Battle Through the Heavens: Heavenly comprehension

Not long after the first muffled sound, a deeper and more resonant thud suddenly echoed from within the tree trunk.

"Crack..."

In an instant, a terrifying force erupted from within, causing the massive tree trunk to sway unsteadily under the destructive dark energy.

After holding on for a few breaths, the broken tree collapsed with a resounding crash.

Only when the tree hit the ground did Yao Lao snap out of his thoughts.

"Two layers of dark energy, and you've even managed to merge the Eight Extremities Collapse technique into a state of combining softness with strength. When the punch is delivered, it may appear weak and powerless, but anyone who underestimates it..."

Yao Lao glanced at the lone tree stump and fell silent.

After his admiration, Yao Lao added with some regret, "The usage of dark energy is still too clumsy. The delay in its eruption leaves a window of opportunity. If your opponent is highly perceptive, they could neutralize the dark energy before it fully manifests."

"Heh, it's fine. This is just the first attempt. With a bit more practice, these issues will be resolved." Xiao Yan flexed his slightly numb fists and smiled.

Nodding slightly, Yao Lao hesitated for a moment before continuing, "The Dou Qi stored in your body's Qi Cyclone right now can barely support a few uses of dark energy. So, in future battles, you must aim to kill with one strike. The Eight Extremities Collapse is a Dou Technique designed for swift, thunderous attacks."

Xiao Yan nodded lightly and sat casually on the grass.

In truth, the dark energy effect of the Eight Extremities Collapse bore some resemblance to the principles of the Seven Wounds Fist.

Once mastered, the Seven Wounds Fist unleashed seven distinct forces in a single punch—some fierce, some gentle, some blending hardness and softness, some retracting inward, and others projecting outward.

If an enemy managed to block the first force, they'd likely falter against the second. And even if they endured the second, the third would become increasingly challenging to withstand.

However, the Eight Extremities Collapse focused on an overwhelming, mountain-crushing output, leaving no time for the enemy to react. It lacked the variety of forces present in the Seven Wounds Fist.

Yao Lao squinted slightly, a mischievous glint flashing in his aged eyes. "The Eight Extremities Collapse demands a high degree of physical resilience. The next stage of dark energy training will require your body to undergo a period of adjustment. It won't be fast. But… do you want to speed up the training process?"

"How can I train faster?" Xiao Yan asked, a chill running down his spine as he noticed the sinister smile on Yao Lao's face.

"By taking hits—the harder, the better," Yao Lao replied with a malicious grin.

"Taking hits?" Xiao Yan shook his head with a bitter smile. "You're the great Alchemist who dismisses even Pill King Gu He. Can't you just concoct some miraculous pills? Now that I've become a Dou Zhe, I'm capable of consuming pills for training."

"Uh…" Yao Lao was momentarily stunned. Convincing this boy, who had practically grown up in a greenhouse, to embrace hardship was proving to be a challenge.

Still, if this sharp-tongued kid kept talking, Yao Lao's dignity would be at stake.

Nodding, Yao Lao said, "If you want me to refine pills, it's not impossible. But even the best cook can't make a meal without ingredients. No matter how skilled I am, I can't conjure pills out of thin air. You'll need to provide the materials yourself."

"I've got no money," Xiao Yan said, spreading his hands and flashing the innocent smile of an eleven-year-old boy.

"Heh, you won't need money." Yao Lao pointed toward the mountain range in the distance. "The Magical Beast Mountain Range is full of materials, and they won't cost you a single gold coin. The only question is whether you have the strength to collect them."

"Go to the Magical Beast Mountain Range?" Xiao Yan stood up, unable to conceal the excitement in his eyes.

Although Xiao Yan appeared calm and composed, he was, at his core, an adventurer. He had long been yearning to explore the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Yao Lao said slowly, "Fighting against magical beasts will give you more real combat experience. Besides, the thing I need to refine requires a lot of magical beast blood. It's a win-win."

What Yao Lao wanted to refine was a substance called Burning Blood.

It was effective only for those who cultivated fire-attribute Dou Qi. For those with water-attribute Dou Qi, however, it was no different from poison.

When applied to the body, it could accelerate the consumption of Dou Qi and simultaneously speed up its regeneration. In the constant cycle of consumption and regeneration, not only would one's Dou Qi strength gradually improve, but the physical body would also grow stronger.

Hearing that a large amount of magical beast blood was required, Xiao Yan was stunned.

"Damn, it's actually Burning Blood!"

Using this would make one feel as if their body was placed on burning coals. The pain it brought was far beyond what ordinary people could endure.

In Yao Lao's era, people firmly believed that enduring hardship was the only way to grow stronger.

But times had changed.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan nodded. "It's just hunting some magical beasts; I can do that."

Yao Lao chuckled. He could already envision Xiao Yan screaming in agony after applying Burning Blood.

Without experiencing painful training, how could one cultivate strength beyond ordinary people?

Grabbing Xiao Yan by the sleeve, Yao Lao flicked his wrist. The space around them trembled and distorted before the two of them disappeared from the Xiao Clan's back mountain.

Having been nourished by an almost limitless amount of Dou Qi, Yao Lao's soul strength had returned to its peak. Although there was still some gap compared to his strength when he had a physical body, it far surpassed that of ordinary powerhouses.

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was teeming with magical beasts. It was a land filled with danger but also abundant opportunities.

Within the bodies of magical beasts were energy cores called magical nuclei. These nuclei contained extremely violent elemental energy, which even a Dou Wang wouldn't dare to absorb forcefully due to the risk of their body exploding.

Although magical nuclei couldn't be directly absorbed, they were indispensable materials for alchemists.

Through secret methods, alchemists could neutralize the violent attributes in magical nuclei using rare herbs, transforming them into highly coveted elixirs that significantly boosted strength and commanded exorbitant prices.

Additionally, magical nuclei could also be embedded into weapons, enhancing their destructive power and providing enticing effects like Dou Qi amplification, making them highly sought after by Dou Fighters on the continent.

Due to this demand, magical nuclei were perpetually in short supply.

Their high value naturally gave rise to a large number of mercenary groups specializing in hunting magical beasts.

However, acquiring magical nuclei wasn't an easy task.

Magical beasts were not only powerful but also exceptionally cunning, often far more formidable than human fighters of the same level.

Moreover, not all magical beasts contained magical nuclei. This appeared to be a random occurrence with no discernible pattern.

It was precisely this unpredictability that kept the price of magical nuclei consistently high and their demand insatiable.

As Xiao Yan gazed at the trees, much larger than those in the Xiao Clan's back mountain, he felt as if he were in a dream.

He had been transported directly from the Xiao Clan's back mountain to the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

(End of Chapter)

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