Xiao Ranyu's fingers touched the surface of the monument.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then—
CRACK!
A jagged vein of golden light shot through the crystal orb like a lightning bolt.
The ground trembled faintly. A low hum surged in the air, as if the monument had been… startled.
> "W-What's going on?!"
> "Why is it glowing like that?!"
The light spread— The entire orb began to pulse like a heartbeat, radiating light and intensity far beyond a simple Dou Qi test.
Up on the pavilion, the elders bolted to their feet.
"Stop the test!" Second Elder barked. "That monument can't handle that much energy!"
But it was too late.
A blinding column of golden light erupted from the monument, shooting into the sky like a heavenly flare.
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled outward, pushing back nearby disciples, ruffling robes, and nearly knocking over Xiao Ning, who had just opened his mouth to laugh.
> "What the hell?!"
> "Is this even a test anymore?!"
From the shadows, even Xun'er's hidden guard uncle ling took a step forward, ready to respond if needed.
But up on the platform, Xiao Ranyu stood motionless, hand calmly resting against the monument, his expression utterly bored.
Then—
DING!
A number appeared above the crystal in glowing characters:
> "Dou Qi Realm: 1-Star Dou King"
The crowd went dead silent.
Not Dou Qi Stage.
Not Dou Fighter.
Not even Dou Master.
He had skipped past the normal realms entirely.
> Dou King.
> A realm that is a top existence even in jia ma empire.
The silence was shattered a moment later.
> "D-Dou King?! He's lying!"
> "That's impossible! He's only thirteen!"
> "Did the monument make a mistake?!"
> "My grandma's still a Dou Fighter, and she's ninety-eight!!"
Ya Fei's teacup slipped from her fingers.
Xun'er covered her mouth.
Gu Wenxin actually let out a low whistle.
> "Huh," she mused. "I guess setting your bedsheets on fire does pay off."
Xiao Yan looked like someone had slapped him with a hot pancake.
Nalan Yanran's fan snapped in half.
Xiao Zhan staggered slightly and had to brace against the railing.
> "One-star… Dou King," he whispered. "At thirteen…"
The monument sparked again, then exploded with a loud POP!
The orb shattered into a thousand shards, smoking and sizzling, unable to contain the sheer pressure of what it had just measured.
The stone base cracked in half.
The crowd lost it.
> "HE BROKE THE MONUMENT!"
> "I CAN'T BREATHE!"
> "SOMEONE BRING A BUCKET OF ICE WATER!"
A young girl in the crowd fainted.
Xiao Mei stared at him like she was witnessing a divine being.
As for Xiao Ning—
He had one foot in the mockery stance and never recovered. His jaw just stayed open.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ranyu blinked, scratched his head, and looked around.
> "Was that too much?"
Ya Fei immediately turned around.
> "Mask. Now."
Xun'er looked dazed.
> "He needs a seal. A seal, a curse, maybe an enchantment…"
Gu Wenxin laughed like she was watching a drama.
> "My son's so dramatic," she said proudly. "Breaking monuments on his debut."
And Xiao Ranyu ?
After the test, he quickly found an excuse to pull Ya Fei aside and present her with the gift he had prepared.
And so, in front of the entire Xiao Clan—elders, rivals, guests, secret guards, and two love-struck schemers—
Xiao Ranyu officially stepped into legend.
No one could deny it anymore.
The quiet, unassuming fourth young master…
Had become the legend of Wu Tan City.
---
Hidden from the view of the crowd—perched atop the tallest pavilion beam, cloaked in powerful concealment techniques—Uncle Ling stood in stunned silence.
He had watched the entire event unfold through narrowed, calculating eyes.
From the moment Xiao Ranyu stepped onto the platform…
To the monument exploding under the pressure of his aura…
To the words "Dou King— thirteen" burning into the air like divine scripture.
Now, the old man, who had guarded Xun'er since infancy and witnessed countless young prodigies in both the Gu Realm and Zhongzhou's ancient clans, finally reacted.
He exhaled sharply, his throat dry.
> "...This boy…"
A tremble ran through his voice—not of fear, but reverence.
> "Even among the direct descendants of the ancient clans… I've never seen someone like him."
He placed a hand over his chest to calm the fluctuations in his Dou Qi.
His mind raced.
> Thirteen years old… and already stepped into the Dou King realm?
His lips parted again—this time, with a tone of awe.
> "Monstrous…"
> "Absolutely monstrous…"
He clenched his fists behind his back, the wind around him rippling.
> "Not even those so-called Divine Sons from Zhongzhou's could achieve such a feat."
He looked down toward Xun'er, who now stood at the edge of the pavilion, with shocked look on her face and muttering something.
Uncle Ling's expression slowly shifted into something rarely seen on his aged face: a grin.
> "Young Lady Xun'er…" he murmured under his breath.
> "Your judgment is frighteningly accurate."
> "To think you chose him—not because of his clan, not because of his strength… but because you feeling."
He looked at Xiao Ranyu once more, now walking away with Ya Fei.
> "The Gu Clan spent centuries searching for toushe Emperor's jade… But found something Unexpected."
Then his eyes narrowed again—not with hostility, but with solemn purpose.
> "I must repo
rt this to the clan leader."
> "And... begin preparations."
His form shimmered and vanished into the wind, but his final words echoed softly into the void:
> "If soul clan make a move against him… we must be ready to move too."