Chapter 1: A Different Timeline
"Dou Huang, Nine Stars!!"
Staring at the glowing words on the Magic Test Monument, the boy's face remained expressionless, though a faint smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Young Master Xiao Yan, Dou Huang, Nine Stars!" announced a middle aged man beside the monument, his tone filled with flattery as he read the results in disbelief.
The moment his voice echoed, a wave of admiration rippled through the bustling crowd in the square.
"As expected of Young Master Xiao Yan! He truly is a once in a century genius of the Xiao Clan!"
"Absolutely! Once Young Master Xiao Yan matures, our lineage might even ascend to become a royal branch of the Xiao Clan."
"Not only is his talent in cultivation exceptional, but even in other aspects, he is simply extraordinary!"
Voices of admiration and flattery surged from all directions. The boy raised his refined and fair face, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Patriarch, the young master's talent is truly terrifying," murmured several elders to Clan Leader Xiao Zhan, who stood on a high platform, all eyes focused on the young boy.
Though not even fifteen years old, he was like a young dragon brimming with potential, ready to soar to the heavens at any moment.
Among the younger generation on the Dou Qi Continent, perhaps only that jewel of the Gu Clan could rival him.
"Ha! My son Xiao Yan has the bearing of a Dou Di!"
Hearing the elders' praise, Xiao Zhan's grin nearly reached the back of his head.
The elders twitched slightly at his unabashed bragging, thinking: We just praised him a bit, and here you are climbing the pole!
Still, there was no denying Xiao Yan's extraordinary talent. If only he didn't get involved in those occasional mischiefs, he'd be perfect!
"Next! Xiao Mei!"
The call of the tester broke the murmurs. A young girl, around fourteen years old, stepped out from the crowd. Though not a peerless beauty, her fresh, youthful face carried a charm that made her hard to ignore.
She approached the monument confidently, placing her hand on its black surface, then closed her eyes.
"Xiao Mei, Dou Ling: One Star!"
"Whoa! Xiao Mei has broken through to Dou Ling!"
"Indeed! Although her talent isn't as monstrous as Xiao Yan's, it's still quite remarkable. She might even become a Dou Zun someday!"
Hearing the comments, Xiao Mei's face lit up with pride, though it quickly softened into an obedient expression when she looked at the black clad boy watching her.
She ran over, wrapping her arms around Xiao Yan's arm and chirping, "Brother Xiao Yan, how are you improving so quickly? Just last year you were a Two Star Dou Huang, and now you're already at Nine Stars! You're amazing! I admire you so much!"
"Ha, her green tea* skills are truly advancing," Xiao Yan thought, feeling the girl's freshly developing body leaning against him. With a feigned helpless gesture, he waved a hand.
"I don't want to progress this fast either! But even drinking water seems to increase my Dou Qi. What can I do?"
"Ugh, you're so annoying!" Xiao Mei pouted, playfully hitting Xiao Yan's arm with her small fists.
Xiao Yan chuckled softly but didn't reject her playful behavior. A little over the top, sure, but so what?
When your strength is absolute, does it matter what others think?
Meanwhile, the bustling square fell silent as a powerful aura swept across the sky. People instinctively looked up.
"It's the Gu Clan!" someone exclaimed, noting the unique characteristics on the robes of the figures in the air.
"The Gu Clan sent so many powerful members! What's going on?"
The Gu Clan, one of the Seven Ancient Clans, was second only to the Xiao Clan in power. The two clans maintained a reasonably amicable relationship due to shared ancestral ties.
"Look at that girl! She's so young but already has Dou Qi wings!"
All eyes turned to the purple robed girl in the sky, flying gracefully beside a dignified middle aged man. Her icy demeanor was like a lotus blossoming in the cold, exuding an ethereal charm.
Judging by her delicate features, she couldn't be more than fifteen years old.
In the Ancient Clans, those who could form Dou Qi wings were plentiful, but for someone her age to achieve it was an extraordinary rarity.
If she was merely a Dou Wang, it would be impressive enough, but if she were a Dou Huang...
Someone's gaze shifted toward the boy still observing the sky.
"Could she be Xun'er?" Xiao Yan mused silently, watching the captivating figure.
According to the original timeline, she should have been his childhood sweetheart.
Fifteen years had passed since Xiao Yan found himself in this world. He realized this was indeed the world of Battle Through the Heavens, but the timeline seemed drastically altered.
Fifteen years ago, he was just an ordinary man on a blue planet, unmarried in his thirties, with modest career success. Then one day, while slacking off at work and rereading his favorite novel from youth, Battle Through the Heavens, he found himself transported here.
He was shocked to discover that not only was he now in the novel's world, but the story had taken a wildly different turn.
In this timeline, the Xiao Clan's patriarch, Xiao Xuan, hadn't died in battle but had instead broken through to become a Dou Di.
As a result, the entire story's trajectory had shifted.
The ambitious Soul Heaven Emperor had been struck down by Xiao Xuan. The Soul Clan, once the Xiao Clan's sworn enemy, was annihilated, leaving only a few scattered remnants.
The Xiao Clan had risen to become the most powerful force on the continent.
As for Xiao Yan, his fate had also changed dramatically.
From the moment of his birth, he stood at a peak most could only dream of.
Grandfather Xiao Lin didn't perish but became a peak Dou Sheng. His father, Xiao Zhan, was a Dou Zun and a vice commander of the Tianyu Army.
His mother, still alive, was the daughter of a Medicine Clan elder and a top tier alchemist.
Even his elder brothers, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, had stepped into Dou Zong ranks.
With such a perfect start, Xiao Yan often found himself wondering whether he was the protagonist or the villain of this altered tale.
Everything had been so smooth too smooth.
Life was so devoid of challenges it didn't even feel like a protagonist's journey.
The Gu Clan's group quickly disappeared toward the Xiao Clan's inner territories without sparing a glance at the crowd below.
"I wonder if, in this timeline, I'll still cross paths with that Gu Clan princess," Xiao Yan murmured, watching the girl's departing figure.
"Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan!"
A loud voice pulled Xiao Yan from his thoughts.
A tall, robust young man rushed over, panting heavily, his expression anxious.
"Xiao Yan, something bad has happened! My sister's about to start a fight with someone!"
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