Hehe, thank you for Miss Ya Fei's praise. Indeed, that's my son."
Xiao Zhan chuckled as he walked forward, responding with courtesy.
"I've heard that Young Master Xiao Yan began cultivating at four years old and reached the rank of Dou Practitioner by eleven.
Such talent is among the very best across the Jia Ma Empire. In the future, he might well become a Dou Huang powerhouse.
With Young Master Xiao Yan, the Xiao Family is bound to flourish."
Ya Fei's soft laugh carried a hint of admiration. Her visit to the Xiao Family was partly to establish connections, but mainly because she wanted to see the genius youth in person.
Those words, under normal circumstances, would have filled the Xiao Family with pride.
Yet at this moment, Ya Fei keenly noticed that the smiles on Xiao Zhan and the elders were somewhat unnatural.
"Miss Ya Fei might not know ....my son's cultivation suffered a mishap two days ago. Overnight, all his Dou Qi vanished.
Now, his strength has fallen back to only the third stage of Dou Qi."
Xiao Zhan sighed softly, and the other elders each showed troubled expressions.
Though Xiao Yan could still cultivate, a delay of even a few years could easily hinder his path toward becoming a Dou Huang.
In the world of cultivation, one step slower means every step afterward is harder.
"Is that so?"
Ya Fei's brows lifted slightly, her gaze falling upon the young boy's innocent face .... only to find it completely calm.
There was no hint of sorrow or frustration; instead, his eyes remained soft and composed as he looked at her.
"This little one... seems completely different from others," she thought silently.
A boy who became a Dou Practitioner before twelve should have been full of pride and arrogance.
Suffering such a blow should have left him gloomy and bitter.
If he isn't pretending, Ya Fei thought, then this child's composure is truly frightening.
That was her very first impression of Xiao Yan.
"Big Sister Ya Fei, you've been staring at me for quite a while. Is there a flower on my face?"
Seeing her gaze fixed on him, Xiao Yan spoke up playfully instead of shyly.
"Hehe, it's rare to meet such a handsome little boy. Can't big sister take a few more glances?"
Ya Fei's smile deepened. She wanted to see whether this Xiao Family prodigy was truly as extraordinary as the rumors claimed.
During her stay at the Xiao estate, most of her attention remained on Xiao Yan.
Yet the longer she observed, the more astonished she became ... though Xiao Yan didn't speak much, every word he uttered was perfectly timed, neither excessive nor lacking.
Someone as skilled in conversation as Ya Fei found herself subtly guided by the young boy's words .... something that had never happened before.
I didn't expect that upon arriving in Wu Tan City, I'd discover such a rare gem, she thought.
Xiao Yan might be my most valuable encounter here.
Ya Fei had already decided to mark Xiao Yan as someone worth cultivating a relationship with.
When she prepared to leave, she casually placed a jade box upon the table.
"Patriarch Xiao Zhan, this is a century-old Blood Ginseng I brought from the Imperial Capital.
It's highly effective for restoring vitality and serves as a primary ingredient in many second- and third-grade elixirs.
I believe it will help Young Master Xiao Yan greatly."
Ya Fei smiled gracefully. Her original gift had been an ordinary healing pill, but upon meeting Xiao Yan, she changed her mind.
"Miss Ya Fei, this gift is far too valuable."
Xiao Zhan and the elders widened their eyes slightly.
A century-old Blood Ginseng was extremely rare in Wu Tan City, worth at least tens of thousands of gold coins. None of them expected Ya Fei to be so generous.
"Hehe, it's just a small token. If I can befriend a family with such potential, I'll have earned more than I've given."
Although her words seemed polite, her gaze rested firmly on Xiao Yan.
"Father, please accept it. To receive a gift from such a beautiful lady like Sister Ya Fei is our Xiao Family's fortune."
The boy's youthful yet mature words left everyone momentarily stunned.
After some thought, Xiao Zhan and the elders stopped refusing.
Read more Advance chapter here
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