BTTH: I Am the Ancestor of the Xiao Clan

Chapter 120: The Arrogant Gu Yao

"Tiance, are those kids uninterested in joining the fray, or are you afraid they'll crush everyone else's confidence?"

Tian Wai Tian, Xiao Clan Training Grounds

Following Gu Yuan's gaze, Xiao Tiance spotted four young individuals seated in the stands. The three boys and one girl, all around twelve or thirteen years old, exuded no discernible aura. However, with Xiao Tiance and Gu Yuan's expertise, it was evident that these youths were at the peak of the Dou Ling (Battle Spirit) realm a truly terrifying accomplishment for their age.

The four youths, whose faces still bore the innocence of children, sat quietly, appearing indifferent to the ongoing sparring matches. Their strength alone was enough to overshadow all the so called "geniuses" currently competing on the training grounds.

"What are their names? Why aren't they participating in the competition?" Xiao Tiance asked, turning to Xiao Wu, one of the elders accompanying him.

Xiao Wu bowed respectfully. "Clan Leader, those four are Xiao Xing Zhu, Xiao Xing Mei, Xiao Xing Yao, and Xiao Xing He. Xiao Xing Zhu and Xiao Xing Mei are twin siblings. All four are considered prodigies of our clan and have already earned positions as trainees in the Longteng Army. Their strength is at the peak of the Dou Ling realm."

Xiao Tiance nodded. He hadn't been following the younger generation closely, so it was unsurprising that he didn't recognize their names.

Gu Yuan, standing nearby, couldn't hide his envy. "These children's talent is truly astonishing. Even the most gifted youngsters in my clan pale in comparison. I can't imagine how other imperial clans will compete when they fully mature."

Xiao Tiance chuckled. "You're exaggerating, Gu Yuan. Talent in youth doesn't guarantee greatness in adulthood. They still have a long way to go to become true powerhouses."

His humility stemmed from experience. Even Xiao Yan, the protagonist of this story, had a rocky start, losing his Dou Qi for three years. Yet with extraordinary opportunities and an indomitable spirit, he eventually surpassed all to become the next Dou Di (Battle Emperor).

Gu Yuan laughed. "Tiance, you've always been modest. But with the Xiao Clan's resources, I'm confident these children will become true titans."

"We'll see," Xiao Tiance replied, his expression calm.

The Sparring Matches

Down in the training grounds, the final match concluded. Among all the participants, Gu Yao, representing the Gu Clan, emerged victorious. With his unmatched strength, he claimed first place.

Gu Yao basked in the admiration and envy of the crowd. The teenage boy, feeling invincible, couldn't resist boasting.

"Before I came here, the elders in my clan spoke endlessly of the Xiao Clan's strength. But honestly, among my peers, I don't see anyone worth fighting!"

The words ignited a fire among the Xiao Clan youths who had been watching from the sidelines.

"Arrogant brat! To make the matches fair, our real prodigies didn't even join. If Xiao Xing Zhu or Xiao Xing Mei stepped into the ring, he'd be finished in seconds!"

"Exactly! He's just lucky they didn't compete!"

Gu Yao caught wind of the murmurs and frowned. With a huff, he tossed the reward he had just received encased in a Dou Qi barrier into a nearby pillar.

"If these Xiao Clan 'geniuses' are so great, let them come down and prove it. Otherwise, my victory means nothing."

Hearing this, the Xiao Clan elders furrowed their brows. One of them glanced at Xiao Tiance, awaiting his instruction. Yet Xiao Tiance and Xiao Wu both smiled, neither showing any intention of intervening.

Realizing the leaders' approval, the elder turned to Gu Yao. "Are you certain about this challenge?"

"Of course! If the Xiao Clan truly has geniuses among my peers, let them face me. Isn't the point of sparring to determine the strongest? Otherwise, winning here feels hollow.

Gu Yao's confidence wasn't baseless. Though he was a seven star Dou Ling, he had hidden many of his trump cards. Even against an opponent in the Dou Wang (Battle King) realm, as long as their strength didn't surpass three stars, he believed he could win.

His declaration stirred the Xiao Clan youths, many of whom had initially been restricted from participating due to their strength.

"Now's our chance!" one of them said excitedly.

As the crowd erupted with eager volunteers, Gu Yao's confidence began to waver. The Xiao Clan youths, now standing and releasing their auras, were far stronger than he anticipated.

"What kind of joke is this? None of these kids are below five star Dou Ling!" Gu Yao thought, his anger and frustration mounting. He finally realized why the Xiao Clan's competitors had seemed lackluster earlier they had deliberately held back their stronger fighters.

The Leaders' Observations

On the platform, Xiao Tiance smirked.

"Gu Yuan, this boy Gu Yao is quite bold, isn't he?" he said, barely concealing his amusement.

Gu Yuan's face darkened. He had been so focused on Xiao Xing Zhu and the other prodigies that he hadn't paid much attention to Gu Yao's antics.

"Tiance, I apologize for his behavior. I'll be sure to teach him some humility," Gu Yuan said, clearly embarrassed.

"No need, Gu Yuan. If he wants to challenge our clan, let him. It'll be a good experience for everyone," Xiao Tiance replied with a mischievous grin.

With Gu Yao's taunting words, the Xiao Clan's young talents erupted like bamboo shoots after the rain. Numerous youths, particularly the older ones, stood up, their strength on full display. The most powerful among them had even reached the six star Dou Wang (Battle King) level.

For their age, such strength combined with the Xiao Clan's secret techniques and Dou Skills meant they could potentially go toe to toe with newly ascended Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) experts.

"Hiss..."

Witnessing this, Gu Yuan couldn't help but draw a sharp breath, thinking to himself, What a terrifying clan... these Xiao Clan youths carry an air of blood and battle. They've clearly experienced life and death struggles.

Though Gu Yao's impulsive behavior irked him, Gu Yuan had to admit it served a purpose it revealed the Xiao Clan's incredible depth. However, it also meant Gu Yao would likely pay a painful price for his arrogance.

Turning to Xiao Tiance with a bitter smile, Gu Yuan said, "This child rarely encounters opponents among his peers in the Gu Clan, so he's grown a bit conceited. Since he's chosen to be so brash, perhaps it would do him some good to be taught a lesson by the Xiao Clan's young talents."

Xiao Tiance chuckled and nodded. Turning to the elder presiding over the sparring, he said, "Since this young talent from the Gu Clan is so eager, select three of our youths to spar with him."

"Understood, Clan Leader," the elder replied respectfully. He scanned the Xiao youths and selected three at the seven star Dou Ling (Battle Spirit) level.

But Gu Yao wasn't satisfied. He had always been undefeated among his peers, and this felt like a slap in the face.

"Wait! Elder, aren't all those who stood up earlier under the age limit of fifteen?" Gu Yao asked sharply.

"That's correct," the elder replied. "Everyone here is under fifteen. What's your point?"

"If that's the case, let me choose my opponents," Gu Yao declared confidently.

The Xiao Clan youths, already agitated by his arrogance, could no longer stay quiet.

Even the previously calm Xiao Xing He and his three companions, along with the six star Dou Wang prodigies, stood up. Their auras surged, radiating formidable pressure.

Gu Yao felt the overwhelming presence of his potential opponents and was invigorated rather than intimidated. Finally, he thought, a challenge worthy of my skills.

The elder sighed. "Fine, but don't regret your decision. Choose your opponent."

Gu Yao scanned the crowd and pointed at Xiao Xing He, whose powerful aura had irked him earlier.

"You! I don't like the look on your face. Come and fight me."

Choosing Xiao Xing He wasn't random. Despite the boy's evident confidence, Gu Yao judged his strength to be at the Dou Ling peak rather than Dou Wang, making him a safer choice for a first opponent.

As Xiao Xing He stood, the Xiao youths around him offered quiet advice:

"Don't go too hard on him," Xiao Xing Zhu reminded.

"Just don't kill him," Xiao Xing Mei added disdainfully.

"He's too arrogant. Maybe break a bone or two," Xiao Xing Yao suggested.

Xiao Xing He grinned. "Don't worry, I'll keep it fair. After I grab the prize, we'll head straight to the five star Gathering Array for training."

With that, Xiao Xing He leapt gracefully into the ring, landing five meters from Gu Yao.

Gu Yao narrowed his eyes. Fast… he thought. I need to tread carefully.

"Xiao Clan, Xiao Xing He, peak Dou Ling."

"Gu Clan, Gu Yao, seven star Dou Ling."

The two exchanged a brief salute and then began.

The fight was instantaneous. Their speed was leagues beyond the earlier matches, their movements nearly impossible for the untrained eye to follow.

From the stands, Xiao Tiance observed with a smile. "Both are impressive. What do you think, Gu Yuan? Who will win?"

Gu Yuan sighed, shaking his head.

"Tiance, you're teasing me. Gu Yao has no chance. He's already going all out, holding nothing back except his trump cards. Meanwhile, Xiao Xing He is calm and deliberate, treating this like a sparring exercise. If he wanted to end it quickly, Gu Yao wouldn't have lasted through the first exchange."

Gu Yuan's tone betrayed his frustration and envy. Not only was Xiao Xing He stronger, but the Xiao Clan had many others just like him or stronger. The hidden Dou Wang talents were particularly daunting.

Even Gu Yuan himself, or the legendary Xiao Xuan, hadn't reached such heights at this age without relying on their Dou Di (Battle Emperor) bloodline.

Xiao Wu, standing nearby, added, "Gu Yao is already remarkable. To hold his own against Xing He, who's two stars above him, is no small feat. Even in the Xiao Clan, he'd be considered an exceptional talent."

For Xiao Wu, this wasn't just praise. It was personal Xiao Xing He was his grandson.

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