"Brother Xiao Yan." The girl stood gracefully before Xiao Yan, her delicate, fair hands resting behind her back, her body slightly inclined forward. Her beautiful, fresh eyes, shaped like a gentle crescent moon, sparkled with warm smiles. A soft, charming dimple appeared on her lovely face, making her especially endearing. After shifting her gaze from the scroll, Xiao Yan smiled at the girl and then scanned the hall, noting the warm, eager glances directed at him. With a touch of resignation, he said, "I know you have quite the charm, but you don't need to push me out to be the shield, do you?" "Hi-hi," she chuckled softly, settling down beside Xiao Yan and lazily stretching her arms. Her graceful curves, accentuated by her fitted dress, became especially alluring. Reaching for a scroll from the bookshelf behind her, she paused her gaze on Xiao Yan for a moment, then offered a relaxed, lazy smile. "Has Brother Xiao Yan reached the fourth stage of combat energy?" "Heard this, Xiao Yan, who had been intently studying the scroll, raised a brow. All ten segments of his Qi were still at the initial stage—the subtle and weak Qi fluctuations were hard to detect without active Qi usage or with the aid of Qi-detection stones. Thus, unless one employed such tools or conducted a direct assessment, it was generally difficult to determine precisely which segment the master had reached. Yet now, merely by glancing at him casually, Xun'er had immediately revealed his true standing—this truly astonished him. 'What is this girl's background? The combat techniques she used against Xiao Ning earlier clearly demonstrated advanced techniques. This golden-light technique is not something typically found within the Xiao family.' As these thoughts passed through his mind, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to the girl, whose graceful smile warmed the room, and with a slight shrug, nodded gently, 'Fourth segment.' Upon seeing Xiao Yan's affirmation, Xun'er's smile deepened. She chuckled lightly, 'I believe it's due to the intensive training Xiao Yan has been undergoing over the past fifteen days.' 'Indeed.' Nodded slightly, Xiao Yan didn't deny it, shifting his gaze back to the scroll. He casually asked, "How come you've found time to spar with them today?" "Bored," said Xun, lifting her fragrant shoulders in imitation of Xiao Yan, her eyes turning toward the young man with a hint of lingering resentment. "Since last time, Xiao Yan has not even visited me for nearly half a month. Does he think I'll still be demanding repayment from him?" Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, feeling a bit embarrassed, and offered a wry smile. "Next year's the time for the coming-of-age ceremony. How could I possibly not start training sooner?" He raised his head, gazing at the slightly furrowed nose of the girl, and then gently patted Xun's small head with his palm, soothingly reassuring her, "I'll definitely make time to spend with you." As she listened to Xiao Yan's promise, her face gradually relaxed, and she softly laughed and chattered in his ear, her affectionate demeanor making the other young men in the hall feel a growing envy, their eyes glowing with admiration. Watching from afar the two chatting and laughing by the bookshelf, Xiao Ning's mouth twitched slightly, his face looking rather uncomfortable. His fists clenched and unclenched, then unclenched and clenched again. As the grandson of the family's senior elder, Xiao Ning had always carried a strong sense of superiority. Deep down, he had firmly decided in his heart that Xun'er—this unique young woman—would be his wife, though it was merely his own wish. Now, seeing his chosen bride laughing and talking warmly with someone else, close and intimate, it was hard not to feel jealous. Most importantly, the one who was so close and friendly with Xun'er was precisely the family's most useless, the very waste. Anger surged in his eyes, and after a while, he slowly exhaled, restoring a warm, composed smile to his face. He straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and, under everyone's gaze, briskly walked toward the two standing by the bookshelf. In the grand hall, everyone watching Xiao Ning walk toward the two of them burst out with expressions of relief and amusement—clearly not directed at Xiao Ning himself, but at the seemingly still bewildered Xiao Yan. As Xiao Yan scanned the human meridian patterns on the scroll, he silently fixed in his mind the precise locations of the acupoints activated by the shattered stone palm technique and the corresponding flow of meridians. Taking a deep, steady breath, Xiao Yan lowered his brows, then furrowed them slightly. His keen spiritual perception allowed him to clearly sense every movement in the hall, including Xiao Ning’s approach. "This girl is just as trouble-prone as ever," he murmured, slowly closing the scroll. "Heh, Xiao Yan, come to learn a combat technique? Shall I help you find a few higher-level ones? There may be some things you simply don’t have access to yet," Xiao Ning smiled warmly, standing before him with a cheerful tone. Xiao Yan rolled up the scroll in his hands and gently placed it on the bookshelf, then gave a slight shake of his head, saying in a calm tone, "Thank you for your concern, but I don't need it for now." "Oh, yes, I almost forgot... Xiao Yan's elemental energy still only reaches three stages. Indeed, the more advanced techniques are quite difficult to master." Gently rubbing his forehead, Xiao Ning smiled as if suddenly realizing something, though the subtle hint of disdain on his face remained only faintly concealed. Xiao Yan sighed lightly—here he was, coming right to face the criticism. With a slightly condescending curve at the corner of his mouth, he said with a touch of resignation, "I know you're saying all this just to draw Xun'er's attention. Still, I must admit, you're rather childish." A flicker of irritation crossed Xiao Ning's eyes as he glanced at Xun'er, who had stepped forward to defend Xiao Yin. His resentment intensified, and he gave Xiao Yin a sharp, mocking glare. "You always hide behind women," he said. "Why couldn't you speak to me like this three years ago?" Taking a deep breath, Xiao Ning coldly glanced at Xiao Yan, slightly bowed his head, and spoke in a crisp, frosty whisper to his ear: "Xiao Yan, you are no longer the cultivation prodigy you were three years ago. Now, you're nothing but a waste. Xun'er is beyond your reach. If you value your position, leave her now—otherwise, heh, though I've never dared to strike you in daily matters, at the coming adult ceremony in one year, you'll have to face a challenge from a member of our clan. If you don't wish to end up disabled, I strongly advise you to pack your bags and retire early—seek out a remote, quiet place and live out the rest of your life in peace!" Hearing this stern threat, Xiao Yan gave a subtle lift to his lips, slightly tilted his head, and stared at Xiao Ning with an oddly intense gaze. Then, he rolled his eyes and picked up the scroll in his hands, turning to walk away. Watching Xiao Yan's actions, Xiao Ning initially thought he had yielded. Yet, as he waited for the boy's joyful response, the calm, understated tone of Xiao Yan's words suddenly caused Xiao Ning's face to "Well, alright. In a year... I'll be waiting for you to knock me senseless."