Chapter 16: Xiao Ning
Looking at the young man walking slowly towards them, Xiao Mei and the others stopped and the sounds of their laughter gradually became weaker.
The pretty girls beside Xiao Mei stared with their eyes wide open at this young man who was once considered the glory of the family. The expressions on their little faces showed indescribable regret or something else.
Xiao Mei froze in place, feeling a little conflicted. Deep down, she actually wanted to have a good chat with this young man whom she once admired so much. However, reality told her that the gap between them was getting bigger and bigger, and it was obviously unwise to keep focusing on a useless person.
Her curved eyebrows slightly wrinkled, and then relaxed. Xiao Mei said helplessly in her heart: "Just say hello. After all, he is still my cousin."
Not knowing what Xiao Mei was thinking, Xiao Yan rested his arms behind his head and walked over lazily.
Looking at Xiao Yan who was so close to her, Xiao Mei was about to smile on her pretty face, but the boy's actions made the smile, which had not yet fully appeared, freeze on her face, making her look a little funny.
With his arms resting behind his head, Xiao Yan walked straight past the girls without looking around, as if no one was around. He showed no sign of lingering.
Xiao Mei stared at the boy's back with her rosy lips slightly opened. She was somewhat stunned. With her looks, when had she ever been treated like this? She felt a little embarrassed and angry, and couldn't help but shouting, "Cousin Xiao Yan."
Xiao Yan paused for a moment, but did not turn around. His tone was as calm as a conversation between strangers: "What's the matter?"
The bland and unfamiliar tone made Xiao Mei pause, and she shook her head hesitantly: "No..."
Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows slightly, but was too lazy to pay attention. He shook his head and continued walking forward.
Looking at the figure disappearing at the end of the path, Xiao Mei stomped her feet angrily, and then followed the same path.
After turning a corner, Xiao Yan looked up at the spacious room in front of him. On the plaque of the room were three blood-red characters written in a flamboyant style: "Fighting Skills Hall".
Listening to the shouting coming from the fighting arena, Xiao Yan was a little surprised. Usually there were few people coming here, so why was it so lively today?
Shrugging his shoulders, Xiao Yan casually turned his thought over, threw it aside, and stepped into the fighting hall.
As soon as you enter the fighting arena, waves of cheers and applause from young boys and girls can be heard rolling in.
The fighting hall is divided into two parts, the east and west. The east part is where the family fighting skills are stored, while the west part is a large-scale training ground. At this time, many people are gathering on the training ground, looking at the two people competing in the field with great interest.
"Looking at the concentration of Dou Qi used by cousin Xiao Ning, I'm afraid he has already reached the eighth level of Dou Qi, right?"
"Hehe, two months ago, cousin Xiao Ning had already advanced to the eighth level of Dou Qi."
"Although he has the eighth level of fighting spirit, cousin Xun'er has the ninth level of fighting spirit. It seems that it is impossible for cousin Xiao Ning to win."
"Come on, cousin Xun'er!"
Hearing the surprised shouts from the crowd, Xiao Yan paused, glanced around the training ground, and finally stopped with interest on the beautiful girl in the lavender dress.
"How come this girl has the leisure to compete with others today?" Xiao Yan muttered to himself, then stopped at the east side of the hall, casually pulled out a black scroll from the shelf next to him, and slowly spread it out. After spreading out the scroll, several large yellow characters appeared on the back.
Intermediate Yellow Rank: Stone Crushing Palm!
Leaning leisurely on the bookshelf, Xiao Yan read the method of practicing the Stone-Breaking Palm while occasionally glancing at the training ground where the battle was fierce.
The spacious lobby seemed to be divided into two worlds: the west was noisy and bustling, while the east was quiet and peaceful.
Xun'er's opponent was also a teenager, but his age should be around seventeen or eighteen. He was quite handsome and looked almost the same as Galeo whom she met that day.
The young man's name is Xiao Ning, and he is the grandson of the eldest elder of the Xiao family. He has a good talent for cultivation. At the age of seventeen, he has already cultivated to the eighth level of fighting spirit. In the family, only Xun'er can surpass him.
Xiao Yan didn't have much impression of his cousin. When they met occasionally, they would just say hello and leave. Perhaps it was because of the somewhat discordant atmosphere between his grandfather and his father, Xiao Yan could always feel that this cousin didn't seem to be very satisfied with him. Or maybe it was because of the decadence he had shown in the past few years, so this cousin didn't come to bother him in the past three years...
With a faint smile, Xiao Yan shook off the memories in his mind and continued to practice the Stone-Breaking Palm in his hand.
On the training ground, Xun'er was like a lavender butterfly, gracefully and swiftly dodging Xiao Ning's swift attacks, her delicate and elegant little face always remaining calm and composed.
Xun'er's little hand blocked Xiao Ning's close-range attack with some boredom. She casually glanced around the lobby, and after a moment, she suddenly stopped.
Looking at the young man leaning against the bookshelf with his head buried in the bookshelf on the east side of the lobby, Xun'er showed a gentle and elegant smile on her indifferent little face.
The young men watching nearby were all stunned by the girl's fleeting and elegant smile.
"Cousin Xun'er, be careful!" Just when Xun'er was slightly distracted, a young man's urgent voice suddenly came from the crowd.
Feeling the fierce energy coming from behind her, Xun'er raised her eyebrows slightly, but her eyes swept towards the young man under the bookshelf again.
At the same time, Xiao Yan also raised his head and looked at Xun'er who was suddenly attacked in the field. He frowned and shook his head helplessly, with hidden worry in his eyes.
Seeing the anger and worry between Xiao Yan's eyebrows, Xun'er playfully blinked her beautiful eyes, and then suddenly took a small step to the left. With just this one step, she somehow managed to avoid Xiao Ning's attack exactly...
As her feet moved, Xun'er's delicate little hands, like jade, emitted a faint golden light, and passed through the blockade of Xiao Ning's palms like flowers and leaves, and finally landed lightly on Xiao Ning's chest.
Xun'er tapped her toes lightly on the bluestone floor and turned gracefully in a circle, dissipating the force of the counter-push. She looked indifferently at Xiao Ning who retreated more than ten steps and took his last step out of the training ground.
Seeing Xun'er defeat Xiao Ning with one palm, the area around the training ground was quiet for a moment, and then suddenly cheers of admiration rang out.
"Haha, cousin Xun'er is worthy of being the number one of the younger generation in the family. She is getting stronger and stronger." Although being knocked off the stage by Xun'er, Xiao Ning still had a warm smile on his face. He walked forward, smiled and said softly.
Staring at the beautiful girl in front of him, the admiration in Xiao Ning's eyes was almost impossible to conceal.
Although they were cousins in name, Xiao Ning knew that most people in the family did not have close blood relations, and Xiao Xun'er had no blood relationship with him at all.
As if she didn't feel Xiao Ning's burning gaze, Xun'er politely but unfamiliarly shook her head and said softly, "Cousin Xiao Ning, you are too modest." After that, without waiting for Xiao Ning to continue to get close to her, she walked towards the young man who was buried in the scroll in the east of the hall with a smile.
As the focus of the lobby, Xun'er's actions were naturally noticed by everyone. Everyone's eyes followed Xun'er's route and finally stopped at the young man under the bookshelf.
The boy seemed oblivious to the burning gazes all over the training ground and was still immersed in his own world.