"Chapter 001: Fallen Genius"

"Dou Qi, grade three!"

Staring at the five bright characters on the test magic stone monument, which were even dazzling, the young man maintained a poker face with a hint of self-mockery at the corner of his lips. Due to exerting too much force, his tightly clenched hand caused his slightly pointed nails to deeply penetrate into his palm, bringing about a piercing pain.

"Xiao Yan, Dou Qi, grade three! Level: Low!" Beside the test magic stone monument, a middle-aged man glanced at the information displayed on the monument and announced it in an indifferent tone.

As soon as the middle-aged man spoke, it unsurprisingly triggered a wave of ridicule among the crowd.

"Grade three? Heh heh, just as I expected, this so-called 'genius' is still stuck at the same level this year!"

"Ah, this waste has really disgraced our family."

"If his father wasn't the patriarch, this kind of trash would have been driven out of the family long ago to fend for himself. How could he still have the opportunity to eat and drink for free in the family?"

"Alas, how did that famous talented youth of Wutan City end up like this now?"

"Who knows, maybe he did something morally wrong that angered the gods..."

The disdainful mockery and regretful sighs from all around fell on the ears of the young man standing motionless like a stump, as if each were a sharp thorn viciously piercing his heart, making his breathing slightly rapid.

下面是該段的重點單詞及其解釋：

1. Dou Qi (斗氣): A type of energy or power used in the martial arts world in Chinese cultivation novels.

2. Magic stone monument (魔石碑): A monument used for testing one's level of Dou Qi or other similar powers in the martial arts world.

3. Self-mockery (自嘲): The act of making fun of oneself or expressing self-ridicule.

4. Indifferent (漠不關心的): Showing no interest, concern, or emotion.

5. Ridicule (嘲笑): To make fun of or mock someone in a contemptuous manner.

6. Patriarch (家長): The male head of a family or clan.

7. Trash (廢物): A derogatory term used to describe someone who is useless or unimportant.

8. Disgraced (丟臉): To lose honor or respect, to be humiliated.

9. Opportunity (機會): A chance or opening to do something.

10. Morally wrong (道德上錯誤的): Not following ethical or moral principles.

The young man slowly raised his head, revealing a slightly delicate and immature face. His jet-black eyes swept coldly over the same-aged peers who were mocking him, and the self-mockery at the corner of his mouth seemed to become even more bitter. "Are these people all so petty and power-hungry? Maybe it's because three years ago they showed their most humble smiles in front of me, so now they want to get them back..." With a bitter smile, Xiao Yan turned around in loneliness and quietly returned to the back row of the team, his lonely figure seeming somewhat out of place in the surrounding world.

"Next, Xiao Mei!"

As the examiner called out, a girl quickly ran out of the crowd. The discussions nearby quieted down a bit upon her appearance, her slightly heated cheeks drawing the attention of many. Though only around 14 years old, the girl was not particularly stunning, but her youthful face exuded a subtle charm of purity and allure that made her the center of attention in the entire arena. She walked up to the magic stone monument with ease and touched it with her small hand.

After closing her eyes for a moment, the magic stone monument lit up again.

"Dou Qi: Grade seven!"

"Xiao Mei, Dou Qi: Grade seven! Level: Senior!"

"Yahoo!" Upon hearing the results announced by the examiner, the girl's face broke into a proud smile...

"Wow, grade seven Dou Qi, that's really impressive! At this rate, she can become a true fighter in just three years..."

"No wonder she's a seed-level figure in the family..."

1. Power-hungry - 渴望權力的，貪權的

2. Lonely - 孤獨的，寂寞的

3. Examiner - 主考官，考官

4. Youthful - 年輕的，青春的

5. Purity - 純潔，純凈

6. Allure - 魅力，吸引力

7. Arena - 競技場，比賽場所

8. Results - 結果，成績

9. Seed-level - 種子級別，即優(yōu)秀的、有潛力的等級或稱號

As the crowd's envy filled the air, the girl's smile on her cheeks grew even more. This is vanity that many girls can't resist. As she chatted with her sisters as usual, Xiao Mei's gaze suddenly drifted through the crowd and landed on the lonely figure outside. After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Mei dismissed her thoughts. Now, the two were no longer in the same class. Based on Xiao Yan's recent performance, he could only be a lower-level member of the clan after he turned adult. On the other hand, as a talented individual, she would become a key figure cultivated by the clan, and her future was limitless.

Sighing inexplicably, Xiao Mei suddenly remembered the teenager three years ago who had practiced breathing exercises at the age of four, possessed nine levels of fighting spirit at ten, broke through the tenth level of fighting spirit at eleven, and successfully condensed the fighting spirit vortex at a young age to become the youngest fighter in the clan for a century! The confident and extremely talented teenager aroused the springtime emotions in many teenage girls, including Xiao Mei.

However, the road to genius always seems to be tortuous. Three years ago, this talented teenager, who had reached the pinnacle of fame, suddenly received the most brutal blow of his life. The fighting spirit vortex that he had worked tirelessly to cultivate for over ten years was gone overnight, and the fighting spirit in his body gradually decreased with time. The disappearance of fighting spirit directly resulted in his strength continuously regressing. From the altar of genius, he fell overnight to a level inferior to that of ordinary people, letting him sink into despair. The name of genius was gradually replaced by disdain and ridicule. The higher one stands, the harder one falls. Perhaps there is no chance of getting up from this fall.

"Next, Xiao Xuner!" The test administrator's voice rang out again in the noisy crowd. As the somewhat elegant name echoed, the crowd suddenly fell silent, and everyone's gaze shifted to the gathering point of the crowd. The girl in the purple dress stood calmly, with a cool and detached temperament that was like a lotus just blooming. Although she was young, she already possessed an otherworldly quality that was hard to imagine how her beauty would captivate people once she grew up.

Compared with Xiao Mei, this purple-dressed girl was undoubtedly more beautiful and charming. No wonder everyone around her was so enamored by her. With a gentle step, the girl called Xiao Xuner walked up to the magic stone tablet. Her small hand reached out, and the purple sleeve with black silk slipped down, revealing a snow-white and delicate wrist. Then, she gently touched the stone tablet... A slight calmness fell, and the dazzling light once again broke out from the stone tablet.

1. Envy (n.) - 嫉妒，羨慕

2. Vanity (n.) - 虛榮心，自負，浮華

3. Contemplation (n.) - 沉思，思考

4. Pinnacle (n.) - 頂點，巔峰

5. Regress (v.) - 退步，倒退

6. Disdain (n.) - 輕蔑，鄙視

7. Ridicule (n.) - 嘲笑，譏諷

8. Detached (adj.) - 不帶感情的，超然的

9. Captivate (v.) - 迷住，吸引

10. Delicate (adj.) - 纖細的，精致的

Looking at the text on the stele, there was a moment of silence in the audience. "...Reached the ninth stage? That's terrifying! The first among the younger generation in the family is probably Miss Xun'er.” After the silence, the young people around couldn't help but swallow their saliva, their eyes full of awe.

The path of fighting energy is a must for every fighter. The fighting energy levels are divided into one to ten stages. When the fighting energy in the body reaches the tenth stage, it can condense into a fighting energy vortex and become a respected fighter!

Xiao Mei frowned and stared at the purple-skirted girl in front of the stele. A hint of jealousy flashed across her cheek...

Looking at the information on the stele, the middle-aged examiner next to him, with an unusually rare smile on his indifferent face, said respectfully to the girl, "Miss Xun'er, in six months, you should be able to condense the fighting energy vortex. If you succeed, you will become a true fighter at the age of fourteen. You are the second person in the Xiao family in the past hundred years!”

Yes, the second person. The first person was Xiao Yan, who had lost his genius halo.

"Thank you." The girl nodded slightly, and her plain little face did not show joy because of his praise. She quietly turned around and walked slowly towards the last faint young man in the crowd.

"Brother Xiao Yan." When passing by the young man, the girl stopped and bowed respectfully to Xiao Yan. A beautiful and elegant smile appeared on her pretty face, which made the girls around her jealous.

"Do I still have the qualification to let you call me that?" Looking at the most dazzling pearl in the family that has grown up, Xiao Yan said bitterly. She was one of the very few people who still respected him after he fell.

"Brother Xiao Yan, you once told Xun'er that only by letting go can we pick up and hold it easily. A truly free person is free to move!” Xiao Xun'er smiled softly and said in a slightly immature voice, which was warm to the heart.

"Haha, a free person? I can only say it, but look at my current state, do I look like a free person? And...this world never belonged to me." Xiao Yan laughed at himself and lost interest in speaking.

1. fighting energy: 戰(zhàn)斗能量

2. vortex: 渦旋、漩渦

3. respected fighter: 受人尊敬的戰(zhàn)士

4. jealousy: 嫉妒

5. examiner: 考官

6. indifferent: 冷漠的

7. praise: 贊揚

8. genius halo: 天才光環(huán)

9. qualification: 資格

10. respect: 尊重

11. bitterness: 苦澀

12. immature: 不成熟的

13. warm to the heart: 溫暖人心

Facing Xiao Yan's despair, Xiao Xun'er's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she said seriously, "Brother Xiao Yan, although I don't know what's going on with you, Xun'er believes that you will stand up again and regain your glory and dignity..." She paused for a moment, and a faint blush appeared on her fair and pretty face. "The Xiao Yan brother from back then was indeed very attractive..."

"Hehe..." Faced with the girl's unreserved frank words, the young man laughed awkwardly, but didn't say anything more. He knew that he didn't have the qualifications or mood to do so now. Turning around in loneliness, he slowly walked away from the crowd outside.

Staring at the young man's lonely back that seemed disconnected from the world, Xiao Xun'er hesitated for a while, then hurriedly caught up with him, walking side by side with him amidst the jealous howls of the crowd behind them.

1. Despair (n.): 絕望，失望。在這里形容小燕感到非常失落和沮喪，無法振作。

2. Delicate (adj.): 纖細的，精美的。形容小萱兒的眉毛。

3. Furrow (v.): 皺起，蹙眉。形容小萱兒略微皺起了眉頭。

4. Glory (n.): 光榮，榮耀。形容小燕曾經所擁有的榮耀和成就。

5. Dignity (n.): 尊嚴，莊嚴。形容小燕曾經所具有的尊嚴和威嚴。

6. Unreserved (adj.): 坦誠無保留的。形容小萱兒毫不掩飾地表達出對小燕的贊美和信任。

7. Lonely (adj.): 寂寞的，孤獨的。形容小燕此時的心境。

8. Jealous (adj.): 妒忌的，羨慕的。描述他人對小萱兒和小燕之間關系的嫉妒情緒。