Xiao Zhan and the others stared intently at the six bottles of pills on the table. Just hearing how Xiao Yun intended to distribute them made their breathing grow heavy.
Even the cheapest of these—the Qi Gathering Pills—would cost the Xiao Clan a fortune. And as for the Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, which could help a Dou Grandmaster advance by an entire star? Even if they sold the entire clan, they still couldn't afford it. Yet Xiao Yun was giving one pill to each of them?
"No, Xiao Yun," the First Elder was the first to speak, shaking his head. "You can keep the Qi Gathering Pills. It's only useful for those with nine segments of Dou Qi. As for the Purple Heart Pill... you're a Dou Grandmaster yourself, aren't you? You should take it. We've been stuck at our levels for years—it'd just be a waste on us old men."
Though the First Elder was usually a bit self-serving, he wasn't blind to the big picture. The value of those pills was astronomical. Giving them to a few old men like them was simply a waste.
Xiao Zhan: "…"
This old guy—calling him an old man again. He was only thirty-five, damn it!
"First Elder is right," Xiao Zhan added, agreeing despite his grudge. "The cultivation techniques and martial skills you brought back have already helped us a lot. Once the elders finish adjusting to the new methods, our strength will surely increase. You should keep the pills for yourself."
Xiao Yun's heart warmed at their words, and he smiled. "I brought these pills out to give to you. I'm not taking them back."
He raised a hand to stop them from interrupting further, then stood and released his aura.
A surge of powerful Dou Qi filled the hall—the pressure of a six-star Dou Grandmaster instantly silenced everyone. Xiao Zhan and the others looked at each other in shock, a creeping sense of helplessness rising in their chests. Even Xiao Zhan, the strongest among them, was only a four-star Dou Grandmaster. The gap was two whole sub-realms.
"I'm already a six-star Dou Grandmaster. Once I reach eight stars, I'll consider using the pills to push for the Dou Spirit stage. Besides, I'm the disciple of a fifth-rank alchemist. You think I'd lack pills?"
"Hah, if that's the case, then we won't hold back!" Xiao Zhan grinned, and the others quickly joined in, eagerly dividing up the pills and scrolls on the table.
"I'll only be staying at home for a few days," Xiao Yun added. "Once Jia Nan Academy's recruitment is over, I'll be heading back with them."
"So… no need to make a big fuss about my return. I prefer to train quietly while I'm here."
If word got out that he had returned to Wu Tan City, the other factions would undoubtedly come knocking, wasting his precious cultivation time.
…
After that, Xiao Yun chatted with the four elders about his experiences at the academy until the sun began to set.
In the hall, Xiao Zhan had already arranged for dinner. Once the conversation ended, the waiting servants quickly brought in trays of food. Soon, the round table was covered with a feast.
After the meal, Xiao Yun returned to his courtyard.
The place was clean—clearly someone had been tending to it. A few maids stood at the gate, holding daily necessities and waiting for him.
"Young Master, the water is ready. We've brought all the essentials. Shall we carry them inside for you?" the lead maid asked respectfully.
"I'll take them. No need to wait here—go ahead and leave."
He stored everything in his storage ring and dismissed the maids. He still wasn't used to being waited on.
Meanwhile, Xiao Zhan and the three elders weren't idle either.
The elders rushed off to begin retraining with their new techniques, while Xiao Zhan, who already practiced a Black-rank method, took charge of distributing martial skills to the clan's elites.
…
Since Xiao Yun's return, apart from meeting with Xiao Zhan and the elders on the first day, he'd been cultivating in his courtyard.
That morning, he was seated cross-legged on his bed, hands forming seals, calmly refining his Dou Qi.
Knock knock knock!
A sudden knock came from the gate.
Xiao Yun opened his eyes. A red gleam flashed through his pupils. With a light tap of his feet, he landed softly on the floor, pressed down with both palms to settle his surging Dou Qi, and walked to the courtyard gate.
Standing outside were Xiao Zhan and his son Xiao Ding, both looking a little nervous.
"Xiao Yun, hope I'm not disturbing your cultivation?"
Seeing Xiao Yun open the door, Xiao Zhan scratched his head with a slightly embarrassed smile.
Disturbing? Even if you were, what could I possibly do about it…
"It's fine, Uncle Xiao Zhan. I just got up myself. Please, come in."
Xiao Yun waved his hand casually and invited Xiao Zhan and the boy beside him into the courtyard.
"This is my eldest son, Xiao Ding. You probably saw him when you were younger. He's three years older than you—twelve this year."
"Yes, Cousin Xiao Ding. I remember him."
Looking at the young man standing in front of him, Xiao Yun nodded in recognition. Right—according to the original novel, aside from Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding had the best talent in the Xiao family.
"Here's the thing," Xiao Zhan began, rubbing his head again as if unsure of how to phrase it. "Xiao Ding has just reached the eighth stage of Dou Qi this year. Since you've been doing so well at Jia Nan Academy, and Xiao Long and Xiao Hu are also making a name for themselves, I thought it might be time for Xiao Ding to head there too."
He paused, then added sheepishly, "It's just… Xiao Ding tends to be a bit quiet. I'm worried that if something happens to him at the academy, he might not speak up about it. So I was hoping, if it's not too much trouble, you could look out for him a little?"
Xiao Yun immediately understood what Xiao Zhan was getting at.
In the original story, Xiao Ding didn't attend Jia Nan Academy, but now that he, Xiao Yun, was making waves there, maybe the family wanted to take advantage of that connection. After all, having someone on the inside could make a huge difference.
Wait—if Xiao Ding joins earlier, does that mean Xiao Yan might enroll sooner as well?
If his Dou Qi ends up being drained by Yao Lao after entering, and he gets kicked out in front of everyone… that'd be way more humiliating than it was in the original timeline.
After a moment's thought, Xiao Yun decided not to worry too much. By the time that happened, he'd probably already be a Dou King. As long as he managed the narrative properly, it wouldn't deal too much of a blow to Xiao Yan's pride.
"It's no problem," Xiao Yun nodded. "Since he's reached the academy's standard, let him come along with me when I return. I'll keep an eye on him at Jia Nan Academy."
Coming from a ten-year-old, "I'll look after him" might have sounded odd, but in this context, it felt perfectly normal. After all, Xiao Yun's cultivation level now ranked highest in the family. Having him watch over someone at the eighth stage of Dou Qi was completely reasonable.
"That said, the academy is split into an Outer Court and an Inner Court. When I return, I'll be entering the Inner Court for further training. The two sections are in different locations, so if anything happens to Cousin Xiao Ding, I might not be able to get there immediately."
Just to be safe, Xiao Yun decided to explain things clearly. Better to prevent any misunderstandings later—like Xiao Ding getting into trouble and the family blaming him for not showing up.
"Not an issue at all," Xiao Zhan said, waving it off. "Your training should come first. Even if you can lend a hand once in a while, I'd be more than grateful."
Truth be told, while Xiao Zhan may not be the most capable clan leader, he was a truly dedicated father. Whether it was Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, or even Xiao Yan—who later fell into disgrace—Xiao Zhan had always done his utmost to support them.
After the visit from Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yun figured more people might come knocking while he was trying to train. So, instead of heading back inside, he locked his courtyard gate and strolled over to the Xiao Clan's training grounds.
Due to Jia Nan Academy's ongoing recruitment, most of the family had gone to watch the selection process, leaving the training field rather empty—except for a few teens sparring with one another.
"Haah!"
Thump!
"Cousin Xiao Yu, just admit defeat already. You're no match for me."
Xiao Yan caught Xiao Yu's extended leg mid-kick, tightening his grip around her calf and preventing her from pulling back.
"Hmph! I admit defeat, you little pervert. Now let go of my leg!"
Xiao Yu struggled to break free, but Xiao Yan's grip was like an iron clamp. After a few failed attempts, she had no choice but to yield.
"Wow, Cousin Xiao Yan! You're amazing! I can't believe you even beat Cousin Xiao Yu, and she's three years older than you!"
Xiao Mei ran up excitedly and grabbed his arm, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
This annoying Xiao Mei, always one step ahead!
Watching from nearby, Xiao Xun'er scowled and quickly caught up, grabbing Xiao Yan's other arm and shooting Xiao Mei a competitive glare.
"Hahaha! Of course! I'm the number one kid in the Xiao Clan. One day, I'll be the clan leader. Gotta be strong if I'm going to lead us to greatness!"
Xiao Yan, a seasoned soul in a child's body, showed no embarrassment as he delivered his cheesy pick-up line, basking in the attention of the two girls.
"Really? I don't believe you."
The mood was shattered by that one line.
Xiao Yan froze, annoyance bubbling up. He turned toward the voice and barked, "Which bastard dares question me?! Do you believe I won't—"
His words died mid-sentence.
There, slowly approaching with a dangerous smile, was Xiao Yun.
"What's wrong, Little Yan? Were you about to say you'd make me leave the clan?"
Feeling the pressure from Xiao Yun's aura, Xiao Yan instantly released both girls' hands. "N-No way, Cousin Xiao Yun! I wouldn't dare. If anyone can kick someone out of the Xiao Clan, it's you!"
Xiao Yun chuckled.
As expected of a fellow transmigrator—he really had the guts to say such things. If Xiao Yun had been a true child and impulsively threatened to kick Xiao Yan out of the clan, things would've gotten ugly between him and Xiao Zhan.
Ignoring Xiao Yan for the moment, Xiao Yun flicked his wrist and retrieved a few jade bottles from his storage ring. With a tap of his finger, the bottles turned into streams of light and flew into the hands of the three girls.
"These are some pills I refined myself. They'll help with your training. Think of them as gifts from my trip back from Jia Nan Academy."
"Thank you, Cousin Xiao Yun!" the three girls said in unison.
While Xiao Xun'er probably didn't need them, for Xiao Yu and Xiao Mei, these pills were precious treasures.
"Alright, you girls head off for now. I need to speak with Xiao Yan."
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Yun dismissed them, giving himself and Xiao Yan some privacy.
Soon, the only two left on the training ground were Xiao Yun and Xiao Yan.
"Cousin, do I get a gift too? And, uh, what did you want to talk about?"
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up as he watched the girls walk away clutching their pills. He'd been dying to ask this. He couldn't do it in front of them—had to maintain his cool, after all—but now that they were gone, he dropped the act immediately.
"Oh, don't worry. Of course I prepared something special for you," Xiao Yun said with a warm smile, slowly rolling up his sleeve.
"What kind of treasure is it?"
"The greatest gift of all—the Iron Fist of Familial Love!"