"Dou Zhi Qi: Ninth Stage!"
The words on the test magic stone were dazzling. The young man raised his head, his face expressionless, giving off a vibe that he didn't want to be disturbed.
"Xiao Shuang, Dou Qi: Ninth Stage! Level: Advanced!"
The middle-aged man standing next to the test magic stone gasped, his voice trembling.
Such terrifying cultivation talent—reaching the ninth stage of Dou Qi at the age of ten! In just half a year, the young man in front of him would become a real fighter.
A commotion broke out in the test square, and whispers filled the air.
"Oh my god, isn't that too exaggerated? At this age, he's already at the ninth stage of fighting spirit."
"From this point of view, there might be a Douhuang-level powerhouse in our Xiao family!"
"It seems the No.1 of the Xiao family is Xiao Shuang."
"Not necessarily. Have you forgotten Xiao Yan? Maybe it's too early to decide who's No.1 in the Xiao family."
As soon as those words were spoken, the restless crowd quieted. Yes—where was Xiao Yan? The cultivation talents of these two had always been neck and neck.
"Next, Xiao Yan!"
As if responding to everyone's expectations, the examiner opened the list and called out Xiao Yan's name ahead of schedule.
"I'm coming!"
Xiao Yan, who had been chatting with Xun'er and Xiao Mei, raised his head and waved his hand. He wasn't surprised to be called early.
"Brother Xiao Yan, come on!"
"Cousin Xiao Yan, come on!"
Xun'er and Xiao Mei stood nearby. Xiao Yan smiled in response and walked toward the test magic stone.
Xiao Shuang had already stepped down. As the two passed each other, he nodded at Xiao Yan subtly.
Xiao Yan was stunned, finding it a bit amusing. This guy was always like this—cold and distant. Among all the peers in the family, only he and Xun'er could talk to him.
"Hey, I won't lose to you!"
Xiao Yan stretched out his fist, his smile contagious.
In response, Xiao Shuang extended his fist and bumped it lightly.
"I hope you can be just as confident and calm when you're absorbed by Yao Lao," Xiao Shuang thought to himself.
Yes, he was a time traveler. Naturally, he knew how the plot would unfold.
More importantly, who would've thought that falling asleep while watching Battle Through the Heavens would lead to waking up in the Dou Qi Continent? What a bizarre twist of fate.
After crossing over, he didn't feel helpless. For some unknown reason, he had a strong affinity for ice-type Dou Qi, which explained his rapid cultivation.
For Xiao Shuang, it was fine to take things as they came. Xiao Yan would handle the tough parts anyway—he just needed to enjoy life.
He didn't know why, but his appearance had changed a lot. At least, it was completely different from his previous life. Could cultivating ice attributes turn someone into ice? He didn't know...
Forget it. Maybe he was overthinking...
Xiao Shuang snapped out of his thoughts, hesitated for a moment, and walked over to Xun'er.
"Congratulations on reaching the Ninth Stage of Fighting Qi."
Xun'er's voice was soft. She glanced at Xiao Mei beside her, the corners of her mouth slightly raised.
"Really, how could such a silly girl, with emotions written all over her face, ever walk into Brother Xiao Yan's heart?"
Xiao Mei felt uneasy. Xiao Shuang's famously cold personality made her uncomfortable.
With her looks, Xiao Mei was extremely popular among the younger generation of the Xiao family. Why bother trying to please an ice cube?
Anyway, Cousin Xiao Yan's talent was definitely not inferior to this guy!
Thinking this, Xiao Mei forced an unnatural smile. She didn't greet Xiao Shuang and quietly waited for Xiao Yan's test results.
"Thank you."
Xiao Shuang responded politely. Among the younger generation of the Xiao family, only Xiao Yan and Xun'er could be considered his friends.
To live a better life, Xiao Shuang had no choice but to train relentlessly. Apart from maintaining a good relationship with Xiao Yan and Xun'er, all his time was spent improving his strength.
As for the others, Xiao Shuang didn't know them well, so there was no interaction.
Because of this, a rumor spread in the Xiao family:
"Xiao Shuang? That guy has a terrifyingly cold temperament. No one can be friends with him—except, of course, Xiao Yan and Xun'er. After all, they're all geniuses!"
There are always unique topics between geniuses, perhaps...
"Xiao Yan, Dou Qi: Ninth Stage! Level: Advanced!"
Two! There were actually two juniors in the Xiao family who had reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi at the age of ten. This kind of cultivation talent was shocking across the entire Jia Ma Empire.
The discussion in the test square stopped abruptly. Everyone had the same thought:
"The Xiao family is going to be prosperous!"
Xiao Yan shrugged, resting his hands behind his head. The crowd around him instinctively made way.
"I said, I won't lose to you."
With a carefree look, Xiao Yan whistled at Xiao Shuang.
"Oh, I know."
Xiao Shuang was helpless. He had to admit—Xiao Yan at this stage had quite the temper.
"When Xun'er finishes her test, I'll treat you to dinner."
"Alright."
With just a few words, the two sat together, not saying much. The silence made Xiao Mei feel awkward. She greeted Xiao Yan and quietly left.
Emmm... Xiao Mei really didn't want to have dinner with Xiao Shuang.
At the top of the square, Xiao Zhan glanced at the Third Elder beside him and said helplessly:
"Old man, isn't your grandson's personality a bit too cold?"
"As long as these kids get along, it's fine," the hot-tempered Third Elder replied cheerfully.
It would be great if all his juniors were such geniuses.
The First Elder and Second Elder exchanged glances and smiled bitterly as they looked at the two boys basking in the spring breeze.
Meanwhile, in the royal family...
Listening to the report, Jia Xingtian tapped his fingers on the table. Xiao Yaoye sat obediently beside him.
"There are two children in the Xiao family in Wutan City who have reached the ninth level of fighting spirit at the age of ten."
After sorting through the news, Jia Xingtian gently closed his eyes.
As the royal family, they naturally had deep knowledge of the Jia Ma Empire. To put it bluntly, royal spies were spread throughout the empire.
After a moment of silence, Jia Xingtian picked up his teacup, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
"Tsk, there might be two Douhuang-level families in the future. It's really unsettling."
Xiao Yaoye sat quietly. She was destined to become the empress of the Jia Ma Empire, so she had to keep learning.
"Grandpa, I think we should visit the Xiao family."