Xiao Yan Seeks Guidance

Over the past five days, Feng Wu had spent experience points to upgrade the Mountain Splitting Palm from Yellow Rank High Grade to Mysterious Rank Low Grade.

Of course, the fundamental increase in a Dou Technique's rank could only be achieved by Feng Wu allocating cultivation experience himself. It could not be improved by slaughtering cattle or sheep.

For this, Feng Wu had paid a full twenty-five experience points.

However, the technique's power after the upgrade was equally gratifying.

A Xuan Rank Dou Technique stood an entire major rank above a Yellow Rank Dou Technique—a qualitative leap. The Mysterious Rank Low Grade Mountain Splitting Palm's power had increased by a full forty percent!

Furthermore, due to the advancement in the Dou Technique's rank, the assessment of Feng Wu's mastery over the technique had been lowered.

It had fallen from the Major Completion Realm to the Minor Completion Realm.

In the short term, this was a drop in realm; but in the long run, once he returned to Major Completion Realm mastery, it would be an opportunity to increase the technique's power again after it had nearly reached its limit.

The Mountain Splitting Palm, having reached Mysterious Rank Low Grade, had practically reached the limit of its potential. Feng Wu was basically unlikely to invest any more experience into this technique.

It was not that the system could no longer improve this Soul Technique, but rather that the cost-effectiveness was simply too low.

Perhaps because the technique's potential had been exhausted, the price of upgrading it again was exceedingly high. It required a full 200 experience points—eight times as much!

With that much, Feng Wu could raise the Cloud Dispelling Palm to a Profound Rank High Grade Dou Technique!

Feng Wu's cultivation had also broken through. After spending twenty-five experience points, he still had enough left over to advance his cultivation to Dou Qi Level Eight!

Naturally, the experience required for the next upgrade had also increased, reaching fifty points.

Feng Wu's system panel now looked like this.

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Name/Age: Feng Wu (15 years old)

Cultivation/Experience: Dou Qi Level Eight (7.5/50)

Equipment: Fine Butchering Knife, ordinary Xiao Clan uniform set.

Skills: Mountain Splitting Palm (Mysterious Rank Low Grade/Minor Completion Realm), Absorption Palm (Mysterious Rank Low Grade/Beginner Realm), Cloud Dispelling Palm (Mysterious Rank Mid Grade/Beginner Realm).

Cultivation Method: None

Items: Rejuvenation Pill (Second Grade) × 1 bottle

Special: None

...

Mountain Splitting Palm Dou Technique upgrade experience (0/200), skill mastery to Major Completion Realm (5.3/48).

Absorption Palm Dou Technique upgrade experience (0/50), skill mastery to Entry Realm (4/5).

Cloud Dispelling Palm Dou Technique upgrade experience (0/200), skill mastery to Entry Realm (0/10).

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However, someone always came along to disturb his leisure time.

Feng Wu was still sorting through his personal information when there came a sound from outside the door:

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Who is it?" Feng Wu glanced toward the courtyard gate. There were unusually many visitors today!

"I usually go days without seeing anyone. Why did everyone decide to come at once today?"

Not knowing who it was, Feng Wu walked over and pulled open the door.

"Xiao Yan?" Xiao Yan's visit surprised Feng Wu even more than Xiao Xun'er's had!

"Do you need something?" Feng Wu stood in the doorway and looked Xiao Yan over. Seeing no obvious clue, he asked.

Yet Feng Wu merely stood in the doorway. He neither invited Xiao Yan inside nor drove him away.

Feng Wu's attitude toward Xiao Yan had always been simple: as long as they did not interfere with each other, all was well. He would neither get close to him nor reject him.

After all, protagonists favored by fate often carried the destiny of a lone star of calamity. To grow stronger, it was perfectly normal for their father to die today or their brother to die tomorrow.

Xiao Yan already had it relatively good. In the end, Xiao Li's Life Devouring Pill, Xiao Zhan's abduction, and Yao Chen's capture had all been resolved. Only a small half of the Xiao Clan had died when disaster struck.

Although Feng Wu could not say that Xiao Yan was the cause of it all, he still felt that he ought to be superstitious about it. What if, one day, he was carelessly sacrificed as fuel by Xiao Yan's destiny?

When a brother ascends to heaven, his power becomes boundless!

Thus, despite having no grudge against Xiao Yan, Feng Wu still kept a respectful distance from him.

Feng Wu's refusal and lack of welcome were obvious, but Xiao Yan clearly did not care.

That was because Yao Lao had said this in Xiao Yan's mind: "Little Yanzi, the kid standing before you is no ordinary person!"

"How so?"

"I remember when Nalan Yanran came last time, I observed this child from inside the ring. Back then, he was only at Dou Qi Level Six. Guess what level he is now?"

Yao Lao communicated with Xiao Yan through their souls, posing him a riddle.

"What? Level Seven?"

"Dou Qi Level Eight!"

"How is that possible? On the day the clan conducted its Dou Qi assessment, Feng Wu was only at Dou Qi Level Five!

It has not even been ten days. Three levels of Dou Qi in nine days? Teacher, what kind of fantasy are you talking about?"

Xiao Yan was too shocked for words, yet he had no idea of the raging waves in Yao Lao's heart!

"Nine days, three levels of Dou Qi—one level every three days. I, Yao Chen, have truly broadened my horizons. There is always someone stronger out there, and a higher sky beyond the sky!"

Yao Chen fell silent for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Little Yanzi, you should take the initiative to befriend this kid. There must be an expert behind him.

Whether it is someone concealing this kid's aura so thoroughly that even I cannot sense it,

or someone using pills, secret arts... or some other method to truly raise his Dou Qi by three levels in nine days, I cannot match such methods.

Befriend him. There will only be benefits, never harm!" Yao Chen advised Xiao Yan with both shock and admiration.

Xiao Yan, meanwhile, saw things more clearly as an observer. Whenever this bargain-bin master of his spoke to him, he always acted as though heaven came first, earth came second, and he came third.

Yet today, he had adopted such an attitude. He must truly be formidable.

As a transmigrator, the finest quality was being able to lower one's pride when genuinely facing a powerful person or someone who could benefit oneself.

Xiao Yan was no exception. Since he could kneel and acknowledge Yao Lao as his master, he could naturally take the initiative to befriend Feng Wu.

All of this was a soul-to-soul exchange between Xiao Yan and Yao Chen. It sounded lengthy, but outwardly, it had taken no more than the time Feng Wu needed to open the door.

"Do you need something?"

"I came to see you because of this." Xiao Yan casually took out the black iron sheet containing the Absorption Palm Soul Technique and waved it before Feng Wu. "What, aren't you going to invite me in for a seat?"

"You did not come to thank me, did you? I still haven't decided how you should repay the favor you owe me." Feng Wu stepped aside and spoke blandly as he walked into the house.

"Impressive!" After entering Feng Wu's courtyard, Xiao Yan looked around. The smallest details revealed the whole picture.

The broken apricot tree, as well as the palm prints sunk seven or eight-tenths of an inch into the century-old tree in the courtyard, proved that Yao Lao had not been exaggerating.

"Go on, what exactly do you want from me?" Feng Wu carried out two cups of water from the house, sat across from Xiao Yan, and asked.

He wanted to see what Xiao Yan was plotting.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to ask for some guidance on cultivating this Dou Technique." Xiao Yan tossed the original Absorption Palm technique manual in his hand through the air and said, "You gave me this Absorption Palm. I figure you must have a better way to use it, right?

Otherwise, the effect of this Absorption Palm is far too useless."

Xiao Yan spoke to Feng Wu. This had also been one of his original reasons for coming to find him.