Silence. Complete silence! All eyes, after a brief moment of stunned stillness, were now fixed, motionless, upon the gleaming black stone tablet radiating golden light. On the guest gallery, tea cups continuously clinked as they fell to the floor. Representatives from various factions of Wutan City stood in open-mouthed disbelief, their faces filled with utter astonishment. Their original purpose had been merely to verify whether Xiao Yan had truly achieved four stages of Dao Qi strength within a year—as reported. Yet what unfolded on stage not only confirmed the authenticity of the report but far exceeded their expectations. Four stages in a year? It now seemed more accurate to say five stages. The pace of this cultivation was nothing short of astonishing—words that only one pair could describe: terrifying. "The Xiao family has truly experienced a major breakthrough..." The guests on the VIP seating couldn't help but take a deep, refreshing breath, murmuring among themselves. A family member who has climbed five stages of Dou Qi within just one year was no ordinary achievement—imagine the brilliant future that such a trajectory might bring. "Given this pace of cultivation, perhaps... maybe within a few decades, the Xiao family will rise to produce a top-tier Dou Huang-level powerhouse." The guests exchanged glances, each silently struck by a similar sense of awe and astonishment. A Duke-level warrior. As long as any minor family within the Garde Empire produces even one such strong Duke, that family's status will immediately soar, regardless of its inherent limitations. Even the three most prominent noble families of the empire would no longer dare to suppress or undermine it—after all, Duke-level warriors are exceptionally rare throughout the vast empire, with only a handful, and each of them possesses the power to overturn the heavens and defeat thousands single-handedly. No rational empire would willingly offend such a powerful Duke. Thus, it became evident just how formidable a Supreme Sovereign-level warrior truly was on this continent. As a result, upon witnessing Xiao Yan's evident talent, everyone present felt an intense sense of envy toward the Xiao family. At the central podium, Xiao Zhan himself was moved to tears by the golden characters etched upon the black stone tablet, and only after a long while did he slowly exhale, turning his eyes with a look of satisfaction toward the black-robed youth on the stage, and smile gently, "Perhaps the most correct decision of my life has been never allowing Yan to develop any rift with me, his father." As Xiao Yan's father, Xiao Zhan deeply understood his son's nature. He could still clearly recall, from his childhood, how coldly his newborn son had regarded him—those distant eyes, as if he were observing a complete stranger rather than his very own father. Yet, fortunately, that initial coldness gradually melted under the genuine care and affection Xiao Zhan poured into him. Whenever he recalled the childhood cold war between the young boy and himself, a gentle, warm smile would naturally play on Xiao Zhan's lips. "Xiao Zhuangzhang, Xiao Yan's cultivation talent is truly astonishing. The Xiao family may indeed be producing a truly remarkable strong contender this time," said Yafei, her beautiful eyes fixed intently on the black-robed youth on the stage, her lips softly curved in a bright, joyful smile. Xiao Zhan laughed heartily, his delight and excitement nearly overflowing. He bowed politely to Ya Fei, as if casually, and sighed, "Lady Ya, your kind words are truly generous. This young lad has always been so enthusiastic and unpredictable in his cultivation—you know, during his first three years, he endured a series of setbacks that no one could have foreseen. Who knows—what if the same upheaval should occur again? If it should happen once more... well, then, alas." Ya Fei's alluring eyes gently curved, and she smiled softly, her expression graceful. She didn't yet know whether Xiao Yan's talent would endure over time or merely bloom briefly. What she did know, however, was that the Xiao Yan of today possessed the potential that truly warranted her attention—and that, in itself, was more than sufficient. Her gaze shimmered subtly as her mind was already settled: in the future, she would cultivate closer ties with the Xiao family, making every effort to strengthen their relationship. … Below the dais, Xiao Yu slightly parted her lips, her delicate cheeks stiff, her eyes wide with astonishment fixed on the black stone stele in the center. After a long while, her full chest rose and fell deeply. She lowered her head, addressing Xiao Ning, who too was filled with shock, with a faint scolding tone: "You said he had only just reached the seventh stage, right? How come he's upgraded again?" Xiao Ning opened his mouth, looking somewhat innocent, murmuring: "Last month, he indeed was at the seventh stage... this month, however, he seems to have broken through once more." "Rising from the seventh to the eighth stage within just one month—how is this possible? Even if that person has regained his former talent, such progress is beyond belief!" Xiao Yu raised her slender brows, exclaiming. Five stages of combat energy in just one year? Damn it, this young fool! The pace is simply comparable to that of the mythical woman from the Gan-Can Academy. "How can I know..." Xiao Ning stammered, a look of bewilderment on his face. His gaze drifted toward Xun'er in the distance, only to find her intently focused on the young man on stage, completely unresponsive to his presence. "Damn fool!" With his beloved girl ignoring him so completely, Xiao Ning's sense of jealousy flared up once again, unexpectedly and fiercely. He lifted his head, glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan on stage, his gritted teeth and determined expression casting a more serious and stern tone over his otherwise youthful face.