"Xiao Yan, Dou Qi, third stage!"
"Level: Low!"
Beside the Testing Magic Stone Tablet, the middle-aged man responsible for recording announced the information expressionlessly, though a trace of pity hid in his eyes.
The genius who had once astonished the family was still stuck in the same place.
"Hah~"
Hearing the accustomed sarcastic remarks and sighs from those around him, the young boy with delicate features gave a self-mocking smile. Clenching his fists, he turned and walked unsteadily toward the edge of the square.
"Xiao Mei, Dou Disciple, seventh stage!"
"Level: High!"
"Xiao Chen..."
"Xiao Fan..."
"Xiao Hao..."
The testing continued, with some rejoicing and others worrying.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to leave the square, an excited voice came from the middle-aged man behind him.
"Xiao Xun'er, Dou... Dou Fighter, one star!"
"Miss Xun'er, congratulations! You've reached the Dou Fighter level before even turning fourteen, making you the second person in the Xiao Family to do so in a hundred years!"
The first person in these hundred years was naturally Xiao Yan, who had now become a good-for-nothing.
"Not even fourteen years old, a one-star Dou Fighter."
Xiao Yan turned his head mechanically, looking toward the girl standing before the Testing Magic Stone Tablet at the edge of the square, receiving everyone's praise and admiration.
The girl wore a purple dress, her demeanor cool and detached, like an untainted lotus in the mundane world. Her slender waist was as narrow as a willow leaf, seemingly graspable with just one hand. Her long black hair was casually tied with a light purple ribbon, making her look like a beauty who had stepped out of a painting.
Faced with the flattery and admiration from those around her, she merely smiled faintly.
Sensing Xiao Yan's gaze, she looked up, her eyes calm.
But Xiao Yan felt as if he had been burned, instinctively avoiding her gaze and quickly walking away.
"Cousin Xiao Yan."
Just as he was about to enter the inner courtyard gate, the girl's lively voice reached him, making Xiao Yan stop in his tracks.
"Cousin Xun'er." Xiao Yan forced a smile.
"Why didn't cousin wait for Xun'er this time?" Xun'er walked up to Xiao Yan, a faint smile on her face.
"Cousin Xun'er, you're a one-star Dou Fighter, the family's proud daughter of heaven. I'm just a good-for-nothing with only three stages of Dou Disciple." Xiao Yan felt bitterness spreading in his mouth. "We don't belong in the same world."
Not in the same world, huh.
Xun'er thought of her true identity.
If she had grown up within her clan, she might have looked down on everyone, not even considering the entire Xiao Family worthy of her attention.
But when she was three years old, her father had sealed the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame Seed Fire—a nascent flame nurtured from it—merging it with her body to grow together. It tempered the impurities in her bloodline, building her foundation to perfection.
During this period, compared to the prodigies in her clan, she was also a "good-for-nothing" with extremely slow cultivation speed.
To ensure she grew up with a healthy mindset, her father found an excuse to settle her in the Xiao Family.
Xiao Yan's ten years—first as a genius, then as a good-for-nothing—made her understand her unnamed father's thoughtful intentions.
Don't look down on others, but don't underestimate yourself either. Temporary leads or lags prove nothing.
"Cousin, didn't you once tell me that only by being able to let go can you pick things up? Being able to hold and release freely is what makes a person truly at ease."
Xun'er spoke words of comfort to Xiao Yan.
When she was young, because the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame was tempering her bloodline, she would often fall into a state that appeared to be suffering from cold energy invasion.
Xiao Yan had discovered this situation and once secretly came to her room, wanting to use the Dou Qi he had just cultivated to warm and nourish her bones and meridians.
However, this matter was intercepted by Ling Xiao, one of the guards secretly protecting her. How could the daughter of the Ancient Clan's leader be touched by the young master of the Xiao Family, even though both were still children at the time.
But Xun'er remembered this Xiao Family cousin who wanted to help her, and as they grew up together, she only interacted with Xiao Yan.
Soon, she would have to return to her family, and might never see Xiao Yan again in this lifetime.
"If I can't find the reason before I leave, I'll have the clan's experts help you once, to honor the bond we've formed growing up together," Xun'er thought to herself.
Unaware of her thoughts, Xiao Yan smiled self-deprecatingly: "Back then I was a genius, so I could say such words casually. Do you think I can do that now?"
Xun'er slightly frowned, her voice encouraging: "Cousin Xiao Yan, Xun'er believes in you. As long as you keep working hard, you'll definitely succeed."
"I hope so." But Xiao Yan felt somewhat disheartened.
He had persisted for over three years, never slacking in his cultivation, yet the accumulated cultivation he built up would always disappear.
Meanwhile, in the Xiao Family's main hall.
Several Xiao Family elders were confronting Clan Leader Xiao Zhan.
"Clan Leader, the Third Young Master's cultivation remains stagnant. When do you plan to resolve his marriage engagement?" the Great Elder of the Xiao Family inquired.
"That's Yan'er's engagement, what does it have to do with you?" Xiao Zhan clearly didn't want to discuss this matter.
"Clan Leader, don't deceive yourself," the Second Elder chimed in, supporting the Great Elder. "This is an alliance marriage between two families. Back then, the Xiao Family was naturally qualified, but now we're reaching above our station."
"Originally, reaching above our station was acceptable - this was decided by the two family elders, and no one could say anything about it. Having this marriage connection was an opportunity for both the Third Young Master and the Xiao Family. But now the Third Young Master has become useless, while the Nalan Family's young lady has been taken as a disciple by the Cloud Mist Sect's Sect Master."
"If we don't cancel the engagement, we'll be offending both the Nalan Family and the Cloud Mist Sect. What was good might turn bad."
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan didn't get angry but calmly retorted: "Fine, let's cancel the engagement. I'll go negotiate it personally as clan leader. Will you be satisfied when we lose all face?"
"Yan'er has become useless, yet our Xiao Family dares to initiate breaking off the engagement. Can you guarantee the Nalan Family and Cloud Mist Sect won't be angered?"
This silenced the several elders. The Nalan Family hadn't given any signal about canceling the engagement, making it difficult for them to gauge the situation.
If only the Nalan Family had sent someone to hint at it, Xiao Zhan could have written a letter to broach the topic tactfully.
"I won't hide my thoughts from you," Xiao Zhan snorted coldly. "I'm not naive enough to think that just because my father and Elder Nalan arranged this marriage, Yan'er can reach above his station to marry the Young Sect Master of Cloud Mist Sect."
"There's still one year until the coming-of-age ceremony. If by then Yan'er cannot achieve the seventh stage of Dou Disciple, according to the rules, I will naturally assign him to the family's businesses."
"At that time, I will personally write a letter to Nalan Su, tactfully expressing our intention to cancel the engagement."
"Given Nalan Su's character, he will definitely agree and send some compensation to Yan'er in the name of an elder. That would also give Elder Nalan an explanation."
"This is the last thing I, as a father, can strive to get for Yan'er. Do any of you still have objections!?"
The love of parents for their children plans deeply for their future.
When Xiao Yan was born, Xiao Zhan knew this youngest son was different. His later cultivation talent proved his judgment correct, though he didn't know why he had become useless afterward.
For over three years of stagnation, while he had consistently encouraged and trusted Xiao Yan in both words and actions, he knew deep down that the possibility of his son recovering was slim.
Given this, he had to make some arrangements for Xiao Yan, ensuring that even if he ended up as an ordinary clan member, he could still live comfortably.
"We have no objections."
The elders exchanged glances and ceased their aggressive stance.
After all, this marriage was a favorable arrangement secured by the former family head for his own grandson.
The elder coughed lightly and added, "We were only considering the family's interests and feared that delays might cause complications. If it displeased the Nalan Family or the Cloud Mist Sect, we could end up with nothing."
"You need not worry about that." Xiao Zhan wore a confident expression. "Given Old Master Nalan's decisive and trustworthy character, at least until Yan'er's coming-of-age ceremony, there's no need to fear any mishaps."
"In a few days, I have business in the capital and will visit the Nalan Family to subtly convey our intentions."
With matters laid out this clearly, the elders had nothing more to say.
Just then, a voice came from the entrance: "Report, a messenger from the Nalan Family has arrived, bearing a letter from their current family head."
All the Xiao Family higher-ups: !!!
This likely bodes ill.