Chapter 13: The Notorious Name of a Worthless Wretch (Part 1)

Chapter 13: The Notorious Name of the Worthless (Part 1)

Likewise, Xiao Yan felt uncertain deep within. In the past, he would never have feared such a situation.

He believed that with the prestige of being the “Number One Genius of Utan City,” even if he couldn’t match up to Galéo’s lackeys, those sycophants would never dare to lay a hand on him.

Eventually, the confrontation would escalate into a duel between him and Galéo.

As a Dou Zhe, dealing with Galéo would be nothing more than a simple matter.

But things were different now. Recently, his Dou Qi had diminished, leaving him at only the fourth tier. Facing Galéo in a duel would surely lead to defeat.

He could not afford to lose; otherwise, the secret of his Dou Qi’s disappearance would become public. One could only imagine the scene when the Xiao family and all of Utan City learned of his loss of Dou Qi.

The title of genius would vanish, replaced instead by endless ridicule and scorn.

“Galéo, get out of the Xiao family’s territory, and I’ll pretend this never happened,” Xiao Yan declared sternly, suppressing his inner shock.

The moment these words fell, the surrounding onlookers began cheering him on:

“Galéo, just leave! Young Master Xiao Yan is magnanimous.”

“Yes, yes! Young Master Xiao Yan is Utan City’s top genius, the youngest Dou Zhe in a century! Don’t refuse the wine only to drink the punishment.”

“Haha, Galéo, watch out or Young Master Xiao Yan will ruin you.”

Listening to the taunts and insults from the crowd opposite, Galéo’s face darkened completely, veins bulging in anger. Furious, he challenged Xiao Yan: “Xiao Yan, do you dare to fight?”

The words stunned everyone, plunging the scene into a deathly silence.

After the silence came uproarious laughter, bursting forth like a storm.

“Haha! Galéo, a mere seventh-tier Dou Qi, dares to challenge Young Master Xiao Yan, who has surpassed the Dou Zhe realm—this is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, utterly deluded.”

“Exactly! Young Master Xiao Yan should accept his challenge.”

“Beat him up, Young Master Xiao Yan!”

Staring at the furious, near-deranged Galéo, Xiao Yan frowned. Not yet having passed through his three-year period of decline, his temperament and approach to handling matters were far less smooth than they would be three years later.

Galéo’s provocation put him in a difficult position.

How to fight? Fight with Ji Eight?

Using his fourth-tier Dou Qi to face a seventh-tier opponent?

Should he unleash Ji Eight?

He was reluctant to risk damaging Ji Eight itself.

Standing nearby, Xun’er sensed Xiao Yan’s awkwardness and, considering his current state, stepped forward to address Galéo: “Galéo, you’re not worthy to challenge him. Why don’t you let me test your skills instead?”

“Not worthy?” The anger that had been simmering in Galéo’s heart flared up instantly. Avoiding Xun’er’s gaze, he looked at Xiao Yan mockingly: “What? The so-called greatest genius of the Xiao family in a hundred years needs to hide behind a woman?”

With that, he gave a signal to a short, thin middle-aged man beside him, who immediately understood. When it came to hurling insults, he was an expert.

“Haha! Turns out Xiao Yan is just a little man. The title of greatest genius is just an empty reputation.”

With the short, thin man setting the tone, Galéo’s lackeys behind him also began to hurl abuses.

“I bet he’s got no balls.”

“Nonsense about a genius—Our Young Master Galéo is the real genius.”

The mercenaries under the Xiao family’s banner naturally refused to stand idly by. For them, pleasing Xiao Yan was tantamount to pleasing the Xiao family. They retorted in kind:

“Nonsense! What Young Master Galéo? At nineteen years old and only seventh-tier Dou Qi? He should take a good look at himself.”

“Yes, yes! Young Master Xiao Yan, go for it! We support you!”

Amid the crowd’s mutual insults, Xiao Se quietly observed the scene before him, nearly laughing in a pig-like snort. He murmured softly, “I’m afraid the secret of Xiao Yan’s loss of Dou Qi can no longer be concealed today.”

“Brother, it seems someone was scanning you with soul power just now,” a melodious voice sounded in Xiao Se’s mind, causing him to furrow his brows slightly.

“I know. Long Kui, unless my life is in danger, do not expose yourself,” he replied, clenching the fist hidden within his sleeve, his knuckles whitening.

He detested the feeling of his life resting in another’s hands, and the only one scanning him with soul power aside from Ling Ying, the Dou Huang under Xun’er, was no one else.

“I understand, brother,” came Long Kui’s voice again, this time sharper and more spirited than before.

Xiao Se knew this was the red-spirited Long Kui speaking.

Amid their exchange, Xiao Yan ultimately could not resist the pride stemming from the “expectations of the crowd,” and begrudgingly accepted Galéo’s challenge.

The mercenaries of the Xiao family’s territory and Galéo’s lackeys tacitly stepped back, clearing a spacious arena for the two young masters.

Now, Xiao Yan and Galéo faced each other ten meters apart, both uncertain and unwilling to strike first.

But their hesitation did not stop others from inciting the scene. Some mercenaries eager for excitement began loudly chanting:

“Long live Young Master Xiao Yan!”

“Young Master Xiao Yan is awesome!”

Support for Xiao Yan echoed overwhelmingly through the crowd, even Galéo’s own followers doubted their master’s chances.

Chapter 13: The Notorious Name of the Worthless (Part 2)

Amid the thunderous cheers, Xiao Yan’s confidence briefly returned.

Seeing the fear on Galéo’s face, Xiao Yan’s confidence swelled, and he uttered words he ordinarily wouldn’t believe himself: perhaps this time, with his fourth-tier Dou Qi, he really could defeat Galéo.

All eyes in the marketplace shifted toward the two in the center of the clearing, and the crowd continued to swell.

Not far behind Xiao Yan, Xun’er’s slender hand clenched tightly, her autumn-water eyes revealing a trace of subtle worry.

To be honest, no matter how blindly confident Xun’er was in Xiao Yan, fourth-tier Dou Qi was still fourth-tier. Without special methods, there was no way to defeat seventh-tier Dou Qi.

Such was the iron law of the Dou Qi continent.

Under all those eager gazes, Xiao Yan chose to strike first.

Seizing the moment when Galéo hesitated, Xiao Yan raised both palms inverted, a faint aura of Dou Qi swirling around them. Planting his feet firmly, he surged forward fiercely, aiming directly at Galéo.

“Shattered Stone Palm!”

Closing in rapidly, he raised his right palm and, summoning all his strength, struck violently at Galéo’s chest.

The Shattered Stone Palm: a mid-level Huang-grade palm technique, accessible to members of the Xiao family with at least fifth-tier Dou Qi.

Galéo did not expect Xiao Yan to disregard his status as a Dou Zhe and launch a sneak attack. Unable to dodge in time, he hastily deployed Dou Qi to block, taking the blow squarely with his chest.

To Galéo’s surprise, the anticipated sharp pain never came; instead, he felt only a tremendous force slightly greater than that of an average adult.

With a muffled thud, Galéo’s body was blasted back several meters before he collapsed onto the ground.

“Excellent!”

The onlookers erupted into wild cheers at seeing Xiao Yan’s palm send Galéo flying.

Meanwhile, Galéo’s lackeys rushed to his side and helped him up.

“Master, are you hurt?” the short, thin middle-aged man asked anxiously as he supported Galéo.

Galéo touched his chest, utterly bewildered that after receiving a blow from a Dou Zhe, he felt no injury at all.

[End of chapter]