If a family wishes to prosper for generations, it must continually renew its vitality. And the source of that vitality lies in fresh blood—only with the constant emergence of new talent can a family continue to thrive.
Thus, on the Dou Qi Continent, every family places great importance on their coming-of-age ceremonies. The Xiao family was no exception.
As one of the great families of Wu Tan City, the Xiao family's coming-of-age ceremony attracted the attention of many forces within the city. Some factions that had cooperative ties with them were even invited to attend.
Just as Xiao Bai returned from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, he was greeted by the bustling scene at the Xiao family's main gate.
"Xiao Bai?"
A somewhat uncertain female voice called out.
Turning his head, the first thing that caught his eye was a pair of long, slender legs. The owner of those legs had a slightly travel-worn appearance.
"Xiao Yu!"
"It really is you!"
Xiao Yu was shocked. In just two years, how had he changed so much?!
He had once always worn white, but now he was clad in a black robe, his hair had turned grayish-white, and his expression was calm and steady. A faint trace of authority lingered between his brows, and the strange rune on his forehead made his presence even more imposing.
Was this still the gentle and refined Xiao Bai from before?
Xiao Bai nodded lightly at her before turning to step inside the gate. He really wasn't in the mood to appreciate legs right now—lately, he'd been feeling paranoid, as if Yao Lao's cursed predictions were coming true.
His backyard was showing signs of catching fire.
For the past ten days, he had been running back and forth nonstop—spending two days in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, then returning to the Xiao family for another two.
If he stayed away from the Magical Beast Mountain Range for too long, he felt uneasy. But at the same time, he couldn't stay away from the Xiao family for too long either—or else he wouldn't be able to explain things to Xun'er.
He had even prepared an excuse for when Xun'er inevitably questioned him, yet strangely enough, she never asked anything at all.
If it weren't for the fact that her attitude toward him remained unchanged, he would have started to suspect that Xun'er knew something.
On the other hand, Xiao Yi Xian was gentle and understanding, never questioning his whereabouts. Whenever he came to see her, she welcomed him warmly, and when he left, she simply reminded him to stay safe.
—
Arriving at the plaza, Xiao Bai saw a massive high platform erected in the open space. He immediately knew it had been built specifically for the coming-of-age ceremony.
His gaze then shifted to the area below the platform, where representatives from various factions in Wu Tan City were seated.
Among them, one particular woman in a red dress stood out—seductive and alluring, she conversed with someone, her charming laughter carrying through the air.
The way her curvaceous figure was wrapped in that tight red dress, revealing just enough to tease yet conceal, made her an absolute temptation.
Suddenly, a soft snort sounded beside him.
"Xiao Bai-gege, do you like what you see?"
"Cough!"
Xiao Bai quickly retracted his gaze, inwardly sighing. Seriously, he hadn't meant to look! His eyes had simply landed there by chance, and the next thing he knew, Xun'er was already here.
Glancing at him, Xun'er spoke indifferently,
"That woman is not simple. Plenty of young masters have thrown ridiculous amounts of money at her, all for nothing. If you have any thoughts about her, you should be careful."
Xiao Bai was momentarily speechless.
Lately, Xun'er's attitude had been strange, and he couldn't figure out why.
With an awkward chuckle, he said, "I'm not some young master, I don't have that kind of money."
"Oh? So it's just because you lack money?" Xun'er's lips curled slightly, and a chill flickered in her beautiful eyes. She smiled faintly and said, "Would you like me to sponsor you?"
Xiao Bai instantly shut his mouth.
This girl was in full attack mode today—no matter what he said, it would be wrong!
Better to not provoke her at all!
Seeing him back down, Xun'er's eyes softened slightly.
After a brief pause, she glared at him once more before letting out a huff. However, she didn't continue pressing the issue.
"Bai-ge! Bai-ge!"
A voice filled with excitement suddenly rang out from afar, breaking the slightly tense atmosphere.
Xiao Bai turned his head and saw Xiao Yan jogging toward him, beaming with enthusiasm.
It seemed like something had made him incredibly happy.
As he approached, Xiao Bai raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Not bad. You've broken through to Dou Zhe."
"Hehe! I just advanced last night! What do you think?" Xiao Yan looked pleased with himself. After all, going from Third Stage of Dou Zhi Qi to Dou Zhe in just a year was quite the feat!
"It's alright."
Xiao Bai nodded nonchalantly. About a month earlier than in the original timeline.
"What?! Just 'alright'?"
Xiao Yan's expression darkened.
He had been hoping to shock Xiao Bai, but instead, all he got was an underwhelming response.
Grinding his teeth, he said, "Bai-ge, I'll give you another chance to think carefully about your words!"
Hearing this, Xiao Bai let out a cold chuckle. His gaze turned dangerous as he stared down at Xiao Yan.
"Oh? Then let me give you a chance as well… to think carefully about how you're speaking to me."
Had this brat gotten too full of himself, or had Xiao Bai just not unsheathed his blade in too long?!
"Haha… just joking, just joking!" Xiao Yan shivered as he recognized that familiar gaze, recalling the beatings he'd received in the past.
No way he was getting beaten up here today, not in public—that would be way too embarrassing!
"Xiao Yan,I never expected you'd actually make a comeback. What a surprise!" At that moment, Xiao Yu approached with her long legs, sneering.
"Mind your own business!" Xiao Yan felt annoyed as soon as he saw this woman and immediately snapped back.
"Your mouth is still as foul as ever!" Xiao Yu glanced at him disdainfully. Without waiting for him to speak, she turned her head toward Xiao Bai, a hint of complexity flashing in her eyes. She softly said, "Xiao Bai, not long from now, Jia Ma Academy will be recruiting in Wu Tan City. Make sure you sign up this time—going there might help solve your... issue."
Xiao Bai gave a faint smile and nodded, saying, "Thank you for the reminder!"
Xiao Yu nodded and then turned to smile at Xun'er. "Cousin Xun'er, long time no see!"
"Cousin Xiao Yu!" Xun'er pursed her soft lips, discreetly linking her arm with Xiao Bai's, greeting her with a smile.
Watching the two of them, Xiao Yu chuckled and turned to leave, shooting Xiao Yan one last glare as she passed by.
Xiao Bai grinned at the small hand now clinging to his arm, earning him a playful glare from Xun'er. "Feeling pretty smug, aren't you?" she huffed.
"No, just very happy,"
"Yan'er, are you okay?" Xiao Zhan approached just then. He had hurried over as soon as he spotted Xiao Yu near his son.
"I'm fine. That woman's just insane!" Xiao Yan shrugged, indifferent.
"Best stay away from her. She's a three-star Dou Zhe now and you'd be at a disadvantage if it came to a fight." Xiao Zhan said helplessly, then turned to look at Xiao Bai and smiled, "Xiao Bai, you've been disappearing a lot lately. I've looked for you several times but couldn't find you!"
"Did the Clan Leader need something from me?" Xiao Bai asked, a bit puzzled. He had been more or less laying low in the Xiao family recently.
Xiao Zhan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he straightened his robes and bowed solemnly to Xiao Bai.
"Clan Leader, what are you—" Xiao Bai sidestepped the gesture.
"This is a father's gratitude. Yan'er told me everything—his recovery was entirely thanks to your help. I went looking for you as soon as I heard, but you were nowhere to be found."
Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Bai with sincere gratitude.
He now found this young man had become increasingly enigmatic, but regardless, he had lifted the curse of stagnation from Xiao Yan's cultivation—and in doing so, lifted a weight from Xiao Zhan's heart.
"You don't need to do this, it was just a small favor!" Xiao Bai shook his head with a smile.
On the side, Xiao Yan looked at his father's gesture, his eyes slightly moist. He hadn't expected his father to do something like this for him.
"Hahaha! What's a small favor to you is a life-changing miracle for us!" Xiao Zhan laughed heartily.
"Come, come, Xiao Bai, Yan'er, let me introduce you. This is the chief auctioneer of the Miteer Auction House, Miss Ya Fei!" Xiao Zhan stepped aside, revealing the alluring figure behind him.
"Hello, Sister Ya Fei!" Xiao Yan put on an innocent, bashful smile.
"Miss Ya Fei," Xiao Bai greeted neutrally, his expression calm and composed—largely because a certain small hand was already poised to pinch his back at the slightest misstep.
Having overheard their conversation earlier, Ya Fei's beautiful eyes glimmered with surprise. The rumors about the Xiao Clan's two "geniuses" were clearly outdated—one had recovered, and the other was even more extraordinary, having played a part in that recovery.
Her eyes curved into crescents moons as she studied the two, a bewitching smile blooming on her lips. "Greetings, young masters! I've long heard of the Xiao Clan's two prodigies but never had the chance to meet you. Today, my wish is finally fulfilled—you truly live up to your reputations!"
"You flatter us, Sister Ya Fei!"
"Too kind."
Ya Fei observed them keenly. She had glimpsed them from afar before, back when a certain misunderstanding had occurred. Now, however, it seemed that "misunderstanding" might not have been so mistaken after all.
Years of experience had honed her sharp instincts. At a glance, she could tell that despite the younger one's shy demeanor, his eyes were deep and unreadable. As for the older one—the quiet authority in his bearing was something she had never sensed in anyone before, not even the high-ranking elders of her own family.
"Tsk tsk... It seems I'll need to strengthen ties with the Xiao Clan and cultivate a good relationship with these two," she mused silently, her mind already strategizing.
"Alright, the coming-of-age ceremony is about to begin. Make sure to perform well—don't embarrass your old man!" Xiao Zhan clapped Xiao Yan on the shoulder warmly before turning to Xiao Bai.
"Clan Leader, you're not expecting me to participate in the ceremony, are you?" Xiao Bai frowned. He had no interest in enduring that tedious ritual—he'd seen it before, and it was unbearably elaborate.
"Fine, fine! If you're not interested, then don't join in." Xiao Zhan shook his head with a wry smile. The boy had always been low-key, but now it was clear—he was just as enigmatic as the girl beside him. No wonder the two had been inseparable since childhood.
Just as the two were about to turn and leave, Xiao Bai spoke up, "Miss Ya Fei, might I have a moment of your time?"
Xiao Yan's face showed surprise, his eyes darting back and forth between Xiao Bai, Xun'er, and Ya Fei.
*Is Bai-ge finally dropping the act?* he thought excitedly.
*Heh, back when we went to the Miter Auction House, he acted all serious—now his true colors are showing!*
*But damn, he's got some nerve! Xun'er is right here!*
Xun'er, however, remained completely unfazed, her expression calm. She didn't believe for a second that Xiao Bai would flirt with another woman right in front of her!
Ya Fei studied Xiao Bai for a moment before smiling enchantingly. "Of course!"
The two walked to a secluded corner of the square.
"What might Young Master Xiao Bai wish to discuss?"
"I need a large quantity of poisonous medicinal herbs and magic cores. Can the Miter Auction House provide them?" Xiao Bai got straight to the point.
"Poisonous herbs and magic cores?" Ya Fei frowned slightly. "We do have some, but not in large quantities. You may not be aware, Young Master, but such materials usually flow to the Chu Yun Empire. There isn't much demand for them in the Jia Ma Empire."
"Then I'll take whatever you have. Additionally, I'd appreciate it if you could keep an eye out for more in the future. If there are any rare toxic herbs, I can compensate with medicinal pills."
Recently, Xiao Yi Xian had nearly exhausted the herbs in the valley. Though she hadn't mentioned it to Xiao Bai, he knew that the valley's limited resources wouldn't sustain her cultivation for long.
Running into Ya Fei today was a perfect opportunity to resolve this issue. With the Miteer Auction House's extensive network, they could gather herbs from across the Jia Ma Empire—enough to support her cultivation for a while.
"Oh? What grade of pills can you provide?" Ya Fei's eyes sparkled with interest. Raw materials had low profit margins, but pills were a different story. If he could supply mid-to-high-grade pills, it would greatly aid her in the power struggles within her family.
"Anything below fifth-grade. It depends on whether the herbs you provide are worth it," Xiao Bai said casually. His soul power had now reached the peak of the Mortal Realm, allowing him to refine pills up to seventh-grade without issue.
Currently, he was relying on Xiao Bing to suppress the Geng Metal Tribulation Lightning, leaving him no time to practice alchemy. But once the tribulation was fully refined and Xiao Bing was freed up, he planned to elevate his alchemy skills.
"Fifth-grade...?" Ya Fei's body trembled slightly, her eyes widening in disbelief. She covered her lips with a delicate hand, letting out a small gasp.
"What, don't believe me?" Xiao Bai raised an eyebrow.
"My apologies, Young Master Xiao Bai. It's not that I don't believe you, but... at your age, fifth-grade...?" Ya Fei forced a bitter smile, her tone hesitant.
"Who said I was the alchemist?" Xiao Bai nearly facepalmed. *Did she really think possessing fifth-grade pills meant I was a fifth-grade Alchemist? If that were the case, alchemists would be a dime a dozen.*
Ya Fei immediately understood. She had once seen Xiao Bai purchase large quantities of medicinal herbs at the Miteer Auction House and assumed he was an alchemist. But now, it seemed he had a fifth-grade Alchemist backing him.
This realization sent a thrill through her, and her gaze toward Xiao Bai grew more intense. But she knew some things were best left unsaid—prying into others' secrets was a taboo.
A fifth-grade Alchemist was a top-tier existence even in the entire Jia Ma Empire. The Miteer family would go out of their way to befriend such a figure, and she certainly couldn't afford to offend one.
"My apologies, Young Master Xiao Bai. I misunderstood." Ya Fei gave a slight bow before continuing, "Rest assured, I will compile the herbs you need as soon as I return. The first batch will be delivered within three days. The rest will have to be transported from other branches, which may take some time."
Sending a batch first was also a test—to see if Xiao Bai truly could compensate with pills as promised.
"Excellent." Xiao Bai smiled faintly. *This is why it's good to have connections. A single word, and what I need will be delivered—no need to search for it myself.*
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