The Chronicles of Eternia

"Dou Qi, Third Stage!" Staring at the shiny five characters on the test magic stone tablet, the youth remained expressionless, a hint of self-mockery playing at the corner of his lips. His tightly clenched hand, due to the exertion of force, caused his slightly sharp nails to pierce deeply into his palm, bringing waves of piercing pain... "Xiao Yan, Dou Qi, Third Stage! Rank: Low!" Beside the test magic stone tablet, a middle-aged man glanced at the information displayed on the tablet and announced it in a indifferent tone... Just as the middle-aged man spoke, unsurprisingly, a wave of ridicule surged through the crowded square. "Third Stage? Heh heh, just as I expected, this 'genius' has been stagnating in the same place for another year!" "Ah, this waste has really brought shame upon our family." "If it weren't for the fact that the patriarch is his father, this kind of waste would have been driven out of the family long ago, left to fend for himself." "Sigh, how did the genius youth who was once renowned in Wutan City end up in such a sorry state?" "Who knows, maybe he did something sinful and earned the wrath of the gods..." The disdainful mockery and sighs of regret from the surroundings, falling into the ears of the youth standing like a wooden stake, felt like sharp thorns piercing his heart, causing his breathing to become slightly rapid. The youth slowly raised his head, revealing a somewhat delicate and tender face. His pitch-black eyes scanned the peers around him indifferently, his self-mockery seeming even more bitter. "Are these people all so cruel and oppressive? Perhaps it's because they once showed their most humble smiles in front of me three years ago, so now they want to take them back..." With a bitter smile, Xiao Yan turned around desolately and quietly returned to the last row of the group, his lonely figure somewhat out of place in the surrounding world. "Next, Xiao Mei!" As the tester's voice sounded, a young girl quickly ran out from the crowd. As soon as the girl appeared, the nearby discussions diminished significantly, and many pairs of slightly fiery eyes firmly locked onto the girl's cheeks... The girl was only about fourteen years old, and while she couldn't be considered stunning, her youthful face contained a hint of charm. The combination of innocence and charm made her the center of attention in the entire square... The girl stepped forward briskly, her small hand skillfully touching the pitch-black magic stone tablet, then closing her eyes slowly... After a moment with her eyes closed, the pitch-black magic stone tablet once again emitted a bright light... "Dou Qi: Seventh Stage!" "Xiao Mei, Dou Qi: Seventh Stage! Rank: High!" "Yay!" Hearing the results announced by the tester, a smile of satisfaction appeared on the girl's cheeks... "Tsk tsk, Seventh Stage Dou Qi, truly remarkable. With this progress, she'll probably only need three years at most to become a true fighter..." "It's no wonder she's considered one of the elite members of the family..." Listening to the envious voices from the crowd, the smile on the girl's cheeks grew even more pronounced, her vanity being a temptation that many girls couldn't resist... As Xiao Mei laughed and talked with her several sisters as usual, her gaze suddenly passed through the crowd and stopped on the solitary figure outside the crowd... Frowning for a moment, Xiao Mei dismissed the thought of going over. The two of them were no longer in the same class. With Xiao Yan's recent performance, he would at most become a lower-level member of the family when he reached adulthood, while she, with her outstanding talent, would become a key figure in the family's cultivation, with unlimited potential. "Sigh..." Letting out a sigh inexplicably, Xiao Mei suddenly remembered the spirited youth from three years ago, and how he had become so desolate now. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the sight of him... "Next, Xiao Xuner!" As the slightly elegant name rang out, the crowd quieted down suddenly, and all eyes shifted. At the gathering point of everyone's gaze, a girl dressed in a purple dress stood quietly, her calm and tender face unchanged despite the attention of the crowd. The girl's cold and indifferent temperament, like a lotus just beginning to bloom, although young, already had a hint of otherworldly charm. It was hard to imagine how captivating she would be when she grew up... This girl in the purple dress, in terms of beauty and temperament, was undoubtedly even more superior than Xiao Mei before her, which was why all eyes were drawn to her. Taking light steps, the girl named Xiao Xuner walked up to the magic stone tablet, her small hand reaching out, the purple sleeve with black-golden threads slipping down, revealing a section of snowy white delicate forearm, then lightly touching the tablet... In a moment of tranquility, the dazzling light once again radiated from the magic stone tablet... "Dou Qi: Ninth Stage! Rank: High!" Looking at the characters on the stone tablet, the square fell into a moment of silence. "... She's actually at the Ninth Stage, truly terrifying! She's probably only three years away from being able to condense the Dou Qi Cyclone. If she succeeds, she'll be the second person in the Xiao family to become a real fighter at the age of fourteen!" Yes, the second person. The first person was the fallen genius, Xiao Yan. "Thank you." The girl nodded slightly, her face showing no joy at his praise, and quietly turned around, then, under the heated gazes of the crowd, walked quietly to the desolate youth at the back of the crowd... "Brother Xiao Yan." Passing by the youth, the girl paused her steps and bowed respectfully to Xiao Yan, her beautiful face revealing a smile that made many jealous. "I still have the right to let you call me that?" Facing the bright jewel that had grown into the most dazzling gem in the family, Xiao Yan said bitterly. She was one of the very few who still showed respect for him after his downfall. "Brother Xiao Yan, you once told Xuner that to be able to let "Heh, a free person? I can only say it. Look at me now, do I look like a free person? And besides... this world was never meant for me." Xiao Yan chuckled self-deprecatingly, his interest waning. Faced with Xiao Yan's desolation, Xiao Xuner's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she said seriously, "Brother Xiao Yan, although I don't know what happened to you, I believe that you will stand up again and regain your glory and dignity..." Pausing slightly, the fair face of the girl showed a faint blush for the first time. "The Xiao Yan from back then was indeed very attractive..." "Heh..." Facing the girl's candid words, the youth chuckled awkwardly, but he didn't say anything more. Although he was still young, he didn't have the qualification or mood for such things now. With a desolate sigh, he turned around and walked slowly away from the square... Standing in place, watching the youth's lonely figure, which seemed isolated from the world, Xiao Xuner hesitated for a moment. Then, amid the jealous howls from behind, she hurriedly caught up, walking side by side with the youth.