Ever since Xiao Ze displayed his true strength, the First Elder had thoroughly provoked public outrage.
If anyone had previously failed to grasp what such strength signified, Xiao Zhan's explanation left no one daring to ignore Xiao Ze's future potential.
A guaranteed Dou Wang Expert, an extremely high probability of reaching the rank of Dou Huang, and perhaps even a shot at the legendary Dou Zong!
It was an evaluation of the highest order, yet given Xiao Ze's talent, he was fully worthy of it!
An eleven-year-old Nine-Star Dou Zhe!
Many among them had wasted the better part of their lives just to reach the Nine-Star Dou Zhe stage.
The chasm-like gap between them convinced them utterly of the heights Xiao Ze could achieve in the future.
"First Elder, you really crossed the line! To actually dare move against a future Dou Wang Expert—if you had hurt him, you would have been a sinner against the Xiao Clan!"
"That's right! If the Xiao Clan possesses a Dou Wang, even a legendary Alchemist might deign to settle in our clan. We wouldn't lack for medicinal pills during cultivation then!"
"With a Dou Wang Expert watching over us, at the very least, the Cultivation Method I use in the future would have to be of the Huang-tier High Grade!"
The crowd chattered endlessly, their imaginations running wild with the benefits Xiao Ze would bring to the Xiao Clan in days to come.
It even made Xiao Ze feel somewhat embarrassed.
Of course, if he truly reached such heights of power in the future, he would be willing to offer the Xiao Clan whatever help lay within his capacity.
The First Elder's face flickered between green and purple.
This time, however, it was not because of his internal injuries, but rather on account of the crowd's discussion and their condemnations of him.
Xiao Zhan let out a cold laugh and said to the First Elder, "Well, First Elder, do you have any objections to the punishment I've handed down?"
Hearing this, the First Elder's expression shifted uncertainly before he finally let out a slow sigh.
"I willingly accept the punishment. I temporarily step down from the position of First Elder. Should I offend again, I shall cripple my own cultivation and leave the Xiao Clan!"
As the First Elder spoke these defeated words, an uproar swept through the entire Dou Technique Pavilion, and every eye turned toward Xiao Ze.
They approved of the Patriarch's punishment.
They also deeply understood the true weight of the genius that was Xiao Ze!
Xiao Zhan continued, "Since the First Elder has acknowledged your wrongdoing, you might as well cover the repair costs for the Dou Technique Pavilion, as well as the medical expenses for the injured Xiao Clan members here!"
"Ah?"
The First Elder was stunned, not expecting Xiao Zhan to be waiting for him with this trap.
The repair costs for the pavilion grounds didn't amount to much, but the injuries sustained by the clan members had mostly been caused by you in the first place!
And now I have to foot this bill?!
Blood was dripping in the First Elder's heart. Now that he was stepping down as First Elder, all these expenses would have to be deducted from his own private coffers!
How could that not make his heart bleed?
Those Xiao Clan members who had been injured by the shockwaves of the battle let out cheers.
Originally, they had assumed they would simply have to swallow their losses in silence.
They never expected the Patriarch to be so considerate of them as to make the First Elder pay for their medical treatment.
How could they not be overjoyed?
After all, getting injured required money for treatment.
The monthly gold coins distributed by the Xiao Clan were hardly plentiful, and spending them on medical care always ached.
If the First Elder was footing the bill, though, there would be no heartache at all.
After all, it wasn't their money!
Amidst the cheers, the First Elder found Xiao Ning.
Because of the shockwave from the battle, Xiao Ning had rolled across the ground like a gourd and happened to crash into a wall, knocking him unconscious.
With a pained expression, the First Elder hoisted Xiao Ning up and left the Dou Technique Pavilion amidst the sounds of celebration.
After all, Xiao Ning was his own flesh and blood; the trouble the boy had stirred up was his alone to clean up.
On the other side, Xiao Zhan led Xiao Ze away from the Dou Technique Pavilion as well.
Reaching a secluded and deserted corner, Xiao Zhan stopped and said to Xiao Ze with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, "Ze'er, you've given your old man quite the massive surprise! A Nine-Star Dou Zhe!"Xiao Zhan pressed his fingers to his temples, feeling somewhat dizzy—dizzy from being overwhelmed by happiness!
"Haha, I never expected things to blow up this big either, though I suppose this counts as a scare," Xiao Ze laughed heartily, joking.
"You know it!" Xiao Zhan smiled as well and said, "Now, we can use this incident to push the First Elder out of power."
"It will also serve as a deterrent to others in the clan, to keep Yan'er from facing gossip or even physical bullying... After all, who wouldn't want to step on a former genius?" Xiao Zhan said with a sigh, then looked at Xiao Ze with a pleading expression.
"Ze'er, you must help your Third Brother more from now on. If your strength permits, look into why your Third Brother's Dou Qi mysteriously vanished."
"Mm-hmm, but Father, you have to help me decline some of these social engagements. The reason I didn't display my strength before was precisely because I didn't want to deal with those things," Xiao Ze nodded, taking the opportunity to say.
Xiao Zhan patted his chest and promised magnanimously, "Rest assured! Nothing will be allowed to disturb you. Just focus on your cultivation and grow strong quickly!"
After a while, Xiao Ze watched Xiao Zhan leave.
He could feel the genuine joy coming from the bottom of Xiao Zhan's heart; his departing steps looked full of vigor and high spirits.
Xiao Ze stood in place for a moment in thought, then turned and headed toward the Back Mountain.
Arriving at the Back Mountain amidst a sea of lush greenery, Xiao Ze indeed spotted that familiar figure.
The young girl's long, black hair cascaded smoothly down to her hips, and she wore a light cyan dress.
A white jade belt was tied around her waist, revealing a slender waist that looked as though it could barely be spanned by a single grasp.
Seeming to sense someone approaching from behind, the girl turned her head. Seeing the person she had been waiting for, a smile immediately bloomed on her face.
"Brother Xiao Ze!"
"I knew you'd be waiting for me here." Xiao Ze walked up and stood beside Xiao Xun'er.
"After all, this is the place we always hang out." Xiao Xun'er tucked back a strand of hair blown loose by the wind. "Speaking of which, Brother Xiao Ze really made a huge splash today. I'm afraid there are countless little fan girls all over the Xiao Clan now..."
"You little minx, so young and already getting jealous?" Xiao Ze teased, deliberately sniffing around in the air as if trying to catch the scent of some non-existent vinegar.
"Hateful!" Xiao Xun'er gave a playful huff and lightly swatted Xiao Ze.
"Seriously though, Brother Xiao Ze, you're probably going to have countless little fan girls from now on."
"It'll be just like before; I don't like interacting with them anyway," Xiao Ze shrugged, turning his head to look seriously at Xiao Xun'er.
"In the past, when I kept a low profile, they didn't want to interact with me. Now that I've stood out, I'm the one who doesn't want to interact with them."
"That's true," Xiao Xun'er chuckled softly.
She had absolute authority to speak on what Xiao Ze had just said.
Ever since they began cultivating together at the age of four, the two of them had essentially been inseparable except when sleeping.
Their childhood sweetheart bond was no joke!
Therefore, Xiao Xun'er knew that Xiao Ze was telling the truth.
"Xun'er, do you want to nourish your meridians a bit more? You've already reached the Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi and are getting ready to condense your Dou Qi Whirlpool and advance to a Dou Zhe."
"Condensing a Dou Qi Whirlpool has very strict requirements for the meridians. Strengthening your meridians a little more definitely won't do any harm."
"Nourish my meridians, huh~" Xiao Xun'er tapped her pearl-like, delicate white fingers against her lips, putting on a coy and charming look.
"Does Brother Xiao Ze want to use your Dou Qi to travel through all the meridians in my body that badly?"