Discovering the Problem, Happily Solving It

(Recently, my inspiration has been running a little dry. For now, I'll update once a day. I have the general direction in mind; I'm just working out the small details.)

One day, in Suotuo City,

Chen Xilin got up early and found that his teacher, Long Fei, was absent. He headed toward Long Fei's room, and as he neared the door—

Chen Xilin discovered that there were rather strong fluctuations of Soul Power here, rising and falling unpredictably.

"Is Teacher about to break through to Level 80? Then I shouldn't disturb him."

Chen Xilin muttered to himself before heading into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

For someone at Long Fei's level, breaking through to Level 80 could be quick—perhaps completed immediately—or slow, taking days or even months.

After breakfast, Chen Xilin began his daily training in the courtyard. Martial arts were honed through time, though naturally, there were those with peerless talent who could achieve in a few years what others needed decades to accomplish.

However, Chen Xilin did not consider himself some peerless genius. He had obtained the Muscle Tendon Classic at sixteen and cultivated it to the White Tier Futu by twenty-two. It looked impressive—and it truly was.

It was said that some people reached the Blue Tier Futu after cultivating the Muscle Tendon Classic for only half a year, while Chen Xuanji in his previous life had taken two years to reach the Blue Tier Futu.

He had to admit that some people were simply born for martial arts. Chen Xilin did not think he was a once-in-ten-thousand peerless genius, so steady, painstaking effort was indispensable.

After finishing his morning training, Chen Xilin sat cross-legged in the garden and contemplated his path.

"I have to admit, this Dark Holy Dragon Spirit is extremely useful. Combined with the soul skills I acquired afterward, even an ordinary person could become absurdly powerful.

"But why? The Dark Holy Dragon comes with an incredibly powerful Dark Attribute, yet there always seems to be a slight flaw in my compatibility with this darkness."

Chen Xilin had been constantly examining himself. His spirit was an excellent one. Although he had once been nothing more than a martial artist and now possessed some elemental abilities, he still preferred close-quarters combat.

For instance, Chen Xilin had now reached the fifth cycle of the Muscle Tendon Classic—the Blue Tier Futu.

At the Blue Tier Futu, the muscles throughout one's body were tougher than steel and more resilient than gold. Unless struck by divine weapons or sharp artifacts, ordinary blades and spears could not harm them in the slightest. Blue-tier inner force could extend a full zhang beyond the body, blasting outward through the air and effortlessly pulverizing hundred-jin boulders. Its power was astonishing.

When the Blue Tier Futu was combined with Dragon Transformation, a secret technique unique to True Dragon Species spirits, it produced unexpectedly effective results—like that Striped Fierce Tiger from before.

Neither its teeth nor its claws had been able to inflict any injury upon Chen Xilin.

Yet the Dark Holy Dragon's strength was not limited to its physical body. It also possessed a powerful Dark Attribute. Chen Xilin could sense that this Dark Attribute could be improved, whether by obtaining Soul Rings or through his own insights.

But at present, Chen Xilin felt that his darkness could improve, while he himself could not.

"Why is that?" Chen Xilin rubbed his chin as he pondered.

Suddenly, Chen Xilin thought of something, and his old face reddened.

"I remember that when I attended those lectures back then, that Daoist explained the Five Elements within the human body.

"When a person is born, innate qi exists within their body. Examined closely, it is divided into the Five Elements.

"Pure Yang governs fire and becomes Heart Qi. Lesser Yin within Yang governs metal and becomes Lung Qi. Pure Yin governs water and becomes Kidney Qi. Lesser Yang within Yin governs wood and becomes Liver Qi. The balance of Yin and Yang governs earth and becomes Spleen Qi.

"Those who have not lost their virginity possess complete spirit and abundant qi, their Yang energy full to the brim. They may be called possessors of a Pure Yang Body. When their five qi circulate, Heart Fire leads Metal Lung in first generating life.

"Those who have lost their virginity, however, have Kidney Water leading Liver Wood, allowing Yin qi to flourish.

"And darkness is mysterious beyond mystery. Perhaps Kidney Water and Liver Wood, which are dominated by Yin qi, are more compatible with darkness.

"In other words, do I need to lose my Pure Yang Body before I can become more compatible with the darkness of my spirit?"

Chen Xilin had formed a certain hypothesis regarding his compatibility with darkness.

"Am I overthinking this? How could there be something this ridiculous?" Chen Xilin sank into thought once more.

"But the more I think about it, the more reasonable it seems. We're all human, and a Pure Yang Body really does make cultivation more effective.

"Should I give it a try? There shouldn't be any harm in trying, right? Besides, the Muscle Tendon Classic isn't a Boy Purity Skill.

"If that old man had passed down the Nine Yang Divine Skill or some Boy Purity Skill to me, wouldn't I have exploded? Though I lost my virginity at seventeen anyway. Ah, those glorious years... truly unforgettable.

"After that, I revealed my martial arts while fighting someone over a woman. They discovered that I possessed the Muscle Tendon Classic's inner force, and then the entire martial world started hunting me down.

"Back then, I only treated the Muscle Tendon Classic as a technique for strengthening my body. The fact that I managed to cultivate it to the White Tier Futu was really thanks to them."

After finishing his training, Chen Xilin headed out. Suotuo City was a major city located in the center of the Lima Plains within the Balak Kingdom. Because of its abundant grain production, it was known as the "Barak Granary."

It was somewhat similar to Fasnuo City, where Chen Xilin had stayed before. However, the Balak Kingdom was a kingdom within a kingdom, and it directly bordered the Star Luo Empire to the south. As a result, its military strength was the greatest among the Heaven Dou Empire's four major kingdoms.

The Balak Kingdom could be said to be the gateway to the Heaven Dou Empire, giving it immense strategic importance.

There truly were Spirit Douluo in the Balak Kingdom. It was said that they were Guardians of the Barak Royal Family, numbering around two, though they all resided in Barak City.

In Suotuo City, Long Fei could be considered the ceiling of combat strength. Moreover, he was about to become a Spirit Douluo, so it was possible that multiple factions would try to recruit him.

After all, Spirit Douluo were scarce resources on the current continent and could be considered the peak of combat strength. Titled Douluo were even more elusive, rarely ever seen unless one was in Spirit City or a direct disciple of the Upper Three Sects.

Otherwise, meeting a Titled Douluo? What a joke.

Chen Xilin had only one purpose in going out this time: to visit prostitutes... Ah, no, to listen to music at the pleasure house!

Yes, yes, listen to music at the pleasure house.

Suotuo City was one of the Balak Kingdom's important cities, so the quality here should be quite high. Chen Xilin intended to take a look and see whether losing his Pure Yang Body would make him more compatible with darkness.

Half a day later,

Chen Xilin returned home. It was already nearing evening.

Unlike when he had first left, when Chen Xilin had gone out, his clothes had been neat, his expression calm, even carrying a trace of melancholy.

But now, Chen Xilin's upper clothes were slightly disheveled, several vivid red lipstick marks lined his neck, and his face was flushed. He looked to be in an exceptionally good mood.

On the way back, he had even been humming a little tune.

"The girls of the Douluo Continent are really something. Female Spirit Masters are even more delightful. As expected of Suotuo City—it even has Female Spirit Masters.

"A beast spirit combined with the Muscle Tendon Classic really is amazing. Back then, even Master Ye fighting ten people at once probably wasn't this impressive."

Chen Xilin was in an excellent mood. Seeing that the sky was about to turn dark, he felt eager to test his cultivation. At night, his cultivation was more effective than during the day. After all, darkness was his domain. Chen Xilin wanted to see whether that faint barrier between himself and darkness still remained.