Birthday Gift

"Senior Brother is back?" Xiao Yan, who had been adjusting his state in preparation to break through to Dou Zhe, abruptly opened his eyes upon hearing Yao Lao's words.

"Mm-hm!" Yao Lao emerged from the ring and raised his brows at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan turned his head and saw Yun Shu appear not far away.

"Sorry! This seclusion lasted more than half a year!" Yun Shu greeted them both with a smile.

"Seclusion?" Yao Lao said in surprise. He had thought Yun Shu had hidden away to fool around with that woman from the Mittel Family.

"Fine, I'll just let you experience it for yourselves!" Yun Shu said, releasing the strength of a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner.

"Seven-Star Dou Practitioner?! Where the hell did you go to gorge yourself on pills?!" Yao Lao stared wide-eyed in shock when he saw that Yun Shu had advanced five stages in just over half a year entirely on his own.

Senior Brother's cultivation talent is this terrifying too?! Xiao Yan was deeply shaken by Yun Shu's strength.

He had thought Yun Shu merely possessed decent talent in alchemy. He had never expected his cultivation talent to be just as extraordinary.

"Gorge myself on pills? Teacher, didn't you refine some Spirit Awakening Pills for me? I paired them with those other pills, which is why I was able to make such a breakthrough!" Yun Shu said with a grin.

"Spirit Awakening Pills merely increase the absorption of natural energy. How could their effects possibly be that good?" Yao Lao said speechlessly.

If they really had such an effect, how could Spirit Awakening Pills be merely Third-Rank pills?

"Then I don't know. All I know is that for more than half a year, aside from eating, drinking, sleeping, and using the toilet, I kept cultivating. That's precisely why I got these results!" Yun Shu said with a shrug.

"Did you hear that, you brat?! Your Senior Brother has the determination to cultivate Dou Qi continuously for more than half a year, yet you're always asking for this and that!" After hearing that, Yao Lao directly smacked Xiao Yan upside the head. Yun Shu could calm down and cultivate for more than half a year.

Xiao Yan, on the other hand, either wanted cultivation methods or Dou Techniques, and he also wanted to learn alchemy...

"If I don't practice Dou Techniques, how am I supposed to defeat that disgusting Xiao Ning at the Coming of Age Ceremony?" Xiao Yan pouted unhappily.

"Enough. Once you break through to Dou Zhe, you can study Alchemy Art with your Senior Brother!" Yun Shu's appearance made Yao Lao think that he had come to continue learning Alchemy Art.

Yun Shu naturally had no objections. Even if he was learning alchemy, the Fallen Heart Flame would still help him cultivate Qi.

His cultivation would not fall behind by much.

"Is the Qi Gathering Powder ready?" Seeing that Xiao Yan was preparing to break through to Dou Zhe, Yun Shu looked at Yao Lao.

"Of course. Now we're just waiting for this brat to adjust his state!"

"Alright, then I won't disturb you any longer. I might as well go see Xun Er!" Yun Shu waved and left the Back Mountain.

"Ah, that talent... I just hope this brat Xiao Yan won't be too discouraged!" Yao Lao sighed and shook his head.

Even while playing around with several girls, Yun Shu's cultivation results were better than Xiao Yan's under Yao Lao's guidance. Yao Lao feared that Xiao Yan's mindset would be affected, which would in turn affect his cultivation.

"What wind blew Master Yun Shu over here?" Yun Shu had only just found Xun Er, yet she already knew of his arrival. It seemed Ling Ying was nearby.

"I just finished my seclusion!" Yun Shu scratched his head and said with an awkward smile.

"You went into seclusion?" Xun Er looked at Yun Shu in surprise.

"Want to give it a try?" Yun Shu crooked a finger at Xun Er. She should only be a One-Star Dou Zhe right now, so she could not possibly be his match.

"Sure!" The corners of Xun Er's lips lifted slightly. She had already learned of Yun Shu's current strength from Ling Ying, but since she wanted to vent her anger, she certainly would not fight him head-on so directly. Naturally, she had to resort to a little trick...

The instant Xun Er rushed at Yun Shu, he suddenly froze. It felt as though something had stabbed him in the lower back. Then Yun Shu's expression changed completely. The Dou Qi in his body had vanished entirely.

He could not sense it at all!

Did this girl poison me?! Yun Shu gave a bitter smile as he looked at Xun Er. It seemed that vanishing without a word for more than half a year had truly hurt Xun Er's feelings. Otherwise, she would not be taking revenge this way.

Bang!!!

Yun Shu crossed his arms in front of himself. After taking Xun Er's heavy punch, he was sent flying.

Fortunately, Yun Shu had strengthened his body before. Otherwise, that blow might have rendered him unable to move.

However, even without Dou Qi, Yun Shu still had his physical techniques. They were not weak; his ability to wield the several-hundred-pound Mystic Heavy Ruler relied entirely on his own strength.

Thus, Yun Shu quickly climbed back to his feet.

"Girl, isn't this a bit much?" Yun Shu said helplessly as he looked at Xun Er, who crooked her finger at him.

"Hehe!!" Xun Er said nothing. Seeing that Yun Shu was not moving, she charged at him again.

Xun Er did not use any Dou Techniques. Though she wanted to teach this guy who had vanished without a word a lesson, since she had Ling Ying secretly restrict Yun Shu's Dou Qi, she would not use such an unfair method as Dou Techniques. She was simply using the strength gained by reinforcing her body with Dou Qi to teach Yun Shu a lesson.

As Xun Er rushed at him again, Yun Shu wrapped Soul Power around his arms. Since he could not use Dou Qi, he would use the power of his soul instead.

"Miss, this boy has wrapped Soul Power around his arms. There is no need to clash with him head-on!" Ling Ying's voice sounded beside Xun Er's ear, but Xun Er paid it no mind. She merely wanted to vent the resentment in her heart, not truly injure Yun Shu.

Smack!!

Yun Shu caught Xun Er's incoming fist. Looking at the little girl in front of him with her lips pursed, he grinned. "Your birthday is in a few days, right, girl?"

"So what if it is?!" Unable to pull her hand free, Xun Er kicked at Yun Shu.

"You're wearing a skirt! How can you use that kind of attack?" Yun Shu pulled Xun Er toward him, then locked her in place before him.

"Hmph! None of your business! You disappeared without a word for more than half a year. If you've got the nerve, then never come back!" Xun Er pouted and said unhappily.

"But I'm back, aren't I? And since I knew your birthday was coming up, I specially prepared a gift for you!" Yun Shu released Xun Er's hand, then patted her head with a smile.

"Hmph! Don't think that means I'll forgive you!" Xun Er slapped Yun Shu's hand away and said unhappily.

In truth, when she heard that Yun Shu had returned and even brought her a birthday gift, Xun Er's anger had already faded. She simply did not want to show it. Otherwise, Yun Shu would think she was easy to fool. Men were never satisfied with things too easily obtained; she wanted to keep Yun Shu hanging.