Turning to Xiao Yu, he spoke louder than before, as though forcing calm into his tone:
"Sister, when will you break through to Dou Zhe?"
The hall froze once more. All eyes turned toward Xiao Yu.
At sixteen or seventeen, breaking through would place her among the most gifted in Wutan City.
Even Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had reached that stage at similar ages.
Yet Xiao Ning instantly regretted speaking. Many elders now cast knowing looks his way, as if his intentions were clear.
More than that, Xiao Yan's gaze burned into him ... not with anger, but with quiet pity for childish ignorance.
Most painful of all, Xun'er's eyes mirrored Xiao Yan's expression.
Xiao Yu's brow furrowed slightly. She did not wish to speak much. Breaking through to Dou Zhe carried risk....failure meant dropping back to the eighth stage, a loss of face hard to recover from.
Yet Xiao Yan's calm, even smiling demeanor stirred something deep within her: a spark of rivalry.
"With some luck, maybe next month," she said with quiet defiance.
Approval murmured quietly through the hall. Though Xiao Ning had made a scene, anyone capable of such a breakthrough at her age would be recognized as a pillar of the clan.
Xiao Zhan smiled at the unfolding scene, though a faint crease of worry remained. "
Elder Third, our grandchildren truly have great talents. They are the pride of the Xiao family."
The third elder chuckled softly, his eyes betraying his delight.
While Xiao Yu and Xiao Ning's talents could not compare to Xiao Yan and Xun'er, effort could one day place them among the top ten of the younger generation.
Amid laughter and chatter, the atmosphere eased slightly.
Yet Xiao Ning's gaze hardened as he watched Xiao Yan, his hand unconsciously brushing toward Xun'er's shoulder.
"Xiao Yan cousin, I wonder.....how long until you break through to Dou Zhe?"
His words fell like a challenge, and the hall fell silent again. All eyes turned toward Xiao Yan.
"Yeah… how far along is he in his training?"
"Look at that smug face…"
The younger crowd whispered quietly, envy simmering beneath the surface.
Even Xiao Yu watched him closely, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
Half a year had passed.....what progress had he truly made? In her heart, she wanted to surpass him first.
Xiao Zhan frowned, displeased. The third elder shifted uneasily beside him.
Then Xiao Li spoke suddenly.
"Xiao Ning, we haven't sparred in years. Brother will train you sometime."
Xiao Ning paled. Even Xiao Yu's expression tightened. Xiao Li's reputation for severity was notorious...even within the clan. Few dared provoke him.
"I'm just curious, I'm not trying to provoke you," Xiao Ning stammered, trembling under his gaze.
Before Xiao Li could speak, Xiao Yan's voice rang out calm and steady.
"Second Brother, stop scaring him. He's just a child."
As he spoke, Xiao Yan lifted a teacup quietly. A faint crimson aura curled about his palm, heat radiating subtly.
Xun'er noticed instantly, her eyes widening.
Moments later, the tea within began to boil on its own.
"Break through to Dou Zhe? I already have."
His words rang out clearly across the hall. Silence followed.....a heavy, absolute stillness.
The silence that followed Xiao Yan's words was unlike the ones before.
This time, it was heavier...charged. Every pair of eyes in the grand hall locked on him without blinking.
Half a year ago, this boy had fallen to the third stage of Dou Qi.
And now… in merely half a year, he had risen again, surpassing all expectations.
He had reached the realm of Dou Zhe once more.
"You… you've advanced to Dou Zhe again?" Xiao Yu's voice trembled.
A helplessness crept into her tone. She had long believed this was her rare chance to surpass Xiao Yan.
Even if he eventually overtook her again, she had hoped to have at least a moment of lead.
But reality proved harsher than dreams. Xiao Yan's talent was beyond comprehension.
If Xiao Yu felt the weight of that truth, the younger generation of the Xiao family felt it even more sharply.
Despair now replaced ambition on their faces.
At such a tender age.....barely twelve or thirteen.....Xiao Yan had reached Dou Zhe twice. They remained stuck at the fifth or sixth stages of Dou Qi.
The gap between them was a chasm impossible to bridge.
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