On the bed, the youth sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. His hands formed a strange hand seal in front of him, and his chest rose and fell gently. Each breath formed a perfect cycle. As the breath circulated, a faint white current of air flowed through his mouth and nose into his body, nourishing his bones and flesh.
While the youth trained with his eyes closed, the ancient black ring on his finger flashed with a bizarre light before instantly vanishing...
"Hu..." Exhaling slowly, the youth suddenly opened his eyes. A faint white glow flashed in the darkness of the night. That was the Dou Qi he had just absorbed but had not yet fully refined.
"The Dou Qi I worked so hard to cultivate has disappeared again... Damn it!" Sensing the Dou Qi within his body, the youth's face suddenly contorted with rage, and he cursed in a slightly sharp voice.
Clenching his fists tightly, the youth shook his head with a bitter smile after a long moment. He lay down on the bed exhaustedly, stretching out his slightly trembling legs. With only three stages of Dou Qi, it was impossible for him to ignore physical fatigue.
After stretching his body slightly in the room, an aged voice came from outside: "Third Young Master, the Clan Leader is calling for you in the main hall!"
The Third Young Master, Xiao Yan, was the third child in his family. He had two older brothers, but they had long since gone out to gain experience and only returned home occasionally. These two older brothers treated their younger brother, Xiao Yan, very well.
"Oh," Xiao Yan replied casually. Walking out of the room, he smiled at the green-robed old man waiting outside and said, "Let's go, Housekeeper Mo."
Looking at the youth's tender face, the green-robed old man nodded kindly. As he turned around, a trace of regret that went unnoticed by anyone flashed through his eyes. Sigh, with the talent of
the Third Young Master in the past, he would have probably become an outstanding Dou Zhe long ago. What a pity...
Following the old housekeeper out of the backyard, they stopped at the guest reception hall. After knocking respectfully, they gently pushed the door open and entered.
The hall was very large, and there were quite a few people sitting inside. Seated at the very top were Xiao Zhan and three old men with indifferent expressions. They were the clan elders, whose authority was no less than that of the Clan Leader.
To the left of the four sat several elders of considerable strength within the clan. Beside them were also some of the outstanding performers among the younger generation of the clan.
On the other side sat three strangers. Presumably, they were the distinguished guests Xiao Zhan had mentioned last night.
Sweeping his slightly puzzled gaze over the three strangers, he noticed that among them was an old man dressed in moon-white robes. The old man was all smiles, looking spirited and energetic, with occasional flashes of light in his small eyes. Xiao Yan's gaze shifted slightly downward, landing on the old man's chest. He suddenly shuddered; on the old man's robes, right at his chest, there was a silver crescent moon, surrounded by seven glittering golden stars.
"A seven-star Da Dou Shi! This old man is actually a seven-star Da Dou Shi? Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover!" Xiao Yan was inwardly astonished. This old man's strength was two stars higher than his own father's.
Anyone who could become a Da Dou Shi was at least a powerhouse famous in their own region. Such strength would be eagerly sought after by all major factions. To suddenly encounter a powerhouse of this level, it was no wonder Xiao Yan felt astonished.
Beside the old man sat a young man and woman. Both wore the same moon-white robes. The young man was about twenty years old, handsome, and with his tall stature, he was quite charming. Most importantly, the five golden stars on his chest represented his strength: a five-star Dou Zhe!
To be able to become a five-star Dou Zhe at the age of twenty showed that the young man's cultivation talent was exceptionally high.
With his handsome looks and extraordinary strength, this young man had not only infatuated countless young girls in the clan, but even Xiao Mei, who was sitting to the side, stared in this direction with a strange, brilliant gleam in her beautiful eyes.
The young girl secretly cast her eyes at him, but she held no attraction for this young man. At this moment, his attention was entirely focused on the beautiful young girl sitting beside him...
This girl was around the same age as Xiao Yan. What surprised him was her appearance; she was even more beautiful than Xiao Mei by several degrees. Within the clan, perhaps only Xiao Xun'er, who was like a pure lotus, could compare to her. No wonder this young man looked down on the other superficial beauties of the clan with utter disdain.
Hanging from the girl's delicate earlobe was a green jade pendant. With her slightest movement, it produced a crisp, tinkling sound, highlighting her noble and pampered air...
Furthermore, on her budding chest, there were three golden stars.
"A three-star Dou Zhe... This girl... If she didn't rely on external items to stimulate her growth, then she is an absolute genius!" Inwardly sucking in a breath of cold air, Xiao Yan's gaze lingered on the girl's face for a brief moment before moving away. After all, beneath his innocent appearance resided a mature soul. Although the girl was extremely beautiful, he had no interest in making a drooling, love-struck fool of himself.
Xiao Yan's reaction surprised the girl. Although she wasn't the type of girl who believed the entire world revolved around her, she was well aware of her own temperament and beauty. Xiao Yan's casual indifference truly caught her off guard. Of course, it was merely a passing thought and nothing more!
"Father, three Elders!" Stepping forward quickly, he respectfully bowed to the four of them.
"Haha, Yan-er, you've arrived. Come, sit down." Seeing Xiao Yan's arrival, Xiao Zhan stopped chatting with his guests, nodded at him, and waved his hand.
Smiling and nodding, Xiao Yan feigned ignorance to the impatient and disdainful glares shot at him by the three elders. He turned his head to look around, only to discover to his surprise that there was no seat left for him...
"Sigh, my status in the clan seems to be getting lower and lower. In the past, it was still fine, but now they even embarrass me in front of guests. These three old bastards..."
Laughing self-deprecatingly in his heart, Xiao Yan shook his head inwardly.
Seeing Xiao Yan standing there awkwardly, the younger generation of the clan couldn't help but sneer and snicker, clearly enjoying the sight of him losing face.
At this moment, Xiao Zhan, sitting at the head of the hall, also noticed Xiao Yan's predicament. His face darkened with anger as he frowned and said to the elder beside him, "Second Elder, you..."
"Cough, my apologies. I actually forgot about the Third Young Master. Haha, I will have someone prepare a seat immediately." The yellow-robed elder, glared at by Xiao Zhan, merely smiled faintly. He patted his forehead in mock self-reproach, though the mockery in his eyes was barely concealed.
"Xiao Yan-gege, sit here!" A girl's soft laughter suddenly echoed in the hall.
The three elders froze, their gazes shifting toward Xiao Xun'er, who was sitting quietly in the corner. Their lips twitched, but none of them dared to say another word...
In the corner of the hall, Xiao Xun'er smiled and closed her thick book. With an elegant and calm demeanor, she gave Xiao Yan a cute wink.
Looking at Xiao Xun'er's smiling face, Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, rubbed his nose, and nodded. Then, under the envious gazes of the crowd of youths, he walked over and sat down beside her.
"You've helped me out of another tight spot," Xiao Yan said with a soft laugh, catching the faint fragrance drifting from the young girl beside him.
Xiao Xun'er smiled faintly, her face dimpling adorably. Her slender fingers flipped open the ancient book once more. Despite her young age, she already possessed a refined, intellectual beauty. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she suddenly said with a touch of melancholy, "Brother Xiao Yan, has it really been three years since you last sat alone with Xun'er?"
"Uh... Xun'er is the genius of the clan now. If you want friends, wouldn't that be easy?" Seeing the slightly resentful look on the young girl's face, Xiao Yan gave a dry laugh.
"When Xun'er was between four and six years old, someone would enter my room every single night. He used a very clumsy method and a weak Dou Qi to nourish my meridians and bones. Every time, he would leave only after he was drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted. Brother Xiao Yan, who do you think he was?" Xun'er fell silent for a moment, then suddenly turned her head and smiled gently at Xiao Yan. Her youthful charm made the eyes of the surrounding boys light up.
"Cough... How, how should I know?" His heart skipped a beat. Xiao Yan let out an embarrassed laugh, then guiltily shifted his gaze toward the main hall.
"Hehe..." Seeing Xiao Yan's reaction, Xiao Xun'er giggled softly. Shifting her gaze back to her book, she murmured to herself, "Even though I know he meant well, Xun'er doesn't care. After all, I am a girl. How could it be right to secretly touch a girl's body? If Xun'er ever finds that person, hmph..."
His lips twitched. Feeling incredibly guilty, Xiao Yan remained silent, not uttering a single word.