It's hard to imagine the naturally refined and composed Xun having such a delicate, bashful grace—her pure and alluring presence truly mesmerized Xiao Yan, evoking a distinct kind of charm. After silently murmuring to himself, "Little fairy," Xiao Yan responded vaguely, then, under Xun's amused gaze, chose to flee in utter embarrassment. Watching Xiao Yan retreat in such a clumsy manner, Xun covered her mouth with a soft, gentle laugh, glanced at herself, and then turned her eyes toward the small pond beside the path. There, the young woman stood gracefully, her bright eyes and white teeth glowing, her gaze shifting with a subtle charm and an elusive, almost imperceptible grace. "She really is quite beautiful," Xun murmured, twirling slightly and lifting a faint, proud smile. Nearby, several young members of the family, who had just approached, suddenly froze, their mouths slowly opening in awe, their eyes filled with astonishment as they stared at the lovely young woman admiring herself alone beneath the willow trees. ... hurriedly retreated back to his room, only then did Xiao Yan breathe out in relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead and chuckling, "This girl—when she grows up, she'll probably be even more enchanting than the refined Lady Ya from the auction hall." Sitting down by the table, Xiao Yan took a long sip of tea, his mind constantly drifting back to Xun'er's graceful demeanor—each gentle flick of her autumnal eyes sending a warm glow deep into his heart. Shaking his head vigorously, he silently cursed himself a second time as a foolish creature, finally calming the fluttering thoughts that had kept him restless. Stretching his slightly stiff arms, Xiao Yan walked to the corner of the room, lifted the large wooden basin filled with foundation elixir, and quickly shed his clothes before flipping into the water. The cool liquid enveloped his skin, gently washing away the lingering fatigue deep within his bones. He casually swished his hand in the basin, leaning lazily against the wooden edge, his slightly hurried breath gradually settling into calm. Recalling the impact he'd made on the training ground today, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. Indeed, strength was still the most important thing in this world. His fingers gently massaged his forehead, and suddenly, a picture of her cold, elegant face flooded his mind—Nalan Yanran. He gently murmured, "Two more years, right? You must wait for me. I'll find you..." The soft whisper seemed ordinary, but the subtle coldness in his tone made it clear it wasn't just a tender, romantic exchange between young lovers. Thinking back to Narang Yanran's measured words and commanding posture in the grand hall that day, Xiao Yan's fists gradually tightened—her slighting had nearly become indelible. "Hah, cultivation cannot stall. That woman... though proud, she's clearly gifted. After all, she's been accepted as a disciple by the Cloudspire Sect's master—her cultivation potential must be no ordinary one." With a light chuckle, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a cold smile. Taking a deep breath, whenever he thought of her, a peculiar sense of diligence surged within him. He now lifted his spirits, shed his relaxed demeanor, and assumed a cultivation posture in the wooden basin, forming hand seals with his ten fingers, then calmed his scattered thoughts and slowly closed his eyes to begin meditating. Since that examination, Xiao Yan could clearly sense that the glances of the surrounding clan members toward him had subtly shifted—no longer laced with previous disdain or mockery, but instead filled with growing reverence. Regarding this gaze of reverence, which only three years ago had been reserved for him, Xiao Yan remained calm and composed, showing no boastful pride befitting someone newly ascendant. The day after the examination, Xiao Yan naturally accompanied Xun as agreed, enjoying a peaceful day of leisure together. As Xun was the person closest to him in the family after his father, he found it difficult—and indeed unwilling—to refuse any of her requests. After this relaxed day, Xiao Yan's daily life returned to its usual quiet and orderly rhythm. Each morning, he practiced combat techniques in the rear mountains, then returned home to refine his combat energy. Occasionally, he spent time with Xun and had conversations with his father, all of which were carefully scheduled throughout the day. On occasion, he encountered Xiao Mei within the family, listening to her sweetly affectionate title of "Xiao Yan's brother," to which he offered a gentle, composed smile and handled the interactions with ease, maintaining his consistent preference of respectful distance toward more pragmatic women. Today, she could bow to her own talent with reverence, and one day, when she departed due to her own gifts, she would grow cold and distant, like a stranger—this unconventional betrayal was enough. ... The month passed in such calm and unhurried days, and in seven days, the Xiao family would hold their coming-of-age ceremony. Though only seven days remained until the ceremony, Xiao Yan still showed no signs of advancing to the eighth stage—this left him somewhat disappointed. After another two days of persistent effort, with no progress, Xiao Yan relaxed his tightly scheduled training sessions. Yet, just when he thought his breakthrough was hopeless, an unexpected turn of events arose unexpectedly. Just two nights before the coming of his adult ceremony, while still asleep, Xiao Yan suddenly jolted upright as if wandering in a dream, without even removing his clothes, and simply jumped straight into the wooden tub whose medicinal power was about to fully dissipate. After a restless night, Xiao Yan finally managed to open his eyes drowsily—only to find, in bewilderment, that the barrier he had struggled with for nearly two months had already been pierced during his moment of unconsciousness. Faced with this sudden, somewhat comical breakthrough, Xiao Yan, though thrilled, could only sigh and mutter, "Damn!"