Inventory of Gains

Xiao Yang flew all the way until he reached the skies above a small town, then slowly descended onto a broad dirt road.

This road led straight into the town. There were quite a few pedestrians along it, but it was clear that all of them were forcefully suppressing their killing intent.

At the end of the dirt road stood the entrance to the town, with a plaque bearing the words "Peace Town" hanging above its gates.

Not far to the left of the gate stood a pitch-black tree, from which several desiccated corpses hung, creaking eerily in the wind.

Not long after Xiao Yang stepped into Peace Town, more than a dozen figures flashed into existence before him. A middle-aged man at their head spoke indifferently. "Anyone entering Peace Town must state their identity, name, and so on. Otherwise, they will be expelled immediately."

There were both men and women among the dozen or so figures, though all of them were quite young, appearing to be only twenty-two or twenty-three.

These young people all wore light-blue robes, with an azure badge pinned to their chests. Engraved on each badge was a dagger stained with a trace of dark red blood—the symbol of Jia Nan Academy's Enforcement Squad.

Xiao Yang helplessly pointed at the badge on his chest. "Are you saying you can't see the academy student badge I'm wearing?

"I previously applied to enter the Black-Corner Region from the academy for training. I've returned now to report in."

"Then why aren't you wearing the academy uniform?" one male squad member asked suspiciously.

"Idiot, you're hopelessly stupid." Before Xiao Yang could explain, a female squad member spoke first. "Did you forget that sensational bit of news that came out of the academy before?"

"You mean?" The male squad member suddenly came to his senses. "You mean that freak who was already a Dou Zhe at just nine years old when he arrived to enroll, and there wasn't even a uniform that fit him? He did seem to apply to go out for training before. I heard that after breaking through to Dou Shi, he wanted to temper his Dou Qi and combat experience, so he applied to train in the Black-Corner Region. He even pissed his mentor off half to death.

"But how long has this guy even been at the academy? If this is true, doesn't that mean he became a Dou Shi at nine years old?! Is this guy even human?! What the hell kind of monstrous cultivation speed is that?!!!"

Xiao Yang looked at the male squad member, who had suddenly become hysterical, and three black lines slid down his forehead. "Senior, please. Could you calm down a little?"

"Calm down?! How am I supposed to calm down?!

"It would be one thing if this guy's cultivation talent were freakish, but now every girl in Jia Nan Academy's Outer Courtyard is revolving around him!

"I'm already twenty-three this year, and I haven't even held a girl's hand!"

Xiao Yang covered his face. So he was just a pathetic loser.

Xiao Yang was speechless. "Senior, isn't that entirely because you have a face like a shoehorn? Besides, you're already in your twenties and only a nine-star Dou Zhe. Don't tell me you never cultivate and spend all your time thinking about how to chase girls?"

The male squad member's grief-stricken voice came to an abrupt halt.

Brilliant golden Dou Qi erupted from Xiao Yang's body, swiftly condensing into a magnificent suit of golden armor, its design resembling the Virgo Gold Saint Cloth.

"And also, sorry, Senior, but I'm not a nine-year-old Dou Shi. After this training trip through the Black-Corner Region, I advanced to a two-star Da Dou Shi three days ago."

After saying that, Xiao Yang turned to the female squad member beside him. "Senior Sister, could I trouble you to take me back and help me register my return?"

The moment he finished speaking, seven or eight female squad members surrounded him and ushered him into Peace Town. In the blink of an eye, only the single male squad member who had dropped to his knees and begun howling, the middle-aged leader, and the remaining seven or eight male squad members were left behind.

"Were we... abandoned?" The middle-aged leader froze for a moment before speaking.

"It seems... so." After exchanging looks, the other male squad members answered as well.

"Damn it! Brothers, we can't let this stand! That brat actually dared to hit on the girls in our Enforcement Squad? Come on! Today, we'll make sure he learns how many eyes Lord Ma has!"

The single male squad member from before roared and strode forward with righteous fervor.

Leaving everyone else standing where they were, staring at him as though he were an idiot.

"No, what do you mean by that?"

"Uh, buddy, you're not even a Dou Shi, and you want to fight a two-star Da Dou Shi? What exactly are you thinking?"

One sentence shattered him into silence.

By then, Xiao Yang's back had long since vanished from sight.

He knew nothing at all about what had happened here.

Of course, even if he had known, he would not have cared.

There was no need to pay attention to a nameless extra.

After returning to the academy, Xiao Yang first took a long, comfortable bath. Then he had a good sleep before finally beginning to take stock of what he had gained on this trip.

Xiao Yang emptied the contents of his two Rings of Acceptance. Apart from the remaining several hundred thousand gold coins, the most valuable items were a scroll of the Earth-Tier Mid-level Sky Splitting Tyrant Leg and a scroll of the Profound Rank Advanced Fighting skill Jade Shattering Metal Splitting Hand.

This Jade Shattering Metal Splitting Hand was divided into an upper and lower volume. The upper volume contained a secret method for tempering both hands with Dou Qi, along with matching finger techniques and claw arts.

The lower volume, meanwhile, could only be cultivated after reaching at least the Da Dou Shi level.

Only upon reaching Da Dou Shi could one release Dou Qi from the body, condense it into blades, and unleash the true might of this technique capable of shattering jade and splitting metal.

Since Xiao Yang had cultivated the Vajra Glazed Body, he could basically skip the upper volume and directly cultivate the essential parts of the lower volume.

In a mere seven days, Xiao Yang had successfully mastered this Profound Rank Advanced Fighting skill.

Next, Xiao Yang naturally turned his attention to the Earth-Rank Fighting Skill, Sky Splitting Tyrant Leg.

First form: Thunderclap Sky-Rending. Step through the void and cross a hundred zhang in an instant. Upon mastery, move as swiftly as thunder, tearing through the sky and chasing lightning.

Second form: Tyrant Shatters Mountains and Rivers. With one kick, rivers flow backward and mountains and peaks are shattered.

Third form: Peerless Tyrant. Both legs carry the might of heaven and earth, possessing unmatched force capable of scattering an entire army!

Fourth form: Dominate for Eternity. The strongest and final form. This move alone was enough to leave one's name through the ages and dominate the world. Those below the Dou Emperor realm were forbidden from cultivating it!

If all four leg forms were cultivated to perfection and combined into one, they would become an Earth-Tier Advanced Fighting skill!

Note: This leg technique places extremely high demands on the strength of one's legs. Those whose physical bodies are insufficiently strong must not cultivate it. Otherwise, their meridians will shatter and their legs will be crippled. Bear the consequences yourself!

The corner of Xiao Yang's mouth twitched as he carefully studied the first form. This was both a leg technique and a movement technique. One instant in the Douqi Continent was roughly less than one-tenth of a second in his previous life. A hundred zhang was around three hundred and thirty meters. Crossing a hundred zhang in an instant was roughly equivalent to ten times the speed of sound!

If he mastered it, then combined it with the Earth-Tier Mid-level Flight Dou Technique Heaven Demon Phoenix Wings, even an ordinary Dou Zun might not be able to catch him.

Still, Xiao Yang seriously suspected that this Fighting skill had been put up for auction because whoever had cultivated it before had crippled their legs.