43: Chapter 43 A Seventeen-Year-Old Battle King

"Now, I ask all contestants to take their respective seats."

The plaza was bustling with noise, yet the light chuckle of Fa Ma still reached everyone's ears. It was evident that this old man, who appeared to be on the verge of death, possessed formidable strength.

Many people on the VIP platform stood up and, under countless gazes, slowly walked down from both sides of the platform.

"Hehe, Xiao Yan, Liu Ling, Little Princess, you should go as well. Due to your outstanding performance in the internal test, the positions in the center of the plaza are yours. They will make you the focus of the entire audience," Fa Ma said, pointing toward the center of the plaza.

There were a dozen large azure platforms there. These platforms were not only more spacious than the others, but their foundations were also slightly higher.

"I shall go ahead of you two!" Liu Ling laughed aloud. Amidst the surprised gazes of the people on the VIP platform, he lightly tapped his feet on the ground, reached the edge of the high platform, glanced at the immense plaza below, and, amidst the gasps of surprise from the VIP platform, jumped directly off the tens-of-meters-high platform.

His body plummeted rapidly. Just before hitting the ground, two visible pillars of Dou Qi erupted from his heels. With the help of the force from the Dou Qi pillars, he landed safely on the ground. Then, amidst the fervent gazes of the entire crowd, he smiled and quickly ran toward the center of the plaza.

"This guy, he still loves to show off. But he thinks only he can jump," the Little Princess said, curling her lips as she watched Liu Ling jump down. She then flashed off the high platform, her body like a falling leaf, drifting down elegantly and gracefully, her posture as beautiful as a celestial maiden.

"Roar, roar..." The Little Princess's beautiful move was undoubtedly more captivating than Liu Ling's earlier stunt. Because of her adorable appearance, not only did the VIP platform erupt in wolf whistles, but deafening roars also erupted from the audience stands opposite.

"Hehe, Old Jia, you actually taught your 'Flying Catkins' to this little girl. I told you, that movement Dou Technique of yours is more suitable for women," Fa Ma said, turning his head to smile at Old Jia as he watched the Little Princess's figure drift down, completely ignoring gravity.

"She has only learned the basics of this movement Dou Technique. She only thinks about aesthetics; if she were in a real fight, she would be a sitting duck," Old Jia said with a smile and a shake of his head. Although he said this, the smile on his face revealed his satisfaction with the Little Princess.

When everyone looked, Xiao Yan was the only one left on the VIP platform who had not yet departed.

"When you are young, if you don't do some arrogant and rebellious things, there will be no fun memories to look back on later in life..." the old man Fa Ma smiled at Xiao Yan, seemingly encouraging him to fully display his abilities on this stage that only appeared once every eight years.

Nalan Yanran also wanted to see what level this boy, who had endured so much over the past three years, had reached.

However, recalling the smiling gaze Xiao Yan had just exchanged with her, a thought arose: it seemed he did not hate her?

"This little fellow is Xiao Yan, right?" Mu Chen asked Miteer Tengshan on the VIP platform.

"That's right, but you must not underestimate him. Even Old Hai speaks highly of him..."

"Hehe, I can naturally see that. With his Alchemy talent, I fear the Imperial Capital will soon have another great Family," Mu Chen shook his head and continued, "It's just that by spending so much effort on Alchemy, I fear he will fall far behind Nalan Yanran in terms of Realm."

"With such talent, even if he loses the three-year appointment, it wouldn't be a disgraceful thing. Moreover, I estimate that Xiao Yan's Realm might not be much lower than Nalan Yanran's," Miteer Tengshan said calmly.

He could still clearly remember the expression on Old Hai's face when he spoke of Xiao Yan; that look was definitely not faked.

However, the next moment, Xiao Yan's actions shattered Miteer Tengshan's worldview, or perhaps, shattered the worldview of the thousands of people in the plaza!

Xiao Yan was already standing at the edge of the high platform. At a height of several dozen meters, there were countless ways for him to descend, but Xiao Yan wanted to use the most explosive, shocking, and incredible way to achieve his goal.

"Do not imagine me according to common sense. What do you take me for? A boy with some talent?"

"Or a lone wolf adept at hiding?"

"Then you are going to be disappointed."

Xiao Yan turned to look at the people on the VIP platform: Fa Ma, Old Jia, Otto, Yao Ye, and Nalan Yanran.

Amidst their confused expressions, he suddenly unfurled a pair of azure Dou Qi Wings.

The magnificent azure Dou Qi Wings vibrated slowly, and along with them, the hearts of everyone on the VIP platform vibrated as well.

A violent aura surged out from Xiao Yan's body. The aura of a four-star Dou Wang erupted from his body without any restraint!

"Hehe..."

Xiao Yan smiled faintly. In the momentary silence of the crowd, he flew rapidly to the very center of the plaza and landed slowly, amidst the dumbfounded gazes of Liu Ling and the other young Alchemists.

What followed was the absolute madness of the crowd!

If it were a young Dou Master, everyone would praise his decent talent.

But if it were a Great Dou Master, everyone would marvel at his rare talent.

But what if it were a young Dou Ling? Everyone would exclaim that it was incredible, a peerless Genius!

Now, appearing before these thousands of people was not a Great Dou Master, nor a Dou Ling, but a genuine Dou Wang!

Dou Wang, this was a title that almost never belonged to a young person.

Many even suspected that he was an old-timer Dou Wang impersonating a young person to participate in the Alchemist Convention.

But what would be the point of that?

"Every contestant has undergone layers of screening; there is no possibility of cheating. Alright, contestants, surely you have already understood the items in your hands. This round of assessment is to refine... based on this incomplete medicinal formula."

Watching the restless crowd, Fa Ma finally regained his composure, though his aged voice could not hide a trace of tremor.

Fa Ma shakily sat back in his seat, and with lingering fear, said to Old Jia beside him, "I am old, and my eyes are not good. That was Dou Qi Wings that Xiao Yan just used, right?"

"I have heard of flight Dou Techniques, those special Dou Techniques, but that Dou Wang aura from Xiao Yan is absolutely unmistakable!" Old Jia said with a firm tone.

"Hiss!"

The people on the VIP platform, having received the definite confirmation from Old Jia, immediately gasped in cold air.

When their gazes turned back to Xiao Yan in the center of the plaza, their expressions of shock lingered for a long time.

Miteer Tengshan shook his head with a bitter smile at this moment, finally understanding Old Hai's feelings.

Behind this child, there must be a behemoth supporting him! In the face of such a power, let alone his Mittel Family, even the Cloud Mist Sect would not be enough.

Nalan Yanran clenched her fists tightly, her pretty face gradually turning red.

"No wonder... no wonder... so, he never put me in his eyes at all..."

Nalan Yanran exhaled slowly, trying to calm her mood, but the more she tried, the harder it was to suppress.

If it wasn't because of me, then why did he come to the Imperial Capital?

Seventeen years old, a seventeen-year-old Dou Wang, specially running to the Imperial Capital just to participate in the Alchemist Convention?

The people in the audience might believe it, but Nalan Yanran did not, and neither did the others on the VIP platform.

Nalan Yanran could already feel the inexplicable meaning in the gazes of the people around her. She gently closed her eyes, and a trace of bitterness appeared at the corner of her mouth.

How could things turn out like this?

The climax and turning point of the plot were about to arrive!

Having followed the plot for so long, the protagonist had finally developed well. After this part in the Imperial Capital, let's see how the protagonist will wreak havoc next!