Nurturing the Meridians, Teaching a Dou Technique!

In a clearing within the woods, Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Ze sat facing each other, their palms pressed tightly together.

Streams of pure Dou Qi flowed from Xiao Ze's body through Xiao Xun'er's palms and circulated throughout her entire body.

Xiao Ze's Dou Qi was Water Attribute. Back then, it was thanks to the cultivation method Xiao Xun'er had given him that he had successfully converted his Dou Qi.

The cultivation method's grade was not particularly high, merely Mysterious Tier Low-Grade, but the Dou Qi it converted was gentle in nature and relatively easy to control.

If Xiao Ze had possessed a Fire Attribute, then after advancing to the Dou Zhe realm, he would not have dared to nurture Xiao Xun'er's Meridians.

With the searing and violent nature of Fire Attribute Dou Qi, allowing another person's Dou Qi into one's body could easily result in injury.

Pale blue Water Attribute Dou Qi gradually spread throughout Xiao Xun'er's body, causing her entire figure to glow with a faint blue radiance.

Xiao Xun'er's skin had already been fair enough to rival fine jade, and beneath that pale blue glow, it appeared even more dazzling.

Looking closely, one could even see the tiny, hair-thin blood vessels beneath her skin.

The two were immersed in cultivation, free of distractions, their breathing steady.

Time passed swiftly during cultivation. After an hour, Xiao Ze slowly stopped channeling his Dou Qi, not because he had exhausted it.

Rather, Xiao Xun'er's body had already reached its limit and could not withstand any further improvement.

Even the greatest tonic had its limits—the limit of the body itself. In a short period of time, this was as much as one could improve.

Xiao Ze briefly sensed the Dou Qi within his body. He had used up roughly thirty percent of it.

Fortunately, this was a huge improvement compared to before he had reached the Nine Star Dou Practitioner realm.

Back when he had been an Eight Star Dou Practitioner, nurturing her for an hour would have consumed around seventy percent of his Dou Qi. Now, it had only cost him thirty percent.

Not only had Xiao Ze's quantity of Dou Qi increased, its quality had also improved greatly.

By laying down a stronger foundation for Xiao Xun'er, any future increase in her strength would return tenfold to him.

That was what had given Xiao Ze a Dou Zhi Qi Cyclone dozens of times greater than that of an ordinary person!

Moreover, his Dou Zhi Qi Cyclone possessed an extremely terrifying ability to absorb Dou Qi.

Earlier, when he had blocked the Great Elder's strike, he had actually gathered all the Dou Qi in his body and used the Swallow Return Strike to withstand it unscathed.

Afterward, his Dou Zhi Qi Cyclone had absorbed Dou Qi at an astonishing speed to restore him.

That was why he had had enough Dou Qi left to resist the Dou Qi pressure released by a Da Dou Shi.

And that was with Xiao Ze deliberately suppressing his absorption speed. If he fully unleashed it, he could even create a phenomenon around himself where Dou Qi gathered and flowed into his body.

That was something only high-level cultivators could accomplish!

Of course, unless it was an emergency, Xiao Ze would not use such a method.

After all, the massive influx of Dou Qi into his body would place an enormous burden on his Meridians.

The first time he tried it, he had felt the Meridians carrying his Dou Qi ache painfully.

Xiao Ze's thoughts flashed by in an instant as he looked at Xiao Xun'er across from him.

Due to his Water Attribute Dou Qi, a faint layer of mist now covered Xiao Xun'er's body.

It was as though she had just bathed and the moisture on her body had yet to evaporate. She resembled a clear, translucent gemstone, radiating the vitality of youth.

Xiao Xun'er's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.

The pale blue light around her had already faded, yet the moment Xiao Xun'er opened her eyes, they were far more dazzling than any real light.

The words "naturally breathtaking" could not have described her more aptly.

The moment Xiao Xun'er opened her eyes, she saw Xiao Ze staring at her without moving, and two rosy blushes rose to her pretty face.

"Brother Xiao Ze... have you stared long enough?"

Xiao Xun'er teased him as she circulated her Dou Qi and evaporated the mist from her body.

"Of course not. If I could, I'd keep looking forever."

Xiao Ze laughed heartily, then rose to his feet and stretched his limbs.

Unbeknownst to him, Xiao Xun'er's eyes flickered behind him, and a happy smile appeared on her face.

Keep looking forever?

I want to keep walking forward with Brother Xiao Ze forever too!

"Brother Xiao Ze, I still have some questions about the Swallow Return Strike. How can I take it a step further?"

Xiao Xun'er stood and asked Xiao Ze.

She had seen clearly in the Dou Skill Pavilion that Xiao Ze, as a Nine Star Dou Practitioner, had blocked a strike from a Da Dou Shi. The Swallow Return Strike had played a crucial role in that.

"I remember your mastery of the Swallow Return Strike is at Minor Accomplishment, still some distance from Major Accomplishment... Show it to me, and I'll see where you're still lacking."

Xiao Ze naturally did not refuse.

This was the Profound Tier Dou Technique Xiao Xun'er had taught him, all so that Xiao Ze could teach her and help her master the Swallow Return Strike faster.

"No problem!"

Xiao Xun'er nodded lightly, and golden Dou Qi began to emerge around her.

Seeing this, Xiao Ze did not hesitate. He immediately struck a palm toward Xiao Xun'er.

Xiao Ze controlled his strength, keeping it at roughly the level of a One Star Dou Practitioner.

However, the gap between a Dou Zhe and a Dou Zhi Qi Practitioner was immense to begin with, so Xiao Xun'er did not dare take it lightly.

She took a deep breath, raised both hands with a determined gaze, and met Xiao Ze's palm head-on.

Bang!!!

Xiao Ze took a step back, his palm trembling slightly. Roughly thirty percent of his force had been reflected back at him by Xiao Xun'er.

Xiao Xun'er was knocked back much farther. Her body drifted backward like a golden butterfly before she slowly landed two or three zhang away.

Xiao Xun'er slowly let out a breath, then quickly returned to stand before Xiao Ze.

They had both held back just now, so neither had suffered any injury.

"Brother Xiao Ze, how was that? Is there anywhere else I'm lacking?"

"I think I see it." Xiao Ze nodded. "You've grasped it fairly well, but if you want to go further, you need to understand the foundation of the Swallow Return Strike."

"The foundation of the Swallow Return Strike?" Xiao Xun'er tilted her head, not quite understanding.

"At its core, the Swallow Return Strike is about borrowing force to strike back. There are two key points: borrowing force, and returning force."

"You've balanced these two aspects well, but have you considered that you're keeping them in a fifty-fifty balance?"

"Then why can you only return around thirty percent of my force in the end?"

A hint of realization appeared in Xiao Xun'er's eyes. "Brother Xiao Ze, do you mean that I should make a more suitable adjustment between borrowing force and returning force?"

"Exactly! If you're facing someone of equal strength or someone weaker, then a balanced approach to borrowing and returning force lets you perfectly borrow their power and strike back, because their strength does not exceed the limit of what you can borrow."

"But if you face someone far stronger than yourself, whose power exceeds the limit of what you can borrow, not only will you be injured, but the force you return will also be weakened!"

At this point, Xiao Ze gave an example. "When I faced the Great Elder, I knew he was a Da Dou Shi. There was an entire major realm between us."

"Even a casual strike from him was not something I could contend with."

"Therefore, when I used the Swallow Return Strike, I pushed the art of borrowing force to the limit, borrowing all of it! I did not consider striking back at all."

"That was why, in the end, I was able to take the Great Elder's strike with ease and remain completely unharmed."

"If you can perfectly coordinate the balance between borrowing force and returning force, then your mastery of the Swallow Return Strike will have reached Major Accomplishment!"

Xiao Xun'er's eyes shone brightly as she listened.

As she watched Xiao Ze explain his experience with such enthusiasm, a trace of admiration flashed through Xiao Xun'er's eyes.

In Xiao Xun'er's eyes, Xiao Ze seemed capable of anything.

Many problems could be effortlessly resolved before him.

It was precisely Xiao Ze's talent and brilliance that had won over Xiao Xun'er, who hailed from the Ancient Clan.

"Do you understand?"

Xiao Ze's voice, warm as a spring breeze, rang out. Xiao Xun'er nodded firmly.

"I understand. I need to grasp the right balance!"

"Understanding it and applying it are still separated by a long distance. Next, I'll be your sparring partner. Let's strive to get you to Major Accomplishment as soon as possible."

Before long, two figures weaved through the forest clearing.

After every clash, they swiftly separated. Following a brief pause, they charged at each other once more.

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