Chapter Three: The Arrival of Xun Er

Immersed in the joy of rapidly increasing strength, time always slips away quickly. In the blink of an eye, a month and a half had vanished. Chen Xiao exhaled a breath of stale air in the wooden tub, his eyes snapping open with a brilliant, spirited gleam. He stood up abruptly, letting the cold water cascade off his body, and a satisfied smile appeared on his youthful face. A single bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, over the course of two months, had forcefully pushed him from the third stage of Dou Power to the fifth. Its efficacy was truly terrifying!

After hopping out of the tub, drying off, and putting on his clothes, Chen Xiao silently cleaned up the water, which had lost all traces of its original color. The spirit liquid was remarkably effective, but Chen Xiao understood that the reason for such miraculous results was simply that his current level was too low. As his strength gradually increased, his speed of progress would only slow down; it wasn't that the medicine had become less potent, but that the accumulation required for each stage of Dou Power had become increasingly demanding.

"One step fast, every step fast. I am now ahead of my peers in the Xiao Clan, including Xiao Yan!" Just yesterday, Xiao Yan had successfully reached the fourth stage of Dou Power, sparking a heated discussion in the plaza. Chen Xiao had taken the opportunity to offer a few words of congratulation, a routine attempt to maintain his presence. Unfortunately, the notification for the task's completion had yet to arrive; gaining Xiao Yan's trust at this stage was not easy. If this were ten years in the future, a mere show of concern from Chen Xiao might have been enough to forge a friendship. "The pinnacle welcomes hypocritical followers, while the sunset witnesses sincere believers"—this sentiment applied perfectly to Xiao Yan.

After tidying up his room, Chen Xiao glanced at the sky; it was about time to head out for food. However, just as he closed the door, he saw a familiar figure hurrying over with a food box. "Uncle Yang, I could have gone to get it myself." In the past, when Chen Xiao was busy cultivating, he would ask Uncle Yang to bring him food, always requesting it in advance. But today, he had made no such request, making the gesture seem rather strange.

"Haha, no need to go. Today, the Clan Head has ordered that no unauthorized persons are to approach the guest hall. Even many of the Xiao Clan's own descendants have been turned away; it won't be easy for you to get to the canteen."

"So strict? Has something happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure. From what the main family members are whispering, it seems a guest of great importance has arrived, and the Clan Head and the elders are quite on edge."

Hearing this, Chen Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. At this point in time, there shouldn't be any major events for the Xiao Clan. If there had to be one... could it be that Xiao Xun'er had been sent over? The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed!

"Alright, thank you, Uncle Yang."

"It's no trouble at all. Try not to wander around today. If the Clan Head values this guest so much—they might even be from the Imperial Capital—we certainly couldn't afford to cause any offense." After offering this kindly advice, Uncle Yang handed the box to Chen Xiao and turned to leave.

Chen Xiao laughed to himself. It was more than just the Imperial Capital; if this really was Xiao Xun'er, one couldn't find anyone of such noble status in the entire Northwest Continent. No, wait, there was that fallen princess at the Canaan Academy... Shaking his head slightly, Chen Xiao returned to his room. Whether Xiao Xun'er had arrived or not had nothing to do with him. Eat his fill, and continue cultivating!

...

On the other side, the Xiao Clan’s lockdown lasted for nearly an hour before finally easing. Soon after, a piece of news began to spread: today, a branch member of the Xiao Clan had brought a young girl to the clan. That was all. This information was released by Clan Head Xiao Zhan and the three great elders, so its authenticity was beyond doubt. While the Xiao Clan's youths were busy gossiping, the girl had already been settled in the most core residential area of the clan, right next to the courtyard where the three Xiao brothers lived.

Sending away the servant who had helped her settle in, the girl, who was not even four feet tall and looked exquisitely adorable, closed the courtyard gate. Her clear eyes were filled with a hint of bewilderment as she surveyed this completely foreign environment. The sun was scorching, yet the lonely girl felt a chill, instinctively tightening her beautiful little clothes around her.

*Hum~*

A ripple appeared in the shadows, and a figure emerged silently. From beginning to end, no one in the entire Xiao Clan noticed a thing. The figure was draped in a black robe that obscured his face. Looking at the lonely girl in