Battle Through the Heavens: Heavenly comprehension

"An eleven-year-old Dou Practitioner! As expected of our Xiao Clan's number one genius!"

As the examiner announced the results, everyone in the training ground gasped in astonishment, their faces filled with shock.

With each advancement in cultivation level, breaking through bottlenecks became increasingly difficult.

To advance from the Dou Qi stage to a Dou Practitioner, one must first condense a Dou Qi cyclone within their body.

However, forming a Dou Qi cyclone carried a significant risk of failure. If one failed, their nine-segment Dou Qi would regress to the eighth segment.

Some individuals with bad luck might need to attempt it over ten times before succeeding.

Repeated failures would cause them to miss the optimal period for cultivation, greatly hindering their future potential.

"Young Master Xiao Yan truly deserves to be called a genius among geniuses! Not only did he cultivate Dou Qi at an astonishing speed, but he also succeeded in condensing a Dou Qi cyclone on his first attempt!"

Staring at the four golden characters glowing brilliantly on the black stone tablet, a girl widened her cherry-like lips in shock.

Becoming a One-Star Dou Practitioner at the age of eleven meant that he might reach the rank of Dou Master by fifteen.

In the entire history of the Northwest region, only a handful had ever achieved such a feat, and those few individuals had long since become legendary figures in the Dou Qi world.

At the back of the crowd, Xun'er also pursed her jade-like lips in amazement. She hadn't expected Brother Xiao Yan to advance to the Dou Practitioner level so quickly!

This terrifying cultivation speed was almost unheard of, even among the ancient clans.

The ancient clans placed great emphasis on their bloodline. Before their bloodline awakened, they were not much different from ordinary people.

Even for someone like Xun'er, her current strength was only possible due to her exceptional soul power and the constant nourishment of her meridians day and night, which allowed her to progress rapidly.

Gazing at the black-robed youth standing by the stone tablet, Xun'er blinked her bright eyes and murmured, "If it weren't for the mysterious force affecting Brother Xiao Yan's strength, his power would likely shock even the elders of the clan."

"I just hope that person harbors no ill intentions. Otherwise... even if you hide within Brother Xiao Yan's body, I will still find you!" With a soft sigh, a faint golden flame flickered within Xun'er's autumn-like eyes.

Xiao Yan slowly withdrew his palm from the tablet, fully aware that today marked a pivotal moment in his life.

Despite Yao Lao continuously absorbing his Dou Qi, the rate of absorption had clear limits.

With his heaven-defying comprehension constantly pushing his cultivation technique to new heights, he soon caught up with and surpassed Yao Lao's absorption rate.

Thus, his strength had only decreased once, and from then on, it had been steadily increasing. Today, he had successfully condensed the Dou Qi cyclone once more.

Most importantly, after years of steady cultivation, his foundation was now so solid that even a genius would find it unimaginable.

"Today is a joyous occasion to celebrate Brother Xiao Yan's breakthrough to Dou Practitioner! Brother Xiao Yan, you have to treat us!" Xun'er playfully pouted her lips as Xiao Yan returned.

"Alright." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Finally being able to formally train in Dou Qi was indeed worth celebrating.

However, he knew that even tougher training lay ahead.

"Hehe, I want the most expensive meal..." Xun'er chuckled sweetly, her crisp, bell-like laughter causing many to feel their hearts flutter.

However, they all understood that only a genius like Xiao Yan was worthy of a girl as otherworldly as Miss Xun'er.

Dressed in a fiery red dress, Xiao Mei gracefully stepped forward, her delicate face flushed with excitement. She said, "Cousin Xiao Yan, congratulations on breaking through to become a Dou Practitioner."

"With your talent, cousin, I believe you'll break through to Dou Practitioner soon as well," Xiao Yan smiled gently.

Xiao Mei chuckled bitterly, "I'm afraid that won't happen for another two or three years."

Looking at the slight curve beneath her red dress, Xiao Yan, having watched this girl grow up, did not neglect her and extended an invitation: "Let's think about the future later. We're planning to go out for a big meal. Why don't you join us, cousin?"

"Cousin Xiao Mei, come along," Xun'er adjusted her silky hair with a smile.

Xiao Mei nodded, "I'd love to know what it feels like to condense a Dou Qi cyclone."

To celebrate the start of his Dou Qi cultivation journey, Xiao Yan took Xun'er and Xiao Mei on a stroll through Wu Tan City for quite a while before they eventually parted ways at the Xiao family estate.

The moon hung in the sky like a silver disk, accompanied by countless twinkling stars.

At the cliff's peak, Xiao Yan stood with his hands behind his back, gently twirling an ancient-looking ring in his right hand.

After a brief moment, he spoke into the empty air, "Old monster, you've been absorbing my Dou Qi for so many years. Why don't you come out and meet me?"

The air trembled slightly, and a pale white glow flickered across the surface of the ring. A wispy, elderly figure drifted out.

"Little brat, how did you know about my existence?"

Xiao Yan shrugged, "Once, when I wasn't wearing the ring, my Dou Qi loss stopped. But when I put it back on, it disappeared rapidly. After a few experiments, even a fool would figure out the cause."

"Smart kid", the old man, Yao Lao, stroked his beard with a smile.

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes, "Enough with the small talk. You've been absorbing my Dou Qi for years, so hand over your collection of high-tier cultivation techniques. I need one now. If you can't help me, I suggest you find another unlucky soul."

Glancing down at the bottomless abyss below, Xiao Yan grinned, "Falling down there, who knows how many years you'd have to wait before meeting someone else."

Hearing Xiao Yan's casual threat, Yao Lao chuckled, "Not everyone has your level of soul perception. Since I've chosen to reveal myself, of course, I'll offer you great benefits. A high-tier cultivation technique? That's nothing... Do you want to become an alchemist?"

"Anyone on the Dou Qi Continent wants to become an alchemist," Xiao Yan scoffed.

"I am Yao Lao. As for my background, I won't tell you just yet to avoid distractions. All you need to know is that those so-called 'Pill Kings'... are nothing but insignificant figures."

Speaking of his identity, Yao Lao's body trembled slightly, as if an ancient beast had awakened. A terrifying aura surged forth, causing the sky to roil with stormy clouds.

Having absorbed Dou Qi to nourish his soul for years, Yao Lao's soul injuries had fully healed.

Although he was still far from his peak strength, he could now easily dominate within the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Yan raised his palm in front of him, releasing pure white Dou Qi along with his soul power, forming a semi-transparent protective shield.

Forced back a step by the overwhelming pressure, Xiao Yan slowly steadied himself, looking at Yao Lao with slight astonishment.

(End of Chapter)

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