Quiet Cultivation

"What are you laughing at? Even without hair, I'm still as dashing as ever, okay?" Xiao Heng said, rubbing his bald head. Hmm! It felt pretty good.

This time, Xiao Yi Xian finally could not hold it in any longer. Covering her mouth, she burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Is your lack of hair really the problem here? You don't even have eyebrows!" She kept laughing as she spoke, completely unable to stop.

Xiao Heng had never indulged this sort of mockery. "What are you laughing at? My hair will grow back soon enough. And look at my skin—isn't it even better than yours?" As he spoke, he stretched out his hand for Xiao Yi Xian to see.

Xiao Yi Xian fought back her laughter and touched Xiao Heng's hand. Hmm? She suddenly noticed something. Grabbing his hand, she examined it from every angle before asking jealously, "How did you do this? Help me get one too."

Heh! Xiao Heng glanced at Xiao Yi Xian disdainfully. Women really were so fickle.

Seeing that Xiao Heng remained unmoved, Xiao Yi Xian hugged his arm, shaking it as she coquettishly pleaded, "Tell me! Please? Brother Xiao Heng!"

A burst of softness suddenly pressed against his arm. Xiao Heng immediately glanced over, then quickly looked away again. The little girl might be young, but she was rather well-endowed! Still, he was not that kind of person, right?

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" He coughed while his gaze kept drifting in that direction. Following Xiao Heng's gaze, Xiao Yi Xian also realized something was wrong. Her face reddened, and she hurriedly let go of his arm. "Stinking pervert!" she cursed softly.

Xiao Heng could not accept such slander. He immediately stated the facts. "You were the one who did that. I didn't even move!"

Xiao Yi Xian glared fiercely at him, then lowered her head with a faint blush. "Actually, if you tell me, it wouldn't be impossible to let you touch me once."

Xiao Heng stared at her in dumbfounded disbelief. Could women really go to such lengths for good skin? Still, he truly was not that kind of person, so he immediately refused, "Really?"

Xiao Yi Xian nodded shyly. Then Xiao Heng made up a story for her, saying that he had taken a pill he refined himself, which was why his skin had become so good. Afterward, he stared intently at Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yi Xian closed her eyes. Just as Xiao Heng was about to make contact with her, she suddenly stomped hard on his foot with lightning speed, then dashed back to her room. Hiding behind the door, she stuck out her tongue mischievously. "Bleh, bleh, bleh! Trying to take advantage of me? Dream on!"

Xiao Heng also realized that he had been played. He glared viciously at Xiao Yi Xian and said in a deliberately fierce tone, "You dared to trick me? Just you wait!" As he spoke, he made as if to rush toward her.

Frightened, Xiao Yi Xian quickly shut the door and pressed her back against it, terrified that Xiao Heng might suddenly give in to his beastly urges and do something to her. After a while, when there was no movement outside, she returned to sit on her bed. Smiling sweetly, she felt relieved when she saw Xiao Heng had gone back. As for what Xiao Heng had gone through, she did not need to know.

Thinking of their accidental contact earlier, a mixture of shyness and amusement appeared on her face again. Then she spat lightly and muttered, "Pervert."

Xiao Heng returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the bed. There were many things he needed to do. First, because he had refined the Heavenly Flame, his Dou Qi had increased by two stars, and he was now a Three-star Dou Master. However, his cultivation was still not very stable and needed time to settle.

Second, he needed to become proficient in using the Heavenly Flame, at the very least reaching the point where he could wield it as easily as his own limbs. This was not urgent, though. Refining pills would naturally improve his control over the Heavenly Flame.

Third, he still needed to sort through his master's inheritance. But before all that, he probably needed to sleep first. The struggle of wills had exhausted him greatly, and refining the Heavenly Flame afterward had consumed a great deal of his mental energy as well. He was only forcing himself to stay awake now. Dou Qi could be restored through cultivation, and so could his soul, but not his will. It could only recover through rest. No matter how strong one was, it was the same. So, the moment he lay down, he fell asleep...

A day later, Xiao Heng opened his eyes and pushed open the door. Xiao Yi Xian was nowhere to be seen, and he did not know what she was doing, so he did not disturb her. Xiao Heng found something to eat, then returned to his room to stabilize his suddenly increased Dou Qi.

Three days later...

Xiao Heng was clad in a red Dou Qi gauze robe, holding a sword in both hands. Opposite him, a bear-shaped magical beast confronted him. Xiao Heng panted heavily as he barely dodged an incoming bear paw, then immediately counterattacked with his sword. Yet when the incomparably sharp blade struck the bear's back, sparks flew everywhere, but it did not leave a single wound.

Bear Two looked at the human across from him and thought, So annoying! I don't want to fight, but Big Brother insists that I do.

Yesterday morning, after Xiao Heng felt that his surging Dou Qi had mostly stabilized, he returned to Bear One and Bear Two. What could raise one's strength faster than battle? So he set his sights on the two bears, and Bear One readily agreed.

However, since Xiao Heng was still completely outmatched by Bear One, he could only spar with Bear Two for now. Unfortunately, he had not even managed to break through Bear Two's defenses so far.

Gathering all his remaining Dou Qi into his sword, Xiao Heng shouted, "Bear Two, be careful!"

Bear Two nodded seriously. Xiao Heng had used this move before. Although it still posed no real threat to him, it could barely break through his defenses. Yellow Earth Dou Qi armor covered his entire body.

Red flames surged from Xiao Heng's hands and slowly climbed up the blade covered in azure Dou Qi. The azure Dou Qi on the sword was wrapped in flames. Xiao Heng let out a low roar.

"Immortal Slaying Sword, Breath Sever!"

The blade of intertwined azure and white slashed fiercely toward Bear Two. Bear Two raised his fists, wrapped in Yellow Earth Dou Qi armor, and met the strike head-on, attempting to use his immense strength to knock Xiao Heng flying as before.

Azure-white Dou Qi collided with Yellow Earth Dou Qi. Xiao Heng gritted his teeth. The Immortal Slaying Sword Art was a burst-type sword technique; if one strike failed, there would be no strength left to follow it up. As his Dou Qi rapidly drained away, Xiao Heng was sent flying. Fortunately, Bear One caught him with his Dou Qi in time, sparing him from a face-first fall.

"Xiao Heng, are you alright?" Bear One asked as he controlled his Dou Qi to gently lower Xiao Heng to the ground.

Xiao Heng shook his head. "I'm fine. But Bear Two really is strong. I thought I'd be able to break through his defenses!"

Bear Two also walked over and scratched his big head awkwardly. "Am I strong? Then why can't I beat Big Brother?"

Xiao Heng gave an embarrassed smile. What else could he say? He could not even beat Bear Two, so Bear One was surely even further beyond him.

Bang!

"Big Brother, why did you hit me?"

Bear One looked calmly at Bear Two and slowly said, "Looks like you've been in pretty good shape lately! Then let's spar."

The moment Bear Two heard this, all his fur stood on end. He said with absolute conviction, "No, absolutely not. Actually, Xiao Heng hurt me very badly just now. I don't feel well at all. I need to hurry back and treat my injuries."

With that, he ran off as fast as lightning, terrified that Bear One would hit him if he delayed even a second. After running back into the cave, Bear Two patted his chest with lingering fear. Then he said smugly, "Good thing I ran fast, or Bear One definitely would've beaten me again. I'm so smart."

Watching Bear Two run away at top speed, Bear One looked helpless, like a parent disappointed by an unruly child at home.

"Xiao Heng, restore your Dou Qi first. This is the best time to cultivate."

"Mm, I know."

Xiao Heng agreed, then sat down cross-legged where he was and began restoring his Dou Qi. With Bear Two here, there was no need to worry about other magical beasts disturbing him, so it was quite safe to cultivate freely. He would not dare to be so careless elsewhere.

Calming his mind, Xiao Heng circulated his cultivation technique. Within his qi vortex, the red-dominated Dou Qi slowly flowed along his meridians, drawing the surrounding Dou Qi into his body.

The Myriad Beasts Spirit Flame truly deserved its name as a Heavenly Flame. After absorbing and refining it, not only had it raised his Dou Qi by two stars, it had also tempered his original Dou Qi once more. However, the Heavenly Flame was indeed tyrannical. After entering Xiao Heng's body, it had completely assimilated the Dou Qi that had originally been milky white in color.

Now, within Xiao Heng's qi vortex, red fire-attributed Dou Qi had completely occupied every inch of territory. The other types of Dou Qi he once possessed had become like a fish in a pond, faintly appearing and disappearing.

They only emerged now and then to get a breath of air. Xiao Heng could still mobilize them, but the previous balance between his various attributes had completely vanished. Fire-attributed Dou Qi had become the undisputed boss, while the other attributes could only survive in the cracks.

Over the past two days, he had begun trying to use the Myriad Beasts Spirit Flame himself, and it had not disappointed him. Compared to before, once his attacks were coated in the Heavenly Flame, their power increased by at least thirty percent. That was while he had yet to fully control it. If he completely mastered the Heavenly Flame, the boost would likely become even greater.

After restoring his Dou Qi for a while, Xiao Heng opened his eyes. Bear One was still guarding him nearby. Every time Xiao Heng cultivated, Bear One would watch over him. Even when he was not right beside him, he never went far. It made Xiao Heng feel rather embarrassed.

"Bear One, there's no need for this. It's safe here."

Bear One simply patted his belly and said casually, "It's fine. It's not like I have anything else to do."

Magical Beasts were like that. Once you became their friend, they treated you very well and would basically never betray you. They were far better than humans in that regard. Unfortunately, their friendship was generally difficult to obtain.

Xiao Heng did not say anything more. After all, he was weak. The weak had no rights.

"Then I'll head back first. I'll come again tomorrow."

Xiao Heng's current routine was to come here during the day to get beaten up, then return to the valley at night to refine medicine. In any case, he kept himself busy.

"Alright!" Bear One agreed. He was not very good with words, but since he had decided to follow Xiao Heng from now on, he would certainly take it seriously. Anything he promised had to be done, even if the human he was following was still very weak.

Xiao Heng had also considered bringing Bear One and Bear Two to the valley, but after thinking it over, if those two went there and he fought them, the valley would probably be destroyed in no time. So he gave up on the idea. Still, he had the Purple Cloud Wings, so traveling back and forth was convenient.

Dou Qi flowed into his back, and the Purple Cloud Wings unfolded. Once spread open, the violet wings reached two and a half meters across, more than enough to support long-distance flight. Besides, this place was not especially far from the valley. It took less than half an hour to fly there, so his current Dou Qi could sustain it.

When he returned to the valley, Xiao Yi Xian was sorting through her medicinal ingredients. After teasing each other for a few moments, they returned to their respective rooms. Xiao Heng took out the Five-Oracle Cauldron and carefully examined it.

Two Tiger-shaped Magical Beasts coiled around the black Medicine Cauldron. Their stripes were distinct, and their eyes shone with life, as though they were real.

This cauldron was not something just anyone could afford to use. In Xiao Heng's estimation, even that previous Fourth-grade Alchemist must have paid an enormous price to obtain it. High-grade medicine cauldrons were priceless and rarely available. A cauldron like this Five-Oracle Cauldron would likely cost no less than several million Gold Coins.

Huff!

He exhaled, and a ball of crimson flame appeared in his hand. He tossed the flame into the Medicine Cauldron, where it burned fiercely. Wood Attribute Dou Qi flowed into it, calming the violent flames. Xiao Heng took out the medicinal ingredients one by one and began tonight's medicine-refining journey.