At the Xiao Clan's routine testing ceremony:
"Xiao Yan... Dou... Dou Zhi Qi?"
"...Fourth Stage!?"
The middle-aged man presiding over the test froze, casting a look of astonishment at Xiao Yan. His words fell like a stone into a calm pool, stirring up a thousand ripples. The young members of the Xiao Clan waiting for their turn were struck with shock, their expressions a mix of confusion, disbelief, and bewilderment.
The reason for such a reaction was simple: Xiao Yan was a genius the likes of which the Xiao Clan had not seen in a hundred years. Just a year ago at this very test, the magic stone had glowed with brilliant golden light to reveal four distinct characters: One-Star Dou Zhe! That event had caused a sensation throughout the entire Xiao Clan and even gained him fame across Wutan City. An eleven-year-old One-Star Dou Zhe was an absolute prodigy with a limitless future. Everyone in the clan had envisioned Xiao Yan growing up to lead them to unprecedented glory.
Throughout the past year, Xiao Yan had lived up to those expectations, dedicating himself to his cultivation and cutting off almost all social interaction. Whenever the other clan members saw him, he was always in a rush. Sometimes, they wouldn't even catch a glimpse of him for weeks, as he stayed holed up in his room training. Perhaps the only person who had much contact with him was his younger brother, the Fourth Young Master of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Ze.
Xiao Yan’s level of dedication had satisfied most of the elders, who even used him as a model to discipline their own children. "Look at Xiao Yan—even a genius like him works so hard; why don't you try harder?" This had been the most common phrase heard among the younger generation of the Xiao Clan over the past year. Even the First Elder, who was constantly at odds with the Patriarch, had personally said as much to his own grandson, Xiao Ning, telling him to learn from Xiao Yan’s diligence instead of idling his life away.
Yet, after a year of hard work, the most talented member of the Xiao Clan in a century had seen his cultivation regress rather than advance. He had fallen from a Dou Zhe all the way down to the Fourth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi. This was exactly what had shocked the onlookers, and after the shock came a flurry of whispers.
"What’s going on? Wasn't Young Master Xiao Yan a One-Star Dou Zhe? Is the magic stone broken?"
"How could it be broken? I was the one tested just before him, and it was perfectly accurate—I’m at the Fifth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi!"
"Then what is happening with Young Master Xiao Yan?"
"What else could it be? His cultivation has regressed!"
On the testing platform, Xiao Yan clenched his fists. The looks of disbelief and the questioning whispers from the crowd pierced his heart. Even though he had been mentally bracing himself for this moment ever since he first began to lose his strength, actually facing it was still excruciating. Xiao Yan walked off the platform without a word, ignoring the chatter, and left the plaza.
On a small hill outside the plaza, Xiao Ze leaned against a tree, his hands behind his head, looking completely at ease. "Finally, the story is three years away from starting. My Third Brother is about to endure three years of ridicule and mockery."
Xiao Ze was also a transmigrator. When he began cultivating at age four, he discovered he had a binding feedback system. Whenever the person he was bound to grew stronger, he would receive a tenfold feedback. Xiao Ze had faced two choices: the child of destiny, Xiao Yan, destined to become the Flame Emperor, or the heavenly beauty, Xiao Xun'er, who possessed both terrifying talent and a formidable background.
After careful consideration, Xiao Ze chose Xiao Xun'er. Xiao Yan’s future was bright, but his path was fraught with misfortune. His success was arguably impossible to replicate. One wrong step or a lapse in willpower could lead to his sudden demise. Especially when Xiao Yan inherited the ancient emperor’s legacy, his body was pushed to the brink countless times; his survival depended entirely on his iron-willed mind. Moreover, his early growth path was grueling, particularly the life-threatening risks involved in absorbing Heavenly Flames.
Compared to Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun'er’s path was much smoother. With top-tier talent and an astonishing background, her cultivation level often rivaled Xiao Yan’s, sometimes even surpassing him in combat power! Her personal guardian was a high-level Dou Huang; in the Gama Empire, almost no one could threaten her life. Even if someone could, wouldn't her father, a peak Dou Sheng, have left behind some protective measures? Given her status as a young lady of the Ancient Clan, she was practically guaranteed to reach the peak of Dou Sheng.
With two paths laid out before him, Xiao Ze chose the safer one. After all, Xiao Yan’s life was full of variables, and Xiao Ze wasn't sure if his own existence would hinder Xiao Yan’s protagonist destiny. With his cheat code and Xiao Xun'er’s guaranteed path to peak Dou Sheng, Xiao Ze figured that reaching Dou Di himself shouldn't be a problem. Thus, he had decisively bound himself to Xiao Xun'er.
[Ding! Xiao Xun'er’s strength has increased, reaching the Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi! Host receives ten-fold feedback!]
[Congratulations, Host’s strength has increased to Nine-Star Dou Zhe!]
Xiao Ze looked at the notification that had appeared that morning with a smile. After claiming the reward, he would break through from Eight-Star to Nine-Star Dou Zhe.
"Brother Xiao Ze seems quite happy being here all by himself!"
A delicate, sweet voice suddenly rang out. Xiao Xun'er appeared from behind the tree, her hands behind her back, leaning forward playfully to peek at him. Looking at the beautiful girl before him, even from his inverted angle, her breathtaking, budding beauty was undeniable.
Xiao Ze was the same age as Xiao Xun'er, just a few months older, and one year younger than Xiao Yan. They had begun training at the same time. Because of the ten-fold feedback from his bond with her, Xiao Ze’s cultivation speed was staggering. He often gave her pointers and even helped her temper her meridians. Of course, thanks to the system, his control over Dou Zhi Qi was exceptional, so he could help her temper her entire body's meridians just by holding her hands. While it wasn't the most efficient method, his help made Xiao Xun'er feel warm, and their relationship flourished into a childhood friendship that had lasted to this day.
"Of course I'm happy. I was just lying here thinking about a certain someone~"
The smile on Xiao Xun'er’s face froze for a moment, and a trace of subtle displeasure crept into her tone. "Brother Xiao Ze... are you thinking about some beauty?"
"I am! I'm thinking about a beauty named Xiao Xun'er."
"Smooth talker!" Xiao Xun'er laughed softly, though the displeasure had vanished into thin air, and her smile returned.
"Cousin Xiao Yan seems to have run into trouble..." Xiao Xun'er sat down, gazing at the tall testing monument in the distance, speaking to Xiao Ze with a thoughtful expression.