Going from a Three-Star Great Dou Master to a Dou Wang in one year—that's equivalent to breaking through sixteen stars. Sixteen stars in one year, can that really be done?
"If you Cultivate step-by-step, then certainly not. But if you spend this half-year raising your physical fitness to be comparable to a Fifth-Tier Magical Beast, then you won't have to worry about the sudden surge in cultivation affecting your Foundation when you swallow a Heavenly Flame. For the following half-year, if your teacher, an Eighth-Grade Peak Alchemist, can't pile enough resources to push you into the Dou Wang realm, then he truly wouldn't live up to his reputation!"
Chen Yang's words left Xiao Yan incredibly stirred. Yao Lao remained silent for a moment, but he also understood that if Xiao Yan truly raised his physical fitness to be comparable to a Fifth-Tier Magical Beast, advancing to Dou Wang within a year was not impossible!
[Writing up to this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name. To read Taiwan novels, go to Taiwan Novel Network, twkan.com. Read as you please.]
"Then let's do it!!!"
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and made his decision.
Isn't it just taking a beating?
Trading half a year of beatings for becoming a Dou King expert—it's worth it!!!
Let's do it!!!
"Good. Then, while I am performing Alchemy, you should practice with your sister-in-law. She lacks combat experience. Both of you are Great Dou Masters, and with Yao Lao acting as a Protector, I can rest easy!"
Chen Yang said.
"This... won't I hurt my sister-in-law?" Xiao Yan said cautiously; he considered himself to be quite strong.
"I advise you to be careful. She has the Calamity Poison Body, and she still can't control her poison-attribute Dou Qi perfectly. Be careful not to accidentally get poisoned to death, kid!" Chen Yang waved his hand and then walked into the house to begin Alchemy.
"This..." Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Yi Xian, a solemn expression appearing on his face.
"Then... sister-in-law, please instruct me..." Xiao Yan cupped his hands toward Xiao Yi Xian, pulled out his xuan heavy ruler, and said.
"Brother Xiao Yan, be careful!" Xiao Yi Xian nodded and pulled out a longsword embedded with a Third-Tier Magic Core from her storage ring, the same one Chen Yang had obtained when he first set foot in Wutan City. This sword was perfectly fine for use at the Great Dou Master or even Dou Ling stage.
Swish...
Back in Wutan City, Xiao Yan had a fight with Instructor Ruo Lin over a leave of absence. This time with Xiao Yi Xian would be his second real fight against a Great Dou Master.
Because of Chen Yang's warning, Xiao Yan was very vigilant at this moment.
Meanwhile, Yao Lao floated out of the ring, stroking his beard as he acted as a Protector for the two, lest they strike too heavily and injure each other.
Xiao Yi Xian didn't have much combat experience. Seeing Xiao Yan's vigilant look, she simply opened with the High-Grade Profound Tier Dou Technique 'Mad Lion's Chant'. This was the technique from the cave; although it had 'Chant' in the name, it wasn't actually a sonic Dou Technique, but rather an energy extension technique for weapons.
The three Dou Techniques in the Heavenly Poison Sacred Codex were all Earth Rank. Even for the most common low-grade earth tier ones, Xiao Yi Xian hadn't fully mastered them yet. Furthermore, Earth Rank Dou Techniques were meant for killing enemies, and this was just a spar.
"Ha!"
Xiao Yi Xian gave a soft cry as a sharp gray Dou Qi condensed into a charging energy lion.
"Wait... sister-in-law, are you kidding me? You're starting with a High-Grade Profound Tier Dou Technique?" Xiao Yan's discernment had gradually improved. The Dou Technique Xiao Yi Xian was using was less than an Earth Rank but more than a Profound Rank; it was clearly a High-Grade Profound Tier Dou Technique.
"In that case..."
Thinking this, Xiao Yan pulled back his xuan heavy ruler, his right fist surging with Dou Qi!
"Eight Extremities Collapse!"
The sharp physical force collided with Xiao Yi Xian's Poison Dou Qi energy, instantly blasting a deep crater into the courtyard.
Thump, thump, thump!
Xiao Yi Xian retreated seven steps while Xiao Yan retreated only two. In this exchange, Xiao Yan clearly held the upper hand.
"Sister-in-law, even with the same High-Grade Profound Tier Dou Technique, you're only a Three-Star Great Dou Master. You're no match for me!" Xiao Yan chuckled.
"Kid, look at your hand. You've been hit and you don't even realize it!" Yao Lao looked at his disciple and said with a helpless face.
"What?" Xiao Yan hurriedly looked at his right fist and indeed saw a streak of gray energy snaking up toward his wrist.
"This toxin won't endanger your life, but it will make your Dou Qi circulation sluggish. If you use your Dou Qi to suppress it, it will leave you overwhelmed. Brother Xiao Yan, be careful!"
Xiao Yi Xian chuckled, then raised her sword and lunged straight at Xiao Yan.
"This Poison Dou Qi is really troublesome..."
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth. Xiao Yi Xian was Brother Yang's confidante; the Cultivation Technique she practiced was certainly extraordinary. Meanwhile, his Burning Technique was currently only at the High-Grade Yellow Tier, still a step away from the Profound Rank, let alone the Earth Rank.
"Therefore... I must end this quickly!"
Xiao Yan steeled himself and channeled the Purple Flame in his body to his right hand, which proved surprisingly effective.
"Great, it seems fire-attribute Dou Qi is indeed the nemesis of poison-attribute Dou Qi!"
Xiao Yan thought to himself. He brandished the xuan heavy ruler, clashing it against Xiao Yi Xian's longsword. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged dozens of moves.
Gradually, Xiao Yan discovered that Xiao Yi Xian's actual combat experience was truly terrible, far inferior to his own.
Glancing at the faintly visible figure of Chen Yang inside the house, Xiao Yan pulled back his strength slightly and began feeding her moves.
By conserving his Dou Qi, Xiao Yan's endurance lasted longer, while Xiao Yi Xian adapted to Great Dou Master-level combat, gradually becoming more and more at ease.
"What a strong learning talent!"
Xiao Yan gradually began to feel the strain. After all, the Burning Technique was still only a High-Grade Yellow Tier, and its endurance couldn't compare to an Earth Rank Cultivation Technique. If his physical fitness wasn't comparable to a Third-Tier Magical Beast, he would have collapsed long ago.
"Brother Xiao Yan, here comes the final blow!"
"Old Mister Yao Lao, please help protect us!"
Xiao Yi Xian retreated two steps, deciding to test the Earth-rank Low-tier Dou Skill she had currently mastered, the Heavenly Poison Palm!
"Teacher, I'll have to trouble you!" Xiao Yan also gripped the xuan heavy ruler tightly, intending to use the Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler.
"Sigh, my poor old bones!" Yao Lao shook his head helplessly.
"Brother Xiao Yan, this move is the Earth-rank Low-tier Dou Skill 'Heavenly Poison Palm'. Be careful!" Xiao Yi Xian sheathed her longsword and looked at Xiao Yan.
"Sister-in-law, my move is also an Earth-rank Low-tier Dou Skill, named 'Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler'. You be careful too!" Xiao Yan said.
"Good, then let's begin!" Xiao Yi Xian nodded. As her Dou Qi flowed, a massive gray hand lunged fiercely toward Xiao Yan. Instantly, a poisonous miasma filled the air, and Xiao Yan felt his breathing become sluggish.
"Come! Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!!!" Xiao Yan gave a low shout. Strange patterns on the xuan heavy ruler flickered, followed by a ten-foot-long red glow that lunged straight at Xiao Yi Xian.
"Boom!"
Intense energy exploded between the two. Seeing that the terrifying aftershocks were about to blow them away, Yao Lao waved his hand, and his immense Soul Power instantly caused the combat aftershocks to be completely dissipated.
"How was it, Teacher..."
Xiao Yan leaned on the xuan heavy ruler, panting heavily as he asked Yao Lao.
"If it's just a spar, you were slightly superior!"
Yao Lao looked at Xiao Yi Xian on the other side, whose condition was much better than Xiao Yan's, and spoke to Xiao Yan with some helplessness.
"But if it were a life-and-death struggle, you'd be dead by now!"
As Yao Lao spoke, he pointed at Xiao Yan's right hand; the gray Poison Dou Qi had already passed his wrist.
Xiao Yan gave a helpless, bitter smile. He also saw how good Xiao Yi Xian's condition was. If it were truly a life-and-death struggle, his Dou Qi would be nearly exhausted, while Xiao Yi Xian had barely consumed any energy.
Xiao Yi Xian smiled at Xiao Yan and gave a light wave of her hand; the Poison Dou Qi on Xiao Yan's right hand flew into the air and vanished.
"Thank you for holding back, sister-in-law..." Just as Xiao Yan was speaking, a violent energy fluctuation suddenly erupted from the room.
Yao Lao was startled and was about to grab the two and leave, but the energy inside the house suddenly retracted.
"What happened... Teacher?" Xiao Yan looked toward the room with concern.
"Your Brother Yang truly has incredible talent. If I'm not mistaken, he just had a Breakthrough to Nine-Star Dou Huang!" Yao Lao said with a sigh of admiration while stroking his beard.
"What? Hadn't he just become an Eight-Star Dou Huang not long ago? How is he already a Nine-Star?" Xiao Yan was dumbfounded upon hearing this. At the Dou Huang level, could one really achieve a Breakthrough of one star every two months?