Xiao Zhan’s face was ashen. With a flick of his sleeve, he took Xiao Yan and Xiao Ze and left the scene. Before departing, Xiao Ze cast a glance at the triumphant Xiao Ning. The First Elder, meanwhile, wore a beaming smile as he pulled Xiao Ning away. Being able to get the better of Xiao Zhan in this matter truly brought him genuine joy. This was especially true for Xiao Ning; the satisfaction of knocking down a genius who had once been perched high above him was written all over his face.
The events that had unfolded spread through the entire Xiao Clan with astonishing speed, firmly cementing Xiao Yan’s reputation as a fallen genius.
……
"Father, I am fine. If all else fails, I’ll just avoid them in the future," Xiao Yan said with a bitter smile to Xiao Zhan, whose face was etched with worry.
"Yan’er, you have suffered! It is your father’s incompetence; so much time has passed, and I still cannot determine the cause of your declining Dou Qi."
Xiao Yan was stunned. He hadn't told Xiao Zhan about his declining Dou Qi. Xiao Ze, who was supporting Xiao Yan from the side, explained, "Father noticed it a long time ago. But since you didn't want to bring it up, he didn't question you—he has just been searching for the reason in secret."
Xiao Ze felt at ease saying this. In truth, Xiao Zhan was a good father who treated all his children equally. In the original story, Xiao Zhan was able to make Xiao Yan call him father with sincerity, and he was naturally able to elicit the same from Xiao Ze.
"Fourth brother, you knew too?" Xiao Yan suddenly felt as though his concealment over the past year had become a joke.
"Third brother, we see each other often enough, and besides, we are brothers! Although you’ve been busy cultivating this past year, we’ve met many times, and I could still spot a few clues."
Xiao Yan nodded silently, saying bitterly, "So that means even Father has no way to resolve my declining Dou Qi?"
Xiao Zhan sighed slowly. His third son could be said to be the one who made him proudest, yet worried him the most. He was unlike the eldest or second sons, who had gone out to seek their fortunes early on, nor was he as unremarkable as the fourth, though the latter had the benefit of never causing him any worry.
A heavy silence descended upon the room.
Outside, Xiao Xun’er stood waiting in the distance. She spoke softly, "Elder Ling, can you see why his Dou Qi is declining?"
"It seems to be absorbed by some unknown force. Whenever he cultivates and stores Dou Qi in his body, it is drained away." Ling Ying could not detect Yao Lao’s presence, but he could perceive the situation within Xiao Yan’s body.
Xiao Xun’er nodded. She was merely curious and had no intention of interfering. Of course, if Brother Xiao Ze were to ask for her help, it wouldn't be out of the question. However, Brother Xiao Ze likely still thought of her as just an ordinary member of the Xiao Clan. A faint smile touched Xiao Xun’er’s lips at the thought of Xiao Ze.
Ling Ying, guarding from the shadows, felt a complex mix of emotions. He was troubled by the closeness between the young miss and that Xiao Clan boy. After all, he knew the young miss’s true status; the gap between them was as vast as clouds and mud. The chance of a successful outcome was extremely slim, and even if the young miss insisted, she would likely face opposition from the old fogeys in the clan. He wanted to persuade her to sever this impossible emotional connection, but he didn't know how to begin. In the end, he could only continue to guard her in silence.
Not long after, Patriarch Xiao Zhan emerged, his face full of sorrow. He paused upon seeing Xiao Xun’er; he was, of course, aware that she was very close to his fourth son. However, he was in no mood for idle chatter and simply nodded in acknowledgment before hurrying away.
A moment later, Xiao Ze came out, thoughtfully closing the door behind him. Seeing Xiao Xun’er waiting, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Xiao Xun’er walked over to greet him, leaning forward slightly, her bright, captivating eyes studying Xiao Ze’s expression. "Brother Xiao Ze, you won’t let this matter rest, will you?"
"Of course! He is my third brother. Does he really think just anyone can lay a hand on him?" Xiao Ze’s smile remained, but his eyes were cold. "Since the First Elder says that sparring between the younger generation is not for his involvement, then we shall resolve this matter through a spar between the younger generation!"
"Xun’er, come, let’s go and stir up some trouble with Brother Xiao Ze!" Xiao Ze said with high spirits. Xiao Xun’er nodded obediently and followed behind him. While waiting, she had asked Ling Ying about Xiao Ze’s current strength and received an answer that surprised her: Nine-Star Dou Zhe!
Using the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Zhe to fight Xiao Ning would be easy—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a bully picking on the weak!
Dou Technique Pavilion.
This was the place where members of the Xiao Clan chose their Dou Techniques and sparred with one another. Currently, Xiao Ning was surrounded by a large crowd, his eyes filled with vanity.
"I only threw one punch, and I knocked him straight to the ground. He wanted to crawl back up and keep fighting, but I didn't want to strike again. Yet he kept insisting on coming at me, sigh..." Xiao Ning said triumphantly. It felt so good to trample on the reputation of a former genius and climb to the top! "If it weren't for the crowd gathering and the Patriarch arriving, he might have kept trying to fight me. I really didn't want to continue!"
Xiao Ning feigned benevolence. Listening to the praise from the onlookers, he wore a smile, feeling incredibly delighted inside.
"How can that be? Cousin Xiao Ning, you should continue the fight!"
The sudden voice made the atmosphere in the courtyard freeze. Everyone looked toward the speaker, and upon seeing his face, the expressions in their eyes shifted slightly.
Xiao Ze said with a smile, "But this time, I’ll be the one to fight you. It’s my turn!"
The crowd fell silent, their gazes toward Xiao Ze filled with suspicion and uncertainty. Xiao Ze radiated a powerful aura that made them afraid to act rashly. Xiao Ning walked up to Xiao Ze with a faint smile.
"So, you’ve come to avenge your fallen genius brother?"
Xiao Ze returned the smile. "That’s right. What, are you afraid to accept?"
"Oh? After the brother comes the younger brother. I’d like to see just how capable you are!"
The two stepped onto the sparring field, and the crowd moved back, clearing a large enough space for them. Xiao Ning stood in the center, feigning ease as he told Xiao Ze to make the first move.
"Then I won’t hold back!"
Xiao Ze’s expression remained unchanged as he dashed forward with lightning speed. A layer of pale blue Dou Qi shimmered over his fist. By the time Xiao Ning realized it, it was already too late!
A punch landed fiercely in Xiao Ning’s abdomen!
Xiao Ze knocked Xiao Ning to the ground and seized the advantage, mounting him. He used his knees to pin Xiao Ning’s arms, preventing him from protecting his head, while his fists rained down on him, wrapped in that same pale blue Dou Qi.
The onlookers stared with wide eyes. It wasn't an illusion! It was genuine elemental Dou Qi! After becoming a Dou Zhe, one would choose an elemental cultivation method to transform their milky-white, elementless Dou Qi into elemental Dou Qi—this was the only way such a sight could appear!
In other words, they were currently witnessing a true Dou Zhe beating up a mere Dou Zhi Qi practitioner!