The entire training grounds became eerily quiet compared to its usual state.
Everyone in the training grounds stared in shock at the stone tablet, on which five large characters were carved. Their faces were filled with extreme excitement. A moment later, hurried breaths, like the rapid turning of wheels, filled the air, and the entire arena immediately cried out.
“Xiao Yan!”
On the high platform, the teacup in Xiao Zhan’s hand was directly crushed into powder. Tea mixed with powder dripped down from his hand.
“Seventh stage… Yan’er, you truly did it!” His eyes fixed on the black stone tablet, then on the black-robed youth. A slight wetness appeared in Xiao Zhan’s eyes. He knew in his heart just how much effort and struggle the youth must have endured to achieve this feat…
Seated near Xiao Zhan, the three elders wore expressions of disbelief. Just one year ago, he was only at the third stage of Dou Qi, and now he’s reached the seventh stage? This kind of speed… it’s terrifying!
“Gulp, ah ah… Clan Head, the Foundation Elixir… it truly is potent.” The two elders subtly swallowed a mouthful of saliva. It was a good thing they hadn’t completely mocked that kid earlier. They let out a soft sigh, then chuckled lightly.
Xiao Zhan’s eyes shone with unconcealed excitement. He glanced lightly at the two elders and said with a faint smile, “Two elders, do you really think a second-grade Foundation Elixir can create such a miracle?”
The two elders stiffened, then shook their heads in embarrassment. They weren’t fools; the Foundation Elixir could indeed increase cultivation speed, but to imagine advancing four stages of Dou Qi in just one year was fundamentally impossible!
At the black stone tablet, the examiner, whose face was usually impassive, had long since been shaken by the sight of the five large characters.
“Xiao Yan: Dou Qi, Seventh Stage, High-grade!”
He secretly let out a breath, as if still unable to fully comprehend it, his heart still trembling. The examiner tried to maintain a calm voice, but unlike before, his voice was difficult to conceal, a little shaky.
Hearing the examiner’s announcement, the training grounds, which had already been quiet, now became even more silent.
“Gulp.” It was unknown who was frantically swallowing saliva, but the sound suddenly echoed in the middle of the training grounds.
Standing among the crowd, Xiao Mei’s small face was filled with shock.
In just one year, to advance four stages of Dou Qi… this kind of cultivation speed was truly terrifying to behold.
Such speed, even three years ago, at Xiao Yan’s peak, would have been impossible to achieve!
But this kind of speed truly made the hearts of those who knew the truth involuntarily clench, causing everyone to intently stare at the youth who had created this miracle.
Her gaze carried complex emotions. Her eyes lingered on the black stone tablet, then shifted to the youth. An idea suddenly emerged in Xiao Mei’s mind: His astonishing cultivation talent, it seems, has returned!
Standing at the side of the training grounds, preparing to watch Xiao Yan be ridiculed, Xiao Zhu suddenly stared blankly at the black stone tablet and muttered in a lost voice, “This… How is this possible?”
Raising his head to look at the five large golden characters on the stone tablet, Xiao Yan gently let out a breath. The complex emotions swirling around him made him recall the spirited and brilliant youth he had been three years ago.
Today, his cultivation talent had returned, and moreover, besides his talent, he now also possessed a mature mind and unwavering perseverance.
Xiao Yan cast a deep glance at the stone stele that had several times decided his own fate, then smiled gently, his demeanor as calm as it had been three years ago after the test.
Letting out a silent breath, Xiao Yan met the gazes of everyone present, his eyes finally locking with the smiling Xun'er, before he stepped out of the arena.
As Xiao Yan retreated, the arena remained as quiet as before.
"Ahem..." On the high platform, Xiao Zhan, looking smug, stood up and gave a cough.
"The test is over," Xiao Zhan announced with a hearty laugh. "Next, we will hold the challenges. Those who qualify have the right to issue one challenge to a peer. Remember, you only get one chance!"
Hearing this, the training arena stirred with a slight commotion. Those who were just one level shy of qualifying immediately cast burning gazes towards the qualified peers, eager to issue challenges.
However, facing the provocative gazes from the other side, these qualified peers dismissively raised their hands to their heads. Six-stage and seven-stage were fundamentally two distinct levels; unless there was some special, unexpected circumstance, a person with six-stage Dou Qi would find it very difficult to defeat an opponent with seven-stage Dou Qi.
Those with six-stage Dou Qi were perfectly aware of this, yet they were all determined to seize this opportunity and try their luck, regardless of success or failure.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the arena grew somewhat peculiar. Burning gazes swept over the qualified peers, as everyone secretly chose the best opponent to challenge.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Xiao Yan suddenly furrowed his brows. He was surprised to find that more than half of the gazes in the crowd were fixed on him.
"Am I really that weak?" Briefly surprised, Xiao Yan found himself a little amused.
"Brother Xiao Yan's increase of four Dou Qi stages in one year is indeed shocking," Xun'er said with a soft laugh from beside him. "However, the main reason is that despite being shocking, deep down, everyone harbors a kind of disbelief, an unwillingness to accept it. That's why they naturally want to challenge you, Brother Xiao Yan."
Shrugging helplessly, Xiao Yan lightly patted the dust off his clothes and said with a faint smile, "Because they don't want to believe it, they choose to deceive themselves and belittle the 'weak'..."
Xun'er chuckled softly and nodded slightly.
At this moment, someone in the arena finally couldn't hold back and stood up.
A burly young man quickly walked up to Xiao Yan and said somewhat loudly, "Cousin Xiao Yan, I challenge you!"
Although the young man's face appeared respectful, his eyes, as he looked at Xiao Yan, always held a hint of doubt, and his expression subtly revealed a trace of disdain. He truly didn't believe that the former 'waste' Xiao Yan had recovered.