Chapter 11: High Yellow Tier: Wind Hawk Kick
That night, Xiao Yuan was preparing to start cultivating.
Knock knock knock!
Just by the rhythm of the knock, he knew it was Xiao Yan.
"Come in."
Xiao Yuan opened the door and said with a smile.
"Brother."
Xiao Yan walked in, looking like he had something to say but hesitated.
"If you've got something to say, spit it out. You don't need to fumble your words with me."
Seeing this, Xiao Yuan smacked Xiao Yan lightly on the shoulder, pretending to be annoyed.
"I want to go to the marketplace tomorrow to buy some things."
Xiao Yan muttered.
"Then go. Just head to the shops near the market lord's building, tell them I sent you. They'll give you the best quality and a fair price."
"Oh, and if you need to borrow money, ask Xun'er. I'm broke right now."
Before Xiao Yan could say anything else, Xiao Yuan cut him off completely.
"It's not that I don't want to lend you money, but I've spent everything on cultivation. You don't seriously think I got my cultivation talent back out of thin air, do you?"
Hearing Xiao Yuan's words, Xiao Yan suddenly realized—cultivation talent didn't just return by itself. Could Third Brother also have some mysterious old man helping him?
But the ring hiding Yao Lao was a keepsake from their mother. Xiao Yuan didn't have anything like that…
Still, when it came to the matter of recovering cultivation talent, if Third Brother didn't speak of it, he wouldn't ask.
"Besides, it's no secret that Xun'er has feelings for you. Anyone with eyes can see it. You might as well take this chance to get closer to her."
Xiao Yuan added with a chuckle.
"Third Brother, stop teasing me."
Xiao Yan rubbed his nose awkwardly and replied a bit shyly.
"Alright then, if anything happens at the market, just call on Payne to help you."
Xiao Yuan gave one last reminder, then didn't say anything more.
"Alright. Then you go ahead with your cultivation, I'll head back."
As he watched Xiao Yan walk away, Xiao Yuan fell into thought.
Just now, he'd felt a sudden prickling sensation—his hair standing on end.
Could it have been Yao Lao trying to sense his strength?
But it was pointless.
The Five Yuan Qi Chambers were rooted in the five internal organs and protected by them. Unless someone took him apart and studied him thoroughly, they wouldn't be able to tell anything with a simple soul scan. They'd only sense that he had no Dou Qi inside.
He wondered what kind of mood Yao Lao was in now...
"Xiao Yanzi, your brother isn't simple at all."
Outside, Yao Lao's voice echoed in Xiao Yan's mind.
"Really? But to me, he's just my brother—and that's all there is to it."
Xiao Yan shrugged indifferently as he walked back to his room.
Yao Lao fell speechless.
What could he say? That he, a former Dou Zun expert, couldn't see through the cultivation level of a fifteen-year-old boy? Although the boy had claimed to be at the third stage of Dou Qi earlier and had shown that level of power… he honestly hadn't felt any Dou Qi presence inside him just now...
The night passed quietly.
The next morning, Xiao Yuan stepped out of his room, planning to visit the family's Dou Technique Hall.
With the massive Dou Qi reserves from his Five Yuan Qi Chambers, most of the techniques in the hall were now within reach.
He stepped outside, squinting against the dazzling sunlight, then veered onto the gravel path behind the courtyard. From another direction, the laughter of young girls drifted toward him.
Adjusting to the light, Xiao Yuan looked up and glanced at the approaching group of giggling girls.
This little clique was clearly centered around a charming, flirtatious girl. She was smiling softly, her delicate beauty casting the other girls around her into shadow.
Xiao Mei, 7th stage Dou Qi.
Still, Xiao Yuan had no interest in her.
With someone like Ya Fei as a standard, Xiao Mei's inexperienced charm simply didn't register in his eyes.
Besides, if he wanted to admire beauty, he could just look in the mirror.
When the handsome young man came into view, Xiao Mei and the others paused, and the sound of laughter quickly faded.
The morning sun bathed Xiao Yuan's already-fair skin and tailored white robe in an orange-gold glow, lending him a saint-like, angelic aura.
Combined with his already striking features, even the most beautiful women would pale in comparison beside him—let alone Xiao Mei.
"Cousin Xiao Yuan!"
Unable to withstand the pressure, Xiao Mei called out, trying to break the awkward silence.
"Mm."
Xiao Yuan gave a slight nod, and seeing that she had nothing more to say, he walked straight past her.
As the white-robed youth walked farther away, Xiao Mei snapped out of her daze. She noticed that the girls around her, all of whom were fairly pretty and talented, were still watching him with dreamy looks in their eyes. Gritting her teeth, she hurried to catch up.
Because this path led to the Dou Technique Hall.
Normally, Xiao Yuan never came this way. With his duties managing the marketplace, he rarely appeared in the Xiao family's inner courtyard.
For him to suddenly head to the Technique Hall today—something was definitely up!
Turning a corner, Xiao Yuan stepped into the Dou Technique Hall.
The hall was divided into east and west wings: the east housed the family's technique scrolls, while the west was a sizeable training field. Today, the place was relatively empty and peaceful.
Xiao Yuan didn't stop at the first row of bookshelves in the east wing. Instead, he went straight to the back.
The front techniques were too basic—no need to waste time there.
But…
To be honest, the Xiao family didn't have many high-level techniques. Even the third row only held a few High Yellow Tier ones, and far fewer than the first and second rows.
It was a visible sign of poverty.
Shaking his head in mild disappointment, Xiao Yuan scanned the scrolls and casually picked up a green one.
High Yellow Tier: Wind Hawk Kick.
???
Staring at the title written boldly across the scroll, Xiao Yuan froze.
This… felt like a taste of home!
The moment he saw the name of the technique, he made his decision.
He knew it was just a coincidence, but since fate had brought this to him, there was no need to look further. He would learn this one!
For the first time in a while, a genuine smile tugged at the corners of Xiao Yuan's calm face.
"Cousin Xiao Yuan, are… you going to learn a technique?"
Suddenly, Xiao Mei's curious voice rang out from beside him.
Xiao Yuan turned his head and saw that many clan members had already fixed their eyes on him.
(END CHAPTER)
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