It was difficult to imagine that Xun'er, with her usual serene and refined nature, could possess such a captivating posture, such an alluring look. It truly made Xiao Yan feel a unique kind of charm.
Silently calling her a "little vixen" in his mind, Xiao Yan gave an evasive answer, then quickly made his escape.
Watching Xiao Yan's slightly discomfited retreating figure, Xun'er covered her mouth and let out a soft, charming laugh. She subtly appraised herself, her eyes drifting towards the small pond by the roadside.
In the pond's clear water, reflected the image of a girl with sparkling eyes and delicate brows, her gaze shimmering, holding both allure and a subtle, almost imperceptible charm.
"She really is beautiful..." A faint, pleased smile touched Xun'er's lips.
A short distance away, a few young clan members had just walked over, their steps abruptly halting. Their jaws dropped, their eyes wide with astonishment and admiration, as they stood dumbfounded, staring at the girl beneath the tree.
After a somewhat disheveled return to his room, Xiao Yan finally sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow, and gave a wry smile:
"This girl, when she matures, I'm afraid she'll be even more fatally alluring than Ya Fei from the auction house..."
Giving his head a firm shake, Xiao Yan inwardly cursed himself for being a beast, only then managing to banish all "wicked" thoughts from his mind.
Xiao Yan walked to the corner of the room, retrieved the basin containing the Foundation Establishment Elixir, then quickly stripped and settled into the basin.
His hand casually tapped the rim of the basin a few times. Xiao Yan leaned back against the basin's edge, his breathing immediately becoming slow and steady.
Remembering the scene in the courtyard earlier today, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. "Strength, indeed, is the most important thing in this world."
He gently rubbed his forehead with a finger. A cold, beautiful face suddenly appeared in Xiao Yan's mind: It was Nalan Yanran...
His eyes narrowed a little, and Xiao Yan murmured softly:
"Two more years? You must wait for me. I will come for you..."
Were it not for the hint of coldness in his voice, anyone listening would surely mistake it for a lover's sweet nothings.
Remembering the scene in the great hall that day, Nalan Yanran's haughty, unyielding posture, Xiao Yan slowly clenched his fist. This humiliation was truly hard to forget.
"Hmph, cultivation cannot stagnate. That woman, though arrogant, if she could be accepted as a disciple by the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, how could her cultivation talent be low?" Xiao Yan let out a cold laugh.
He took a deep breath. The mere thought of that woman filled Xiao Yan with an unusual drive to cultivate; his spirit immediately soared. Xiao Yan gently entered a state of cultivation, forming hand seals with his ten fingers, calming his mind, and slowly closing his eyes to begin cultivating.
Towards the gazes of awe he had only recently regained after three years, Xiao Yan remained quite indifferent, without the slightest hint of showing off.
The following day, as promised, Xiao Yan spent the day out with Xun'er. Within the clan, apart from his father, Xun'er was the person Xiao Yan was closest to, and it was very difficult for him to refuse her requests.
Thereafter, every morning, Xiao Yan would diligently practice his Dou Techniques on the mountain, then return home to cultivate his Dou Qi. Occasionally, he would spend time with Xun'er or chat with his father.
Sometimes, he would occasionally encounter Xiao Mei within the clan. Hearing her sweetly call him "Cousin Xiao Yan," he would simply smile and casually brush her off. Towards this woman, he always maintained a respectful distance.
And so, a month quickly passed. In seven more days, the Xiao clan would hold the coming-of-age ceremony...
Only seven days remained, but Xiao Yan’s aspiration to break through to the 8th Duan of Dou Qi had yet to be realized, which indeed left him feeling a little regretful.
But on the evening exactly two days before the coming-of-age ceremony, Xiao Yan, who was sleeping soundly, suddenly sprang up as if sleepwalking. Without even taking off his clothes, he immediately jumped into the bathtub containing the medicinal solution, which by then was almost completely depleted.
Time passed. The next morning, when Xiao Yan opened his eyes, he dazedly discovered that the bottleneck which had troubled him for the past three months had, in a hazy manner, been broken through…