Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 26: Confirming the Talent

By noon, with an order from Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Family's coming-of-age ceremony officially began.

As an ancient family, the Xiao Family might not be very large, but its ceremonial procedures were extremely detailed and lengthy.

At that moment, Mo Yu stood below the platform alongside Xiao Yan and Xun'er, watching as the young men on stage were manipulated like puppets according to the family's traditions.

Mo Yu had no interest in these so-called family traditions. As a once-glorious branch of the ancient Xiao Clan, the current Xiao Family's strongest members were only Da Dou Shi (Battle Grandmasters). What the family needed now wasn't strict adherence to old customs, but real strength.

After a while, Mo Yu grew tired of watching the tedious proceedings on stage and instead shifted his gaze to the audience and the VIP section.

On the left side of the stage, there was a pair of long, shapely legs. The sunlight highlighted their perfect curve, making them appear so long and straight that it was hard to resist the urge to touch them.

Meanwhile, in the VIP section, there was a curvaceous and charming woman, exuding mature allure. Her waist was as slender as a water snake's, a sight that could make anyone lose their composure.

As Mo Yu admired these sights, Ya Fei, who was seated in the VIP section, seemed to sense someone watching her. Her beautiful eyes shifted toward Mo Yu's direction.

Seeing Ya Fei's reaction, Mo Yu didn't feel embarrassed. Instead, he calmly smiled at her.

This smile was as pure as that of a gentleman, matching the youthful, jade-like features of the boy's face, fully expressing the word "innocent."

Noticing Mo Yu's composed and straightforward demeanor, Ya Fei couldn't help but bite her lip, silently cursing, "You little rascal!"

But for some reason, Mo Yu's behavior reminded her of that mysterious man in the black robe from the auction. Hidden under her red dress, Ya Fei's legs tensed involuntarily.

By this time, the coming-of-age ceremony on stage had progressed considerably, and it was finally Xiao Yan's turn.

As Xiao Yan's name was called, curious and skeptical eyes from the VIP section immediately focused on him. Many of these guests had attended the Xiao Family's ceremony specifically to confirm whether the recent rumors about the "Xiao Family's Twin Dragons" were true.

Now, one of the Twin Dragons, Xiao Yan, had stepped onto the stage.

The ceremony was being officiated by the Second Elder, Xiao Ying, who personally acted as the examiner to prevent any potential cheating by Xiao Zhan in favor of Xiao Yan.

After completing the intricate ceremonial procedures, the Second Elder wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to the Blackstone Testing Monument, loudly declaring, "Commence the official test!"

This official test was far more rigorous and precise than the previous evaluations, and with the Second Elder, a Two-Star Da Dou Shi, personally overseeing the process, it was clear just how seriously they were taking this ceremony.

As the Second Elder's voice echoed through the area, the previously bored crowd immediately perked up, their eyes fixed on the stage.

In the VIP section, representatives from various factions also locked their gazes onto the black-clad young man. The main reason for their attendance was to verify whether this young genius, who had once astonished Wu Tan City, had indeed regained his former talent.

Amidst the skeptical and curious gazes of the crowd, Xiao Yan approached the Blackstone Monument and placed his hand on it.

On the tall wooden platform, the giant Blackstone Monument suddenly glowed, and a line of words appeared on its surface.

"Dou Qi: Eight-Duan!"

The moment the results appeared, the entire venue fell silent.

With absolute strength, Xiao Yan once again proved that his talent had indeed returned.

Whether they were in the VIP section or among the general audience, everyone was stunned by Xiao Yan's abilities.

Advancing five stages of Dou Qi in just one year—this speed was nothing short of terrifying!

"Sigh, advancing five stages in a year? What a terrifying cultivation speed..." On the stage, the Second Elder slowly came to his senses, looking at the young man before him with a complex expression. He let out a soft sigh, the doubts in his old eyes finally vanishing in the face of reality.

As the golden light on the Blackstone Monument gradually faded, the monument returned to its deep, cold black color.

Even as the light dissipated, the crowd remained silent, still immersed in the shock from earlier.

"Ahem, next up, Mo Yu!" As Xiao Yan stepped down from the stage, the Second Elder's cough finally drew the crowd's attention back.

Hearing Mo Yu's name, the audience, still recovering from their shock, immediately tensed up again. One of the Xiao Family's Twin Dragons had already proven himself—now it was Mo Yu's turn.

Some even began to maliciously speculate whether Mo Yu was truly deserving of the title "Xiao Family's Twin Dragons."

After all, Xiao Yan's talent was once extraordinary—becoming a Dou Zhe at just eleven years old was nothing short of miraculous.

If Xiao Yan had indeed fully regained his talent, being mentioned alongside him might turn out to be more of a burden than an honor for Mo Yu.

In ten or twenty years, if one of them became a renowned powerhouse while the other remained a small-town king, such a contrast would undoubtedly be devastating.

In the VIP section, Ya Fei watched the boy with a calm expression, feeling a slight tension in her heart.

For some reason, she found herself particularly concerned about this handsome young man.

Ignoring the intense stares from those around him, Mo Yu leisurely stepped forward and stopped before the Blackstone Monument.

The Second Elder, squinting his old eyes, touched the monument with his withered hand, infusing it with a trace of Dou Qi before standing silently to the side. However, when his gaze swept over Mo Yu, he couldn't help but harbor some doubts: "Can he really live up to the title of Xiao Family Dragon?"

Unfazed by the elder's skepticism, Mo Yu slowly placed his hand on the monument...

As Mo Yu touched the monument on stage, Xiao Yu, who was watching from the audience, couldn't help but frown. She turned to Xiao Ning and whispered, "Did he really defeat you in one move?"

Since Xiao Yu had only returned from the academy two days ago, she hadn't personally witnessed Mo Yu's strength.

Hearing his sister's question, Xiao Ning nodded bitterly and muttered, "Yeah, I don't know how that guy trained, but he beat me in one move."

Having the rumors confirmed once more, Xiao Yu bit her lip, angrily stamping her foot in frustration as she glared at the young man on stage. Her delicate face took on a stubborn expression as she thought, "Even so, I won't marry him. What kind of true genius is he anyway?"

Before she could finish her annoyed whisper, Xiao Yu's pretty face suddenly froze, and the rest of her words got stuck in her throat.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the audience, Xiao Yan and Xun'er both smiled faintly.

Their smiles seemed to say, "This is exactly what we expected."

On the tall wooden platform, the Blackstone Monument suddenly burst into light. Golden letters, bold and majestic, appeared on its surface.

"Dou Zhe: One-Star!"

(End of chapter)