Battle Through the Heavens: I can solidify the talents of all things

Chapter 72, The Man in Black: Damn it, who!

A month has passed silently, like sand in an hourglass.

The Xiao family's triennial coming-of-age ceremony arrived as scheduled amidst great anticipation, injecting new vitality into this ancient family.

On this day, the Xiao family compound was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, with festive red ribbons extending from the main gate all the way to the martial arts training square deep inside.

Guests arrived in an endless stream, carriages and horses filled the gate, and almost all the prominent figures in Wutan City were present.

Even the Obapa and Jialie families, who are usually rivals of the Xiao family, sent representatives.

The two clan leaders wore polite smiles, but their eyes held a subtle scrutiny.

The huge martial arts training ground was meticulously decorated, with banners fluttering all around.

A circular platform about ten feet high was erected in the center of the square, covered with a bright red carpet, symbolizing that the Xiao family members would embark on a new journey in life.

In front of the stage, several rows of seats were neatly arranged, and all seats were now occupied.

The square was bustling with activity and filled with lively chatter.

Children chased and played among the crowd, while adults exchanged pleasantries, their conversations revolving around the younger generation of the Xiao family.

"I heard that Young Master Xiao Ding will also be participating in his coming-of-age ceremony this year!"

"That's right! During the last test, he was only fifteen years old and had reached the eighth level of Dou Qi. He's one of a kind among the younger generation in Wutan City!"

"The Xiao family truly produces many talented individuals. It seems that for the next few decades, the Xiao family will still be in charge of Wutan City..."

'

The guests' chatter rose and fell, and Zi Guang occasionally glanced at the group of spirited Xiao family members in front of the stage.

As the eldest son of clan leader Xiao Zhan, Xiao Ding's talent and performance will undoubtedly become an important benchmark for measuring the future potential of the Xiao family.

Xiao Qing led Gu Xun'er and Qing Lin to a relatively secluded but open spot below the stage.

Today, Gu Xun'er wore a light purple dress. The exquisite fabric and tailoring made her skin look as white as jade and her temperament ethereal. Even in a crowd, she still stood out.

Qinglin changed into a pale yellow shirt that Xiao Qing had specially chosen for her, and her hair was neatly combed and tied into two small braids.

Although I still feel a little timid looking at the grand scene before me, I have become much more accustomed to it than when I first arrived a month ago.

"So many people..." Qinglin exclaimed softly, her little hands unconsciously gripping Xiao Qing's clothes.

"Don't be afraid, Qinglin!" Gu Xun'er patted her back like a little adult, her tone gentle yet tinged with pride.

"I'm here! After the ceremony, let Brother Xiao Qing take us to the market to buy sugar figurines."

Xiao Qing smiled slightly upon hearing this, but her gaze fell on the huge ceremonial platform, her eyes filled with a touch of emotion.

Time flies, and now it's Xiao Ding's generation's turn to celebrate coming of age.

Three years later, he will also stand on that stage and complete his coming-of-age ceremony.

Just then, Xiao Zhan stepped onto the platform with steady steps.

Today he was dressed in a black tuxedo embroidered with golden cloud patterns, with a wide belt inlaid with jade around his waist, making him look exceptionally dignified and solemn.

As the head of the Xiao family, his personal presiding over this coming-of-age ceremony demonstrates the importance he attaches to it.

"Thank you all for coming to the Xiao family home and witnessing the coming-of-age ceremony of our clan's youth!"

Xiao Zhan's loud voice echoed across the square, his voice, imbued with fighting spirit, clearly reaching every corner.

"Today, the young members of the Xiao family will complete their coming-of-age ceremony and officially shoulder the responsibilities and glory of the family!"

The coming-of-age ceremony is quite complicated.

First, an ancestral worship ceremony is held. The Xiao family members line up neatly and perform the three bows and nine kowtows to the ancestral tablets.

Next came the clan chief's admonition. Xiao Zhan recited the clan rules, admonishing the disciples to abide by the family precepts and diligently cultivate their fighting spirit.

Finally, the descendants took an oath, promising to protect the family and bring glory to the clan for life.

Beside the altar, several elders were already in place, holding scrolls recording clan rules in their hands, their expressions solemn.

The entire ceremony lasted for nearly an hour, long and solemn, but no one felt bored, because everyone knew that the most exciting part was about to begin.

Finally, after Xiao Zhan's impassioned speech, the ceremony entered its core phase!

A ritual to retest the fighting spirit of the children participating in the coming-of-age ceremony!

The first person to be called out, steadily walking onto the stage under countless gazes, was none other than the undisputed focus of the day, Xiao Ding.

At sixteen, Xiao Ding was tall and handsome, with a calm and composed demeanor already evident in his brows.

Dressed in a brand-new light blue outfit, he walked with ease, surrounded by envious and admiring glances from a group of peers, as he ascended the platform.

As the eldest son of the clan leader and possessing exceptional talent, Xiao Ding naturally became the center of attention, enjoying the adoration of everyone.

Many representatives from various factions below the stage focused their attention on Xiao Ding, whispering among themselves, clearly assessing the demeanor of this future heir of the Xiao family.

Looking at the spirited, slightly arrogant yet composed young man on the stage, Xiao Qing couldn't help but smile with a gentle yet complex expression.

The Xiao Ding before me is at the most vibrant stage of his life, full of hope for the future, confident and dazzling.

Compared to the somewhat flamboyant young man he was three years ago, Xiao Ding has indeed matured a lot, but the sharpness unique to young people has not faded away.

This contrasts sharply with his overly mature mind, which had developed through time travel and experience.

Perhaps this is the unique and enviable vitality of young people.

"Please, Xiao Ding, step forward." Xiao Zhan's voice pulled Xiao Qing back from her thoughts.

Xiao Ding stepped forward steadily and knelt on one knee in front of his father.

Xiao Zhan took a jade pendant engraved with the Xiao family crest from the elder and solemnly pinned it to Xiao Ding's chest.

This jade pendant is not only a symbol of adulthood, but also a low-level magic core artifact that can nurture fighting spirit, demonstrating the family's emphasis on outstanding offspring.

"From this day forward, you are a true son of the Xiao family." Xiao Zhan's voice carried a rare gentleness.

"I hope you will remember the clan rules, diligently cultivate your fighting spirit, and bring glory to your family."

"Xiao Ding will keep the clan leader's teachings in mind." Xiao Ding bowed respectfully, his voice firm and powerful.

On such a solemn occasion, he addressed his father with particular formality.

A hint of relief flashed in Xiao Zhan's eyes, and he then signaled Xiao Ding to proceed with the final step.

Battle Aura Test!

"Brother Xiao Qing." Seeing this scene, Gu Xun'er gently tugged at Xiao Qing's sleeve and whispered.

"You promised that after we watched the core part of Cousin Xiao Ding's coming-of-age ceremony, we'd sneak off to go shopping at the market! You can't go back on your word!"

Gu Xun'er tilted her little face up, her big eyes full of anticipation, and a hint of nervousness, as if she was afraid he would run away.

Xiao Qing lowered his head and met Gu Xun'er's expectant gaze. His heart softened, and a doting smile appeared on his face. He said softly, "Okay, when have I ever gone back on my word? We'll leave after Xiao Ding finishes the Dou Qi test."

His main purpose in returning to the Xiao family this time was to spend more time with Gu Xun'er and make up for the nearly one year they had not seen each other.

It just so happened that it coincided with the family's coming-of-age ceremony, which is why I stayed a little longer.

Otherwise, after initially settling Qinglin and spending a few days with Xun'er.

Xiao Qing has probably already set off again to find rare and precious herbs to nourish the soul of the sleeping Yao Lao.

Time was equally pressing for Xiao Qing.

On the platform, Xiao Ding placed his palm on the testing magic stone tablet, and the tablet immediately burst forth with a dazzling light.

It clearly displays "Battle Aura: Level 9; Advanced"!

"Ninth Rank of Battle Qi!"

"A 9-dan at sixteen years old, that's truly remarkable!"

"It probably won't be long before I can condense a battle aura and become a battle master!"

"As expected of the son of the Xiao family patriarch! This boy has the potential to become a Dou Wang!"

A gasp of amazement immediately rose from the audience, and the guests whispered among themselves, praising Xiao Ding's performance.

Sitting in the VIP section in front of the stage, Jia Liebi looked at Xiao Ding on the stage and unconsciously clenched his fists, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

A sixteen-year-old with the ninth level of Dou Qi, I never expected the Xiao family to produce another promising talent. It's truly... a blessing upon the Xiao family!

Jia Liebi gritted his teeth, filled with resentment.

Xiao Zhan's sons are all geniuses, while his sons seem mediocre in comparison.

First it was Xiao Ding, then Xiao Li, and finally, unexpectedly, his youngest son Xiao Yan's talent was even more astonishing!

He was not even seven years old when his cultivation had already reached the fourth stage of Battle Qi! And his only son, Galeo, was twelve years old this year and was only at the fourth stage of Battle Qi!

Both are at the fourth level of Dou Qi, but Xiao Zhan's son is not yet seven years old, while Jia Liebi's son is almost thirteen!

If it weren't for the fact that he was a Grand Master in the clan, his son Galeo's status as the young clan leader would have been abolished long ago.

This stark contrast fueled a ruthless resolve in Jialiebi!

Hearing the praise around him, Xiao Qing nodded slightly.

Xiao Ding is indeed exceptionally talented, but more importantly, he possesses an innate leadership quality.

If those unexpected events hadn't occurred in the original story, Xiao Ding would have been a more suitable candidate to be the clan leader than Xiao Yan.

Given time, he will surely lead the Xiao family to an even more glorious future.

Seeing that Xiao Ding had successfully completed this most important step, Xiao Qing did not linger any longer.

This was not his coming-of-age ceremony, and besides, his cultivation level had already reached the Dou Wang level, so the coming-of-age ceremony had long lost its meaning for him.

By the time he comes of age, his cultivation level will likely be enough to dominate the Northwest Continent!

Xiao Qing took Gu Xun'er and Qing Lin by the hand, and while everyone's attention was focused on the stage, he quietly left the noisy martial arts square and headed towards the bustling market.

The market in Wutan City was as bustling and lively as ever, with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, bargaining, and children's laughter mingling together, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.

Gu Xun'er, like a cheerful little bird, flitted between the stalls, occasionally picking up some trinkets to examine them closely.

Qinglin stayed close to Xiao Qing, her little hands always clutching the hem of his clothes.

But her eyes had lost some of their fear and gained more of the curiosity that a child should have.

"Sister Xun'er, this windmill is so pretty!" Qinglin whispered, pointing to a colorful paper windmill.

Gu Xun'er immediately took out her money, bought the windmill, and stuffed it into Qing Lin's hands: "This is for little sister Qing Lin!"

Seeing the two little girls enjoying each other's company, Xiao Qing felt a surge of joy.

Such peaceful and warm days are incredibly precious to him, a man who has experienced too many life-or-death adventures.

As the Xiao family's coming-of-age ceremony came to an end, the Xiao family gradually returned to peace, but Xiao Ding's reputation spread like wildfire throughout the entire Wutan City.

People are discussing when this sixteen-year-old genius with the ninth level of Dou Qi will be able to break through to Dou Zhe. The Xiao family is about to produce a very young Dou Zhe.

Some praised it, while others were naturally jealous.

Many people gossiped behind his back, saying that even if Xiao Dingdou was at the ninth level of Qi cultivation, without the aid of the Qi Condensation Powder, his chances of failing to break through would be very high!

If the breakthrough fails, the cultivation level will drop to the eighth stage of Dou Qi, and the meridians will be damaged, preventing cultivation for a year.

This back-and-forth process means that the cost of failing to break through is that it takes two years before you can try again!

These rumors naturally reached Galebi's ears, further solidifying his dangerous idea.

In a dark corner of Utan, Galebi was having a private conversation with a masked man.

Are you sure you can handle this?

Jialiebi lowered his voice, a sinister glint in his eyes.

The masked man sneered, "Chief Jialie, rest assured, our Shadow Killer organization is always efficient and clean! He's just a mere ninth-level Qi cultivator; it'll be a piece of cake."

"Great! The reward will be doubled after it's done!"

Jialiebi gritted his teeth and said fiercely.

"I'll make Xiao Zhan taste what it's like to lose a son!"

Three days later, in the dead of night, Wutan City was shrouded in silence.

Outside the Xiao family compound, seven dark figures silently scaled the wall and sneaked into the mansion.

They all exuded a chilling murderous aura, clearly seasoned desperados.

The leader of the men in black held a simple map and, following the general location marked on the map, led his men toward the area where the core members of the Xiao family lived.

The group arrived furtively outside a villa.

"Boss, does Xiao Zhan's eldest son, Xiao Ding, live in here?"

A thin man in black asked in a low voice.

The leader of the men in black examined the map carefully by the moonlight, his tone uncertain: "This should be it..."

""

One of the burly men in black said nonchalantly, "Who cares if it is or not! Go in and kill them first, if not, we'll find another one!"

In the shadows, Ling Ying silently watched all of this, her lips twitching involuntarily.

It's like lighting a light in a toilet—they're asking for trouble! Don't they know this is Xiao Qing's place?

As an expert in assassination and protection within the ancient clan, Ling Ying was speechless at the amateurishness of these assassins, a level of skill that even an expert like himself couldn't stand.

The subtle sounds they made as they moved were as clear as drumbeats to Ling Ying.

He thought to himself.

These third-rate assassins dare to take on jobs without even knowing where their target lives?

Just as they were about to climb over into Xiao Qing's villa.

A cold voice came from behind them: "Who sent you here..."

The sound startled them so much that they almost screamed.

"Damn it, who is it!"

One of the men in black, a fat man with a bad temper, suddenly turned around and growled in a low voice.

Behind them, a young man appeared out of nowhere.

Under the moonlight, the boy's eyes flashed with a cold killing intent that sent chills down one's spine.

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