Chapter 1: "Fallen Genius"
Level system: First to ninth level of fighting spirit, fighter, fighting master, great fighting master, fighting spirit, fighting king, fighting emperor, fighting patriarch, fighting master, (semi-saint) fighting saint, fighting emperor
"Engage your power, Phase Three!"
Staring at the brilliant, almost blinding, five words on the testing magic stele, the youth remained stoic, a wry smile dancing on his lips. His clenched fist, a testament to his effort, drove his nails slightly deeper into his palm, sending waves of acute pain...
"Xiao Yan,1 Phase Three of Dou Qi2! Rank: Low!" Beside the magic stele, a middle-aged man glanced at the displayed information, his tone indifferent as he announced it to the crowd...
The moment the middle-aged man uttered those words, the crowded square erupted with expected mockery.
"Phase Three? Ha, just as I suspected, this 'prodigy' is once again stuck in place!"
"Sigh, this disgrace truly tarnishes the family's name."
"Had his father not been the clan leader, this wastrel would have been cast out long ago, left to fend for himself."
"How did the once-renowned young genius of Wutan City3 fall to such depths?"
"Who knows, perhaps he angered the gods and brought their wrath upon himself..."
The disdainful laughter and pitying sighs from the crowd washed over the young man, who stood firm like a pillar, the words striking his heart like daggers, his breath quickening slightly.
Raising his head slowly, the youth revealed a visage both delicate and determined, his dark eyes scanning the mocking peers with a distant gaze. The smirk on his lips took on a bitter edge, a silent defiance amidst the jeers.
"These people, are they all so petty and power-hungry? Perhaps because three years ago, they showed their most humble smiles in front of me, now they want to take it back..." With a bitter smile, Xiao Yan turned away in desolation, quietly retreating to the back of the line, his solitary figure out of sync with the bustling world around him.
"Next up, Xiao Mei!"
Upon hearing the tester's call, a young girl darted out from the crowd. As soon as she appeared, the nearby murmurs quieted down considerably. Eyes slightly ablaze with fervor fixated firmly on her cheeks...
The girl, barely fourteen, though not strikingly beautiful, possessed a youthful charm that captivated the audience. Innocence and allure intertwined, making her the focal point of everyone's attention...
Stepping forward briskly, the girl deftly touched the pitch-black magic stele, then closed her eyes slowly...
After a moment with her eyes shut, the magic stele once again lit up with brilliance...
"Dou Qi: Seventh Stage!"
"Xiao Mei, Dou Qi: Seventh Stage! Rank: High!"
"Yes!" Hearing the tester's announcement, the girl's cheeks lit up with a proud smile...
"Wow, Seventh Stage Dou Qi, truly remarkable. At this rate, she'll likely become a true fighter in just three years..."
"No wonder she's considered a standout talent in the clan..."
As envy echoed through the crowd, the girl's smile grew even wider. Vanity, an irresistible temptation for many young girls...
Laughing and chatting with her sisters as usual, Xiao Mei's gaze suddenly pierced through the crowd, settling on a solitary figure outside...
Furrowing her brows for a moment in contemplation, Xiao Mei dismissed the thought. The two of them were no longer on the same level. With Xiao Yan's recent performance over the past few years, upon reaching adulthood, he would at best serve as a lower-ranking member of the clan. As for her, with her exceptional talent, she would become a key figure groomed by the clan, her future seemingly boundless.
"Sigh..." Letting out an inexplicable sigh, memories flooded Xiao Mei's mind of the spirited young man from three years ago. Four years old when he began cultivating Qi, nine when he reached Ninth Stage Dou Qi, and at eleven, he broke through to Tenth Stage, successfully condensing Dou Qi whirlwinds, becoming the youngest fighter in the clan's history!
That young man, confident and brimming with potential, had stirred the hearts of many young girls, including Xiao Mei herself.
Yet the path of genius always seemed fraught with twists and turns. Three years ago, that prodigious young man, at the peak of his fame, received the cruelest blow of his life overnight. The Dou Qi whirlwinds he painstakingly cultivated for more than a decade vanished into thin air, and as time passed, the Dou Qi within him dwindled inexplicably.
The disappearance of his Dou Qi directly resulted in a continuous decline in his strength.
From the pinnacle of genius, he plummeted overnight to a level beneath even ordinary people, a blow that left the young man soulless. The name of genius gradually replaced by scorn and disdain.
The higher you stand, the harder you fall. This fall might just leave him with no chance of rising again.
"Next up, Xiao Xuner!"
Amidst the bustling crowd, the tester's voice rang out once more.
With the sound of this somewhat elegant name, the crowd suddenly fell silent, all eyes shifting.
Amidst the gathering gazes, a young girl clad in a gown of regal purple stood with effortless grace, her serene and youthful visage unwavering under the scrutiny of the crowd.
Her cool and composed demeanor, akin to a lotus unfolding its first petals, belied her tender age, hinting at an otherworldly allure that left imaginations to ponder what grandeur awaited her in maturity...
This maiden in purple, in terms of beauty and poise, surpassed even the earlier Xiao Mei, undoubtedly capturing the attention of all present.
With measured steps, the girl named Xiao Xuner approached the magic stele, her hand extended as the sleeves of her black-gold-trimmed purple gown slid down, revealing a glimpse of snowy, delicate wrist before gently touching the stone...
A moment of calm, then a brilliant radiance burst forth from the stele once more.
"Dou Qi: Ninth Stage! Rank: High!"
Gazing at the words on the stele, a hush fell over the crowd.
"...Reached the Ninth Stage, truly terrifying! Among the younger generation of the clan, Miss Xuner is undoubtedly unparalleled." After the silence, the surrounding youths couldn't help but swallow nervously, their eyes filled with reverence...
Dou Qi, the path every martial artist must traverse, with its stages ranging from one to ten. When one reaches the Tenth Stage, they can condense Dou Qi whirlwinds, earning the respect of all as a revered fighter!
In the crowd, Xiao Mei furrowed her brows, her gaze fixed on the girl in the purple gown before the magic stele, a tinge of envy flashing across her cheeks...
Looking at the information on the stele, even the middle-aged tester, with his typically impassive countenance, couldn't help but show a rare smile. With a slightly respectful tone, he addressed the girl, "Miss Xuner, in six months, you should be able to condense the Dou Qi whirlwind. If you succeed, becoming a true fighter at the age of fourteen, you will be the second person in the Xiao family in the past century to achieve such a feat!"
Yes, the second person. The first being Xiao Yan, stripped of his aura of genius.
"Thank you." The girl nodded slightly, her plain countenance showing no sign of joy from his praise. She turned quietly, then, amidst the fervent gazes of the crowd, walked slowly to the forlorn young man at the back of the group...
"Big brother Xiao Yan." As she passed by the young man, she paused, bowing respectfully to Xiao Yan. A beautiful, gracious smile graced her face, a sight that filled the surrounding girls with envy.
"Do I still have the right to be called that by you?" Facing this shining jewel, now the brightest in the family, Xiao Yan's words were bitter. She was one of the very few who still showed him respect, even in his downfall.
"Brother Xiao Yan, you once told Xuner that to be able to let go is to be able to pick up, to wield freely is to be free oneself!" Xiao Xuner smiled softly, her slightly childish voice warming the heart.
"Heh, to be free? I can only talk about it. Look at me now, do I look free? Besides... this world was never mine to begin with." Xiao Yan chuckled self-deprecatingly, his enthusiasm waning.
Faced with Xiao Yan's desolation, Xiao Xuner's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She said earnestly, "Brother Xiao Yan, though I don't know what's happened to you, I believe you'll rise again, reclaim your glory and dignity..." Pausing briefly, her fair face flushed faintly for the first time. "The Xiao Yan of the past was indeed very captivating..."
"Heh..." Faced with the girl's unabashed candor, the young man chuckled awkwardly, but said no more. A man should have his own experiences, but he didn't have the qualifications or the mood for it now. Turning back in solitude, he walked slowly away from the square...
Standing in place, watching the young man's seemingly isolated and lonely figure, Xiao Xuner hesitated for a moment. Then, amidst the jealous howls behind her, she quickened her pace and caught up with him, walking side by side with the young man...