Xiao Ning strode towards the crowd, glared at Xiao Yan, and then greeted Xiao Zhan: "Greetings, Clan Chief!"
Xiao Zhan immediately put on a flattered expression and nodded hurriedly in response, "Okay! Okay!"
Xiao Ning nodded, walked up to the Grand Elder, and whispered, "Grandpa, I'm back!"
The elder couldn't help but burst into tears, nodding vigorously: "Good, good!"
His tense body completely relaxed, and two lines of excited tears rolled down his aged face.
Xiao Yu quickly stepped forward, took his arm, and sweetly called out, "Grandpa, Yu'er is back."
"Good...good..." The elder wiped away his tears, very excited.
Xiao Yan stepped forward and said, "Brother Ning, Elder, let's go to the council hall!"
Seeing Xiao Ning arrive in public via a spatial passage, he guessed his intention: to reveal his true colors.
However, with more and more people gathering around the training ground, it was not appropriate to say much there, so he immediately made a suggestion.
"Alright!" Xiao Ning nodded in agreement.
Xiao Zhan naturally had no objections. He raised his head and said loudly, "Those of the rank of family steward and above, proceed to the council hall! The rest of you, disperse and go about your business!"
The crowd responded enthusiastically and dispersed.
Despite their great curiosity about the visitor's identity, they could not disobey the clan leader's order.
Afterwards, a group of high-ranking family members escorted Xiao Ning and her brother out of the training ground. After passing through several small paths, they came to a rather spacious hall that gradually appeared in their sight.
After entering the family council hall, everyone took their seats.
The atmosphere in the hall was so quiet that it was almost silent, with only the sound of slightly rapid breathing.
The Xiao family's high-ranking members all had countless questions in their minds, but none of them knew how to bring them up.
In the end, it was Xiao Ning who spoke up.
"Grandpa, clan leader, elders, and deacons!"
"Perhaps you all want to know why I, a good-for-nothing in the family, can travel through space and return to the Xiao family, right?"
He stood up and said loudly.
"You're all eager to know what my cultivation level is now, aren't you?"
"There are so many questions you want to know, but you're too afraid to ask, aren't you?"
Only Xiao Ning's voice echoed throughout the hall.
"It all started three years ago. I remember that day was the family test. Xiao Yanzi went up on stage and scored three levels of Dou Qi, which made all the clansmen laugh at him!"
"Then, at that time, I had a miraculous encounter!"
"As for the specifics of this extraordinary encounter, I cannot say more, but it was an encounter that greatly helped my cultivation!"
Xiao Ning recounted the story slowly and deliberately; it was merely a story he had made up on the spot.
"From that time on, my cultivation level soared, from Dou Qi, Dou Zhe, Dou Shi, Da Dou Shi... Dou Zong, until today, three years later, I have reached the Dou Zun realm!"
As soon as Xiao Ning finished speaking, all the members of the Xiao family exclaimed in surprise:
"What? Dou Zun Realm?"
"Hiss, that's terrifying! A Dou Zun expert! In the Jia Ma Empire, a Dou Huang is already a top-tier expert, let alone a Dou Zun!"
"However, Xiao Ning's ability to traverse the void and shuttle through space seems to require at least the Dou Zun level to possess such skill!"
Everyone was discussing it animatedly, as if they were listening to a mysterious tale told from heaven.
Then, Xiao Ning said:
"At that time, because I didn't want to cause any trouble, I deliberately concealed my cultivation level and showed that my fighting spirit had suddenly dropped. Then, I took advantage of the situation to make the family think that my cultivation was completely ruined and that I was sent to the countryside to manage the family property."
"In the countryside, I can cultivate in peace without being disturbed. However, this makes things difficult for my sister. She has to run around for me and has even neglected her own cultivation!"
After he finished speaking, he bowed to Xiao Yu with remorse.
Xiao Yu, however, was already in tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
In the hall, all eyes were fixed on Xiao Ning, and at this moment, those eyes held a hint of fervent admiration.
After all, not everyone has Xiao Ning's good temperament, who can remain patient and undisturbed after obtaining an amazing encounter, and also endure loneliness to focus on cultivation.
Honestly, if you put any one of them in Xiao Ning's position, none of them would have such a good character.
As the saying goes, it's better to return home in glory than to wear fine clothes at night.
Xiao Zhan and the three elders exchanged glances, secretly relieved. Their eyes were fixed on the handsome face with a calm smile, and they nodded with satisfaction.
With such a gifted son, how could the family not prosper?
"Brother Ning, you're finally willing to tell me! You know, I've been holding this in for so long!"
Xiao Yan couldn't help but shout loudly.
Xiao Zhan's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at him and asked in a deep voice, "Yan'er, do you mean you already knew about this?"
Xiao Yan laughed triumphantly, "Of course! The reason my cultivation level regressed was because Brother Ning helped me find out the cause, which allowed me to recover. Otherwise, I might still be struggling at the third stage of Dou Qi!"