your suggestions, and I will choose the path that is best suited for my vessel."
Xiao Zhan smiled warmly. This youth did not act rashly. He didn't boast about his mysterious golden sparks, nor did he blindly accept the word of his elders without thought. This type of terrifyingly calm, rational maturity was rarer than the golden Dou Qi itself.
"Good," Xiao Zhan nodded. He then swept his gaze across the flanking seats. "Elders, you may speak up if you wish to offer any guidance or points to the youth, Xiao Ning."
What followed was an intense, hour-long inquisition.
The elders, driven by a mix of genuine concern for the clan's new asset and intense political curiosity, began to pepper Yoriichi with questions.
The Second Elder, ever the skeptic, leaned forward. "Xiao Ning, your sudden shift in temperament is as shocking as your cultivation. A month ago, you were... undisciplined. What triggered this awakening?"
It was a sharp, dangerous question. It bordered on asking if his body had been possessed by an old monster.
Yoriichi didn't miss a beat. He looked at the Second Elder, his crimson eyes entirely devoid of emotion.
"A man who bleeds out on an infirmary bed, waiting for death, has a long time to think about his failures, Second Elder. The sword at my throat taught me the value of discipline. Times can change any youth and it's resolution. The one standing before you only cares for the peak of martial power."
The chilling, absolute sincerity in his voice sent a shiver down the spines of several elders. It was the perfect, irrefutable answer. Trauma changes men, and near-death experiences forge monsters. They stopped seeing him as a lucky, mutated kid and began to see him as an ascetic, battle-hardened warrior.
Other elders inquired about his physical training methods, his work under Grandmaster Tie Shan, and his understanding of Dou Qi circulation. Yoriichi answered them all with minimalistic, precise words, never revealing the secrets of his Total Concentration Breathing, but offering enough practical, brutal logic about physical tempering to satisfy their martial curiosity.
By the time the discussion wound down, the atmosphere in the Grand Hall had shifted. The elders were no longer just looking at the First Elder's grandson; they were looking at a pillar of the Xiao Clan's future.
Outside the high windows, the golden light of the afternoon had bled away, replaced by the deep, indigo hues of twilight. Darkness was looming over Wu Tan City.
Xiao Zhan clapped his large hands together, the sharp sound echoing through the hall and signaling the end of the council. He stood up, towering over the dais.
"Xiao Ning," the Patriarch announced, his voice echoing with finality. "Since it will soon be night, the Pavilion is closed. You may go to the Dou Ji Pavilion tomorrow morning at any time, and afterward, the Clan Treasury."
Yoriichi nodded, offering a final, formal bow of acknowledgment.
Xiao Zhan then turned his fierce, tiger-like gaze to the assembled elders and the guards by the door. His aura flared slightly—a strict, undeniable warning.
"The Clan Assembly is dismissed. You may all go home now," Xiao Zhan ordered, his tone leaving absolutely no room for debate.
"And hear me well: what happened in this hall today is to be kept an absolute secret. No one breathes a word of Xiao Ning's breakthrough, nor his golden attribute, to anyone outside these walls. The Jia Lie and Ao Ba clans are already snapping at our heels. We will not give them a target before our sword is fully drawn. Understood?"
"Yes, Patriarch!" the elders and guards responded in unison, nodding seriously. In the brutal politics of the Dou Qi Continent, hiding your trump cards was the basic rule of survival.
The elders began to file out of the grand hall, their robes swishing against the jade floor, whispering excitedly amongst themselves about the clan's shifting future.
As Yoriichi turned to leave, Xiao Zhan walked down the steps. The Patriarch stopped beside the youth and placed a heavy, reassuring hand on Yoriichi's shoulder one last time.
"Good youth," Xiao Zhan said quietly, a profound depth in his eyes. "Be strong. The wind blows hardest at the peak of the mountain."
"I will, Patriarch. Goodbye," Yoriichi greeted calmly.
He walked out of the heavy ironwood doors and into the cool night air. The stars were already beginning to pierce the dark canopy of the sky.
Waiting for him at the bottom of the marble steps were First Elder Xiao Lu and Xiao Yu. Xiao Lu was practically glowing with pride, his chest puffed out like a victorious general. Xiao Yu had a bright, relieved smile plastered across her face, clearly thrilled that the Patriarch's probe had gone smoothly.
"Come, my boy!" Xiao Lu boomed, throwing a massive arm around Yoriichi's shoulders, completely ignoring all formalities now that they were out of the hall. "Tonight, we feast! Tomorrow, you claim your legacy!"
Yoriichi allowed himself to be led down the winding, lantern-lit paths of the estate. He walked in silence, sandwiched between his beaming grandfather and his chattering sister.
As they headed back to the warmth of their dormitory, Yoriichi looked up at the moon. The trials of the day were over, but the true test of his new life was just beginning. Tomorrow, he would enter the Dou Ji Pavilion. Tomorrow, he would find the method to unleash.