"Brother Xiao Yan, how is your body recovering?"
Allowing the young man to play with her black hair, the young girl propped her small face with her hands and gazed at Xiao Yan's face.
"After resting for a night, I feel much better."
Xiao Yan looked at Xun'er, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms. Having been an old married couple for tens of thousands of years in his previous life, embracing upon meeting was all too common.
However, this life was different. The girl in front of him could barely be called a young maiden. If he did that, he would probably scare her.
His Dou Qi had merely been completely absorbed by Yao Lao, causing some weakness in his body, but it was nothing serious. After taking the Huiyuan Dan and resting for a day and a night, he had already recovered eighty to ninety percent.
"It's good that you're alright. Uncle Xiao Zhan said that after you wake up, he wants you to go find him."
Xun'er blinked her beautiful eyes.
"Alright, I need to find Father anyway."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and slowly got out of bed, about to take Xun'er's small hand.
"Annoying! Didn't Brother Xiao Yan take enough advantage yesterday? If you do this again, I'll ignore you."
Seeing Xiao Yan like this, Xun'er hastily withdrew her hand, her small face instantly blushing.
"Sorry, I'm used to it."
Xiao Yan chuckled, thinking to himself: "What's the big deal? You're going to bear my children in the future anyway."
Saying this, he no longer focused on this point but stepped out of the room and walked along the tree-lined path of the Xiao family towards Xiao Zhan's room.
Xun'er followed behind Xiao Yan, her small feet leisurely stepping on the stone bricks, her beautiful hair swaying gently around her slender waist. However, a hint of cunning was hidden in her lively eyes.
"Ever since Brother Xiao Yan's cultivation went wrong, he seems to have changed a bit.
However, this version of Brother Xiao Yan seems even more likable."
"Father, you were looking for me."
Xiao Zhan was currently discussing matters with several elders. The moment he saw Xiao Yan, a kind smile instantly appeared on Xiao Zhan's face.
The other elders also smiled slightly upon seeing Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan could tell at a glance that their smiles were somewhat forced.
"Yan'er, how is your body recovering?"
Xiao Zhan asked with concern first.
"With Father's Huiyuan Dan and this day of rest, I've naturally recovered mostly."
Xiao Yan replied with a smile. However, the Third Elder beside him was straightforward and had already fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan, has your Dou Qi recovered now?"
As his voice fell, the gazes of several elders focused on Xiao Yan.
"No, my Dou Qi has fallen to the third Duan of Dou Qi."
Xiao Yan shook his head slightly. Hearing him say this, the disappointment on the faces of several elders was no longer concealed. Even Xiao Zhan showed a hint of hidden gloom.
Xiao Yan had already experienced such a scene once in his previous life. At that time, he was panicked and terrified, feeling as if he were surrounded by endless darkness.
But this time, Xiao Yan was only calm, without the slightest fear of the future.
This was not only the profound confidence brought by the memories of his previous life but also the fearlessness brought by the heart of a strong person cultivated over tens of thousands of years.
Ever since a headwind struck, he had learned to withstand winds from all directions, standing firm and unshaken.
"However, although I have lost a lot of Dou Qi, my cultivation talent has not been lost. With just a little time, I will be able to cultivate it back."
Xiao Yan's words made several elders, including Xiao Zhan, sigh slightly in relief, but the disappointment on their faces still couldn't be hidden.
Although Xiao Yan's aptitude was heaven-defying, he had also started cultivating at the age of four and only broke through to Dou Zhe at the age of eleven. Now, with only the third Duan of Dou Qi remaining, even if his aptitude was excellent, it would probably take several years to cultivate back.
These were the years when Dou Qi progressed the fastest. Suffering such a calamity, it was unknown what kind of impact it would have on his future path to becoming a strong person.
"Yan'er, you should go back and rest first. Nurture your body before anything else."
Xiao Zhan gently waved his hand, and Xiao Yan was also preparing to wave goodbye.
How could he, with his tens of thousands of years of experience, not guess what his father and the elders were thinking? What they didn't know was, compared to an old treasure like Yao Lao, what did a mere few years of cultivation count for?
Although the current Yao Lao had only absorbed Dou Qi once, his vast soul power, coupled with the Bone Chilling Flame, could still easily kill a Dou Ling and suppress a Dou Wang.
Before Xiao Yan cultivated to Dou Wang in this life, Yao Lao would probably still be of immense help.
Moreover, Xiao Yan, with the precious memories of his previous life, was fully confident that he could make Yao Lao several tiers stronger than in his previous life.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to leave, a servant ran in.
"Patriarch, Elders, Miss Ya Fei, the newcomer from the Miteer Auction House, has come to visit the family. She said she heard about Young Master Xiao Yan's situation and brought a small gift to visit."
"Ya Fei?"
Xiao Zhan and several elders looked at each other, and they all saw the astonishment in each other's eyes.
They had long heard that a beautiful auctioneer and branch head had come to the Miteer Auction House some time ago. They initially thought she was just a pretty face, but they didn't expect her to be so thoughtful.
"Go, prepare tea. I will personally receive Miss Ya Fei in the family's reception hall."
Xiao Zhan nodded slightly, his expression quite solemn. The Miteer family was a behemoth in the empire. Even a branch in Wutan City was a commercial center comparable to the three major families.
Ya Fei's status might not seem high, but it wasn't much different from his, the Xiao family's patriarch.
"Father, I also want to meet that Miss Ya Fei."
Just as Xiao Zhan was about to go out, Xiao Yan suddenly spoke with a smile.
"You want to meet her too?"
Xiao Zhan was slightly stunned, then nodded gently.
"Alright, she is here to see you after all. You should meet her."
Thinking of that vixen-like woman, Xiao Yan's smile became even softer.
In his previous life, when he lost his Dou Qi at this time, he was extremely depressed, almost to the point of not wanting to see anyone. He had forgotten that Ya Fei had actually come to see him once very early on.
Since heaven has given me such an opportunity, it seems I really have to give you all a home this time... A moment later, Xiao Yan followed Xiao Zhan to the gate of the Xiao family and saw that exquisite, fire-like qipao.
At this time, Ya Fei had probably just finished her training not long ago. Her alluringly charming face, a natural seductress, still retained a hint of girlishness.
It was then that Xiao Yan remembered that when he first met Ya Fei, she was actually just a young woman in her early twenties.
Counting her age, she was actually not yet twenty now.
"Patriarch Xiao Zhan."
The moment she saw Xiao Zhan, an appropriate smile naturally appeared on Ya Fei's face.
"Hehe, Miss Ya Fei gracing the Xiao family is truly an honor for my Xiao family. Please, please."
Xiao Zhan and the elders behind him were all stunned by Ya Fei's beauty. Fortunately, they were all shrewd individuals and didn't make any embarrassing blunders, which made Ya Fei think a little more highly of the Xiao family's management.
However, among the crowd, there was a gaze that made her feel a little uncomfortable.
This discomfort was not the disgusting, greedy gaze of other men, but a kind of familiar gentleness, which made Ya Fei feel slightly dazed.
But how could she have met this little brat in front of her, who couldn't even be considered a man yet?
Thinking of this, Ya Fei looked at the young man in the crowd, her red lips slightly parted as she chuckled softly.
"Patriarch Xiao Zhan, this handsome little brother must be Young Master Xiao Yan, right?"
(End of this chapter)