Chapter 1: Genius

Work Introduction:

What if Xiao Yan had never lost his Doubreath Stage?

What if the Old Medic died in his Soul Ring from fatal injuries?

What if Xiao Yan, by chance, joined the Soul Palace?

What if the butterfly flapped its wings and fate veered from its original path—how would the gears turn?

"Who are you?"

"Soul Palace—Xiao Yan!"

Table of Contents:

【Opening Arc: Chapters 1–55. What if Xiao Yan had never lost his Doubreath Stage—how different would everything have been?! How would the relationship between the Soul Palace and the Xiao Clan change?! By fate's twist, Xiao Yan solved Hun Xu Zi's riddle and joined the Soul Palace??? What will the Soul Palace's Trial grant Xiao Yan!! Meow~~~】

【Mo Shou Shan Mai Arc: Chapters 56–95. The worldline has drastically diverged—Xiao Yixian, Mo Shou Shan Mai, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, Yun Yun—all changed by a tiny shift! Xiao Yan triggers a Hidden Dungeon—the Heavenly Flame Ranking's #22, Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, resides on the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King?! Xiao Yan: If you're not greedy, what's the difference between you and a salted fish?! Children make choices—I want it all!】

【Yun Lan Sect Arc: Chapters 96–present. Plot NPC Hai Bodong delivers a key item; without the Old Medic, Xiao Yan must resort to trickery against Medusa Queen? The Mo Family's journey reunites him with Nalan Yanran—another twist erupts in the Yun Lan Sect battle. Why did the Soul Palace's Earth-Rank Guardian Wu Ying choose Yun Lan Sect? What secret does Yun Lan Sect hide?! Inside the Life and Death Gate, who does Xiao Yan encounter!! Xiao Yan: Hehehe, you're Earth-Rank? Funny—I am too.】

"Dou Zhe, Three Stars!!!"

Gazing at the glowing, almost blinding four characters on the test demon stone tablet, the boy's face was expressionless—but upon closer look, a faint smirk curled at his lips.

The boy turned with a graceful spin, his right hand idly brushing his robe, sweeping his sleeves without stirring a single cloud—yet stealing the hearts of countless maidens.

"Dou Zhe, Three Stars!!! The Young Clan Leader's test result: Three-Star Dou Zhe!"

Beside the test demon stone tablet, a middle-aged man glanced at the displayed result, his expression electrified as he roared, tears of pride glistening in his eyes—he even forgot to record the result in his logbook.

Genius!

The moment the middle-aged man spoke, as expected, a commotion erupted across the crowded Guang Chang.

"T-Three-Star Dou Zhe?! My goodness, wasn't the Young Clan Leader only One-Star Dou Zhe at his Coming-of-Age Ceremony two years ago? How did he cultivate so fast? Isn't it supposed to get harder the further you go?!"

"I heard from Sister Xiao Yu that Jia Nan Academy's admission grading: anyone under twenty reaching Three-Star Dou Zhe gets a C-rank; Six-Star is the highest S-rank!"

"Gasp! The Young Clan Leader is only fourteen this year!"

"Compared to the Young Clan Leader, I'm trash—I've shamed the whole family."

"If it weren't for the Clan Leader being his father, how could he cultivate so fast?"

"Hah, don't say your father is the Clan Leader—even if you were the Clan Leader, you couldn't cultivate as fast as the Young Clan Leader. Do you know his cultivation speed is the fastest in the entire Xiao Clan's history?!"

"Do you know how the Young Clan Leader has spent these past years? They say he forgets food and sleep, often cultivating deep into the night."

"The famed genius of Wutan City truly lives up to his reputation. How unfair this world is!"

"Who knows? Maybe the Young Clan Leader saved the world in his past life."

The surrounding exclamations and envious murmurs reached the boy's ears as he walked like the wind, his expression calm—inevitably, the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.

The boy slowly returned to the Guang Chang; now, his face bore the aura of a superior, his gaze piercing—his Young Clan Leader's authority silenced every noisy crowd instantly; no one dared meet his eyes.

"Young Clan Leader, you've worked hard—return to your residence to rest; you don't need to wait in line."

"As Young Clan Leader, you must lead by example—how can you break the rules?"

A calm voice reached everyone's ears. The boy quietly rejoined the last row of the queue. Even at the back, a star remained a star—still brilliant, still dazzling.

In truth, Xiao Yan's heart was crying: "If not for this strange Yellow-Class Low-Grade Technique I must cultivate after reaching Dou Zhe, I'd already be Six-Star Dou Zhe."

What is a genius? This is a genius! Even cultivating a Yellow-Class Low-Grade Technique, he still advances one star per year—others might stagnate entirely.

Only he knew his secret: he was not from the Dou Qi Continent—he was a Transmigration.

He had accidentally Transmigrated from Blue Star.

While others were still babbling, this two-life man deeply understood: cultivation must begin early.

At age four, when he could just run and speak, he began imitating the cultivation of others in the family by watching.

At age four, he entered the path of cultivation.

With the mindset of two lifetimes, he shattered the Xiao Clan's record for fastest cultivation to Dou Zhe—and became the fastest ever recorded in Wutan City's history.

Everyone says the path of a genius is always tortuous—but reality is often the opposite.

Some are so unlucky they choke on cold water; others are so blessed they pick up a Heavenly-Rank Dou Technique just walking down the street. Three years ago, this genius boy reached his peak reputation—now his fame is even greater, his strength unmatched, already the future light of the entire family.

This is why he has always been called a genius.

On the high platform, the three Elders and the current Clan Leader Xiao Zhan all stared at the boy.

The First Elder stroked his beard, gazing with increasing approval: "This boy's cultivation speed is truly astonishing. At fourteen, I was still at Doubreath Stage Seven—I was overjoyed then."

The Second Elder slowly nodded: "Given time, the Xiao Clan will surely become the largest family in Wutan City."

The Three Elders also nodded with satisfaction: "Xiao Zhan, you have a genius son."

Clan Leader Xiao Zhan stared at his genius son, yet his face was filled with worry: "Alas, Xiao Yan is good in every way—but he pushes himself too hard, cultivates like he's risking his life."

Only Xiao Zhan knew his son's strength was not gained by luck, but earned through relentless daily practice and cultivation.

He had lost his wife early, raised his son alone, and his greatest wish in life was simply to see his son grow up safe and sound—he never asked for his son to become extraordinarily powerful.

"Next, Xiao Mei!"

Hearing the tester's call, the girl beside him, whose eyes had been softly fixed on Xiao Yan, finally snapped back to reality.

She rushed out from the crowd—no sooner had she appeared than the previously quiet murmurs resumed; dozens of slightly heated gazes, tinged with budding affection, turned toward her.

The girl was about fourteen—though not stunningly beautiful, her youthful face carried a faint allure; since ancient times, all men love beauty—and she became the instant center of attention.

After catching her breath, she stepped forward and placed her hand on the demon stone tablet, just as Xiao Yan had done. Soon, the dark tablet glowed again.

"Doubreath Stage: Seven!"

"Xiao Mei, Doubreath Stage: Seven!"

The three Elders nodded slightly at the result; fourteen-year-old Doubreath Stage Seven was a key cultivation prospect—but beside Xiao Yan, she appeared dim.

Hearing the tester announce her result, the girl's anxious face lit up with a triumphant smile; she immediately turned to the last row of the queue and waved, shouting: "Xiao Yan-ge, I did it! I've finally reached the late stage of Dou Power!"

Xiao Yan heard her cry, smiled, and nodded.

Seeing the young girl's result, a wave of discussion rose across the Guang Chang.

"Tsk tsk, Seven-Segment Dou Qi — that's already quite impressive. At this pace, Xiao Mei will need at most three years before she can be called a true Dou Zhe."

"She's pretty, and her talent is top-notch. If I had a wife like her, I'd laugh myself awake in my dreams."

"Sigh, but with the Young Clan Leader around, none of us stand a chance."

Xiao Yan began training his Qi at four, possessed Nine-Segment Dou Qi at ten, and broke through to Ten-Segment Dou Qi at just past eleven, successfully condensing a Dou Qi vortex and leaping to become the youngest Dou Zhe in the clan within the past hundred years!

Not just Xiao Mei — it would be a lie to say that no young girl in all of Wutan City was unmoved by Xiao Yan.

Hearing the waves of envy drifting from the crowd, the smile on the young girl's cheeks grew even wider. She jogged over to Xiao Yan's side, and her usual little girlfriends couldn't hold her back.

Xiao Mei excitedly grabbed Xiao Yan's sleeve with both hands, tilted her head slightly, and said with a beaming smile: "Brother Xiao Yan, am I impressive or not? I've already reached Dou Power Seven Stages — I can join the clan's Core Disciples."

Xiao Yan smiled and patted Xiao Mei's little head, saying: "Don't slack off. Dou Power Seven Stages has only just reached the later stage. Cultivation in the later stage needs to be taken one step at a time; the pace of Cultivation will slow down a great deal. You're still very far from Dou Zhe."

"Psh, Brother Xiao Yan, you're a genius, so of course Cultivation comes easy to you. It's not like everyone…"

Before Xiao Mei could finish speaking, the examiner's voice rang out once more from the noisy crowd, announcing the next name.

"Next — Xiao Xun'er!"

Hearing the three words "Xiao Xun'er," even Xiao Yan, who had been solemn all along, could not help but let a trace of a smile show on his face. Slowly, he raised his head to look.

The clan members, who had been heatedly discussing, all suddenly fell silent. Every gaze followed a young girl in a purple dress as she moved.

Even Xiao Yan was no exception.

The girl's cool and aloof air was like a lotus just beginning to bloom. Her pupils were clear and bright, her brows arched like willow leaves, and three thousand strands of hair drifted with the wind — a beauty beyond words.

When it came to looks and bearing, Xiao Xun'er was undoubtedly a few notches above the earlier Xiao Mei. No wonder the onlookers couldn't tear their eyes away.

The young girl named Xiao Xun'er walked up to the Magic Stone Tablet, stretched out her small hand, and lightly touched the tablet. Her expression was calm, as if this most important test for the clan was nothing out of the ordinary in her eyes.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the result. If there were anyone who could surpass the genius Xiao Yan, it could only be the girl before them.

After a brief hush, a dazzling light bloomed once more atop the stone tablet.

"Dou Zhe: Two Stars!!"

Staring at the characters on the stone tablet, the field fell into a hush. Xiao Yan also breathed a quiet sigh of relief inside.

So close — so close to being surpassed!

"My seventh uncle's grandfather! She's only one star behind the Young Clan Leader!"

"Last year Miss Xun Er was only Dou Zhe One Star. She actually broke through this year too — that's incredible!"

After the silence, the youths around all couldn't help but swallow hard, their eyes filled with awe.

Ten Segments of Dou Power, Nine Stars of Dou Zhe. Upon becoming a Dou Zhe, one is qualified to wear a star Class Badge on one's chest to display one's strength. Every single star is a symbol of strength and a symbol of status.

In Wutan City, Dou Zhe are the backbone of the middle ranks.

Seeing those glaring two words "Dou Zhe," the tiny bit of pride that had just risen in Xiao Mei's heart was utterly shattered. Without realizing it, she let go of Xiao Yan's sleeve.

She couldn't even bring herself to feel jealous.